diff --git a/config/xonsh/aliases.py b/config/xonsh/aliases.py
index 7465135..c7e71dd 100644
--- a/config/xonsh/aliases.py
+++ b/config/xonsh/aliases.py
@@ -1,9 +1,14 @@
+from os.path import dirname
 from pathlib import Path
 import subprocess
+import colors
 
-def run(cmd: list[str]) -> subprocess.CompletedProcess:
-    print(f"* {' '.join(cmd)}")
-    return subprocess.run(cmd, check=True)
+def run(cmd: list[str], cwd: Path = Path.cwd(), **kwargs) -> subprocess.CompletedProcess:
+    c = colors.Colors
+    print(f"{c.GREEN}Running command: {c.RED}'{' '.join(cmd)}'{c.END}")
+    if cwd != Path.cwd():
+        print(f"{c.GREEN} 󱞩 in directory: {c.YELLOW}'{cwd}'{c.END}")
+    return subprocess.run(cmd, cwd=cwd, check=True, **kwargs)
 
 @aliases.register
 @aliases.return_command
@@ -20,11 +25,12 @@ def _vm(args):
         build_vm_args.extend(["-I", "nixpkgs=/bulk/home/cswimr/Projects/nixpkgs"])
     vm_path = Path(f"/etc/nixos/hosts/virtual-machines/{vm_name}")
     if vm_path.exists():
-        print(f"Building virtual machine {vm_name}")
+        c = colors.Colors
+        print(f"{c.BLUE}Building virtual machine {c.YELLOW}{vm_name}{c.END}")
         run(["nixos-rebuild", "build-vm", "-I", "nixos-config=./default.nix", *build_vm_args, "--no-flake"], cwd=vm_path)
-        print(f"Running virtual vachine {vm_name}")
-        run([str(vm_path / "result" / "bin" / "run-nixos-vm")], cwd=vm_path)
-        print(f"Virtual machine {vm_name} has stopped.")
+        print(f"{c.BLUE}Running virtual vachine {c.YELLOW}{vm_name}{c.END}")
+        run(["./result/bin/run-nixos-vm"], cwd=vm_path)
+        print(f"{c.BLUE}Virtual machine {c.YELLOW}{vm_name} {c.BLUE}has {c.RED}stopped.{c.END}")
     else:
         raise FileNotFoundError(f"Virtual machine {vm_name} does not exist.")
 
diff --git a/config/xonsh/colors.py b/config/xonsh/colors.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bef4a3d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/config/xonsh/colors.py
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+# SGR color constants
+# rene-d 2018
+# https://gist.github.com/rene-d/9e584a7dd2935d0f461904b9f2950007
+
+class Colors:
+    """ ANSI color codes """
+    BLACK = "\033[0;30m"
+    RED = "\033[0;31m"
+    GREEN = "\033[0;32m"
+    BROWN = "\033[0;33m"
+    BLUE = "\033[0;34m"
+    PURPLE = "\033[0;35m"
+    CYAN = "\033[0;36m"
+    LIGHT_GRAY = "\033[0;37m"
+    DARK_GRAY = "\033[1;30m"
+    LIGHT_RED = "\033[1;31m"
+    LIGHT_GREEN = "\033[1;32m"
+    YELLOW = "\033[1;33m"
+    LIGHT_BLUE = "\033[1;34m"
+    LIGHT_PURPLE = "\033[1;35m"
+    LIGHT_CYAN = "\033[1;36m"
+    LIGHT_WHITE = "\033[1;37m"
+    BOLD = "\033[1m"
+    FAINT = "\033[2m"
+    ITALIC = "\033[3m"
+    UNDERLINE = "\033[4m"
+    BLINK = "\033[5m"
+    NEGATIVE = "\033[7m"
+    CROSSED = "\033[9m"
+    END = "\033[0m"
+    # cancel SGR codes if we don't write to a terminal
+    if not __import__("sys").stdout.isatty():
+        for _ in dir():
+            if isinstance(_, str) and _[0] != "_":
+                locals()[_] = ""
+    else:
+        # set Windows console in VT mode
+        if __import__("platform").system() == "Windows":
+            kernel32 = __import__("ctypes").windll.kernel32
+            kernel32.SetConsoleMode(kernel32.GetStdHandle(-11), 7)
+            del kernel32
+
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    for i in dir(Colors):
+        if i[0:1] != "_" and i != "END":
+            print("{:>16} {}".format(i, getattr(Colors, i) + i + Colors.END))
diff --git a/nixos/pkg.nix b/nixos/pkg.nix
old mode 100755
new mode 100644
index b2a5a69..dfc4359
--- a/nixos/pkg.nix
+++ b/nixos/pkg.nix
@@ -46,11 +46,8 @@ let
     packwiz
     xclip
     starship
-
-    # for xonsh
-    python311
-    python311Packages.pip
-    python311Packages.python-lsp-server
+    sops
+    ssh-to-age
   ];
   flakePackages = with inputs; [ compose2nix.packages.${system}.default ];
 in {
diff --git a/nixos/shell.nix b/nixos/shell.nix
index e7d3b7e..3014296 100644
--- a/nixos/shell.nix
+++ b/nixos/shell.nix
@@ -73,7 +73,6 @@
     enable = true;
     config = ''
       $BASH_COMPLETIONS = ('${bashcfg.completion.package}/etc/profile.d/bash_completion.sh')
-      #execx($(starship init xonsh))
       #xontrib load cd
       xontrib load direnv
       xontrib load sh