diff --git a/public/app.js b/public/app.js
index 5dc1234..36cd5a5 100755
--- a/public/app.js
+++ b/public/app.js
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 const els = {
   body: document.body,
   menuBtn: document.getElementById("menuBtn"),
+  primaryNav: document.getElementById("primaryNav"),
   sectionSelect: document.getElementById("sectionSelect"),
   sortSelect: document.getElementById("sortSelect"),
   searchBox: document.getElementById("searchBox"),
@@ -10,6 +11,11 @@ const els = {
 };
 
 const staticPages = new Set(["about", "contact", "legal"]);
+const sectionIcons = { // Optional: Add icons per section (e.g., 'essays': '✍️')
+  essays: '✍️',
+  fieldnotes: '📓',
+  pinned: '📌'
+};
 
 let indexData = null;
 let sidebarOpen = false;
@@ -17,22 +23,34 @@ let sidebarOpen = false;
 async function init() {
   try {
     indexData = await (await fetch("index.json")).json();
+    populateNav();
     populateSections();
     wireUI();
     renderList();
     handleHash();
     window.addEventListener("hashchange", handleHash);
   } catch (e) {
-    els.viewer.innerHTML = "<h1>Error Loading Index</h1><p>Failed to load site data. Please try refreshing.</p>";
+    els.viewer.innerHTML = "<h1>Error Loading Site</h1><p>Failed to load index data. Please refresh or check connection.</p>";
   }
 }
 
+function populateNav() {
+  els.primaryNav.innerHTML = '<a href="#/">Home</a>';
+  staticPages.forEach(p => {
+    els.primaryNav.innerHTML += `<a href="#/${p}/">${p.charAt(0).toUpperCase() + p.slice(1)}</a>`;
+  });
+  indexData.sections.forEach(s => {
+    els.primaryNav.innerHTML += `<a href="#/${s}/">${s.charAt(0).toUpperCase() + s.slice(1)}</a>`;
+  });
+}
+
 function populateSections() {
   els.sectionSelect.innerHTML = "";
   indexData.sections.forEach(s => {
+    const icon = sectionIcons[s] ? `${sectionIcons[s]} ` : '';
     const opt = document.createElement("option");
     opt.value = s;
-    opt.textContent = s;
+    opt.textContent = `${icon}${s}`;
     els.sectionSelect.appendChild(opt);
   });
 }
@@ -72,54 +90,59 @@ function renderList() {
 }
 
 async function handleHash() {
-  els.viewer.innerHTML = ""; // Clear viewer to avoid stale content
+  els.viewer.innerHTML = "";
   const rel = location.hash.replace(/^#\//, "");
   if (!rel) return renderDefault();
 
   if (rel.endsWith('/')) {
     const section = rel.replace(/\/$/, '');
     if (staticPages.has(section)) {
-      renderHTML(section + '/index.html');
+      renderIframe(`${section}/index.html`);
     } else if (indexData.sections.includes(section)) {
       els.sectionSelect.value = section;
       renderList();
       const sectionPosts = indexData.flat.filter(p => p.path.split('/')[0] === section);
       if (sectionPosts.length === 0) {
-        els.viewer.innerHTML = `<h1>${section.charAt(0).toUpperCase() + section.slice(1)}</h1><p>No posts in this section yet.</p>`;
+        els.viewer.innerHTML = `<h1>${section.charAt(0).toUpperCase() + section.slice(1)}</h1><p>No content in this section yet. Check back soon!</p>`;
       } else {
         const latest = sectionPosts.sort((a, b) => b.mtime - a.mtime)[0];
-        location.hash = '#/' + latest.path; // Triggers hashchange to load
+        location.hash = '#/' + latest.path;
       }
     } else {
-      els.viewer.innerHTML = '<h1>404 Not Found</h1>';
+      els.viewer.innerHTML = '<h1>404: Section Not Found</h1><p>The requested section does not exist.</p>';
     }
   } else {
     const file = indexData.flat.find(f => f.path === rel);
     if (!file) {
-      els.viewer.innerHTML = '<h1>404 Not Found</h1>';
+      els.viewer.innerHTML = '<h1>404: File Not Found</h1><p>The requested file could not be located.</p>';
       return;
     }
     try {
-      file.ext === ".md" ? await renderMarkdown(file.path) : renderHTML(file.path);
+      if (file.ext === ".md") {
+        await renderMarkdown(file.path);
+      } else {
+        renderIframe(file.path);
+      }
     } catch (e) {
-      els.viewer.innerHTML = '<h1>Error Loading Content</h1><p>Failed to load the file. Please try another.</p>';
+      els.viewer.innerHTML = '<h1>Error Loading Content</h1><p>Unable to load the file. It may be corrupted or inaccessible.</p>';
     }
   }
 }
 
 async function renderMarkdown(rel) {
-  const src = await fetch(rel).then(r => { if (!r.ok) throw new Error(); return r.text(); });
+  const src = await fetch(rel).then(r => { if (!r.ok) throw new Error('Fetch failed'); return r.text(); });
   const html = marked.parse(src);
   els.viewer.innerHTML = `<article>${html}</article>`;
 }
 
-function renderHTML(rel) {
+function renderIframe(rel) {
   const iframe = document.createElement("iframe");
   iframe.setAttribute("sandbox", "allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-forms");
   iframe.loading = "eager";
   iframe.src = "/" + rel;
   els.viewer.appendChild(iframe);
   iframe.addEventListener("load", () => {
+    if (rel.endsWith('.pdf')) return;
     try {
       const d = iframe.contentDocument || iframe.contentWindow.document;
       const s = d.createElement("style");
@@ -134,7 +157,11 @@ function renderHTML(rel) {
 
 function renderDefault() {
   const latest = [...indexData.flat].sort((a, b) => b.mtime - a.mtime)[0];
-  if (latest) location.hash = "#/" + latest.path;
+  if (latest) {
+    location.hash = "#/" + latest.path;
+  } else {
+    els.viewer.innerHTML = '<h1>Welcome</h1><p>No content yet. Add files to sections and redeploy!</p>';
+  }
 }
 
 init();
\ No newline at end of file