diff --git a/.xinitrc b/.xinitrc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2388d10
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.xinitrc
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+userresources=$HOME/.Xresources
+usermodmap=$HOME/.Xmodmap
+sysresources=/etc/X11/xinit/.Xresources
+sysmodmap=/etc/X11/xinit/.Xmodmap
+
+# merge in defaults and keymaps
+
+if [ -f $sysresources ]; then
+
+    xrdb -merge $sysresources
+
+fi
+
+if [ -f $sysmodmap ]; then
+    xmodmap $sysmodmap
+fi
+
+if [ -f "$userresources" ]; then
+
+    xrdb -merge "$userresources"
+
+fi
+
+if [ -f "$usermodmap" ]; then
+    xmodmap "$usermodmap"
+fi
+
+# start some nice programs
+
+if [ -d /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc.d ] ; then
+ for f in /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc.d/?*.sh ; do
+  [ -x "$f" ] && . "$f"
+ done
+ unset f
+fi
+
+# start my trusty window manager
+xmonad &
diff --git a/.xmonad/xmonad.hs b/.xmonad/xmonad.hs
index 77b050b..3edfbf0 100644
--- a/.xmonad/xmonad.hs
+++ b/.xmonad/xmonad.hs
@@ -238,10 +238,24 @@ myKeys conf@(XConfig {XMonad.modMask = modm}) = M.fromList $
     
         -- increase volume with mod+f12
         ,((modm, xK_F12), spawn "pactl set-sink-volume 0 +5%")
+
+	-- toggle mute with mod+f10
 	,((modm, xK_F10), spawn "pactl set-sink-mute 0 toggle")
     ]
     ++
 
+    --
+    -- hardware controls, currently just backlight
+    --
+    [
+        -- increase backlight by 10 with mod+f9
+        ((modm, xK_F9), spawn "backlight_control +10")
+
+	-- decrese backlight by 10 with mod+f8x
+	,((modm, xK_F8), spawn "backlight_control -10")
+    ]
+    ++
+
     --
     -- mod-[1..9], Switch to workspace N
     -- mod-shift-[1..9], Move client to workspace N
diff --git a/.xprofile b/.xprofile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2ada9ae
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.xprofile
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+# keyboard layout
+setxkbmap dvorak &
+
+# wallpaper
+nitrogen --restore &
+
+# compositor
+compton &
+
+# numlock
+numlockx
+
+# cursor
+xsetroot -cursor_name left_ptr