--- Makefile
+++ Makefile
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
+LIBS += -lncurses -lpthread
 all:
-	g++ -O3 -Wall -o clockywock clockywock.cpp -lncurses -lpthread
+	$(CXX) $(CXXFLAGS) $(LDFLAGS) -o clockywock clockywock.cpp $(LIBS)
 
 # install is done completely lazily
 install: