Abstract-We construct a coordinate-independent description of oscillator linear response through a decomposition scheme derived independently of any Floquet theoretic results. Trading matrix algebra for a simpler graphical methodology, the text will present the reader with an opportunity to gain an intuitive understanding of the well-known phase noise macromodel. The topics discussed in this paper include the following: orthogonal decompositions, AM-PM conversion, and nonhyperbolic oscillator noise response.