diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b202107
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+*.o
+cards
diff --git a/cards b/cards
deleted file mode 100755
index f9bc3c4..0000000
Binary files a/cards and /dev/null differ
diff --git a/obj/card.o b/obj/card.o
deleted file mode 100644
index fea58c4..0000000
Binary files a/obj/card.o and /dev/null differ
diff --git a/obj/main.o b/obj/main.o
deleted file mode 100644
index 708dd70..0000000
Binary files a/obj/main.o and /dev/null differ
diff --git a/src/card.c b/src/card.c
index 7388bdd..d79a4ab 100644
--- a/src/card.c
+++ b/src/card.c
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ CARD* card_parse_csv(char *f, int *ct) {
     FILE *fp;
     char *l, *o, *r;
     const char *delims = "	\0";
-    CARD *ca;
+    CARD *ca = NULL;
 
     if ((fp = fopen(f, "r")) == NULL)
         die("failed to open file (null pointer)");
diff --git a/src/main.c b/src/main.c
index b320633..973d633 100644
--- a/src/main.c
+++ b/src/main.c
@@ -37,8 +37,8 @@ char *strdup_(char *s) {
 
 int main(int argc, char **argv) {
     CARD *cards;
-    WINDOW *main_card;
-    int cards_ct, cc = 0, cf = 0, term_y, term_x;
+    WINDOW *main_card, *outer_text_card, *inner_text_container;
+    int cards_ct, cc = 0, cf = 0, max_y, max_x;
     char k = '\0';
 
     if (argc < 2)
@@ -50,15 +50,47 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv) {
     initscr();
     noecho();
     curs_set(0);
-    getmaxyx(stdscr, term_y, term_x);
-    main_card = newwin(term_y * .75,
-            term_x * .75,
-            (term_y * .5) - ((term_y * .75) * .5),
-            (term_x * .5) - ((term_x * .75) * .5));
-    refresh();
-
+    if (!has_colors()) {
+        endwin();
+        die("terminal with color support required");
+    }
+    start_color();
+    init_pair(1, COLOR_WHITE, COLOR_BLUE);
+    init_pair(2, COLOR_BLACK, COLOR_WHITE);
+    
     // main loop
     do {
+        // (re)init cards
+        getmaxyx(stdscr, max_y, max_x);
+        main_card = newwin(max_y * .75,
+                max_x * .75,
+                (max_y * .5) - ((max_y * .75) * .5),
+                (max_x * .5) - ((max_x * .75) * .5));
+
+        getmaxyx(main_card, max_y, max_x);
+        outer_text_card = derwin(main_card,
+                max_y * .5,
+                max_x * .9,
+                (max_y * .5) - ((max_y * .5) * .5),
+                (max_x * .5) - ((max_x * .9) * .5));
+
+        getmaxyx(outer_text_card, max_y, max_x);
+        inner_text_container = derwin(outer_text_card,
+                max_y - 2,
+                max_x - 2,
+                1,
+                1);
+
+        // (re)draw cards
+        clear();
+        /* wattron(outer_text_card, A_BOLD); */
+        wattron(inner_text_container, COLOR_PAIR(2));
+        wattron(main_card, A_BOLD);
+        box(outer_text_card, 0, 0);
+        box(main_card, 0, 0);
+        refresh();
+
+        // get user input
         switch (k) {
             case 'j':
                 if (++cc > cards_ct - 1)
@@ -77,31 +109,38 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv) {
                 }
             break;
             case 'q':
+                delwin(inner_text_container);
+                delwin(outer_text_card);
+                delwin(main_card);
                 endwin();
                 exit(0);
             break;
         }
 
-        // clear old card
-        wclear(main_card);
-        wrefresh(main_card);
-
-        // draw box
-        box(main_card, 0, 0);
-
-        // print title + text
-        if (cf == 0) {
+        // print
+        if (cf == 0) { // obverse
             mvwprintw(main_card, 0, 10, "  Card #%d/%d [front]  \r", cc + 1, cards_ct);
-            mvwprintw(main_card, (term_y * .75) * .5, (term_x * .75) * .5, "%s\r", cards[cc].obverse);
-        } else {
+            wprintw(inner_text_container, "%s\r", cards[cc].obverse);
+        } else { // reverse
             mvwprintw(main_card, 0, 10, "  Card #%d/%d [back]  \r", cc + 1, cards_ct);
-            mvwprintw(main_card, (term_y * .75) * .5, (term_x * .75) * .5, "%s\r", cards[cc].reverse);
+            wprintw(inner_text_container, "%s\r", cards[cc].reverse);
         }
-        wrefresh(main_card);
-    } while ((k = getch()) != EOF);
 
-    /* for (size_t i = 0; i < cards_ct; i++) */
-    /*     printf("o: `%s`, r: `%s`\n", cards[i].obverse, cards[i].reverse); */
+        /// colors
+        wbkgd(outer_text_card, COLOR_PAIR(2));
+        wbkgd(main_card, COLOR_PAIR(1));
+
+        // refresh
+        touchwin(outer_text_card);
+        wrefresh(inner_text_container);
+        touchwin(main_card);
+        wrefresh(outer_text_card);
+        wrefresh(main_card);
+        delwin(inner_text_container);
+        delwin(outer_text_card);
+        delwin(main_card);
+
+    } while ((k = getch()) != EOF);
 
     return 0;
 }