diff --git a/bin/dialog.sh b/bin/dialog.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..ba9b306b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bin/dialog.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env sh
+
+osascript -e " display dialog \"$*\" "
diff --git a/bin/home-manager-flake-switch.sh b/bin/home-manager-flake-switch.sh
index 60794e16..d5e32436 100755
--- a/bin/home-manager-flake-switch.sh
+++ b/bin/home-manager-flake-switch.sh
@@ -11,8 +11,8 @@
 # [[file:../workstation.org::*flake-world equivalent to home-manager 'switch'][flake-world equivalent to home-manager 'switch':1]]
 set -u # error in case WORKSTATION_NAME is not set
 function home_manager_flake_switch() {
-    nix build --no-link ~/workstation/#homeConfigurations.${WORKSTATION_NAME}.$(whoami).activationPackage --show-trace
-    "$(nix path-info ~/workstation/#homeConfigurations.${WORKSTATION_NAME}.$(whoami).activationPackage)"/activate --show-trace
+    nix build --debug -L -v --no-link ~/workstation/#homeConfigurations.${WORKSTATION_NAME}.$(whoami).activationPackage --show-trace && \
+      "$(nix path-info ~/workstation/#homeConfigurations.${WORKSTATION_NAME}.$(whoami).activationPackage)"/activate --show-trace
 }
 home_manager_flake_switch
 # flake-world equivalent to home-manager 'switch':1 ends here
diff --git a/bin/notify.sh b/bin/notify.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..e7d92c58
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bin/notify.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env sh
+
+osascript -e " display notification \"$*\" "
diff --git a/bootstrap-workstation.sh b/bootstrap-workstation.sh
index 0df7bef5..b066b17d 100755
--- a/bootstrap-workstation.sh
+++ b/bootstrap-workstation.sh
@@ -307,8 +307,8 @@ set -u
 
 # [[[[file:~/workstation/workstation.org::home_manager_flake_switch_function][home_manager_flake_switch_function]]][home_manager_flake_switch_function]]
 function home_manager_flake_switch() {
-    nix build --no-link ~/workstation/#homeConfigurations.${WORKSTATION_NAME}.$(whoami).activationPackage --show-trace
-    "$(nix path-info ~/workstation/#homeConfigurations.${WORKSTATION_NAME}.$(whoami).activationPackage)"/activate --show-trace
+    nix build --no-link ~/workstation/#homeConfigurations.${WORKSTATION_NAME}.$(whoami).activationPackage --show-trace && \
+      "$(nix path-info ~/workstation/#homeConfigurations.${WORKSTATION_NAME}.$(whoami).activationPackage)"/activate --show-trace
 }
 # home_manager_flake_switch_function ends here
 home_manager_flake_switch
diff --git a/dotfiles/doom.d/config.el b/dotfiles/doom.d/config.el
index 45e35e9f..d6b14413 100644
--- a/dotfiles/doom.d/config.el
+++ b/dotfiles/doom.d/config.el
@@ -66,7 +66,8 @@
 (setq global-flycheck-mode nil)
 
 (load-theme 'tsdh-light)
-
+(toggle-debug-on-error)
+(toggle-debug-on-quit)
 
 ;; (add-to-list 'load-path "~/Projects/shen-elisp/")
 ;; (require 'shen-elisp)
diff --git a/dotfiles/doom.d/init.el b/dotfiles/doom.d/init.el
index 6557b171..86403868 100644
--- a/dotfiles/doom.d/init.el
+++ b/dotfiles/doom.d/init.el
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@
        ;; bug that seems to be in the search code for vertico.
        ;; no idea when it may get resolved
        ivy               ; a search engine for love and life
-
        ;; vertico           ; the search engine of the future
 
        :ui
diff --git a/dotfiles/zshrc b/dotfiles/zshrc
index 927f3a11..ca2cfd8b 100644
--- a/dotfiles/zshrc
+++ b/dotfiles/zshrc
@@ -22,10 +22,6 @@ export HISTSIZE=10000
 # TODO figure out how to make this work in zsh
 # shopt -s histappend
 
-do_command_done_alert() {
-    osascript -e 'display dialog "Command Done!"'
-}
-
 alert_when_done() {
     if test -n "$1";
     then
@@ -34,7 +30,7 @@ alert_when_done() {
             sleep 1
         done
     fi
-    do_command_done_alert
+    notify.sh "command $1 has exited"
 }
 
 sourceIfExists ~/etc/machine-settings.sh
diff --git a/flake.lock b/flake.lock
index 32405dbe..69717388 100644
--- a/flake.lock
+++ b/flake.lock
@@ -44,18 +44,17 @@
     },
     "darwin-nixpkgs": {
       "locked": {
-        "lastModified": 1675410244,
-        "narHash": "sha256-ODj6egMoH/HgAF/0wIy0EfRBeUx5FMuLl6uAdUW3kCI=",
-        "owner": "nixos",
-        "repo": "nixpkgs",
-        "rev": "f7543a7539a007e9562e4d8d24e17a4bcf369b68",
-        "type": "github"
+        "lastModified": 1690181217,
+        "narHash": "sha256-77/oUvsnl5+NY7f8PIIz4zaXOvEOgxgvaVGUUWX9QzQ=",
+        "ref": "refs/heads/master",
+        "rev": "d75ba3d7a2b5c4952f89f498e435cb5648c0f0cb",
+        "revCount": 507327,
+        "type": "git",
+        "url": "file:///Users/joel/Projects/nixpkgs"
       },
       "original": {
-        "owner": "nixos",
-        "ref": "nixpkgs-22.11-darwin",
-        "repo": "nixpkgs",
-        "type": "github"
+        "type": "git",
+        "url": "file:///Users/joel/Projects/nixpkgs"
       }
     },
     "doom-emacs": {
@@ -63,10 +62,11 @@
       "locked": {
         "lastModified": 1662497747,
         "narHash": "sha256-4n7E1fqda7cn5/F2jTkOnKw1juG6XMS/FI9gqODL3aU=",
-        "owner": "doomemacs",
-        "repo": "doomemacs",
+        "ref": "refs/heads/current-version",
         "rev": "3853dff5e11655e858d0bfae64b70cb12ef685ac",
-        "type": "github"
+        "revCount": 17702,
+        "type": "git",
+        "url": "file:///Users/joel/Projects/doomemacs"
       },
       "original": {
         "owner": "doomemacs",
@@ -124,6 +124,22 @@
         "type": "github"
       }
     },
+    "evil-collection": {
+      "flake": false,
+      "locked": {
+        "lastModified": 1690216305,
+        "narHash": "sha256-xBSyDqiHD5q8sx8csCTJ5TYlpHMJEuCwcSn1rAyyIak=",
+        "owner": "emacs-evil",
+        "repo": "evil-collection",
+        "rev": "286d69de179cf70c00963a998a4beb826b51414a",
+        "type": "github"
+      },
+      "original": {
+        "owner": "emacs-evil",
+        "repo": "evil-collection",
+        "type": "github"
+      }
+    },
     "evil-escape": {
       "flake": false,
       "locked": {
@@ -282,6 +298,7 @@
         "doom-snippets": "doom-snippets",
         "emacs-overlay": "emacs-overlay",
         "emacs-so-long": "emacs-so-long",
+        "evil-collection": "evil-collection",
         "evil-escape": "evil-escape",
         "evil-markdown": "evil-markdown",
         "evil-org-mode": "evil-org-mode",
@@ -291,7 +308,9 @@
         "flake-utils": "flake-utils",
         "format-all": "format-all",
         "nix-straight": "nix-straight",
-        "nixpkgs": "nixpkgs",
+        "nixpkgs": [
+          "nixpkgs"
+        ],
         "nose": "nose",
         "ob-racket": "ob-racket",
         "org": "org",
@@ -305,28 +324,23 @@
         "ws-butler": "ws-butler"
       },
       "locked": {
-        "lastModified": 1682645493,
-        "narHash": "sha256-U3TqEcBM7QSqX0B9vQYIdB/9Ls7SE6BzM4XNDpM0Lpg=",
-        "owner": "nix-community",
-        "repo": "nix-doom-emacs",
-        "rev": "33db1786e0352cad4227fb931ac96c4e2e89de29",
-        "type": "github"
+        "lastModified": 1686959076,
+        "narHash": "sha256-kdbo2SVYeczIiUO+XF99II5vqpPNOKsRdVhjcXIIfjk=",
+        "type": "git",
+        "url": "file:///Users/joel/Projects/nix-doom-emacs"
       },
       "original": {
-        "owner": "nix-community",
-        "repo": "nix-doom-emacs",
-        "type": "github"
+        "type": "git",
+        "url": "file:///Users/joel/Projects/nix-doom-emacs"
       }
     },
     "nix-straight": {
       "flake": false,
       "locked": {
         "lastModified": 1666982610,
-        "narHash": "sha256-xjgIrmUsekVTE+MpZb5DMU8DQf9DJ/ZiR0o30L9/XCc=",
-        "owner": "nix-community",
-        "repo": "nix-straight.el",
-        "rev": "ad10364d64f472c904115fd38d194efe1c3f1226",
-        "type": "github"
+        "narHash": "sha256-DA3IdlxGtlM88dqFG9YreoUpWFVkSn1llvP+uGENgBA=",
+        "type": "git",
+        "url": "file:///Users/joel/Projects/nix-straight.el"
       },
       "original": {
         "owner": "nix-community",
@@ -335,21 +349,6 @@
       }
     },
     "nixpkgs": {
-      "locked": {
-        "lastModified": 1682566018,
-        "narHash": "sha256-HPzPRFiy2o/7k7mtnwfM1E6NVZHiFbPdmYCMoIpkHO4=",
-        "owner": "NixOS",
-        "repo": "nixpkgs",
-        "rev": "8e3b64db39f2aaa14b35ee5376bd6a2e707cadc2",
-        "type": "github"
-      },
-      "original": {
-        "id": "nixpkgs",
-        "ref": "nixpkgs-unstable",
-        "type": "indirect"
-      }
-    },
-    "nixpkgs_2": {
       "locked": {
         "lastModified": 1675362331,
         "narHash": "sha256-VmcnKPj5gJLxWK7Bxlhg2LoQvhKRss7Ax+uoFjd3qKY=",
@@ -484,7 +483,7 @@
         "darwin-nixpkgs": "darwin-nixpkgs",
         "home-manager": "home-manager",
         "nix-doom-emacs": "nix-doom-emacs",
-        "nixpkgs": "nixpkgs_2"
+        "nixpkgs": "nixpkgs"
       }
     },
     "rotate-text": {
diff --git a/flake.nix b/flake.nix
index 6c42fd8e..27566e9e 100644
--- a/flake.nix
+++ b/flake.nix
@@ -3,8 +3,9 @@
 
   inputs = {
     nixpkgs.url = "github:nixos/nixpkgs/nixos-unstable";
+    # nixpkgs.url = "git+file:///Users/joel/Projects/nixpkgs";
     darwin-nixpkgs = {
-      url = "github:nixos/nixpkgs/nixpkgs-22.11-darwin";
+      url = "git+file:///Users/joel/Projects/nixpkgs";
     };
     darwin.url = "github:lnl7/nix-darwin/master";
     darwin.inputs.nixpkgs.follows = "darwin-nixpkgs";
@@ -17,14 +18,22 @@
       inputs.nixpkgs.follows = "nixpkgs";
     };
     nix-doom-emacs = {
-      url = "github:nix-community/nix-doom-emacs";
+      url = "git+file:///Users/joel/Projects/nix-doom-emacs";
+      inputs = {
+        nixpkgs.follows = "nixpkgs";
+
+
+        doom-emacs.url = "git+file:///Users/joel/Projects/doomemacs";
+        nix-straight.url = "git+file:///Users/joel/Projects/nix-straight.el";
+      };
     };
   };
 
-  outputs = inputs@{ self, darwin, nixpkgs, darwin-nixpkgs, home-manager, darwin-home-manager, nix-doom-emacs, # darwin-nix-doom-emacs,
+  outputs = inputs@{ self, darwin, nixpkgs, darwin-nixpkgs, home-manager, darwin-home-manager, nix-doom-emacs,
     ... }:
 
     let
+
       home-manager-config = { user, home }:
         { config, pkgs, lib, ... }:
           {
@@ -71,6 +80,74 @@
               extraConfig = ''
                 (add-to-list 'exec-path "~/.nix-profile/bin/")
               '';
+
+              # emacsPackagesOverlay = self: super: {
+              #   embark = self.trivialBuild {
+              #     pname = "embark";
+              #     ename = "embark";
+              #     version = "5d0459d27aa7cf738b5af36cf862723a62bef955";
+              #     packageRequires = [ super.compat super.emacs ];
+              #     src = pkgs.fetchFromGitHub {
+              #       owner = "oantolin";
+              #       repo = "embark";
+              #       rev = "5d0459d27aa7cf738b5af36cf862723a62bef955";
+              #       sha256 = "sha256-7U94GRmUA+UdqvwSBSEGSwHSpfqaaiKghqg4P4gn85c=";
+              #     };
+              #     meta = {
+              #       homepage = "https://elpa.gnu.org/packages/embark.html";
+              #       license = lib.licenses.free;
+              #     };
+
+              #   };
+              #   # https://github.com/doomemacs/doomemacs/blob/07fca786154551f90f36535bfb21f8ca4abd5027/modules/completion/vertico/packages.el#L4C18-L7
+              #   vertico = self.trivialBuild {
+              #     pname = "vertico";
+              #     ename = "vertico";
+              #     version = "2ad46196653b8a873adf11aee949d621af8ff6bc";
+              #     packageRequires = [ super.compat super.emacs ];
+              #     src = pkgs.fetchFromGitHub {
+              #       owner = "minad";
+              #       repo = "vertico";
+              #       rev = "2ad46196653b8a873adf11aee949d621af8ff6bc";
+              #       sha256 = "sha256-8vsNZKSWY6AcLs/a8/b9tjmkF2LEeRSAOvsdiWq+cAc=";
+              #     };
+              #     meta = {
+              #       homepage = "https://elpa.gnu.org/packages/vertico.html";
+              #       license = lib.licenses.free;
+              #     };
+
+              #   };
+
+              #   # vertico = self.melpaBuild {
+              #   #   pname = "vertico";
+
+              #   #   # inherit (haskellPackages.ghc-mod) version src;
+              #   #   version = "2ad46196653b8a873adf11aee949d621af8ff6bc";
+
+              #   #   src = pkgs.fetchFromGitHub {
+              #   #     owner = "minad";
+              #   #     repo = "vertico";
+              #   #     rev = "2ad46196653b8a873adf11aee949d621af8ff6bc";
+              #   #     sha256 = "sha256-8vsNZKSWY6AcLs/a8/b9tjmkF2LEeRSAOvsdiWq+cAc=";
+              #   #   };
+
+              #   #   packageRequires = [ super.compat super.emacs ];
+
+              #   #   # propagatedUserEnvPkgs = [ haskellPackages.ghc-mod ];
+
+              #   #   recipe = pkgs.writeText "recipe" ''
+              #   #       (vertico :repo "minad/vertico" :fetcher github :files ("*.el" "extensions/*.el"))
+              #   #   '';
+
+              #   #   fileSpecs = [ "*.el" "extensions/*.el" ];
+
+              #   #   meta = {
+              #   #     homepage = "https://elpa.gnu.org/packages/vertico.html";
+              #   #     license = lib.licenses.free;
+              #   #   };
+              #   # };
+              # }
+              # ;
             };
 
             # workaround; see https://github.com/nix-community/home-manager/issues/3342#issuecomment-1283158398
@@ -148,6 +225,7 @@
       };
       homeConfigurations."ci-ubuntu".runner = linux-home-config{
         user = "runner"; home = "/home/runner";
+
       };
     };
 }
diff --git a/run-debugging-process.sh b/run-debugging-process.sh
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..55b1cbca
--- /dev/null
+++ b/run-debugging-process.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env sh
+
+set -xu
+
+LOG_DIR="build-log-$(date | sed 's/ /-/g')"
+mkdir -p $LOG_DIR
+BUILD_LOG="$LOG_DIR/flake-build.log"
+REQUISITES_LOG="$LOG_DIR/requisites.log"
+STRAIGHT_LOG="$LOG_DIR/straight-emacs-env.log"
+
+nix build --debug -L -v --no-link ~/workstation/#homeConfigurations.${WORKSTATION_NAME}.$(whoami).activationPackage --show-trace 2>&1 | tee "$BUILD_LOG"
+"$(nix path-info ~/workstation/#homeConfigurations.${WORKSTATION_NAME}.$(whoami).activationPackage)"/activate --show-trace  2>&1 | tee "$BUILD_LOG"
+
+DERIVATION_PATH=$(nix path-info ~/workstation/#homeConfigurations.${WORKSTATION_NAME}.$(whoami).activationPackage)
+
+nix-store --query --requisites --include-outputs "$DERIVATION_PATH" > "$REQUISITES_LOG"
+
+STRAIGHT_ENV_PATH=$(grep straight-emacs-env "$REQUISITES_LOG" | tail -n 1)
+nix log "$STRAIGHT_ENV_PATH" > "$STRAIGHT_LOG"
+echo "============= STRAIGHT_LOG ==========="
+cat "$STRAIGHT_LOG"
+echo LOGS STORED TO "$LOG_DIR"
+
+dialog.sh "workstation build finished" &
diff --git a/workstation.org b/workstation.org
index 6ec8a273..bd703881 100644
--- a/workstation.org
+++ b/workstation.org
@@ -579,8 +579,8 @@ home_manager_flake_switch
 #+NAME: home_manager_flake_switch_function
 #+begin_src shell
 function home_manager_flake_switch() {
-    nix build --no-link ~/workstation/#homeConfigurations.${WORKSTATION_NAME}.$(whoami).activationPackage --show-trace
-    "$(nix path-info ~/workstation/#homeConfigurations.${WORKSTATION_NAME}.$(whoami).activationPackage)"/activate --show-trace
+    nix build --no-link ~/workstation/#homeConfigurations.${WORKSTATION_NAME}.$(whoami).activationPackage --show-trace && \
+      "$(nix path-info ~/workstation/#homeConfigurations.${WORKSTATION_NAME}.$(whoami).activationPackage)"/activate --show-trace
 }
 #+end_src
 ** Nix darwin