diff --git a/README.org b/README.org
index 59eb247..3522ee9 100644
--- a/README.org
+++ b/README.org
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ with_my orger/modules/polar.py --to polar.org
 
 #+begin_src bash
 # see https://github.com/python/mypy/issues/1645 for --namespace-packages explanation
-with_my --namespace-packages my
+with_my mypy --namespace-packages my
 #+end_src
 
 or, set up as ~mypy.ini~ file:
diff --git a/my/__init__.py b/my/__init__.py
index 65fafa4..0a46256 100644
--- a/my/__init__.py
+++ b/my/__init__.py
@@ -10,3 +10,4 @@ try:
 except ImportError:
     import warnings
     warnings.warn("my_configuration package isn't found! That might result in issues")
+    paths = None # type: ignore
diff --git a/my/common.py b/my/common.py
index 573533b..ad2eb20 100644
--- a/my/common.py
+++ b/my/common.py
@@ -90,3 +90,6 @@ def setup_logger(logger, level=None, format=None, datefmt=None):
         )
     finally:
         logging.root = old_root
+
+
+PathIsh = Union[Path, str]
diff --git a/my/instapaper.py b/my/instapaper.py
index c83c823..d36b025 100644
--- a/my/instapaper.py
+++ b/my/instapaper.py
@@ -6,11 +6,25 @@ from collections import OrderedDict
 
 import pytz
 
-from . import paths
-from .common import group_by_key
+from .common import group_by_key, PathIsh
 
-def get_files():
-    return list(sorted(Path(paths.instapexport.export_dir).glob('*.json')))
+
+_export_dir: Optional[Path] = None
+
+
+def configure(*, export_dir: Optional[PathIsh]=None) -> None:
+    if export_dir is not None:
+        global _export_dir
+        _export_dir = Path(export_dir)
+
+
+def _get_files():
+    export_dir = _export_dir
+    if export_dir is None:
+        # fallback to my_configuration
+        from . import paths
+        export_dir = paths.instapexport.export_dir
+    return list(sorted(Path(export_dir).glob('*.json')))
 
 
 Bid = str
@@ -60,7 +74,7 @@ def get_stuff(limit=0) -> Tuple[BDict, HDict]:
     all_bks: BDict = OrderedDict()
     all_hls: HDict = OrderedDict()
     # TODO can restore url by bookmark id
-    for f in get_files()[-limit:]:
+    for f in _get_files()[-limit:]:
         with f.open('r') as fo:
             j = json.load(fo)
         for b in sorted(j['bookmarks'], key=dkey('time')):