diff --git a/common/_home_manager/mods/git.nix b/common/_home_manager/mods/git.nix
index c36e784..34e6d18 100644
--- a/common/_home_manager/mods/git.nix
+++ b/common/_home_manager/mods/git.nix
@@ -7,8 +7,8 @@
     userName = "RingOfStorms (Joshua Bell)";
 
     extraConfig = {
-      core.pager = "cat";
-      core.editor = "nvim";
+      core.pager = "bat";
+      core.editor = "nano";
 
       pull.rebase = false;
 
diff --git a/common/general/shell/branchd.func.sh b/common/general/shell/branchd.func.sh
index 053d16f..a7769d2 100644
--- a/common/general/shell/branchd.func.sh
+++ b/common/general/shell/branchd.func.sh
@@ -76,20 +76,48 @@ branchdel() {
   fi
 
   echo "Removing worktree at: $target_wt"
-  if git -C "$repo_dir" worktree remove "$target_wt" 2>/dev/null; then
-    rm -rf -- "$target_wt" 2>/dev/null || true
-    echo "Removed worktree: $target_wt"
-    # delete local branch if it exists
-    if git -C "$repo_dir" show-ref --verify --quiet "refs/heads/$branch"; then
-      git -C "$repo_dir" branch -D "$branch" 2>/dev/null || true
-      echo "Deleted local branch: $branch"
+  # helper: attempt a guarded, forceful removal of a directory
+  remove_dir_forcefully() {
+    local dir="$1"
+    if [ -z "$dir" ]; then
+      return 1
     fi
-    return 0
-  fi
-  # try with --force as a fallback
-  if git -C "$repo_dir" worktree remove --force "$target_wt" 2>/dev/null; then
-    rm -rf -- "$target_wt" 2>/dev/null || true
-    echo "Removed worktree (forced): $target_wt"
+    # resolve absolute paths
+    local abs_dir abs_repo
+    abs_dir=$(readlink -f -- "$dir" 2>/dev/null) || abs_dir="$dir"
+    abs_repo=$(readlink -f -- "$repo_dir" 2>/dev/null) || abs_repo="$repo_dir"
+
+    # safety checks: do not remove repository root or /
+    if [ "$abs_dir" = "/" ] || [ "$abs_dir" = "$abs_repo" ]; then
+      echo "Refusing to remove unsafe path: $abs_dir" >&2
+      return 1
+    fi
+
+    # try plain rm -rf
+    rm -rf -- "$abs_dir" 2>/dev/null && return 0
+
+    # fix permissions then try again
+    chmod -R u+rwx "$abs_dir" 2>/dev/null || true
+    rm -rf -- "$abs_dir" 2>/dev/null && return 0
+
+    # try removing contents first, then remove directory
+    if find "$abs_dir" -mindepth 1 -exec rm -rf -- {} + 2>/dev/null; then
+      rmdir "$abs_dir" 2>/dev/null || true
+    fi
+
+    # final existence check
+    [ ! -e "$abs_dir" ]
+  }
+
+  # try unregistering the worktree, prefer normal then fallback to --force
+  if git -C "$repo_dir" worktree remove "$target_wt" 2>/dev/null || git -C "$repo_dir" worktree remove --force "$target_wt" 2>/dev/null; then
+    if remove_dir_forcefully "$target_wt"; then
+      echo "Removed worktree: $target_wt"
+    else
+      echo "Worktree removed from git, but failed to fully delete directory: $target_wt" >&2
+      echo "Attempted to force-delete; you may need to remove it manually with sudo." >&2
+    fi
+
     # delete local branch if it exists
     if git -C "$repo_dir" show-ref --verify --quiet "refs/heads/$branch"; then
       git -C "$repo_dir" branch -D "$branch" 2>/dev/null || true
diff --git a/common/general/shell/common.nix b/common/general/shell/common.nix
index 9660761..c7bd3df 100644
--- a/common/general/shell/common.nix
+++ b/common/general/shell/common.nix
@@ -53,6 +53,9 @@ with lib;
       gcm = "git commit -m";
       stashes = "git stash list";
       bd = "branch default";
+      li = "link_ignored";
+      bx = "branchdel";
+      b = "branch";
 
       # ripgrep
       rg = "rg --no-ignore";