diff --git a/app/contact/form.module.css b/app/contact/form.module.css
index 743e9db3..0821bae8 100644
--- a/app/contact/form.module.css
+++ b/app/contact/form.module.css
@@ -2,15 +2,15 @@
   width: 100%;
   padding: 0.8em;
   margin: 0.6em 0;
-  border: 2px solid var(--colors-light);
+  border: 2px solid var(--color-gray-400);
   border-radius: 0.6em;
   color: var(--colors-text);
-  background-color: var(--colors-super-duper-light);
+  background-color: var(--color-gray-100);
 }
 
 .input:focus {
   outline: none;
-  border-color: var(--colors-link);
+  border-color: var(--color-link);
 }
 
 .input.textarea {
@@ -21,12 +21,12 @@
 }
 
 .input.invalid {
-  border-color: var(--colors-error);
+  border-color: var(--color-error);
 }
 
 .errorMessage {
   font-size: 0.9em;
-  color: var(--colors-error);
+  color: var(--color-error);
 }
 
 .actionRow {
@@ -48,13 +48,13 @@
   user-select: none;
   font-weight: 500;
   color: var(--colors-text);
-  background-color: var(--colors-kinda-light);
+  background-color: var(--color-gray-300);
 }
 
 .submitButton:hover,
 .submitButton:focus-visible {
-  color: var(--colors-super-duper-light);
-  background-color: var(--colors-link);
+  color: var(--color-gray-100);
+  background-color: var(--color-link);
 }
 
 .submitIcon {
@@ -70,11 +70,11 @@
 }
 
 .result.success {
-  color: var(--colors-success);
+  color: var(--color-success);
 }
 
 .result.error {
-  color: var(--colors-error);
+  color: var(--color-error);
 }
 
 .resultIcon {
diff --git a/app/contact/page.tsx b/app/contact/page.tsx
index 1e03f0fd..e6803490 100644
--- a/app/contact/page.tsx
+++ b/app/contact/page.tsx
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ const Page = () => {
           size="0.975em"
           style={{
             marginRight: "0.15em",
-            stroke: "var(--colors-warning)",
+            stroke: "var(--color-warning)",
             verticalAlign: "middle",
           }}
         />{" "}
diff --git a/app/globals.css b/app/globals.css
index bdc52bbf..0e1d6e42 100644
--- a/app/globals.css
+++ b/app/globals.css
@@ -9,92 +9,66 @@
   --container-default: var(--container-4xl);
 
   --color-*: initial;
-  --color-background-inner: #ffffff;
-  --color-background-outer: #fcfcfc;
-  --color-text: #202020;
-  --color-medium-dark: #515151;
-  --color-medium: #5e5e5e;
-  --color-medium-light: #757575;
-  --color-light: #d2d2d2;
-  --color-kinda-light: #e3e3e3;
-  --color-super-light: #f4f4f4;
-  --color-super-duper-light: #fbfbfb;
-  --color-link: #0e6dc2;
-  --color-success: #44a248;
-  --color-error: #ff1b1b;
-  --color-warning: #f78200;
+  --color-background-inner: oklch(1 0 0);
+  --color-background-outer: oklch(0.99 0 0);
+  --color-gray-900: oklch(0.27 0 0);
+  /* --color-gray-800: */
+  --color-gray-700: oklch(0.39 0 0);
+  --color-gray-600: oklch(0.44 0 0);
+  --color-gray-500: oklch(0.53 0 0);
+  --color-gray-400: oklch(0.85 0 0);
+  --color-gray-300: oklch(0.9 0 0);
+  --color-gray-200: oklch(0.96 0 0);
+  --color-gray-100: oklch(0.99 0 0);
+  --color-link: oklch(0.57 0.17 255);
+  --color-success: oklch(0.68 0.16 142);
+  --color-error: oklch(0.65 0.26 25);
+  --color-warning: oklch(0.75 0.17 75);
 
   --animate-wave: wave 5s ease 1s infinite;
   --animate-heartbeat: heartbeat 10s ease 7.5s infinite;
 
   @keyframes wave {
-    0% {
-      transform: rotate(0deg);
-    }
-    5% {
-      transform: rotate(14deg);
-    }
-    10% {
-      transform: rotate(-8deg);
-    }
-    15% {
-      transform: rotate(14deg);
-    }
-    20% {
-      transform: rotate(-4deg);
-    }
-    25% {
-      transform: rotate(10deg);
-    }
-    30% {
-      transform: rotate(0deg);
-    }
+    0% { transform: rotate(0deg) }
+    5% { transform: rotate(14deg) }
+    10% { transform: rotate(-8deg) }
+    15% { transform: rotate(14deg) }
+    20% { transform: rotate(-4deg) }
+    25% { transform: rotate(10deg) }
+    30% { transform: rotate(0deg) }
 
     /* pause for ~9 out of 10 seconds */
-    100% {
-      transform: rotate(0deg);
-    }
+    100% { transform: rotate(0deg) }
   }
 
   @keyframes heartbeat {
-    0% {
-      transform: scale(1);
-    }
-    2% {
-      transform: scale(1.25);
-    }
-    4% {
-      transform: scale(1);
-    }
-    6% {
-      transform: scale(1.2);
-    }
-    8% {
-      transform: scale(1);
-    }
+    0% { transform: scale(1) }
+    2% { transform: scale(1.25) }
+    4% { transform: scale(1) }
+    6% { transform: scale(1.2) }
+    8% { transform: scale(1) }
 
     /* pause for ~9 out of 10 seconds */
-    100% {
-      transform: scale(1);
-    }
+    100% { transform: scale(1) }
   }
 }
 
 @custom-variant dark (&:where([data-theme=dark], [data-theme=dark] *));
 
 [data-theme="dark"] {
-  --color-background-inner: #1e1e1e;
-  --color-background-outer: #252525;
-  --color-text: #f1f1f1;
-  --color-medium-dark: #d7d7d7;
-  --color-medium: #b1b1b1;
-  --color-medium-light: #959595;
-  --color-light: #646464;
-  --color-kinda-light: #535353;
-  --color-super-light: #272727;
-  --color-super-duper-light: #1f1f1f;
-  --color-link: #88c7ff;
-  --color-success: #78df55;
-  --color-error: #ff5151;
-  --color-warning: #f2b702;
+  --color-background-inner: oklch(0.2 0 0);
+  --color-background-outer: oklch(0.22 0 0);
+  --color-gray-900: oklch(0.95 0 0);
+  /* --color-gray-800: */
+  --color-gray-700: oklch(0.87 0 0);
+  --color-gray-600: oklch(0.74 0 0);
+  --color-gray-500: oklch(0.65 0 0);
+  --color-gray-400: oklch(0.46 0 0);
+  --color-gray-300: oklch(0.4 0 0);
+  --color-gray-200: oklch(0.23 0 0);
+  --color-gray-100: oklch(0.2 0 0);
+  --color-link: oklch(0.8 0.1 230);
+  --color-success: oklch(0.83 0.15 142);
+  --color-error: oklch(0.7 0.2 25);
+  --color-warning: oklch(0.85 0.15 85);
 }
diff --git a/app/hillary/page.tsx b/app/hillary/page.tsx
index 8c20e236..4c4b41a1 100644
--- a/app/hillary/page.tsx
+++ b/app/hillary/page.tsx
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ const Page = () => {
           fontSize: "0.9em",
           lineHeight: 1.8,
           margin: "1.25em 1em 0 1em",
-          color: "var(--colors-medium-light)",
+          color: "var(--color-gray-500)",
         }}
       >
         Video is property of{" "}
diff --git a/app/layout.tsx b/app/layout.tsx
index 96bc51d5..bb9e4cea 100644
--- a/app/layout.tsx
+++ b/app/layout.tsx
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ const RootLayout = ({ children }: Readonly<{ children: React.ReactNode }>) => {
         />
       </head>
 
-      <body className="bg-background-outer text-text font-sans">
+      <body className="bg-background-outer font-sans text-gray-900">
         <ThemeProvider>
           <SkipNavLink />
 
diff --git a/app/leo/page.tsx b/app/leo/page.tsx
index f1d615c7..4c1b1131 100644
--- a/app/leo/page.tsx
+++ b/app/leo/page.tsx
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ const Page = () => {
           fontSize: "0.9em",
           lineHeight: 1.8,
           margin: "1.25em 1em 0 1em",
-          color: "var(--colors-medium-light)",
+          color: "var(--color-gray-500)",
         }}
       >
         Video is property of{" "}
diff --git a/app/notes/[slug]/page.module.css b/app/notes/[slug]/page.module.css
index 2719ca37..2b5df844 100644
--- a/app/notes/[slug]/page.module.css
+++ b/app/notes/[slug]/page.module.css
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@
 .meta .metaTag::before {
   content: "\0023"; /* cosmetically hashtagify tags */
   padding-right: 0.125em;
-  color: var(--colors-light);
+  color: var(--color-gray-400);
 }
 
 .meta .metaTag:last-of-type {
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@
 .comments {
   margin-top: 2em;
   padding-top: 2em;
-  border-top: 2px solid var(--colors-light);
+  border-top: 2px solid var(--color-gray-400);
   min-height: 140px;
 }
 
diff --git a/app/page.tsx b/app/page.tsx
index 23ad42f0..cd9cfe6b 100644
--- a/app/page.tsx
+++ b/app/page.tsx
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ const Page = () => {
         >
           the Tooth Fairy
         </Link>
-        . <span className="text-medium-light">I&rsquo;ve improved a bit since then, I think? 🤷</span>
+        . <span className="text-gray-500">I&rsquo;ve improved a bit since then, I think? 🤷</span>
       </p>
 
       <p className="my-3 text-base leading-7 md:text-[0.975rem]">
diff --git a/app/previously/page.mdx b/app/previously/page.mdx
index 6ae65948..aadfee5c 100644
--- a/app/previously/page.mdx
+++ b/app/previously/page.mdx
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ _Previously on the [Cringey Chronicles&trade;](https://web.archive.org/web/20010
 <iframe
   src="https://jakejarvis.github.io/my-first-website/"
   title="My Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad First Website"
-  style={{ height: "500px", width: "100%", border: "1px solid var(--colors-kinda-light)", marginBottom: "-0.4em" }}
+  style={{ height: "500px", width: "100%", border: "1px solid var(--color-gray-300)", marginBottom: "-0.4em" }}
 />
 _[November 2001](https://jakejarvis.github.io/my-first-website/) ([view
 source](https://github.com/jakejarvis/my-first-website))_
diff --git a/app/projects/page.tsx b/app/projects/page.tsx
index a6a43edc..c64345d3 100644
--- a/app/projects/page.tsx
+++ b/app/projects/page.tsx
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ const Page = async () => {
     <>
       <PageTitle canonical="/projects">Projects</PageTitle>
 
-      <h2 className="my-3.5 text-[1.4em] font-normal">
+      <h2 className="my-3.5 text-xl font-normal">
         <Link
           href={`https://github.com/${env.NEXT_PUBLIC_GITHUB_USERNAME}`}
           className="text-inherit hover:no-underline"
@@ -46,14 +46,14 @@ const Page = async () => {
             "mx-auto mt-4 mb-8",
             "[--activity-0:#ebedf0] [--activity-1:#9be9a8] [--activity-2:#40c463] [--activity-3:#30a14e] [--activity-4:#216e39]",
             "dark:[--activity-0:#252525] dark:[--activity-1:#033a16] dark:[--activity-2:#196c2e] dark:[--activity-3:#2ea043] dark:[--activity-4:#56d364]",
-            String.raw`[&_.react-activity-calendar\_\_count]:text-medium [&_.react-activity-calendar\_\_legend-month]:text-medium [&_.react-activity-calendar\_\_legend-colors]:text-medium-light`
+            String.raw`[&_.react-activity-calendar\_\_count]:text-gray-600 [&_.react-activity-calendar\_\_legend-colors]:text-gray-500 [&_.react-activity-calendar\_\_legend-month]:text-gray-600`
           )}
         >
           <Calendar data={contributions} />
         </div>
       </Suspense>
 
-      <h2 className="my-3.5 text-[1.4em] font-normal">
+      <h2 className="my-3.5 text-xl font-normal">
         <Link
           href={`https://github.com/${env.NEXT_PUBLIC_GITHUB_USERNAME}?tab=repositories&sort=stargazers`}
           className="text-inherit hover:no-underline"
@@ -62,21 +62,21 @@ const Page = async () => {
         </Link>
       </h2>
 
-      <div className="flex w-full flex-row flex-wrap items-start justify-between gap-[1em] leading-[1.1]">
+      <div className="row-auto grid w-full grid-cols-none gap-4 lg:grid-cols-2">
         {repos?.map((repo) => (
           <div
             key={repo!.name}
-            className="border-kinda-light text-medium-dark w-[370px] grow rounded-[1em] border border-solid px-[1.2em] pt-[1.2em] pb-[0.8em] text-[0.9em]"
+            className="h-fit rounded-[1em] border border-solid border-gray-300 p-4 text-[0.9em] text-gray-700"
           >
-            <Link href={repo!.url} className="mb-[0.4em] inline-block text-[1.2em] font-semibold">
+            <Link href={repo!.url} className="mb-1.5 inline-block text-base font-semibold">
               {repo!.name}
             </Link>
 
-            {repo!.description && <p className="m-0 leading-[1.7]">{repo!.description}</p>}
+            {repo!.description && <p className="m-0 text-[0.825rem] leading-relaxed">{repo!.description}</p>}
 
-            <div className="mt-[0.4em] flex flex-wrap">
+            <div className="mt-2 flex flex-wrap">
               {repo!.primaryLanguage && (
-                <div className="text-medium my-[0.3em] mr-[1.5em] ml-0 whitespace-nowrap">
+                <div className="mt-1.5 mr-6 whitespace-nowrap text-gray-600">
                   {repo!.primaryLanguage.color && (
                     <span
                       className="mr-[0.5em] inline-block h-[1.25em] w-[1.25em] align-text-top"
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ const Page = async () => {
               )}
 
               {repo!.stargazerCount > 0 && (
-                <div className="text-medium my-[0.3em] mr-[1.5em] ml-0 whitespace-nowrap">
+                <div className="mt-1.5 mr-6 whitespace-nowrap text-gray-600">
                   <Link
                     href={`${repo!.url}/stargazers`}
                     title={`${Intl.NumberFormat(env.NEXT_PUBLIC_SITE_LOCALE).format(repo!.stargazerCount)} ${repo!.stargazerCount === 1 ? "star" : "stars"}`}
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ const Page = async () => {
               )}
 
               {repo!.forkCount > 0 && (
-                <div className="text-medium my-[0.3em] mr-[1.5em] ml-0 whitespace-nowrap">
+                <div className="mt-1.5 mr-6 whitespace-nowrap text-gray-600">
                   <Link
                     href={`${repo!.url}/network/members`}
                     title={`${Intl.NumberFormat(env.NEXT_PUBLIC_SITE_LOCALE).format(repo!.forkCount)} ${repo!.forkCount === 1 ? "fork" : "forks"}`}
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ const Page = async () => {
                 </div>
               )}
 
-              <div className="text-medium my-[0.3em] mr-[1.5em] ml-0 whitespace-nowrap">
+              <div className="mt-1.5 mr-6 whitespace-nowrap text-gray-600">
                 <span
                   // invisible icon hack to fix line height
                   className="mr-0 inline-block h-[1.25em] w-0 align-text-top"
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ const Page = async () => {
             viewBox="0 0 24 24"
             width="1.2em"
             height="1.2em"
-            className="fill-text mr-[0.1em] ml-[0.25em] inline h-[1.2em] w-[1.2em] align-text-top"
+            className="mr-[0.1em] ml-[0.25em] inline h-[1.2em] w-[1.2em] fill-gray-700 align-text-top"
           >
             <path d="M12 .297c-6.63 0-12 5.373-12 12 0 5.303 3.438 9.8 8.205 11.385.6.113.82-.258.82-.577 0-.285-.01-1.04-.015-2.04-3.338.724-4.042-1.61-4.042-1.61C4.422 18.07 3.633 17.7 3.633 17.7c-1.087-.744.084-.729.084-.729 1.205.084 1.838 1.236 1.838 1.236 1.07 1.835 2.809 1.305 3.495.998.108-.776.417-1.305.76-1.605-2.665-.3-5.466-1.332-5.466-5.93 0-1.31.465-2.38 1.235-3.22-.135-.303-.54-1.523.105-3.176 0 0 1.005-.322 3.3 1.23.96-.267 1.98-.399 3-.405 1.02.006 2.04.138 3 .405 2.28-1.552 3.285-1.23 3.285-1.23.645 1.653.24 2.873.12 3.176.765.84 1.23 1.91 1.23 3.22 0 4.61-2.805 5.625-5.475 5.92.42.36.81 1.096.81 2.22 0 1.606-.015 2.896-.015 3.286 0 .315.21.69.825.57C20.565 22.092 24 17.592 24 12.297c0-6.627-5.373-12-12-12" />
           </svg>{" "}
diff --git a/app/themes.css b/app/themes.css
deleted file mode 100644
index 57805c48..00000000
--- a/app/themes.css
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,37 +0,0 @@
-:root {
-  --colors-background-inner: #ffffff;
-  --colors-background-outer: #fcfcfc;
-  --colors-background-header: rgb(252 252 252 / 70%);
-  --colors-text: #202020;
-  --colors-medium-dark: #515151;
-  --colors-medium: #5e5e5e;
-  --colors-medium-light: #757575;
-  --colors-light: #d2d2d2;
-  --colors-kinda-light: #e3e3e3;
-  --colors-super-light: #f4f4f4;
-  --colors-super-duper-light: #fbfbfb;
-  --colors-link: #0e6dc2;
-  --colors-link-underline: #a6c5e7;
-  --colors-success: #44a248;
-  --colors-error: #ff1b1b;
-  --colors-warning: #f78200;
-}
-
-[data-theme="dark"] {
-  --colors-background-inner: #1e1e1e;
-  --colors-background-outer: #252525;
-  --colors-background-header: rgb(37 37 37 / 70%);
-  --colors-text: #f1f1f1;
-  --colors-medium-dark: #d7d7d7;
-  --colors-medium: #b1b1b1;
-  --colors-medium-light: #959595;
-  --colors-light: #646464;
-  --colors-kinda-light: #535353;
-  --colors-super-light: #272727;
-  --colors-super-duper-light: #1f1f1f;
-  --colors-link: #88c7ff;
-  --colors-link-underline: #496278;
-  --colors-success: #78df55;
-  --colors-error: #ff5151;
-  --colors-warning: #f2b702;
-}
diff --git a/app/zip/page.tsx b/app/zip/page.tsx
index 1e1b14e2..6fb45598 100644
--- a/app/zip/page.tsx
+++ b/app/zip/page.tsx
@@ -32,14 +32,14 @@ const Page = () => {
       >
         <code
           style={{
-            backgroundColor: "var(--colors-background-header)",
+            backgroundColor: "var(--color-background-header)",
             backdropFilter: "saturate(180%) blur(5px))",
             display: "block",
             overflowX: "auto",
             padding: "1em",
             fontSize: "0.9em",
             tabSize: 2,
-            border: "1px solid var(--colors-kinda-light)",
+            border: "1px solid var(--color-gray-300)",
             borderRadius: "0.6em",
           }}
         >
diff --git a/components/Blockquote/Blockquote.tsx b/components/Blockquote/Blockquote.tsx
index 3d00cb0a..07376347 100644
--- a/components/Blockquote/Blockquote.tsx
+++ b/components/Blockquote/Blockquote.tsx
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import type { ComponentPropsWithoutRef } from "react";
 export type BlockquoteProps = ComponentPropsWithoutRef<"blockquote">;
 
 const Blockquote = ({ className, ...rest }: BlockquoteProps) => (
-  <blockquote className={cn("border-l-link text-medium-dark ml-0 border-l-4 pl-5", className)} {...rest} />
+  <blockquote className={cn("border-l-link ml-0 border-l-4 pl-5 text-gray-700", className)} {...rest} />
 );
 
 export default Blockquote;
diff --git a/components/Code/Code.module.css b/components/Code/Code.module.css
index 5612590c..6b3a3369 100644
--- a/components/Code/Code.module.css
+++ b/components/Code/Code.module.css
@@ -7,8 +7,8 @@
   font-size: 0.925em;
   tab-size: 2px;
   page-break-inside: avoid;
-  background-color: var(--colors-background-header);
-  border: 1px solid var(--colors-kinda-light);
+  background-color: var(--color-background-header);
+  border: 1px solid var(--color-gray-300);
   border-radius: 0.6em;
 }
 
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ figure .code[data-line-numbers] > [data-line]::before {
   width: 1em;
   margin-right: 1.5em;
   text-align: right;
-  color: var(--colors-medium-light);
+  color: var(--color-gray-500);
   user-select: none;
   counter-increment: line;
   content: counter(line);
@@ -76,11 +76,11 @@ figure .code[data-line-numbers-max-digits="3"] > [data-line]::before {
   height: 3em;
   width: 3em;
   padding: 0; /* iOS safari fix */
-  color: var(--colors-medium-dark);
-  border: 1px solid var(--colors-kinda-light);
+  color: var(--color-gray-700);
+  border: 1px solid var(--color-gray-300);
   border-top-right-radius: 0.6em;
   border-bottom-left-radius: 0.6em;
-  background-color: var(--colors-background-header);
+  background-color: var(--color-background-header);
   backdrop-filter: saturate(180%) blur(5px);
 }
 
@@ -92,5 +92,5 @@ figure .code[data-line-numbers-max-digits="3"] > [data-line]::before {
 
 .copyButton:hover,
 .copyButton:focus-visible {
-  color: var(--colors-link);
+  color: var(--color-link);
 }
diff --git a/components/CopyButton/CopyButton.tsx b/components/CopyButton/CopyButton.tsx
index cf7fe211..b6260595 100644
--- a/components/CopyButton/CopyButton.tsx
+++ b/components/CopyButton/CopyButton.tsx
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ const CopyButton = ({ source, timeout = 2000, style, ...rest }: CopyButtonProps,
       {...rest}
     >
       {copied ? (
-        <CheckIcon size="1.25em" style={{ stroke: "var(--colors-success)" }} />
+        <CheckIcon size="1.25em" style={{ stroke: "var(--color-success)" }} />
       ) : (
         <ClipboardIcon size="1.25em" />
       )}
diff --git a/components/Footer/Footer.tsx b/components/Footer/Footer.tsx
index b4fcf19b..738ae487 100644
--- a/components/Footer/Footer.tsx
+++ b/components/Footer/Footer.tsx
@@ -10,17 +10,17 @@ export type FooterProps = ComponentPropsWithoutRef<"footer">;
 const Footer = ({ className, ...rest }: FooterProps) => {
   return (
     <footer
-      className={cn("border-t-kinda-light bg-background-outer text-medium-dark w-full border-t py-4", className)}
+      className={cn("bg-background-outer w-full border-t border-t-gray-300 py-4 text-gray-700", className)}
       {...rest}
     >
       <div className="max-w-default mx-auto flex w-full flex-col justify-between px-5 text-[0.8rem] leading-9 md:flex-row">
         <div>
           Content{" "}
-          <Link href="/license" title={config.license} className="text-medium-dark hover:no-underline">
+          <Link href="/license" title={config.license} className="text-gray-700 hover:no-underline">
             licensed under {config.licenseAbbr}
           </Link>
           ,{" "}
-          <Link href="/previously" title="Previously on..." className="text-medium-dark hover:no-underline">
+          <Link href="/previously" title="Previously on..." className="text-gray-700 hover:no-underline">
             {config.copyrightYearStart}
           </Link>{" "}
           – {new Date().getUTCFullYear()}.
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ const Footer = ({ className, ...rest }: FooterProps) => {
             href="https://nextjs.org/"
             title="Powered by Next.js"
             aria-label="Next.js"
-            className="text-medium-dark hover:text-medium hover:no-underline"
+            className="text-gray-700 hover:text-gray-600 hover:no-underline"
           >
             <svg
               xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ const Footer = ({ className, ...rest }: FooterProps) => {
           <Link
             href={`https://github.com/${env.NEXT_PUBLIC_GITHUB_REPO}`}
             title="View Source on GitHub"
-            className="border-b-light text-medium-dark hover:border-b-kinda-light border-b-2 pb-0.5 hover:no-underline"
+            className="border-b-2 border-b-gray-400 pb-0.5 text-gray-700 hover:border-b-gray-300 hover:no-underline"
           >
             View source.
           </Link>
diff --git a/components/Header/Header.tsx b/components/Header/Header.tsx
index 61a226bf..632a63e2 100644
--- a/components/Header/Header.tsx
+++ b/components/Header/Header.tsx
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ const Header = ({ className, ...rest }: HeaderProps) => {
   return (
     <header
       className={cn(
-        "bg-background-outer/70 border-kinda-light sticky top-0 z-[1000] h-24 w-full border-b backdrop-blur-[5px] backdrop-saturate-[180%] md:h-18",
+        "bg-background-outer/70 sticky top-0 z-100 h-24 w-full border-b border-gray-300 backdrop-blur-xs backdrop-saturate-180 md:h-18",
         className
       )}
       {...rest}
@@ -24,12 +24,12 @@ const Header = ({ className, ...rest }: HeaderProps) => {
           href="/"
           rel="author"
           aria-label={config.authorName}
-          className="text-medium-dark hover:text-link flex flex-shrink-0 items-center hover:no-underline"
+          className="hover:text-link flex flex-shrink-0 items-center text-gray-700 hover:no-underline"
         >
           <Image
             src={avatarImg}
             alt={`Photo of ${config.authorName}`}
-            className="border-light h-[70px] w-[70px] rounded-full border-2 md:h-[48px] md:w-[48px] md:border"
+            className="h-[70px] w-[70px] rounded-full border-2 border-gray-400 md:h-[48px] md:w-[48px] md:border"
             width={70}
             height={70}
             quality={50}
diff --git a/components/Heading/Heading.module.css b/components/Heading/Heading.module.css
index 111bd3e8..2cc80751 100644
--- a/components/Heading/Heading.module.css
+++ b/components/Heading/Heading.module.css
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 
 .h.divider {
   padding-bottom: 0.25em;
-  border-bottom: 1px solid var(--colors-kinda-light);
+  border-bottom: 1px solid var(--color-gray-300);
 }
 
 .anchor {
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
 /* show anchor link when hovering anywhere over the heading line, or on keyboard tab focus */
 .anchor:hover,
 .anchor:focus-visible {
-  color: var(--colors-link) !important;
+  color: var(--color-link) !important;
 }
 
 .h:hover .anchor,
diff --git a/components/HorizontalRule/HorizontalRule.module.css b/components/HorizontalRule/HorizontalRule.module.css
index 3263ae61..9121b566 100644
--- a/components/HorizontalRule/HorizontalRule.module.css
+++ b/components/HorizontalRule/HorizontalRule.module.css
@@ -3,5 +3,5 @@
   max-width: calc(var(--max-width) - 1.5em);
   height: 1px;
   border: 0;
-  background-color: var(--colors-light);
+  background-color: var(--color-gray-400);
 }
diff --git a/components/Loading/Loading.module.css b/components/Loading/Loading.module.css
index ccfbd156..b96fd903 100644
--- a/components/Loading/Loading.module.css
+++ b/components/Loading/Loading.module.css
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
   display: inline-block;
   height: 100%;
   animation: loading 1.5s infinite ease-in-out both;
-  background-color: var(--colors-medium-light);
+  background-color: var(--color-gray-500);
 }
 
 @keyframes loading {
diff --git a/components/MenuItem/MenuItem.tsx b/components/MenuItem/MenuItem.tsx
index f469b0f8..1e9e453d 100644
--- a/components/MenuItem/MenuItem.tsx
+++ b/components/MenuItem/MenuItem.tsx
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ const MenuItem = ({ text, href, icon, current, className, ...rest }: MenuItemPro
         aria-label={text}
         data-current={current || undefined}
         className={cn(
-          "text-medium-dark hover:border-kinda-light -mb-[0.2em] inline-flex items-center p-2.5 hover:border-b-[0.2em] hover:no-underline",
+          "-mb-[0.2em] inline-flex items-center p-2.5 text-gray-700 hover:border-b-[0.2em] hover:border-gray-300 hover:no-underline",
           current && "border-link/40 hover:border-link/40 border-b-[0.2em]",
           className
         )}
diff --git a/components/PageTitle/PageTitle.tsx b/components/PageTitle/PageTitle.tsx
index 24ba831a..610554dc 100644
--- a/components/PageTitle/PageTitle.tsx
+++ b/components/PageTitle/PageTitle.tsx
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ const PageTitle = ({ canonical, className, children, ...rest }: PageTitleProps)
     <h1 className={cn("mt-1 mb-6 text-left text-3xl font-medium lowercase", className)} {...rest}>
       <Link
         href={canonical}
-        className="before:text-medium-light before:mr-[-0.1em] before:tracking-widest before:content-['\002E\002F']"
+        className="before:mr-[-0.1em] before:tracking-widest before:text-gray-500 before:content-['\002E\002F'] hover:no-underline"
       >
         {children}
       </Link>
diff --git a/components/SkipNav/SkipNav.module.css b/components/SkipNav/SkipNav.module.css
index 92ce724a..5fa08f43 100644
--- a/components/SkipNav/SkipNav.module.css
+++ b/components/SkipNav/SkipNav.module.css
@@ -22,8 +22,8 @@
   width: auto;
   height: auto;
   clip: auto;
-  background: var(--colors-super-duper-light);
-  color: var(--colors-link);
-  border: 2px solid var(--colors-kinda-light);
+  background: var(--color-gray-100);
+  color: var(--color-link);
+  border: 2px solid var(--color-gray-300);
   text-decoration: underline;
 }
diff --git a/notes/dark-mode/index.mdx b/notes/dark-mode/index.mdx
index 87d4117d..6c972d4d 100644
--- a/notes/dark-mode/index.mdx
+++ b/notes/dark-mode/index.mdx
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ I've written a simple implementation below, which...
 <iframe
   src="https://jakejarvis.github.io/dark-mode-example/"
   title="Dark Mode Example"
-  style={{ height: "190px", width: "100%", border: "1px solid var(--colors-kinda-light)" }}
+  style={{ height: "190px", width: "100%", border: "1px solid var(--color-gray-300)" }}
 ></iframe>
 
 A _very_ barebones example is embedded above ([view the source here](https://github.com/jakejarvis/dark-mode-example), or [open in a new window](https://jakejarvis.github.io/dark-mode-example/) if your browser is blocking the frame) and you can try it out on this site by clicking the 💡 lightbulb in the upper right corner of this page. You'll notice that the dark theme sticks when refreshing this page, navigating between other pages, or if you were to return to this example weeks from now.