diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 4baaac9..5bf941d 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -30,7 +30,22 @@ WILL OUPUT:
 
 ebook.pdf  |   Title
 
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
 ---
 
 [I am using Github under protest](protest.md)
 
+
+TODO:
+----
+
+[ ] use non-dashed approach to cli (rwxrob/bonzai)
diff --git a/src/input.rs b/src/input.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1dc7283
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/input.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+
+type Column = Vec<String>;
+type Columns = Vec<Column>;
+
+// split input text into columns based on separator character
+// returns a type representing a variable length array of strings (columns) ?
+pub fn split_columns(text: &str, sep: char) -> Option<Columns>  {
+
+    Some(Columns::new())
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn test_split_columns(){
+    let coltext1 = r###"
+file1.txt       title1
+file2.pdf       title2
+file3           title3
+        "###;
+    let columns = split_columns(coltext1, '\t');
+    println!("columns:\n{:?}", columns);
+}
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 9d11ca5..1ee1178 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 /* TODO:
  * 1. add clap for CLI flags
- * 2. read input as column fields
+ * 2. read input as column field1920s
  * 3. test splitting input into fields
  * 4. execute arbitrary shell commands to manipulate input
  */
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@
 use clap::{Parser};
 use std::process;
 
+mod input;
+
 
 #[derive(Parser)]
 #[command(name="colmap")]
@@ -42,10 +44,11 @@ fn main() {
 
     // 1. parse cli parameters
     // 2. read from stdin
-    // 3. execute every field command on it's corresponding
-    // column
+    // 3. split stdin into columns (column/awk commands)
+    // 3. execute every field command on it's corresponding column
+    //    [ ] execute a command on first text column
     // 4. print resulting concatenated columns
-    
+
 
     if let None = cli.f1.as_deref() {
         eprintln!("no field --fX to operate on");
@@ -56,5 +59,7 @@ fn main() {
         println!("{:?}", cli.separator.unwrap());
         println!("{:?}", cli.f1.unwrap());
     }
+
+
 }