diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index b1f243f..d7000f8 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -5,19 +5,25 @@ Going to try and make it mostly POSIX compliant.
 
 ## todo
 
+- [ ] rewrite handle arg function. tis bad pointer stuff
 - [x] environment variables
 - [x] custom prompts
+- [ ] fix prompt to use PS1 environment variable
 - [x] minimal current directory
 - [ ] handle ~
 - [ ] dynamically allocate cwd in cd builtin command
+- [ ] history
+- [ ] cursor movement
+- [ ] tab to autocomplete files and dirs
 - [ ] all of posixsxssssss
   - [ ] aliases
   - [x] increase the SHLVL var
   - [x] update pwd
   - [ ] quotes
   - [ ] pipes |
+  - [ ] vi mode
   - [ ] redirections > <
   - [ ] append >>
   - [ ] heredoc
 - [ ] rcfile
-  - [ ] rcfile in homedir
+  - [ ] rcfile in config dir
diff --git a/src/lsh_main_func.c b/src/lsh_main_func.c
index c144238..fdaa011 100644
--- a/src/lsh_main_func.c
+++ b/src/lsh_main_func.c
@@ -45,12 +45,32 @@ char *lsh_read_line(void)
     }
 }
 
+//this needs to be rewritten/moved for better memory management. eg not writing to getenv or a pointer to a string that must not be modified
+//eg dont use token=some pointer
 char *handle_vars(char *token){
     token=&token[0];
     if (token[0] == '$'){
         token=&token[1];
-        token=getenv(token);
+        if(getenv(token)){
+            token=getenv(token);
+        } else {
+            token="";
+        }
     }
+    /*
+    if (token[0] == '~'){
+        token=&token[1];
+        char *orig = (char*)malloc(sizeof(char) * ( strlen(token) + strlen(getenv("HOME") + 1)));
+        strcpy(orig,token);
+
+        strcpy(token,getenv("home")) has a weird doubling memory thing i dont understand
+        strcpy(token,getenv("HOME"));
+
+        strcat(token,orig);
+        printf("TOK: %s\n\n",token);
+        free(orig);
+    }
+    */
 
     return token;
 }