diff --git a/my/core/__main__.py b/my/core/__main__.py
index 276de26..986b05f 100644
--- a/my/core/__main__.py
+++ b/my/core/__main__.py
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ from typing import Any, Callable, Iterable, List, Optional, Sequence, Type
 import click
 
 
-@functools.lru_cache()
+@functools.lru_cache
 def mypy_cmd() -> Optional[Sequence[str]]:
     try:
         # preferably, use mypy from current python env
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ def run_mypy(cfg_path: Path) -> Optional[CompletedProcess]:
     cmd = mypy_cmd()
     if cmd is None:
         return None
-    mres = run([
+    mres = run([  # noqa: UP022
         *cmd,
         '--namespace-packages',
         '--color-output', # not sure if works??
diff --git a/my/core/_deprecated/kompress.py b/my/core/_deprecated/kompress.py
index 89e5745..803e515 100644
--- a/my/core/_deprecated/kompress.py
+++ b/my/core/_deprecated/kompress.py
@@ -148,14 +148,8 @@ def kexists(path: PathIsh, subpath: str) -> bool:
 
 import zipfile
 
-if sys.version_info[:2] >= (3, 8):
-    # meh... zipfile.Path is not available on 3.7
-    zipfile_Path = zipfile.Path
-else:
-    if typing.TYPE_CHECKING:
-        zipfile_Path = Any
-    else:
-        zipfile_Path = object
+# meh... zipfile.Path is not available on 3.7
+zipfile_Path = zipfile.Path
 
 
 @total_ordering
diff --git a/my/core/query.py b/my/core/query.py
index 54cd9db..bc7e222 100644
--- a/my/core/query.py
+++ b/my/core/query.py
@@ -707,7 +707,7 @@ def test_wrap_unsortable_with_error_and_warning() -> None:
         res = list(select(_mixed_iter_errors(), order_value=lambda o: isinstance(o, datetime)))
     assert Counter(type(t).__name__ for t in res) == Counter({"_A": 4, "_B": 2, "Unsortable": 1})
     # compare the returned error wrapped in the Unsortable
-    returned_error = next((o for o in res if isinstance(o, Unsortable))).obj
+    returned_error = next(o for o in res if isinstance(o, Unsortable)).obj
     assert "Unhandled error!" == str(returned_error)
 
 
diff --git a/my/core/query_range.py b/my/core/query_range.py
index d077225..761b045 100644
--- a/my/core/query_range.py
+++ b/my/core/query_range.py
@@ -526,9 +526,8 @@ def test_parse_timedelta_string() -> None:
 
 
 def test_parse_datetime_float() -> None:
-
     pnow = parse_datetime_float("now")
-    sec_diff = abs((pnow - datetime.now().timestamp()))
+    sec_diff = abs(pnow - datetime.now().timestamp())
     # should probably never fail? could mock time.time
     # but there seems to be issues with doing that use C-libraries (as time.time) does
     # https://docs.python.org/3/library/unittest.mock-examples.html#partial-mocking
diff --git a/my/core/stats.py b/my/core/stats.py
index bfedbd2..85c2a99 100644
--- a/my/core/stats.py
+++ b/my/core/stats.py
@@ -414,7 +414,9 @@ def test_stat_iterable() -> None:
     dd = datetime.fromtimestamp(123, tz=timezone.utc)
     day = timedelta(days=3)
 
-    X = NamedTuple('X', [('x', int), ('d', datetime)])
+    class X(NamedTuple):
+        x: int
+        d: datetime
 
     def it():
         yield RuntimeError('oops!')
@@ -452,9 +454,12 @@ def test_guess_datetime() -> None:
 
     dd = fromisoformat('2021-02-01T12:34:56Z')
 
-    # ugh.. https://github.com/python/mypy/issues/7281
-    A = NamedTuple('A', [('x', int)])
-    B = NamedTuple('B', [('x', int), ('created', datetime)])
+    class A(NamedTuple):
+        x: int
+
+    class B(NamedTuple):
+        x: int
+        created: datetime
 
     assert _guess_datetime(A(x=4)) is None
     assert _guess_datetime(B(x=4, created=dd)) == dd
diff --git a/my/core/tests/denylist.py b/my/core/tests/denylist.py
index 8016282..2688319 100644
--- a/my/core/tests/denylist.py
+++ b/my/core/tests/denylist.py
@@ -91,8 +91,7 @@ def test_denylist(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
 
         assert "59.40.113.87" not in [i.addr for i in filtered]
 
-        with open(tf, "r") as f:
-            data_json = json.loads(f.read())
+        data_json = json.loads(tf.read_text())
 
         assert data_json == [
             {
diff --git a/my/core/util.py b/my/core/util.py
index 0c596fa..fdd10f9 100644
--- a/my/core/util.py
+++ b/my/core/util.py
@@ -12,8 +12,7 @@ from .discovery_pure import HPIModule, _is_not_module_src, has_stats, ignored
 def modules() -> Iterable[HPIModule]:
     import my
 
-    for m in _iter_all_importables(my):
-        yield m
+    yield from _iter_all_importables(my)
 
 
 __NOT_HPI_MODULE__ = 'Import this to mark a python file as a helper, not an actual HPI module'
diff --git a/my/time/tz/via_location.py b/my/time/tz/via_location.py
index 329e330..d74bdc3 100644
--- a/my/time/tz/via_location.py
+++ b/my/time/tz/via_location.py
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@ def _iter_tz_depends_on() -> str:
     day = str(date.today())
     hr = datetime.now().hour
     hr_truncated = hr // mod * mod
-    return "{}_{}".format(day, hr_truncated)
+    return f"{day}_{hr_truncated}"
 
 
 # refresh _iter_tzs every few hours -- don't think a better depends_on is possible dynamically
diff --git a/ruff.toml b/ruff.toml
index db926da..dda279b 100644
--- a/ruff.toml
+++ b/ruff.toml
@@ -1,7 +1,10 @@
+target-version = "py38"  # NOTE: inferred from pyproject.toml if present
+
 lint.extend-select = [
     "F",  # flakes rules -- default, but extend just in case
     "E",  # pycodestyle  -- default, but extend just in case
     "C4", # flake8-comprehensions -- unnecessary list/map/dict calls
+    "UP", # detect deprecated python stdlib stuff
 ]
 
 lint.ignore = [
@@ -28,4 +31,10 @@ lint.ignore = [
     "F841",  # Local variable `count` is assigned to but never used
     "F401",  # imported but unused
 ###
+
+### TODO should be fine to use these with from __future__ import annotations?
+### there was some issue with cachew though... double check this?
+    "UP006",  # use type instead of Type
+    "UP007",  # use X | Y instead of Union
+###
 ]