for now, let us stick with this, back to basics

vimrc

@@ -22,10 +22,10 @@ set tabstop=3 softtabstop=4 shiftwidth=4 smarttab expandtab
 
 set statusline=%F%m%r%h%w\ [FORMAT=%{&ff}]\ [TYPE=%Y]\ [POS=%04l,%04v][%p%%]\ [LEN=%L]
 
-" 256 colours at almost all times
-if $TERM =~ '^[xterm|rxvt-unicode|screen|st]'
-    let &t_Co=256
-endif
+" 256 colours at almost all times; do I even need it?..
+"if $TERM =~ '^[xterm|rxvt-unicode|screen|st]'
+"    let &t_Co=256
+"endif
 if $LANG =~ '[UTF\-8|utf8]$'
     set termencoding=utf-8
     set encoding=utf-8
@@ -92,14 +92,15 @@ if v:version >= 700
         Plug 'nvie/vim-togglemouse'            "hotkey to toggle mouse
         Plug 'vim-airline/vim-airline'         "airline
         Plug 'vim-airline/vim-airline-themes'  "themes for airline
-        " Plug 'itchyny/lightline.vim'           "simpler airline replacement
         Plug 'vimwiki/vimwiki'                 "another attempt at doing notebook via vim
         Plug 'neomake/neomake'                 "linter
+        "Plug 'davidhalter/jedi-vim'            "python support
 
         " colorschemes
         Plug 'lifepillar/vim-solarized8'
         Plug 'KeitaNakamura/neodark.vim'
-        Plug 'morhetz/gruvbox'
+        Plug 'jonathanfilip/vim-lucius'
+        Plug 'chriskempson/base16-vim'
 
         " syntax highlight plugins
         Plug 'neilhwatson/vim_cf3'
@@ -147,31 +148,32 @@ if v:version >= 700
                     \ 'text': 'i>',
                     \ 'texthl': 'InfoMsg',
                     \ }
-
-        let g:solarized_visibility='low'
     endif
 
     " gvim and colorschemes related stuff
     if has("gui_running")
         set guioptions=aegimLl
         set mouse=a
-        set guifont=Terminus\ 11
+        set guifont=Fantasque\ Sans\ Mono\ 11
         set novb
         set guicursor=a:hor1-Cursor/lCursor     "underline cursor by default
         set guicursor+=i:ver1-Cursor/lCursor    "vertical cursor for insert mode
         set guicursor+=r:block                  "block for replace
         set guicursor+=a:blinkon0               "and none of them should blink
-        colorscheme solarized8_light
+        set guiheadroom=0
+        colorscheme neodark
         map <S-Insert> <MiddleMouse>
         map! <S-Insert> <MiddleMouse>
-    elseif (has("nvim") || v:version >= 704) && $TERM != 'screen'
+    " if I ever want to use termguicolors aka true color theme
+    "elseif (has("nvim") || v:version >= 704) && $TERM != 'screen'
         " fix tmux and st
-        set t_8f=[38;2;%lu;%lu;%lum
-        set t_8b=[48;2;%lu;%lu;%lum
-        set termguicolors
-        colorscheme neodark
-        set mouse=
+        "set t_8f=[38;2;%lu;%lu;%lum
+        "set t_8b=[48;2;%lu;%lu;%lum
+        "set termguicolors
+        "colorscheme neodark
+        "set mouse=
     else
+        "set background=dark
         colorscheme solarized8_light
         set mouse=
     endif