diff --git a/hosts/modules/gui/sxmo/hooks/sxmo_hook_start.sh b/hosts/modules/gui/sxmo/hooks/sxmo_hook_start.sh
index c5bf4bbb5..a660b9ac0 100755
--- a/hosts/modules/gui/sxmo/hooks/sxmo_hook_start.sh
+++ b/hosts/modules/gui/sxmo/hooks/sxmo_hook_start.sh
@@ -10,12 +10,13 @@ xdg-user-dirs-update
 sxmo_jobs.sh start daemon_manager
 
 # Periodically update some status bar components
-sxmo_hook_statusbar.sh all
-sxmo_jobs.sh start statusbar_periodics sxmo_run_aligned.sh 60 \
-	sxmo_hook_statusbar.sh periodics
+# don't: statusbar is managed by waybar
+#   sxmo_hook_statusbar.sh all
+#   sxmo_jobs.sh start statusbar_periodics sxmo_run_aligned.sh 60 \
+#     sxmo_hook_statusbar.sh periodics
 
 # TODO: start these externally, via `wantedBy` in nix
-# don't: mako is managed externally
+# don't: i don't use mako
 #   superctl start mako
 systemctl --user start sxmo_wob
 systemctl --user start sxmo_menumode_toggler
@@ -49,15 +50,20 @@ fi
 #   superctl start sxmo_conky
 
 # Monitor the battery
-systemctl --user start sxmo_battery_monitor
+# don't: this is *exclusively* for sxmo_hook_statusbar.sh, which i don't use.
+#   systemctl --user start sxmo_battery_monitor
 
 # It watch network changes and update the status bar icon by example
-systemctl --user start sxmo_networkmonitor
+# don't: this is for sxmo_hook_statusbar.sh, which i don't use.
+# this means we never call sxmo_hook_network_{up,down,...}, but the defaults are no-op anyway
+#   systemctl --user start sxmo_networkmonitor
 
 # The daemon that display notifications popup messages
+# more importantly: it lights the led green when a notification arrives
 systemctl --user start sxmo_notificationmonitor
 
 # monitor for headphone for statusbar
+# this also invokes `wob` whenever the volume is changed
 systemctl --user start sxmo_soundmonitor
 
 # rotate UI based on physical display angle by default