diff --git a/buttond.py b/buttond.py
index 8628a87..ae31a7f 100755
--- a/buttond.py
+++ b/buttond.py
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ __email__ = "kevin@company235.com"
 
 __status__ = "Prototype"
 
+import argparse
 import configparser
 import logging
 from signal import pause
@@ -25,12 +26,26 @@ from gpiozero import Button, GPIODeviceError
 # from gpiozero import Device
 # Device.pin_factory = MockFactory()
 
-logging.basicConfig(level=logging.INFO)
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
 def main():
     """Entry point for direct execution."""
+    ## parse the command line
+    args = get_command_arguments()
+    ## configure logging
+    log_levels = {
+        0: logging.CRITICAL,
+        1: logging.ERROR,
+        2: logging.WARN,
+        3: logging.INFO,
+        4: logging.DEBUG,
+    }
+    if args.verbosity is None:
+        args.verbosity = 0 if args.quiet else 3
+    logging.basicConfig(level=log_levels.get(args.verbosity, logging.DEBUG))
+    ## output header
+    print(f"Version: {__version__}\t{__copyright__}")
     ## run the event loop
     try:
         pause()
@@ -38,6 +53,23 @@ def main():
         print()
 
 
+def get_command_arguments():
+    """Parse the command line arguments."""
+    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(
+        description='Exec Hog4 comment macros on RasPi GPIO activity.',
+        epilog=__copyright__)
+    parser.add_argument('-q', '--quiet', action='store_true',
+                        help="sets the default log level to 0, otherwise 3.")
+    parser.add_argument("-v", dest="verbosity",
+                        action="count", default=None,
+                        help="verbosity (between 1-4 with more printing more "
+                        " verbose logging). "
+                        "CRITICAL=0, ERROR=1, WARN=2, INFO=3, DEBUG=4")
+    parser.add_argument('--version', action='version',
+                        version=f'%(prog)s {__version__}')
+    return parser.parse_args()
+
+
 def activate(macro):
     """Sanitize user configured macros."""
     if macro is None: