There is a profound, albeit temporary, solace to be found in the rhythmic scratching of a fountain pen against heavy bond paper. I have completed three chapters of my current thesis, though my cognitive functions feel somewhat dampened by the lack of sleep. It has been approximately thirty-two hours since my last period of rest. Does anyone else find that the more exhausted you become, the more the trivialities of the outside world seem to fade into a much-needed silence?