diff --git a/.vimrc b/.vimrc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f6fc1a6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.vimrc
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+filetype plugin indent on
+
+set laststatus=2
+
+set t_Co=256
+
+set encoding=utf-8
+set tabstop=4
+set shiftwidth=4
+set autoindent
+
+set number
+set ruler
+set cc=80
+set nowrap
+
+set splitbelow
+set hidden
+
+highlight ColorColumn ctermbg=darkgrey
+highlight StatusLine cterm=none ctermbg=none ctermfg=darkgrey
+highlight StatusLineNC cterm=none ctermbg=none ctermfg=darkgrey
+highlight Title cterm=none ctermfg=darkgrey
+highlight TabLineFill cterm=none
+highlight TabLine cterm=none ctermbg=none ctermfg=darkgrey 
+highlight NonText ctermfg=darkgrey
+highlight SpecialKey ctermfg=darkgrey
+highlight lineNr ctermfg=grey cterm=italic
+" highlight Type ctermfg=darkblue
+
+" test out some other things
+
+autocmd BufRead,BufNewFile ~/tmp/post setlocal spell spelllang=en_us wrap
+autocmd FileType h setlocal noet ts=4 sw=4
+autocmd FileType c setlocal noet ts=4 sw=4
+autocmd FileType cpp setlocal noet ts=4 sw=4
+autocmd FileType go setlocal noet ts=4 sw=4
+autocmd FileType mail setlocal noautoindent spell spelllang=en_us
+autocmd FileType python setlocal et ts=4 sw=4
+autocmd FileType qml setlocal et ts=4 sw=4
+
+set listchars=tab:▸\ ,eol:¬,space:.
+