diff --git a/72e6c820.md b/72e6c820.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..caa2c56
--- /dev/null
+++ b/72e6c820.md
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+---
+date: 2021-03-19T09:30
+tags:
+  - git
+---
+
+# check non-trivial gitignore patterns using `git check-ignore`
+
+today i ran into an issue where i tried creating a new `bin/` dir in a `git`
+repo, and trying to add the files within to a new commit, but was greeted by:
+
+```bash
+$ git add bin/README.md
+
+The following paths are ignored by one of your .gitignore files:
+bin
+hint: Use -f if you really want to add them.
+hint: Turn this message off by running
+hint: "git config advice.addIgnoredFile false"
+```
+
+confused, i ran a simple `grep` on the project's `.gitignore`:
+
+```bash
+$ grep bin .gitignore
+
+```
+
+which yielded nothing. i was pretty sure i didn't have that pattern set in my
+global gitignore, either.
+
+a quick internet search turned up a git util that is new to me:
+
+https://git-scm.com/docs/git-check-ignore
+
+using this command, i was able to trace the exact line responsible:
+
+```bash
+git check-ignore -v bin
+
+.gitignore:123:[Bb]in   bin
+```
+
+ohhhhh, oops. well, that makes sense. neat! this could've been solved with a
+more sophisticated `grep` pattern, but who has time for that?
diff --git a/static/README.md b/static/README.md
deleted file mode 100644
index a594aee..0000000
--- a/static/README.md
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Put your [static files](https://neuron.zettel.page/2016401.html) (images, pdf, etc.) here.