diff --git a/emacs/init.el b/emacs/init.el
index e31fa32..8afe05e 100644
--- a/emacs/init.el
+++ b/emacs/init.el
@@ -332,6 +332,8 @@
 					   my/denote-remote-notes-directory
 					 my/denote-local-notes-directory)))
 	  (setq denote-directory new-dir)
+      (setq my/denote-metadata-index-file (concat denote-directory "../denote-metadata.org"))
+
 	  (message "Denote directory switched to %s" new-dir)))
 
   (defun my/denote-use-both-directories (orig-fun &rest args)
@@ -356,12 +358,22 @@
 
   (advice-add 'denote-directory-files :around #'my/denote-use-both-directories)
   (advice-add 'denote-directory-subdirectories :around #'my/denote-use-both-directories)
-  
+
   (defun my/search-denote-notes ()
-    "Use ripgrep to search denote notes."
+    "Use consult-ripgrep to search only the Denote metadata index file, without recursion."
     (interactive)
-    (let ((default-directory denote-directory))
-      (consult-ripgrep)))
+    (let* ((index-file my/denote-metadata-index-file)
+           (default-directory (file-name-directory index-file))
+           (file-name (file-name-nondirectory index-file))
+           (consult-ripgrep-args 
+            (concat "rg --null --ignore-case --type org --line-buffered --color=never "
+                    "--max-columns=500 --no-heading --line-number "
+                    "--max-depth 0 "
+                    (shell-quote-argument file-name))))
+      (if (file-exists-p index-file)
+          (consult-ripgrep default-directory)
+        (message "Metadata index file not found: %s" index-file))))
+  
   
   (let ((map dired-mode-map))
     (define-key map (kbd "C-x n d") #'denote-dired-mode)
@@ -369,14 +381,6 @@
     (define-key map (kbd "C-x n k") #'denote-dired-rename-marked-files-with-keywords)
     (define-key map (kbd "C-x n r r") #'denote-dired-rename-files)
     (define-key map (kbd "C-x n r f") #'denote-dired-rename-marked-files-using-front-matter))
-
-  ;; show current denote directory in modeline
-  (with-eval-after-load 'doom-modeline
-    (doom-modeline-def-segment denote-directory
-      (my-denote-directory-segment))
-    (setq doom-modeline-format-left
-          (append doom-modeline-format-left
-                  '(denote-directory))))
   
   (setq denote-save-buffers nil
         denote-known-keywords '("emacs" "golang" "dev")
@@ -904,6 +908,78 @@
                  nil
                  (window-parameters (mode-line-format . none)))))
 
+(use-package ement
+  :ensure t
+  :defer t
+  :config
+  (setq ement-save-sessions t)
+  (setq ement-room-list-auto-update t))
+
+(require 'denote)
+
+;; automated denote metadata management
+(defvar my/denote-metadata-index-file (concat denote-directory "../denote-metadata.org")
+  "Path to the metadata index file.")
+
+(defun my/extract-date-from-filename (file)
+  "Extract date from FILE name. Assumes first 8 characters are YYYYMMDD."
+  (substring (file-name-nondirectory file) 0 8))
+
+(defun my/format-date (date-string)
+  "Format DATE-STRING (YYYYMMDD) as YYYY-MM-DD."
+  (format "%s-%s-%s"
+          (substring date-string 0 4)
+          (substring date-string 4 6)
+          (substring date-string 6 8)))
+
+(defun my/extract-summary (file)
+  "Extract summary from FILE."
+  (with-temp-buffer
+    (insert-file-contents file)
+    (goto-char (point-min))
+    (when (re-search-forward "^\\* Summary$" nil t)
+      (forward-line)
+      (let ((start (point)))
+        (if (re-search-forward "^\\*" nil t)
+            (string-trim (buffer-substring-no-properties start (line-beginning-position)))
+          (string-trim (buffer-substring-no-properties start (point-max))))))))
+
+
+(defun my/update-denote-metadata-index ()
+  "Update the metadata index for Denote notes in Org format."
+  (interactive)
+  (with-temp-file my/denote-metadata-index-file
+    (insert "#+TITLE: Denote Metadata Index\n")
+    (insert "#+AUTHOR: Your Name\n")
+    (insert "#+DATE: " (format-time-string "%Y-%m-%d") "\n\n")
+    (dolist (file (directory-files-recursively denote-directory "\\.org$"))
+      (let ((file-contents (with-temp-buffer
+                             (insert-file-contents file)
+                             (buffer-string))))
+        (with-temp-buffer
+          (insert file-contents)
+          (goto-char (point-min))
+          (when (re-search-forward "^#\\+title: \\(.+\\)$" nil t)
+            (let* ((title (string-trim (match-string 1)))
+                   (keywords (denote-extract-keywords-from-path file))
+                   (date-string (my/extract-date-from-filename file))
+                   (formatted-date (my/format-date date-string))
+                   (is-journal (and (listp keywords) (member "journal" keywords)))
+                   (summary (if is-journal
+                                (format "Journal entry for [%s]" formatted-date)
+                              (my/extract-summary file))))
+              (with-current-buffer (find-file-noselect my/denote-metadata-index-file)
+                (goto-char (point-max))
+                (insert (format "* [[file:%s][%s]]\n" file title))
+                (insert "  :PROPERTIES:\n")
+                (insert (format "  :KEYWORDS: %s\n" keywords))
+                (insert (format "  :DATE: [%s]\n" formatted-date))
+                (insert "  :END:\n\n")
+                (insert (if summary
+                            summary
+                          "No summary provided."))
+                (unless (string-suffix-p "\n\n" (or summary ""))
+                  (insert "\n\n"))))))))))
 
 (provide 'init)