diff --git a/experiments/outline-editor/editor.css b/experiments/outline-editor/editor.css
index 7a827ec..d2d5274 100755
--- a/experiments/outline-editor/editor.css
+++ b/experiments/outline-editor/editor.css
@@ -221,6 +221,8 @@
 				/* clickable things in view */
 				& a,
 				& pre,
+                & button,
+                & select,
 				& input {
 					pointer-events: auto;
 				}
diff --git a/experiments/outline-editor/editor.js b/experiments/outline-editor/editor.js
index 5a9343c..f6d66f7 100755
--- a/experiments/outline-editor/editor.js
+++ b/experiments/outline-editor/editor.js
@@ -309,6 +309,46 @@ var attributes = {
 }
 
 
+// - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -      
+
+// XXX make this collapsed...
+// XXX handle cursor marker...
+var templates = {
+	__proto__: plugin,
+
+	nodeFromTemplate: function(){
+	},
+
+	__pre_parse__: function(text, editor, elem){
+		if(!text.startsWith('TEMPLATE')){
+			return text }
+
+		text = text
+			.replace(/^TEMPLATE/, '')
+		var [header, ...lines] = text.split(/\n/g)
+		 header = 
+			`<button>${
+				header.trim() == '' ?
+					'new'
+					: header.trim()
+			}</button>`
+
+		// body...
+		// XXX only do this if we have nested elements...
+		elem.collapsed = true
+		// XXX
+		
+		// button...
+		return header },
+	// XXX focus button...
+	__focusin__: function(evt, editor, elem){
+	},
+	// XXX handle button???
+	__click__: function(evt, editor, elem){
+	},
+}
+
+
 // - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -      
 
 // XXX revise headings...
@@ -967,6 +1007,7 @@ var JSONOutline = {
 	// XXX split out DOM-specific plugins into Outline.plugins...
 	pre_plugins: [
 		attributes,
+        templates,
 		blocks,
 		quoted,
 	],
diff --git a/experiments/outline-editor/index.html b/experiments/outline-editor/index.html
index ef54fdc..4b4ea30 100755
--- a/experiments/outline-editor/index.html
+++ b/experiments/outline-editor/index.html
@@ -157,26 +157,44 @@ var setup = function(){
 - ## ToDo:
   - Item templates:
     - inline
-      - [template title]
+      - TEMPLATE
+        text [cursor]
+      - TEMPLATE title
         text [cursor]
     - sub-tree 
-      - [template title]
+      - TEMPLATE title
         - text [cursor]
     - multi-template
-      - [template title A]
+      - TEMPLATE title A
         text [cursor]
-      - [template title B]
+      - TEMPLATE title B
         - text [cursor]
     - renders as:
       - <button>title</button>
       - <select>
           <option>title A</option>
           <option>title B</option>
-        </select>
-    - action
+        </select><button>new</button>
+    - action:
       - duplicate template text / subtree (w.o. markers)
       - select / place cursor at cursor marker
-    - XXX revise syntac
+	- TODO:
+      - nested templates??
+      - global templates -- or should this be an external macro???
+      - revise syntax
+      - templated lists -- a list that uses a template for it's items
+        - something like:
+          - or here there is an explicit item template
+            - TEMPLATE new
+              - [ ] [cursor]
+            - [ ] A
+            - [ ] B
+            - [ ] C
+        - and a shorthand for todo:
+          - TODO in lists like this new items will be created with a todo template
+            - [ ] A
+            - [ ] B
+            - [ ] C
   - Time to think about a standalone client -- at least to edit own notes as a test...
     - _also this would be a nice opportunity to start the move to a newer electron version_
     - Deployment: