diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 1c80e3a..8d9d215 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 *.swp
 *.directory
 .netrwhist
-vifminfo
 *.log
+vifminfo
+vifm-help.txt
diff --git a/i3/.config/i3/config b/i3/.config/i3/config
index 0cd70a0..886674a 100644
--- a/i3/.config/i3/config
+++ b/i3/.config/i3/config
@@ -17,6 +17,10 @@
 #modifier key. mod 4 is the logo key on most keyboards.
 set $mod Mod4
 
+#helper scripts directory
+#for some reason, setting this does not work!
+#set $scripts "~/dotfiles/scripts
+
 # Font for window titles. Will also be used by the bar unless a different font
 # is used in the bar {} block below.
 font pango:monospace 8
@@ -171,9 +175,10 @@ font pango:DejaVu Sans Mono 8
 
 	bindsym $mod+r mode "resize"
 
-	# lock the screen with mod+x, and lock+sleep computer with mod+shift+x
+	# lock and turn off the screen with mod+x, and lock+sleep computer with mod+shift+x
 		set $lock_command i3lock
-		bindsym $mod+x exec --no-startup-id "$lock_command"
+		set $lock_command_nof i3lock -n #versuon of $lock_command that does not fork.
+		bindsym $mod+x exec --no-startup-id "~/dotfiles/scripts/screen_off $lock_command_nof"
 		bindsym $mod+shift+x exec --no-startup-id "$lock_command"; exec "systemctl suspend"
 
 	#screenshot everything with mod+s, current window with mod+shift+x
@@ -206,5 +211,5 @@ bar {
 	#geoclue
 	exec --no-startup-id /usr/lib/geoclue-2.0/demos/agent
 
-	#redshift
-	exec --no-startup-id redshift-gtk
+	#resetting the wallpaper. We are not setting it here, so we can have different wallpapers on different machines. use feh --bg-fill FILE to set it. it will write a .fehbg file.
+	~/.fehbg
diff --git a/scripts/screen_off b/scripts/screen_off
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..b2942d8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/screen_off
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+#! /bin/bash
+
+#warning! $locker MUST NOT FORK! It must wait to exit until after the screen has been unlocked. 
+
+#arguments
+
+locker=$@
+
+#make sure we set screen back to defaults if we force close the script
+cleanup() {
+	xset dpms 0 0 60 #&& echo "cleaned up!"
+	exit
+}
+
+trap "cleanup" EXIT
+
+#runs the locker, than makes the screen time out after 1 sec of inactivity
+xset dpms 0 0 1
+$locker