diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 24e020f..d970ef0 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -48,8 +48,8 @@ Install with use-package:
 ```elisp
 (use-package um
   :vc (:url "https://git.bth.moi/bth/um" :rev :newest)
-  :after (markdown-mode embark)
   :mode ("\\.um\\'" . um-mode)
+  :hook (markdown-mode-hook . um-minor-mode)
 
   :custom (um-root-glob ".*/writing/journal")
 
diff --git a/um.el b/um.el
index d76de8a..2489e7f 100644
--- a/um.el
+++ b/um.el
@@ -124,8 +124,6 @@ ISO8601."
   :group 'um
   )
 
-;; TODO: should this be a user setup hook?
-;; TODO: these matchers should be functions which only match against the header.
 (font-lock-add-keywords 'markdown-mode
                         `(
                           (,um-date-re 1 'font-lock-um-date-face)
@@ -133,6 +131,13 @@ ISO8601."
                           (,um-tag-re 1 'font-lock-um-tag-face)
                           ))
 
+(defvar um-minor-mode-keywords
+  `(
+    (,um-date-re 1 'font-lock-um-date-face)
+    (,um-locale-re 0 'font-lock-um-locale-face)
+    (,um-tag-re 1 'font-lock-um-tag-face)
+    ))
+
 ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
 ;; journal header
 
@@ -372,4 +377,28 @@ Returns the value of next-file computed by um next
     )
   )
 
+;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
+;; um-minor-mode
+
+(defvar-keymap um-minor-mode-map
+  :doc "Keymap for `um-minor-mode'."
+  "M-s t" #'um-tag-grep
+  ;; M-r is not exactly right, but can't think of a better binding:
+  "M-r t" #'um-tag-dwim
+  )
+
+(define-minor-mode um-minor-mode
+  "Minor mode for `um' commands.
+\\{um-minor-mode-map}"
+  :init-value nil
+  :lighter " um"
+  :keymap um-minor-mode-map
+  (if um-minor-mode
+      (progn
+        (font-lock-add-keywords nil um-minor-mode-keywords)
+        (font-lock-flush))
+    (font-lock-remove-keywords nil um-minor-mode-keywords)
+    (font-lock-flush))
+  )
+
 (provide 'um)