diff --git a/src/viv/viv.py b/src/viv/viv.py
index 730b980..50fb70b 100755
--- a/src/viv/viv.py
+++ b/src/viv/viv.py
@@ -52,32 +52,46 @@ from typing import (
 from urllib.error import HTTPError
 from urllib.request import urlopen
 
-__version__ = "23.5a1-12-g298e8b2"
+__version__ = "23.5a1-13-gbaad178"
 
 
 @dataclass
 class Config:
     """viv config manager"""
-
-    venvcache: Path = (
+    _venvcache: Path = (
         Path(os.getenv("XDG_CACHE_HOME", Path.home() / ".cache")) / "viv" / "venvs"
     )
-    srccache: Path = (
+    _srccache: Path = (
         Path(os.getenv("XDG_CACHE_HOME", Path.home() / ".cache")) / "viv" / "src"
     )
-    share: Path = (
+    _share: Path = (
         Path(os.getenv("XDG_DATA_HOME", Path.home() / ".local" / "share")) / "viv"
     )
+    _binparent: Path = Path(os.getenv("VIV_BIN_DIR", Path.home() / ".local" / "bin"))
 
-    def __post_init__(self) -> None:
-        self.venvcache.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
-        self.srccache.mkdir(
-            parents=True,
-            exist_ok=True,
-        )
-        self.share.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
-        self.srcdefault = self.share / "viv.py"
+    @property
+    def venvcache(self):
+        self._venvcache.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+        return self._venvcache
 
+    @property
+    def srccache(self):
+        self._srccache.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+        return self._srccache
+
+    @property
+    def share(self):
+        self._share.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+        return self._share
+
+    @property
+    def binparent(self):
+        self._binparent.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+        return self._binparent
+
+    @property
+    def srcdefault(self) -> None:
+        return self.share / "viv.py"
 
 c = Config()
 
@@ -1136,24 +1150,23 @@ class Viv:
 
     def shim(self, args):
         """generate viv-powered cli apps"""
-        if args.output.is_file():
-            error(f"{args.output} already exists...exiting", code=1)
-
-        # TODO: robustness....
+                # TODO: robustness....
 
         spec = ", ".join(f'"{req}"' for req in args.reqs)
 
-        if args.bin:
-            bin = args.bin
-        elif len(args.reqs) == 1:
+        if len(args.reqs) == 1:
             bin = args.reqs[0]
+            output = Path.cwd() / args.reqs[0]
         else:
-            error("please specify an explicit -b/--bin")
+            error("please specify an explicit -b/--bin and -o/--output")
 
-        with args.output.open("w") as f:
+        if output.is_file():
+            error(f"{output} already exists...exiting", code=1)
+
+        with output.open("w") as f:
             f.write(SHIM_TEMPLATE.format(use=f'__import__("viv").use({spec})', bin=bin))
 
-        make_executable(args.output)
+        make_executable(output)
 
     def _get_subcmd_parser(
         self,
@@ -1322,17 +1335,20 @@ class Viv:
                 subparsers, "shim", parents=[p_freeze_shim_shared]
             )
         ).set_defaults(func=self.shim, cmd="shim")
+        p_manage_shim.add_argument(
+            '-f',"--freeze", help="freeze/resolve all dependencies", action="store_true"
+        )
         p_manage_shim.add_argument(
             "-o",
             "--output",
             help="path/to/output file",
-            required=True,
             type=Path,
             metavar="<path>",
         )
         p_manage_shim.add_argument(
             "-b", "--bin", help="console_script/script to invoke"
         )
+
         args = parser.parse_args()
 
         args.func(args)