There is Oxygen in the Trees

Back in March when I thought I'd never ever finish writing my thesis on infinity and oulipo, I was distracting myself by speaking to my buddy Turds... and we talked about how to sum up my thesis in one sentence. I found a book in the library called "Difficiles nugæ, or, Observations touching the Torricellian experiment: and the various solutions of the same, especially touching the weight and elasticity of the air.

Touching the weight and elasticity of the air!

What was I getting myself into?

And Turds suggested I just call it Fox in Socks. Much simpler.

Simple.

The idea of simplicity is something that I have been trying to grasp since I began writing poetry (which I haven't done in a while). I want to paint a picture in the mind of the reader through the use of simple language, simple situations. That was my original goal. Then why, when it came down to my last term of graduate school, was I reading books about touching the weight and elasticity of the air?!

Somehow along the way, I got lost in the academic bullshit. I spiraled toward infinity. I was babbling to turds about how I understood it all, finally grasped the greater truth of the infinite, but I had to configure my thoughts and when I was done with that, I would display them accordingly.

Well, besides my thesis, I never configured my thoughts on it. All that resulted from writing that mind-blowing long-ass paper was a major writer's block.

I haven't written a single thing of worth since I graduated from writing school.

. . .

And I think, right now at this very moment, I am figuring out why I have had such a hard time writing. I haven't slowed down.

I just keep going and going. I haven't looked back at old journals, sat down to think about great conversations I've had with friends, sat down to have great conversations with people. I need to slow down. I need to simplify. I want to have that peace of mind I had when I first came to Colorado. I had that "embrace the moment" attitude that allowed me to focus and breathe.

I need to breathe.