diff --git a/handlers.go b/handlers.go
index b93cb9c..8e2af88 100755
--- a/handlers.go
+++ b/handlers.go
@@ -20,8 +20,9 @@ import (
 var customCSS []byte
 var defaultLock string
 var debounceTime int
+var diaryMode bool
 
-func serve(host, port, crt_path, key_path string, TLS bool, cssFile string, defaultPage string, defaultPassword string, debounce int) {
+func serve(host, port, crt_path, key_path string, TLS bool, cssFile string, defaultPage string, defaultPassword string, debounce int, diary bool) {
 	gin.SetMode(gin.ReleaseMode)
 	router := gin.Default()
 	store := sessions.NewCookieStore([]byte("secret"))
@@ -73,6 +74,9 @@ func serve(host, port, crt_path, key_path string, TLS bool, cssFile string, defa
 	// set the debounce time
 	debounceTime = debounce
 
+	// set diary mode
+	diaryMode = diary
+
 	if TLS {
 		http.ListenAndServeTLS(host+":"+port, crt_path, key_path, router)
 	} else {
@@ -340,6 +344,8 @@ func handlePageRequest(c *gin.Context) {
 		"IsPublished":        p.IsPublished,
 		"CustomCSS":          len(customCSS) > 0,
 		"Debounce":           debounceTime,
+		"DiaryMode":          diaryMode,
+		"Date":               time.Now().Format("2006-01-02"),
 	})
 }
 
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 1702bad..22471b3 100755
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ func main() {
 		} else {
 			fmt.Printf("\nRunning cowyo server (version %s) at http://%s:%s\n\n", version, host, c.GlobalString("port"))
 		}
-		serve(c.GlobalString("host"), c.GlobalString("port"), c.GlobalString("cert"), c.GlobalString("key"), TLS, c.GlobalString("css"), c.GlobalString("default-page"), c.GlobalString("lock"), c.GlobalInt("debounce"))
+		serve(c.GlobalString("host"), c.GlobalString("port"), c.GlobalString("cert"), c.GlobalString("key"), TLS, c.GlobalString("css"), c.GlobalString("default-page"), c.GlobalString("lock"), c.GlobalInt("debounce"), c.GlobalBool("diary"))
 		return nil
 	}
 	app.Flags = []cli.Flag{
@@ -96,6 +96,10 @@ func main() {
 			Name:  "debug, d",
 			Usage: "turn on debugging",
 		},
+		cli.BoolFlag{
+			Name:  "diary",
+			Usage: "turn diary mode (doing New will give a timestamped page)",
+		},
 	}
 	app.Commands = []cli.Command{
 		{
diff --git a/templates/index.tmpl b/templates/index.tmpl
index 448ba95..38ebbe2 100755
--- a/templates/index.tmpl
+++ b/templates/index.tmpl
@@ -499,7 +499,11 @@ body#pad textarea {
                     <li class="pure-menu-item pure-menu-has-children pure-menu-allow-hover">
                         <a href="#" id="menuLink1" class="pure-menu-link">{{ .Page }}</a>
                         <ul class="pure-menu-children">
+                            {{ if .DiaryMode }}
+                            <li class="pure-menu-item"><a href="/{{ .Date }}/edit" class="pure-menu-link">New</a></li>
+                            {{ else }}
                             <li class="pure-menu-item"><a href="/" class="pure-menu-link">New</a></li>
+                            {{ end }}
                             <li class="pure-menu-item"><a href="https://github.com/schollz/cowyo" class="pure-menu-link">Source</a></li>
                             {{ if .EditPage }}
                             <li class="pure-menu-item"><a href="#" class="pure-menu-link" id="publishPage">