diff --git a/init.el b/init.el
index 33f2c1c..f923944 100644
--- a/init.el
+++ b/init.el
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@
 ;;; Code:
 
 ;; set up local directory
-;(add-to-list 'load-path "~/.emacs.d/lisp/")
 (add-to-list 'load-path (expand-file-name "lisp" user-emacs-directory))
 (setq-default flycheck-emacs-lisp-load-path 'inherit)
 
@@ -62,7 +61,8 @@
 (when (fboundp 'menu-bar-mode) (menu-bar-mode -1))
 (blink-cursor-mode 0)
 
-;; disable annoying ring-bell when backspace key is pressed in certain situations
+;; disable annoying ring-bell when backspace key
+;; is pressed in certain situations
 (setq ring-bell-function 'ignore)
 
 ;; use utf-8
@@ -70,8 +70,43 @@
 (set-language-environment "UTF-8")
 (set-default-coding-systems 'utf-8)
 
-(defvar use-pragmata)
-(setq use-pragmata (not (equal (system-name) "cleanse")))
+;; prioritized list of fonts to try
+(defvar my/fonts
+  '("PragmataPro Mono Liga"
+    "PragmataPro Mono"
+    "PragmataPro Liga"
+    "PragmataPro"
+    "Iosevka"
+    "JetBrains Mono"
+    "Fira Code"))
+
+;; default size to use when loading fonts
+(defvar my/font-size 16)
+
+;; see if a given font exists
+(defun my/has-font (font)
+  (member font (font-family-list)))
+
+;; load the first font found (if any)
+(defun my/load-first-font (fonts)
+  (let ((font (seq-find #'my/has-font fonts)))
+    (when font
+      (let* ((size (number-to-string my/font-size))
+             (name (concat font " " size)))
+        (set-frame-font name nil t)))))
+
+;; set transparency percentage
+(defun my/set-transparency (n)
+  "Set transparency."
+  (set-frame-parameter (selected-frame) 'alpha (list n n))
+  (add-to-list 'default-frame-alist (list 'alpha n n)))
+
+;; change transparency interactively
+(defun set-transparency ()
+  "Set transparency interactively."
+  (interactive)
+  (let ((n (read-string "Transparency (50-100): " "90")))
+    (my/set-transparency (string-to-number n))))
 
 ;; UI settings when not in a terminal
 (when (display-graphic-p)
@@ -79,16 +114,16 @@
         mac-command-key-is-meta t
         mac-command-modifier 'meta
         mac-option-modifier nil
+        x-super-keysym 'meta
         x-select-request-type '(UTF8_STRING COMPOUND_TEXT TEXT STRING))
-  (if use-pragmata
-    (set-frame-font "PragmataPro Liga 24" nil t)
-    (set-frame-font "Iosevka 24" nil t))
+  (my/load-first-font my/fonts)
+  (my/set-transparency 90)
   (set-foreground-color "#c7c7c7")
   (set-background-color "#000000"))
 
 ;; set up font ligatures
 (use-package pragmatapro-lig
-  :if (and window-system use-pragmata)
+  :if (and window-system (my/has-font "PragmataPro"))
   :straight (pragmatapro-lig :type git
                              :host github
                              :repo "lumiknit/emacs-pragmatapro-ligatures")
@@ -389,8 +424,8 @@
           (setq git-gutter:handled-backends '(git hg svn))
           (global-set-key (kbd "C-x n") 'git-gutter:next-hunk))
 
-;; git-timemachine
-(use-package git-timemachine)
+;; ;; git-timemachine
+;; (use-package git-timemachine)
 
 ;; json
 (use-package json-mode)