diff --git a/readme.md b/readme.md
index 0dc3946..fd87b2c 100644
--- a/readme.md
+++ b/readme.md
@@ -1,26 +1,30 @@
-build a small python cli tool called `usajobs.py` for exploring usajobs results.
+`usajobs.py` is a python tui for exploring data.usajobs.gov
 
-goal:
+## goal:
 - query the official usajobs api
-- apply strict local filters
+- apply strict local filters because usajobs search facets are unreliable
 - show results in a readable terminal table
-- let me select rows to export into an org-mode file
+- let me interactively mark/unmark jobs for export
+- export selected jobs to org-mode
 
-stack:
+## stack:
 - python 3.11+
 - click for cli args
 - requests for api
-- rich for table + row selection prompt
-- pathlib/json/csv stdlib only otherwise
+- rich for table output
+- questionary for v1 interactive row marking/export
+- pathlib/json/csv/stdlib otherwise
+- do not use typer or pick for v1
+- stretch/v2: textual tui after the simple questionary flow works
 
-env vars:
+## env vars:
 - USAJOBS_EMAIL
 - USAJOBS_KEY
 
-basic command:
-`python jobs.py search --location "Washington, DC" --radius 25 --salary-min 150 --grade-min 15 --grade-max 15 --series 2210 --series 0340 --clearance 3 --clearance 4`
+### Run:
+`python usajobs.py search --location "Washington, DC" --radius 25 --salary-min 150 --grade-min 15 --grade-max 15 --series 2210 --series 0340 --clearance 3 --clearance 4`
 
-option behavior:
+### option behavior:
 - --radius 25 means 25 miles
 - --salary-min 150 means $150,000
 - --grade-min/--grade-max filter locally against low/high grade
@@ -28,15 +32,25 @@ option behavior:
 - --clearance may repeat; pass to api as semicolon list
 - --pay-plan may repeat, default gs and gg
 - --limit defaults 100
-- --out defaults jobs.org
+- --out-dir defaults exports
+- --out optional explicit org output path
 - --cache-dir defaults .cache/usajobs
+- --interactive / --no-interactive, default true
+- --select-all preselects every row in the export picker
+- --dry-run shows what would be exported without writing
+- --offline reads cached json only and does not call api
+- --debug prints api params and counts before/after filtering
 
 search behavior:
 1. call https://data.usajobs.gov/api/search using official headers:
-   host: data.usajobs.gov
-   user-agent: $USAJOBS_EMAIL
-   authorization-key: $USAJOBS_KEY
-2. request fields=full, resultsperpage=500, sortfield=opendate, sortdirection=desc
+   - host: data.usajobs.gov
+   - user-agent: $USAJOBS_EMAIL
+   - authorization-key: $USAJOBS_KEY
+2. request:
+   - fields=full
+   - resultsperpage=500
+   - sortfield=opendate
+   - sortdirection=desc
 3. cache raw json response per query/page under .cache/usajobs
 4. apply local filters after fetching:
    - pay plan in allowed pay plans
@@ -44,13 +58,47 @@ search behavior:
    - high_grade <= grade_max
    - salary max >= salary_min, or salary min >= salary_min if max absent
    - location string contains/near requested location as available
-5. output table with columns:
-   idx, title, agency, grade, salary, location, close date, clearance match, url
-6. selection/export:
-- after displaying table, allow user to arrow/highlight and mark for export
-  - pick sensible defaults, eg x or m for mark, u for unmark, a for all, e for export
-- export selected jobs to new file with short slug name + datetime stamp
-- org output format:
+5. output rich table with columns:
+   - idx
+   - title
+   - agency
+   - grade
+   - salary
+   - location
+   - close date
+   - clearance match
+   - url
+
+v1 selection/export behavior:
+1. render the rich table of filtered jobs
+2. below the table, open a questionary checkbox prompt:
+   "mark jobs to export"
+3. each checkbox choice should be a compact one-line label:
+   "[12] dia | gg-15 | $167k-$191k | washington dc | information technology..."
+4. value should be stable job id / document id, not table index
+5. preselect nothing by default unless --select-all is passed
+6. user toggles rows with space, navigates with arrows or j/k, confirms with enter
+7. after confirmation, export checked jobs to org
+8. selecting nothing exits without writing
+9. ctrl-c cancels cleanly
+
+questionary defaults/keys:
+- arrows navigate
+- j/k navigate
+- ctrl-n/ctrl-p navigate
+- space toggles mark/unmark
+- enter confirms/export
+- ctrl-c cancels
+- prompt instruction should say:
+  "space=mark/unmark, enter=export, ctrl-c=cancel"
+
+export naming:
+- if --out is absent, create a new timestamped file:
+  exports/usajobs_<location-slug>_<filters-slug>_<yyyymmdd-hhmm>.org
+- example:
+  exports/usajobs_washington-dc_2210-0340_gs15_salary150_20260518-1412.org
+
+org output format:
 ```
 ** <shortened job title> [[url][link]]
 :properties:
@@ -67,9 +115,8 @@ clearance: <clearance/security text or unknown>
 *** posting
 <raw posting text>
 ```
-7. (stretch) Cache each query, allow arrow/scroll through them like a cli, recall, or save filters. could be too much.
 
-implementation notes:
+## implementation notes:
 - write clean functional code:
   - build_params()
   - fetch_page()
@@ -77,17 +124,75 @@ implementation notes:
   - normalize_job()
   - passes_filters()
   - render_table()
-  - parse_selection()
+  - compact_job_label()
+  - choose_jobs()
   - export_org()
+  - make_output_path()
 - normalize both official api shape and frontend-ish shape if present:
   - api jobs may use MatchedObjectDescriptor
   - details may be under UserArea.Details
-- raw posting text should combine title, summary, duties, requirements, qualifications, evaluations, other info, key requirements.
-- shortened job title should be max 80 chars, strip all-caps screaming where reasonable, preserve meaning.
-- include helpful errors if env vars missing.
-- include a --offline flag that only reads cached json and does not call api.
-- include a --debug flag that prints api params and counts before/after filtering.
+- normalized job dict should include:
+  - document_id
+  - title
+  - agency
+  - department
+  - pay_plan
+  - low_grade
+  - high_grade
+  - salary_min
+  - salary_max
+  - location
+  - close_date
+  - travel
+  - clearance
+  - clearance_text_match
+  - url
+  - raw_posting_text
+- raw posting text should combine:
+  - title
+  - summary
+  - duties
+  - requirements
+  - qualifications
+  - evaluations
+  - other information
+  - key requirements
+- shortened job title should be max 80 chars
+- compact selection row title should fit reasonably in 120 cols
+- compact row should include idx, agency, grade, salary, location, title
+- truncate title to about 55 chars in the picker
+- avoid putting full url in questionary prompt; keep url in rich table and org output
+- include helpful errors if env vars are missing
+- never mutate cached raw results
 
-acceptance test:
-- running the command with `--salary-min 150 --grade-min 15 --grade-max 15 --radius 25` should not show gs/gg-13 jobs after local filtering.
-- selecting `none` exits without writing.
+selection implementation hint:
+
+```python
+import questionary
+from questionary import Choice
+
+def choose_jobs(jobs: list[dict], select_all: bool = False) -> list[dict]:
+    by_id = {job["document_id"]: job for job in jobs}
+
+    choices = [
+        Choice(
+            title=compact_job_label(job, idx),
+            value=job["document_id"],
+            checked=select_all,
+        )
+        for idx, job in enumerate(jobs, start=1)
+    ]
+
+    selected_ids = questionary.checkbox(
+        "mark jobs to export",
+        choices=choices,
+        instruction="space=mark/unmark, enter=export, ctrl-c=cancel",
+        use_jk_keys=True,
+        use_emacs_keys=True,
+    ).ask()
+
+    if not selected_ids:
+        return []
+
+    return [by_id[job_id] for job_id in selected_ids]
+```