diff --git a/themes/brethil.zsh-theme b/themes/brethil.zsh-theme
index cba3ebd..ddb1c5b 100644
--- a/themes/brethil.zsh-theme
+++ b/themes/brethil.zsh-theme
@@ -1,58 +1,40 @@
 # vim:ft=zsh ts=2 sw=2 sts=2
-# color chart available at https://www.calmar.ws/vim/256-xterm-24bit-rgb-color-chart.html
-# %F{202}: orange
-# %K{202}: background orange
-# 255: white
-# See the prompt expansion section in `info zsh` for more info
+# brethil oh-my-zsh theme
+# See "EXPANSION OF PROMPT SEQUENCES" in `man zshmisc`
+# Note: Most of the expansions/color sequences can be tested using `print -P`
 
 function user_prompt(){
-  # prints info about username/hostname
-  # for ssh connections
-  local p
-  local host
-  if [[ $UID -eq 0 ]]; then
-      # root
-      echo -n "%F{255}[%f" # open square bracket
-      echo -n "%K{160}%F{255}%Broot%b%k%f"
-      if [[ $SSH_CONNECTION ]]; then
-        # add the white @
-        # echo -n '%F{255} at %f'
-        echo -n "%F{255}@%f"
-      fi
+  # prints hostname on an orange background if on an ssh connection, adds username if root
+
+  local user='%(!.%K{160}%F{255}%B%n%b%k%f.)' # prints 'root' on a red background if user is root
+  local host='%K{202}%B%F{255}%m%f%k%b' # bold host name on an orange background
+  local open_bracket='%(!.[.)'
+  local close_bracket='%(!.].)'
+  local at='%(!.@.)'
+  if [[ -n $SSH_CONNECTION ]]; then
+    echo "${open_bracket}${user}${at}${host}${close_bracket}"
+  else
+    echo "${open_bracket}${user}${close_bracket}"
   fi
-  if [[ $SSH_CONNECTION ]]; then
-    if [[ $UID -ne 0 ]]; then
-      echo -n "%F{255}[%f" # open square bracket
-    fi
-    # underlined orange hostname (%m)
-    echo -n "%K{202}%B%F{255}%m%f%k%b"
-    if [[ $UID -ne 0 ]]; then
-      echo -n "%F{255}]%f" # close square bracket
-    fi
-  fi
-  # close square bracket
-  if [[ $UID -eq 0 ]]; then echo "%F{255}]%f"; fi
 }
 
 function job_prompt() {
-  local JOB_PROMPT="%(1j.%B%K{202}%F{220} %j %k%b.)" # Shows jobs number on an orange background if there are background jobs
-  echo "$JOB_PROMPT"
+  # Shows jobs number on an orange background if there are background jobs
+  echo "%(1j.%B%K{202}%F{220} %j %k%b.)"
 }
 
 function shlvl_prompt() {
-  local SHLVL_PROMPT
-  if [[ -n "$TMUX" ]]; then
-    SHLVL_PROMPT="%(3L.%K{161}%F{255}%B $((SHLVL-1)) %f%b%k.)" # Shows SHLVL on a magenta background if SHLVL > 1
+  # Shows SHLVL on a magenta background if SHLVL > 1 (2 if in a tmux session)
+  if [[ -z "$TMUX" ]]; then
+    echo "%(2L.%K{161}%F{255}%B %L %f%b%k.)"
   else
-    SHLVL_PROMPT="%(2L.%K{161}%F{255}%B %L %f%b%k.)" # Shows SHLVL on a magenta background if SHLVL > 1
+    echo "%(3L.%K{161}%F{255}%B $((SHLVL-1)) %f%b%k.)"
   fi
-  echo "$SHLVL_PROMPT"
 }
 
 function path_prompt(){
   # Shows last 3 items in path if there are more than 4
-  local PATH_PROMPT="%F{white}[%F{green}%(4~:…/%3~:%~)%F{white}]%f"
-  echo "$PATH_PROMPT"
+  echo "[%F{green}%(4~:…/%3~:%~)%f]"
 }
 
 # PREFIX/SUFFIX are added before/after `git_prompt_info`
@@ -75,9 +57,9 @@ ZSH_THEME_GIT_PROMPT_UNTRACKED="%B%F{red}?%b%f" # red
 
 # The following are part of `git_remote_status`
 # ZSH_THEME_GIT_PROMPT_EQUAL_REMOTE="%{$fg[green]%}="
-ZSH_THEME_GIT_PROMPT_AHEAD_REMOTE="%F{255}>%f"
-ZSH_THEME_GIT_PROMPT_BEHIND_REMOTE="%F{255}<%f"
-ZSH_THEME_GIT_PROMPT_DIVERGED_REMOTE="%F{255}<>%f"
+ZSH_THEME_GIT_PROMPT_AHEAD_REMOTE=">"
+ZSH_THEME_GIT_PROMPT_BEHIND_REMOTE="<"
+ZSH_THEME_GIT_PROMPT_DIVERGED_REMOTE="<>"
 
 function virtualenv_info {
     [ -z "$VIRTUAL_ENV" ] && return
@@ -90,70 +72,42 @@ function virtualenv_info {
       venv="$(basename $(dirname "$VIRTUAL_ENV") )"
     fi
 
-    echo -n "$BOLD_PURPLE"
-    echo -n " <$venv> "
-    echo -n "$CLEAR"
+    echo -n " $BOLD_PURPLE<$venv>$CLEAR "
 }
 
 function git_prompt() {
-    if [[ -n "$(git status 2>/dev/null)" ]]; then
-        local GIT_PROMPT=" %F{255}$(git_prompt_info)%B%F{255} |%f%b$(git_prompt_status)$(git_remote_status)"
-        echo "$GIT_PROMPT"
-    else
-        echo ""
+    # prints git info if in a git repo
+    if ! git rev-parse --git-dir &>/dev/null; then
+      return
     fi
+
+    echo " $(git_prompt_info) |$(git_prompt_status)$(git_remote_status)"
 }
 
-function check_last_exit_code() {
-  local LAST_EXIT_CODE=$?
-  if [[ $LAST_EXIT_CODE -ne 0 ]]; then
-    local EXIT_CODE_PROMPT
-    EXIT_CODE_PROMPT+="%B%F{88}-$LAST_EXIT_CODE-%f%b"
-    echo "$EXIT_CODE_PROMPT"
-  fi
-}
 
 function return_code_RPS1() {
-  # For right-side prompt
-  local return_code="%(?..$(check_last_exit_code))" # for RPS1
-  echo "$return_code"
+  # red status code if last exit code is non-zero
+  echo "%(?..%B%F{88}-$?-%f%b)"
 }
 
-function ret_status() {
-  local ret_status="%(?:%B%F{28} →%f%b:%{$fg[red]%} x%{$reset_color%})"
-  echo "$ret_status"
+function prompt_with_previous_return_status() {
+  local success="%B%F{28} →%f%b"
+  local failure="%B%{$fg[red]%} x%b%{$reset_color%}"
+  echo "%(?:$success:$failure)"
 }
 
-export MODE_INDICATOR="[%B%K{88}nav%k%b]"
-export INSERT_MODE_INDICATOR="[%B%K{28}ins%k%b]"
-
-_PROMPT_PROTO='$(virtualenv_info)$(user_prompt)$(path_prompt)$(git_prompt)$(job_prompt)$(shlvl_prompt)'
 
 function prompt_too_long(){
-  local zero='%([BSUbfksu]|([FK]|){*})'
-  if [[ -x $commands[gsed] ]]; then # fuck darwin
-    sed='gsed'
-  elif [[ "$(uname)" == "Darwin" ]]; then
-    local msg="error: multi-line prompt requires GNU sed"
-    msg+="install with \"brew install gnu-sed\""
-    echo "$msg"
-    return
-  else
-    sed='sed'
-  fi
-
-  local stripped="$(echo ${(S%%)_PROMPT_PROTO//$~zero/} | $sed 's|\x1B\[[0-9;]*[a-zA-Z]||g')"
-  local prompt_len=${#stripped}
-  local max_len=$(($COLUMNS/2))
-  if [[ $prompt_len -ge $max_len ]]; then
-    echo true
-  fi
+  # prints a newline if more than $COLUMNS/2 characters have been printed
+  local newline=$'\n'
+  echo "%-$((COLUMNS/2))(l..${newline})"
 }
 
-PROMPT="$(echo "$_PROMPT_PROTO")"
-NEWLINE=$'\n'
-PROMPT+='${$(prompt_too_long)/true/${NEWLINE}}'
-PROMPT+='$(ret_status) '
+## oh-my-zsh vi-mode plugins indicators:
+export MODE_INDICATOR="[%B%K{red}nav%k%b]" # red background
+export INSERT_MODE_INDICATOR="[%B%K{28}ins%k%b]" # green background
+
+PROMPT='$(virtualenv_info)$(user_prompt)$(path_prompt)$(git_prompt)$(job_prompt)$(shlvl_prompt)$(prompt_too_long)$(prompt_with_previous_return_status) '
 
 # Right prompt is just return code and time
-RPS1='$(return_code_RPS1)$(vi_mode_prompt_info)%F{255}[%*]%f'
+RPS1='$(return_code_RPS1)$(vi_mode_prompt_info)[%*]'