diff --git a/gim/box.go b/gim/box.go
index f5f0125..af9d181 100644
--- a/gim/box.go
+++ b/gim/box.go
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ package main
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
-	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/mediocregopher/ginger/gg"
 	"github.com/mediocregopher/ginger/gim/geo"
@@ -13,7 +12,7 @@ type box struct {
 	topLeft       geo.XY
 	flowDir       geo.XY
 	numIn, numOut int
-	body          string
+	bodyBuf       *terminal.Buffer
 
 	transparent bool
 }
@@ -25,37 +24,16 @@ func boxFromVertex(v *gg.Vertex, flowDir geo.XY) box {
 		numOut:  len(v.Out),
 	}
 	if v.VertexType == gg.ValueVertex {
-		b.body = v.Value.V.(string)
+		b.bodyBuf = terminal.NewBuffer()
+		b.bodyBuf.WriteString(v.Value.V.(string))
 	}
 	return b
 }
 
-func (b box) bodyLines() []string {
-	lines := strings.Split(b.body, "\n")
-	// if the last line is empty don't include it, it means there was a trailing
-	// newline (or the whole string is empty)
-	if lines[len(lines)-1] == "" {
-		lines = lines[:len(lines)-1]
-	}
-	return lines
-}
-
-// TODO this is utterly broken, the terminal.Buffer should be used for this
-func (b box) bodySize() geo.XY {
-	var size geo.XY
-	for _, line := range b.bodyLines() {
-		size[1]++
-		if l := len(line); l > size[0] {
-			size[0] = l
-		}
-	}
-
-	return size
-}
-
 func (b box) rect() geo.Rect {
-	bodyRect := geo.Rect{
-		Size: b.bodySize().Add(geo.XY{2, 2}),
+	var bodyRect geo.Rect
+	if b.bodyBuf != nil {
+		bodyRect.Size = b.bodyBuf.Size().Add(geo.XY{2, 2})
 	}
 
 	var edgesRect geo.Rect
@@ -80,19 +58,13 @@ func (b box) rect() geo.Rect {
 	return bodyRect.Union(edgesRect).Translate(b.topLeft)
 }
 
-func (b box) bodyRect() geo.Rect {
-	center := b.rect().Center(rounder)
-	return geo.Rect{Size: b.bodySize()}.Centered(center, rounder)
-}
-
 func (b box) draw(buf *terminal.Buffer) {
-	bodyBuf := terminal.NewBuffer()
-	bodyBuf.WriteString(b.body)
-	bodyBufRect := geo.Rect{Size: bodyBuf.Size()}
-
 	rect := b.rect()
 	buf.DrawRect(rect, terminal.SingleLine)
 
-	center := rect.Center(rounder)
-	buf.DrawBuffer(bodyBufRect.Centered(center, rounder).TopLeft, bodyBuf)
+	if b.bodyBuf != nil {
+		center := rect.Center(rounder)
+		bodyBufRect := geo.Rect{Size: b.bodyBuf.Size()}
+		buf.DrawBuffer(bodyBufRect.Centered(center, rounder).TopLeft, b.bodyBuf)
+	}
 }
diff --git a/gim/main.go b/gim/main.go
index 73437ea..c2ac47d 100644
--- a/gim/main.go
+++ b/gim/main.go
@@ -81,6 +81,7 @@ func main() {
 	rand.Seed(time.Now().UnixNano())
 	term := terminal.New()
 	wSize := term.WindowSize()
+	center := geo.Zero.Midpoint(wSize, rounder)
 
 	g, start := mkGraph()
 	v := view{
@@ -88,11 +89,14 @@ func main() {
 		primFlowDir: geo.Right,
 		secFlowDir:  geo.Down,
 		start:       start,
-		center:      geo.Zero.Midpoint(wSize, rounder),
 	}
 
+	buf := terminal.NewBuffer()
+	v.draw(buf)
+	bufRect := geo.Rect{Size: buf.Size()}.Centered(center, rounder)
+
 	term.Clear()
-	v.draw(term)
+	term.WriteBuffer(bufRect.TopLeft, buf)
 	term.SetPos(wSize.Add(geo.XY{0, -1}))
 	term.Draw()
 }
diff --git a/gim/view.go b/gim/view.go
index 944e016..1e55e11 100644
--- a/gim/view.go
+++ b/gim/view.go
@@ -86,28 +86,13 @@ func posSolve(g *gg.Graph) ([][]*gg.Vertex, map[string]int, map[string]int) {
 	return out, prim, sec
 }
 
-// mutates the boxes to be centered around the given point, keeping their
-// relative position to each other
-func centerBoxes(boxes []*box, around geo.XY) {
-	var graphRect geo.Rect
-	for _, b := range boxes {
-		graphRect = graphRect.Union(b.rect())
-	}
-	graphMid := graphRect.Center(rounder)
-	delta := around.Sub(graphMid)
-	for _, b := range boxes {
-		b.topLeft = b.topLeft.Add(delta)
-	}
-}
-
 type view struct {
 	g                       *gg.Graph
 	primFlowDir, secFlowDir geo.XY
 	start                   gg.Value
-	center                  geo.XY // TODO this shouldnt be needed
 }
 
-func (view *view) draw(term *terminal.Terminal) {
+func (view *view) draw(buf *terminal.Buffer) {
 	relPos, _, secSol := posSolve(view.g)
 
 	// create boxes
@@ -142,7 +127,9 @@ func (view *view) draw(term *terminal.Terminal) {
 			}
 			secPos += secBoxLen + secPadding
 		}
-		centerBoxes(primBoxes, view.primFlowDir.Scale(primPos))
+		for _, b := range primBoxes {
+			b.topLeft = b.topLeft.Add(view.primFlowDir.Scale(primPos))
+		}
 		primPos += maxPrim + primPadding
 	}
 
@@ -186,16 +173,11 @@ func (view *view) draw(term *terminal.Terminal) {
 		}
 	}
 
-	// translate all boxes so the graph is centered around v.center
-	centerBoxes(boxes, view.center)
-
 	// actually draw the boxes and lines
-	buf := terminal.NewBuffer()
 	for _, b := range boxes {
 		b.draw(buf)
 	}
 	for _, line := range lines {
 		line.draw(buf, view.primFlowDir, view.secFlowDir)
 	}
-	term.WriteBuffer(geo.Zero, buf)
 }