diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index bb0649b..b5a8caa 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -7,11 +7,15 @@ enable_testing()
 # always write compile_commands.json
 set(CMAKE_EXPORT_COMPILE_COMMANDS ON CACHE INTERNAL "")
 
+if(NOT USER)
+    set(USER $ENV{USER})
+endif()
+
 if(NOT CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX)
-    set(CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX /home/roland/local CACHE STRING "install directory")
+    set(CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX /home/${USER}/local CACHE STRING "install directory")
 endif()
 if(NOT CMAKE_INSTALL_RPATH)
-    set(CMAKE_INSTALL_RPATH /home/roland/local/lib CACHE STRING "runpath in installed libraries/executables")
+    set(CMAKE_INSTALL_RPATH /home/${USER}/local/lib CACHE STRING "runpath in installed libraries/executables")
 endif()
 
 include(cmake/nestlog.cmake)
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 1db16b1..22e8bf6 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -16,6 +16,27 @@ Indentlog is a lightweight header-only library for console logging.
 - logger is 'truthy' -> only pay for formatting when entry points is enabled.
 - also provides family of convenience stream-inserters
 
+## Getting Started
+
+### copy repository locally
+
+```
+$ git clone git@github.com:rconybea/indentlog.git
+$ ls -d indentlog
+indentlog
+```
+
+### build & install
+
+```
+$ cd indentlog
+$ mkdir build
+$ cd build
+$ cmake -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=/usr/local ..
+$ make
+$ make install
+```
+
 ## Examples
 
 ### 1