diff --git a/index.html b/index.html
index e679bf0..cde2100 100644
--- a/index.html
+++ b/index.html
@@ -6,6 +6,11 @@ $render{"templates/wares"}
 
 <h2>Posts</h2>
 
+$(list_posts1({limit = 2}))[[<p>$title</p>]]
+$each{list_posts2({limit = 2}), "post"}[[$post]]
+
+<hr/>
+
 $each{list_posts({limit = 5}), "post"}[[$post]]
 
 <h4 style="text-align: center;">
diff --git a/site.moon b/site.moon
index 6b695f7..5e8ffad 100644
--- a/site.moon
+++ b/site.moon
@@ -78,7 +78,15 @@ template = [[
 -- in
 -- $(list_posts({limit = 2}, true))[[<p>$title</p>]]
 -- $each{list_posts({limit = 2}), "post"}[[$post]]
-list_posts = (args={}, has_block=false) =>
+
+-- to inline a template, use like this
+--   @list_posts = list_posts @
+-- and then call from template like this
+--   $(list_posts({limit = 2}))[[<p>$title</p>]]
+-- to pass in a template, use like this
+--   @list_posts = list_posts @, [[<p>$title</p>]]
+-- $each{list_posts({limit = 2}), "post"}[[$post]]
+list_posts = (template) => (args={}) =>
   pages = @site\query_pages { is_a: "post" }
   table.sort pages, (a, b) -> a.source > b.source
   limit = math.min args.limit or #pages, #pages
@@ -86,15 +94,14 @@ list_posts = (args={}, has_block=false) =>
   return for page in *pages[1, limit]
     { title: title, id: id, publish_date: date, blurb: blurb } = page.meta
 
-    vars = {
+    vals = {
       title: title or titleize_slug id
       publish_date: date
       blurb: blurb
       url: rootname page\url_for!
     }
 
-    if has_block then vars else common.fill_ignoring_pre template, vars
-    -- common.fill_ignoring_pre template, vars
+    if template then common.fill_ignoring_pre template, vals else vals
 
 -- call like this from a template: $(get_posts())[[<p>$title</p>]]
 -- or like this: $(get_posts({limit = 5}))[[<p>$title</p>]]
@@ -113,6 +120,11 @@ get_posts = (args={}) =>
       url: rootname page\url_for!
     }
 
+test = (arg) =>
+  (a, b, c) =>
+    p arg
+    "hi"
+
 -- replace '$if' helper function with cosmo's 'cif'
 html_renderer.cosmo_helpers.if = (args, has_block) => cosmo.cif args, has_block
 -- add a '$titleize' helper function
@@ -126,9 +138,12 @@ sitegen.create =>
   @site_title = "WebDevCat.me"
   @app_name = "stasis"
   @version = "0.2.12"
-  @list_posts = list_posts
+  @list_posts = list_posts @
+  @list_posts1 = list_posts @
+  @list_posts2 = list_posts @, template
   @get_posts = get_posts
-  -- @list_posts = (template) -> get_posts  -- pass in template here!
+  -- @list_posts1 = list_posts @, [[$title]]
+  -- @list_posts2 = list_posts @
 
   add_all = (name="", files) ->
     for path, target in pairs files