diff --git a/.config/shell/env b/.config/shell/env
index 3fb5bf1..a2ee892 100644
--- a/.config/shell/env
+++ b/.config/shell/env
@@ -3,11 +3,54 @@
 # This file should be compatible with standard sh
 # shellcheck disable=SC2034
 
-export SHELL_CONFIG_DIR="${SHELL_CONFIG_DIR:-"${XDG_CONFIG_HOME:-"$HOME/.config"}/shell"}"
+# path_append from https://superuser.com/questions/39751/add-directory-to-path-if-its-not-already-there
+# checks if a path is already in the PATH and if it exists
+path_append() {
+   if [ -d "$1" ]; then
+      # posix SH doesn't have [[, so we skip testing if the path is already in the PATH for simplicity
+      # shellcheck disable=SC3010
+      if command '[[' > /dev/null 2>&1 && [[ ":$PATH:" != *":$1:"* ]]; then
+         PATH="${PATH:+"$PATH:"}$1"
+      else
+         PATH="$PATH:$1"
+      fi
+   fi
+}
+path_prepend() {
+   if [ -d "$1" ]; then
+      # posix SH doesn't have [[, so we skip testing if the path is in the PATH already for simplicity
+      # shellcheck disable=SC3010
+      if command '[[' > /dev/null 2>&1 && [[ ":$PATH:" != *":$1:"* ]]; then
+         PATH="$1${PATH:+":$PATH"}"
+      else
+         PATH="$1:$PATH"
+      fi
+   fi
+}
+
+# these would be temp vars, but ZSH does something weird where it makes them evaluate at runtime instead of
+export CONFIG_HOME="${XDG_DATA_HOME:-$HOME/.config}"
+export CACHE_HOME="${XDG_CACHE_HOME:-$HOME/.cache}"
+export DATA_HOME="${XDG_DATA_HOME:-$HOME/.local/share}"
+export LOCAL_HOME="$HOME/.local"
+
+export SHELL_CONFIG_DIR="${SHELL_CONFIG_DIR:-"$CONFIG_HOME/shell"}"
 if ! [ -d "$SHELL_CONFIG_DIR" ]; then
    echo "FATAL ERROR: \$SHELL_CONFIG_DIR is not set to a real directory: $SHELL_CONFIG_DIR" >&2
 fi
 
+## PATH MODIFICATION
+# add local bin path and shell bin path to PATH
+path_append "$LOCAL_HOME/bin"
+# add shell bin files
+path_append "$SHELL_CONFIG_DIR/bin"
+# add doom emacs bin folder to path if it exists
+path_append "$CONFIG_HOME/emacs/bin"
+# add nixvim path if it exists
+path_prepend "/home/blake/code/nixvim-config/result/bin"
+
+export PATH
+
 if [ -z "$PROFILE_LOADED" ] && [ -f ~/.profile ]; then
    # shellcheck source=/home/blake/.profile
    . ~/.profile
@@ -26,14 +69,6 @@ fi
 export SYSTEMD_EDITOR="$EDITOR"
 export VISUAL="$EDITOR"
 
-# Add local bin path and shell bin path to PATH
-export PATH="$PATH:${XDG_DATA_HOME:-$HOME/.local}/bin:$SHELL_CONFIG_DIR/bin"
-
-# Add doom emacs bin folder to path if it exists
-doom_bin_dir="${XDG_DATA_HOME:-$HOME/.config}/emacs/bin"
-if [ -d "$doom_bin_dir" ]; then export PATH="$PATH:$doom_bin_dir"; fi
-unset doom_bin_dir
-
 # Tell zellij to auto attach by default instead of opening a new session
 export ZELLIJ_AUTO_ATTACH=true
 
@@ -54,13 +89,13 @@ export MANPAGER="less -R --use-color -Dd+g -Du+b"
 COLOR_SCHEME=tokyonight
 
 # move zsh cache to where it should go
-export ZSH_CACHE_DIR="${XDG_CACHE_HOME:-$HOME/.cache}/zsh"
+export ZSH_CACHE_DIR="$CACHE_HOME/zsh"
 
 # Don't add extra space to the right side of the prompt
 export ZLE_RPROMPT_INDENT=0
 
 # Move zinit to where it should go
-export ZINIT_HOME_DIR="${XDG_DATA_HOME:-$HOME/.local/share}/zinit"
+export ZINIT_HOME_DIR="$DATA_HOME/zinit"
 
 # Add cargo to PATH if it exists
 [ -d "$HOME/.cargo/bin" ] && export PATH="$PATH:$HOME/.cargo/bin"
@@ -80,7 +115,7 @@ if [ -d "/etc/nixos" ]; then
 fi
 
 ## Working directory save settings (see things at bottom of zshrc)
-WORKING_DIR_SAVE_FILE="${XDG_CACHE_HOME:-$HOME/.cache}/zsh/last-working-dir"
+WORKING_DIR_SAVE_FILE="$CACHE_HOME/zsh/last-working-dir"
 # make the dir for the file if needed
 test -d "$(dirname "$WORKING_DIR_SAVE_FILE")" || mkdir -p "$(dirname "$WORKING_DIR_SAVE_FILE")"
 
@@ -118,6 +153,7 @@ DD="$DOCS_DIR"
 C=~/code/spu/ds2/src
 N="${NIXOS_DIR:-}"
 DP=~/'Documents/0 D'i'gi'P'e'n
+DPC="$DP/classes"
 
 export S SS # this makes it easier to load the shrc while in posix sh