diff --git a/vimrc b/vimrc
index eb2da82..6f1d89e 100644
--- a/vimrc
+++ b/vimrc
@@ -2,9 +2,16 @@
 call pathogen#runtime_append_all_bundles()
 call pathogen#helptags()
 
-" turn off vi compatability
+" turn off vi compatability, although i hear when vimrc exists this is set
+" automatically
 set nocompatible
 
+" allow hidden buffers
+set hidden
+
+" longer history
+set history=1000
+
 " turn off swapfiles
 set noswapfile
 
@@ -15,6 +22,19 @@ set undofile
 " line numbers
 set nu
 
+" wild menu
+set wildmenu
+set wildmode=longest:full
+
+" show the command as it is typed
+" set sc
+
+" remap the leader to ,. hate doing this but \ is so far away
+let mapleader = ","
+
+" when a file is changed externally
+set autoread
+
 " indentation
 filetype plugin on
 filetype indent on
@@ -32,7 +52,6 @@ set smarttab
 set tabstop=4
 set shiftwidth=4
 
-set autoread
 set mat=2
 set ruler
 set nohls