Newgrounds.com — Everything, By Everyone.

Wow, haven't posted to this site in god knows how long. Didn't even notice there was a re-design and such. Unfortunately, the first thing I see was a big R.I.P on the top left for Randy Solemn, creator of some of the best sprite movies ever (and made them popular).

When someone passes, it usually is significant and sad no matter what, but when I saw that news something hit me. I realize I first went to this site and made an account in 7th grade. I was young, I was stupid, and I was loving it. This site was a dream come true for me. It had everything- games, funny cartoons, game parodies, and a whole lot more that really got me into flash and art. I realize that Newgrounds is, in many ways, responsible for me pursuing my degree in graphic design- especially in artistic and animation forms.

But lets get to the point. Randy's death, in an odd way signifies an end of sorts in my life. His cartoons were minimal, yet had heart. His fanbase was small, but respected. Solemn loved what he did- his fuel and motivation was his own hobby. I watched a good chunk of his cartoons again, and I gotta say it was a trip down memory lane. It reminded me of the simple joy you can only get as a kid, and how OLD I realized I am. Mr. Solemn and his VGDC flash really inspired me, and brought me entertainment and joy in odd times.

So, even though I bet a lot of people won't read this, I just figured it needed to be done. Just as a way of saying thanks. You're a good guy Randy, I hope there's an SNES for you to play in heaven.