The Noble Pom-Pom (P-Ohm P-Ohm)
"If you’d like to understand what your whole 5D Infinitium looks like in simplistic 3D, well then, that’s easy, and absurdly, ridiculously, almost insultingly so. So, let’s not overthink it. I’ll make it simple. Manageable. Something your poor 3D+T brain can wrap itself around without melting through the floor. Forget the spirals. Forget the fractals. Forget the endless loops of cosmic jazz. Imagine instead… A pom-pom! Yes, you heard me. A pom-pom. Those cheerful little fluff-balls hang from winter hats. They bounce on scarves. Sometimes, they're enthusiastically assaulted by cats for looking at them the wrong way. The universe, distilled into something you could hang off any winter-related clothing. A soft, fluffy explosion of yarn, the pom-pom is a sphere about the size of your fist. Its individual strands, red, blue, gold, and white, loop and curl back into themselves, each thread catching the light as it moves, pretending to be harmless. Each fibre representing a single strand of life. It’s absurd, I know; but so is existence, and that’s half the fun of it. It even sounds spiritual when you say it out loud… P-ohm-p-ohm… Look, here, I’ve got one. You should never underestimate a man who travels through metaphysics with craft supplies."
The Infintium Book One by David Alan King
Infinitium Crafting Corner
How to Make Your Own Rainbow Pom-Pom of Infinite Possibility
— ∞ ✱ ∞ —
(As mentioned in The Infinitium: Book One: Chapter 4 - The Cosmos At The End Of A Bobble Hat.
Because even cosmic geometry deserves a bit of fluff.)
— ∞ ✱ ∞ —
Right then, welcome to The Infinitium School of Pom-Pomology, where metaphysics meets craft, and enlightenment involves scissors.
This is your official Blue Peter–style guide to making a 4-inch (10 cm) diameter pom-pom: the perfect model of The Infinitium in woolly disguise.
You Will Need:
- A ball of rainbow-coloured wool, whatever kind you like; preferably the kind that looks like it was passed out by a unicorn during a sugar rush.
- Two pieces of sturdy cardboard (each about 4 inches / 10 cm across).
- A pair of scissors sharp enough to kept away from young children and able to slice through stubborn living Strands.
- A pencil, or anything that writes without judging you.
- A compass to use for drawing circles; think drawing tool and not directional aid; improvised with other round things if you do not have one.
- Optional: a cup of tea and some biscuits, because metaphysical Infinitium crafting is thirsty work.
Step One: The Cosmic Template
Take your two pieces of cardboard and draw a 4-inch (10 cm) circle on each.
Then, inside those, draw a smaller circle about 1½ inches (4 cm) wide.
It should look like a ring; or a miniature wormhole, if you prefer.
You can use different sizes if you like, who am I to mess with your destiny?
Cut both rings out carefully.
If you end up with something vaguely oval, congratulations, you’ve just discovered an alternate universe, but you’ll need to start again
Probably?
Maybe?
Give it a try…
Go on just make any shape up, triangles, hexagons, why don’t you?
I don’t mind.
Step Two: Align the Dimensions
Place your two cardboard rings together like parallel realities preparing to merge, or a jammy dodger, Oreo, or whatever round sandwiched ring donut shaped biscuit takes your fancy; try not to get this one mixed up with the one you intended to eat.
Now, hold them (the cardboard ones) firmly together; this is now your Pom-Portal.
Step Three: Begin the Wrapping of Worlds
Take your rainbow wool and start wrapping it around the rings, through the hole in the middle, over and around again and again and again.
Keep wrapping until it looks like you’ve trapped a small nebula between two slices of cardboard, and the wool gives up, refusing to pass through the ring like a stubborn bout of constipation (sorry, I couldn’t help myself).
Tip:
Don’t overthink it.
The wool knows what it’s doing; it’s just you who panics.
Step Four: The Release of Universal Potential
Once the inner hole is more of a suggestion than an opening, slide your scissors gently between the two layers of cardboard should be and start cutting the wool all the way around.
Hold tight, this is the dangerous bit.
The universe (and your pom-pom) will try to unravel if you lose focus here.
ADHDers please do not remove the cardboard yet…
Oh, you’ve already done that?
Okay, back to step 1 for you please.
Step Five: Binding Reality
Before the fibres escape, take a long piece of wool and slip it between the two cardboard rings.
Wrap it around once and then Pull it tight and then tie a firm knot, the kind that would cut of all circulation were it your finger.
This seals your new mini-universe.
Step Six: The Great Reveal
Remove the cardboard pieces (they’ve served their purpose and may now retire honourably) and fluff up your creation.
Trim any wild tufts until it looks spherical… or at least confidently non-geometric.
Step Seven: Admire Your Infinite Pom-Pom
Hold it up to the light.
You’ve just made a woollen echo of The Infinitium; a microcosm of endless colour, loops, and hidden symmetry.
It’s round, radiant, and inexplicably profound.
Congratulations, you now hold in your hands a small representation of the structure of all existence and possibility…
Just that is a pom-pom.
Same thing, really.
If you make more than one, do it with style, multiply them like Star Trek Tribbles and share them with everyone.
Each one represents a separate Infinitium.
From this, after reading this book you’ll start to understand the sense of scale for it all.
Then go make another cup of tea and feel quietly pleased with yourself.
You’ve just created the container for the meaning of life with cardboard and string.