diff --git a/.eleventy.js b/.eleventy.js
index bc55321..240c6cc 100644
--- a/.eleventy.js
+++ b/.eleventy.js
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ const rimraf = require("rimraf");
 const cleancss = require("clean-css");
 
 module.exports = function (eleventyConfig) {
+  // delete contents of public to ensure removed files are removed from the final build
   rimraf.windows.sync("public/")
 
   eleventyConfig.addPassthroughCopy("./src/_assets/css");
@@ -10,6 +11,7 @@ module.exports = function (eleventyConfig) {
   eleventyConfig.addPassthroughCopy("./src/_assets/fonts");
   eleventyConfig.addPassthroughCopy("./src/_assets/js");
 
+  // make a list of all tags besides "post" and add them to the collection
   eleventyConfig.addCollection("tagsList", function (collectionApi) {
     const tagsList = new Set();
     collectionApi.getAll().map(item => {
@@ -24,6 +26,7 @@ module.exports = function (eleventyConfig) {
     return tagsList;
   });
 
+  // minify all html files
   eleventyConfig.addTransform("htmlmin", function (content) {
     if (this.page.outputPath && this.page.outputPath.endsWith(".html")) {
       let minified = htmlmin.minify(content, {
@@ -36,9 +39,43 @@ module.exports = function (eleventyConfig) {
     return content;
   });
 
+  // clean and inline all css files
   eleventyConfig.addFilter("cssmin", function(code) {
     return new cleancss({}).minify(code).styles;
   });
+  
+  // // the below three configs allow for excluding files from builds using draft: true
+  // // https://www.11ty.dev/docs/quicktips/draft-posts/ 
+  // When `permalink` is false, the file is not written to disk
+	eleventyConfig.addGlobalData("eleventyComputed.permalink", function() {
+		return (data) => {
+			// Always skip during non-watch/serve builds
+			if(data.draft && !process.env.BUILD_DRAFTS) {
+				return false;
+			}
+
+			return data.permalink;
+		}
+	});
+
+  // When `eleventyExcludeFromCollections` is true, the file is not included in any collections
+	eleventyConfig.addGlobalData("eleventyComputed.eleventyExcludeFromCollections", function() {
+		return (data) => {
+			// Always exclude from non-watch/serve builds
+			if(data.draft && !process.env.BUILD_DRAFTS) {
+				return true;
+			}
+
+			return data.eleventyExcludeFromCollections;
+		}
+	});
+
+	eleventyConfig.on("eleventy.before", ({runMode}) => {
+		// Set the environment variable
+		if(runMode === "serve" || runMode === "watch") {
+			process.env.BUILD_DRAFTS = true;
+		}
+	});
 
   return {
     passthroughFileCopy: true,
diff --git a/src/blog/blog_next.md b/src/blog/blog_next.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..12ee929
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/blog/blog_next.md
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+---
+title: blog_next
+# eleventyExcludeFromCollections: true
+# permalink: false
+draft: true
+---
+
+- megatabbing habits
+
+- smsl c200
+
+- https://www.11ty.dev/docs/quicktips/not-found/
+
+- insane synths https://www.lovehulten.com/
+
+- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUyQEPzpkLk 
+	- i have an immense need for these delightful little cardboard containers, even though i dont really have anythign to put in them
\ No newline at end of file