diff --git a/config.go b/config.go
index fb325dc..5ea791b 100644
--- a/config.go
+++ b/config.go
@@ -23,23 +23,30 @@ import (
 )
 
 var (
-	delim  = " ][ "
-	prefix = "[ "
-	suffix = " ]"
+	delim  = "] ["
+	prefix = "["
+	suffix = "]"
 )
 
 var modules = []Module{
 	{
-		Func:     readers.ReadUptime,
+		Func:     readers.ReadExec("statusbar cpu"),
+		Interval: 5 * time.Second,
+	},
+	{
+		Func:   readers.ReadExec("statusbar volume"),
+		Signal: 1,
+	},
+	{
+		Func:     readers.ReadExec("statusbar battery"),
+		Interval: 60 * time.Second,
+	},
+	{
+		Func:     readers.ReadExec("statusbar date"),
 		Interval: 1 * time.Second,
 	},
 	{
-		Func:     readers.ReadLoad,
+		Func:     readers.ReadExec("statusbar loadavg"),
 		Interval: 5 * time.Second,
 	},
-	{
-		Func:     readers.ReadMemory,
-		Interval: 5 * time.Second,
-		Template: "{{.UsedPretty}} / {{.TotalPretty}}",
-	},
 }
diff --git a/lib/readers/battery.go b/lib/readers/battery.go
index 2b87fc0..02e1c26 100644
--- a/lib/readers/battery.go
+++ b/lib/readers/battery.go
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ func BatteryTechnologyFromStr(technologyStr string) BatteryTechnology {
 	return TechnologyUnknown
 }
 
-func ReadBattery(batteryName string) (interface{}, error) {
+func readBattery(batteryName string) (interface{}, error) {
 	capacityPath := fmt.Sprintf("/sys/class/power_supply/%s/capacity", batteryName)
 	statusPath := fmt.Sprintf("/sys/class/power_supply/%s/status", batteryName)
 	technologyPath := fmt.Sprintf("/sys/class/power_supply/%s/technology", batteryName)
@@ -169,3 +169,9 @@ func ReadBattery(batteryName string) (interface{}, error) {
 		Technology: BatteryTechnologyFromStr(batteryTechnology),
 	}, nil
 }
+
+func ReadBattery(batteryName string) func() (interface{}, error) {
+	return func() (interface{}, error) {
+		return readBattery(batteryName)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/lib/readers/cpu_temperature.go b/lib/readers/cpu_temperature.go
index 86f632a..ad98f06 100644
--- a/lib/readers/cpu_temperature.go
+++ b/lib/readers/cpu_temperature.go
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ import (
 
 type CpuTemperatureInfo float32
 
-func ReadCpuTemperature(hwmonName, tempName string) (interface{}, error) {
+func readCpuTemperature(hwmonName, tempName string) (interface{}, error) {
 	tempPath := fmt.Sprintf("/sys/class/hwmon/%s/%s_input", hwmonName, tempName)
 
 	file, err := os.Open(tempPath)
@@ -49,3 +49,9 @@ func ReadCpuTemperature(hwmonName, tempName string) (interface{}, error) {
 
 	return CpuTemperatureInfo(cpuTemperature), nil
 }
+
+func ReadCpuTemperature(hwmonName, tempName string) func() (interface{}, error) {
+	return func() (interface{}, error) {
+		return readCpuTemperature(hwmonName, tempName)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/lib/readers/cpu_usage.go b/lib/readers/cpu_usage.go
index c23b0aa..43d72e5 100644
--- a/lib/readers/cpu_usage.go
+++ b/lib/readers/cpu_usage.go
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ func (cu CpuUsageInfo) String() string {
 	return fmt.Sprintf("%d%%", uint(cu.UsagePercent))
 }
 
-func ReadCpuUsage() (interface{}, error) {
+func readCpuUsage() (interface{}, error) {
 	file, err := os.Open("/proc/stat")
 	if err != nil {
 		return CpuUsageInfo{}, err
@@ -81,3 +81,9 @@ func ReadCpuUsage() (interface{}, error) {
 		UsagePercent: float64(cpuInUse) * 100 / float64(cpuTotal),
 	}, nil
 }
+
+func ReadCpuUsage() func() (interface{}, error) {
+	return func() (interface{}, error) {
+		return readCpuUsage()
+	}
+}
diff --git a/lib/readers/exec.go b/lib/readers/exec.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..09e1af9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/readers/exec.go
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+// modbot is a system information agregator
+// Copyright (C) 2024 frosty <inthishouseofcards@gmail.com>
+//
+// This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+// it under the terms of the GNU Affero General Public License as published
+// by the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+// (at your option) any later version.
+//
+// This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+// but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+// MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+// GNU Affero General Public License for more details.
+//
+// You should have received a copy of the GNU Affero General Public License
+// along with this program.  If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+package readers
+
+import (
+	"bytes"
+	"os/exec"
+	"strings"
+)
+
+type ExecInfo string
+
+func readExec(command string) (interface{}, error) {
+	args := []string{"sh", "-c", command}
+	var stdout, stderr bytes.Buffer
+
+	cmd := exec.Command(args[0], args[1:]...)
+	cmd.Stdout = &stdout
+	cmd.Stderr = &stderr
+
+	if err := cmd.Run(); err != nil {
+		return ExecInfo(""), err
+	}
+
+	outputLines := strings.Split(stdout.String(), "\n")
+	if len(outputLines) == 0 {
+		return ExecInfo(""), nil
+	}
+
+	outputString := outputLines[0]
+	return ExecInfo(outputString), nil
+
+}
+
+func ReadExec(command string) func() (interface{}, error) {
+	return func() (interface{}, error) {
+		return readExec(command)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/lib/readers/load.go b/lib/readers/load.go
index b43c6fd..5db316b 100644
--- a/lib/readers/load.go
+++ b/lib/readers/load.go
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ func (l LoadInfo) String() string {
 	return fmt.Sprintf("%v %v %v", l.OneMinute, l.FiveMinute, l.FifteenMinute)
 }
 
-func ReadLoad() (interface{}, error) {
+func readLoad() (interface{}, error) {
 	const loadPath = "/proc/loadavg"
 
 	file, err := os.Open(loadPath)
@@ -60,3 +60,9 @@ func ReadLoad() (interface{}, error) {
 		FifteenMinute: fields[2],
 	}, nil
 }
+
+func ReadLoad() func() (interface{}, error) {
+	return func() (interface{}, error) {
+		return readLoad()
+	}
+}
diff --git a/lib/readers/memory.go b/lib/readers/memory.go
index 60a8cae..34daf47 100644
--- a/lib/readers/memory.go
+++ b/lib/readers/memory.go
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ type MemoryInfo struct {
 	UsedPretty      string
 }
 
-func ReadMemory() (interface{}, error) {
+func readMemory() (interface{}, error) {
 	file, err := os.Open("/proc/meminfo")
 	if err != nil {
 		return MemoryInfo{}, err
@@ -89,3 +89,9 @@ func ReadMemory() (interface{}, error) {
 		UsedPretty:      ui.PrettifyKib(memUsed, 2),
 	}, nil
 }
+
+func ReadMemory() func() (interface{}, error) {
+	return func() (interface{}, error) {
+		return readMemory()
+	}
+}
diff --git a/lib/readers/os.go b/lib/readers/os.go
index 9f502e8..b1c1692 100644
--- a/lib/readers/os.go
+++ b/lib/readers/os.go
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ type OsInfo struct {
 	Version    string
 }
 
-func ReadOs() (interface{}, error) {
+func readOs() (interface{}, error) {
 	const osPath = "/lib/os-release"
 
 	file, err := os.Open(osPath)
@@ -70,3 +70,9 @@ func ReadOs() (interface{}, error) {
 		Version:    osVersion,
 	}, nil
 }
+
+func ReadOs() func() (interface{}, error) {
+	return func() (interface{}, error) {
+		return readOs()
+	}
+}
diff --git a/lib/readers/uptime.go b/lib/readers/uptime.go
index a6ff75b..0265ee6 100644
--- a/lib/readers/uptime.go
+++ b/lib/readers/uptime.go
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ func (u UptimeInfo) String() string {
 	return builder.String()
 }
 
-func ReadUptime() (interface{}, error) {
+func readUptime() (interface{}, error) {
 	const uptimePath = "/proc/uptime"
 
 	file, err := os.Open(uptimePath)
@@ -92,3 +92,9 @@ func ReadUptime() (interface{}, error) {
 
 	return UptimeInfo(uptime), nil
 }
+
+func ReadUptime() func() (interface{}, error) {
+	return func() (interface{}, error) {
+		return readUptime()
+	}
+}