-- a few text objects we can avoid recomputing unless the font changes
  Text_cache = {}

-- use this sparingly
function to_text(s)
  if Text_cache[s] == nil then
    Text_cache[s] = App.newText(love.graphics.getFont(), s)
  end
  return Text_cache[s]
end

_bullet_indent = nil

  if _bullet_indent == nil then
    local text = love.graphics.newText(love.graphics.getFont(), '* ')
    _bullet_indent = text:getWidth()
  end
  return _bullet_indent

  return App.width(to_text('* '))

  Text_cache = {}