diff --git a/vim/vimrc b/vim/vimrc
index 5128fc1..3858fc4 100644
--- a/vim/vimrc
+++ b/vim/vimrc
@@ -32,11 +32,32 @@ set rtp+=~/.vim/bundle/vundle/
 call vundle#rc()
 Bundle 'gmarik/vundle'
 
-filetype plugin indent on
-
 " solarized color theme
 Bundle 'altercation/vim-colors-solarized'
 
+" display the undo history in a graph
+Bundle 'mbbill/undotree'
+
+" tree explorer plugin
+Bundle 'scrooloose/nerdtree'
+
+" quoting/parenthesizing made simple
+Bundle 'tpope/vim-surround'
+
+" better commenting
+Bundle 'scrooloose/nerdcommenter'
+
+" nice auto completion
+Bundle 'Shougo/neocomplcache.vim'
+
+" nice text alignment
+Bundle 'godlygeek/tabular'
+
+" status line plugin
+Bundle 'bling/vim-airline'
+
+filetype plugin indent on
+
 " setup for the solarized color theme
 set background=dark
 let g:solarized_termcolors=16
@@ -46,6 +67,22 @@ let g:solarized_visibility="normal"
 syntax enable
 colorscheme solarized
 
+set clipboard=unnamed               " enable copying into the clipboard
+
+
+set esckeys                         " enable cursor keys in insert mode
+set ttimeoutlen=50
+
+set modeline                        " respect modelines in files
+set modelines=4
+
+set laststatus=2                    " always show a status line
+
+"set nostartofline                   " do not reset the cursor into the first
+"                                    " column when moving
+
+set shortmess=rti                   " shorten some messages
+
 set mouse=a                         " enable mouse support
 set mousehide                       " hide the mouse when typing
 
@@ -115,7 +152,7 @@ set smarttab                        " use shiftwidth when tabbing in front of
                                     " a line instead of tabsstop/softtabstop
 
 set undofile                        " use an undo file
-set undodir=~/.vim/backups          " store undo files in a fixed directory
+set undodir=~/.vim/undo             " store undo files in a fixed directory
                                     " instead of the current directory
 set undolevels=1000                 " undo a maximum of 1000 changes
 set undoreload=10000                " save the whole buffer for undo when