Asandir's interviews with Newgrounds forum users
This week's interview features the user FinaLee.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
When did you find Newgrounds and why did you join? Why did you choose the username FinaLee?
"Gosh, I can't even remember when I first came across Newgrounds. I was around 10 or 11 and those Assassin games were the highlight of the site at the time. Me and my longtime friend (and now current roommate) had a very immature hatred for the Pokémon franchise. After Googling "Pokémon sucks," I found my way onto one of these games, and it was one of the most insane things I had ever seen for my age. From then on, I would infrequently check to see the latest animation and games until around 2008, when I made my first account. I've since forgotten the password to that one, so I made FinaLee. And it wasn't until this year when I would start posting on the BBS.
I chose FinaLee because I was listening to "Clint Eastwood" by Gorillaz and Del the Funky Homosapien's first line in the track is "Finally, someone let me out of my cage." And I always liked how he said the word. My name is also Lee. I thought it was a good idea at the time."
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Do you think that you changed over the time you were here, as user, or also in real life?
"I'd like to think I've changed a lot since last week! When I first made this account, I was a very quiet and awkward person, with not many people to relate to. Since then, I've blossomed a lot and have been more outgoing. I've made a lot of mistakes along the way, but I feel they were necessary in becoming a better person. You kind of have a vague image in your head of what you want to be like, and I'm making strides to realize the image of a person who helps other people. I've found it takes a lot of trial and error.
As a user, I haven't been active on this account much before May, but I try to let it reflect my personality as much as possible. I dick around a lot, but I've also made the effort to give my insight on things that I feel I need to address seriously."
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Are there any other users that you like, and how do they affect you?
"There's too many to name. I also feel like if I name one person, I'm placing them on a pedestal while dissing the other users I forgot to mention, you know? I feel it kind of puts me and them in an awkward situation, so I tend to not think about favorites, but instead like and dislike. I've been inspired by a lot of people in the Audio Portal to become a better musician, and I can definitely say I've improved a lot since five years ago."
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Are there any users that you would consider enemies or that you just don't like?
"I only know one person here outside of Newgrounds, and we've been friends long before then. It's kind of hard to not like someone you've never met before. Some people argue that what you say online defines your personality, which I'm inclined to agree with, but I wouldn't say it's absolute. I don't think I've even been mad at someone on here."
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
What is your opinion about the forums? Is there one forum that you prefer? And is there another forum user that you want to see getting interviewed by me?
"Love the community. People can get a little too cynical at times, but I always have a fun time. I tend to stick around in General and get a bunch of good laughs out of the silliness there. I also sometimes lurk the Audio Forums, but everybody seems to be wrapped up in some contests over there lately. They do provide some helpful information that I didn't know, like producing your tracks in mono before going stereo. I also check the other forums from time to time to see if there's an interesting thread going on.
If I could nominate another person to be interviewed, I think Cabbster would be an interesting one. TheGamechanger would also probably be a hilarious read. Be sure to ask him a ton of questions about Tron."
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
I guess that you have an opinion about the moderators of Newgrounds. Do you think that they do a great job or not?
"I think they do a pretty good job keeping the place free of bad content and poor threads. Some of the potentially funny threads I think get locked a little too early, but it is what it is. I mean, they're just as capable of fucking up as anyone else is. I've never had a run-in with one."
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Would you like to become a moderator on Newgrounds? If so, what kind of moderator?
"You know, if you had asked this like two months ago, I would have thought it would be pretty cool to be an audio moderator, because every now and then I would see some rulebreaking music slip through the cracks. Lately though, the place has been pretty clean.
I don't really know what the process is, but I don't think I would go out of my way to ask to become one. If they need one, I'd gladly accept if asked, but it wouldn't really matter if there wasn't anything to moderate, huh?"
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
The last redesign happened 2012. Tell me what you think about it. What do you like and what is not so good?
"I like it for the most part. I've grown so accustomed to it, I hardly remember what the older design looked like, and I've almost forgotten what the one before that one looked like. I think the navigation could be simplified a little bit more, especially when we're talking about the rules page. I felt I had to do a little digging to find it when I first came across the redesign. Also, I just don't like the color brown. Black? Cool. Orange? Sure. But fucking brown. Ugh."
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
A few months ago you spent your vacation in New Hampshire. Talk about this experience and what you like the most about this place.
"Every year, I meet up with my family and other relatives to hike one of the Presidential Mountains, usually Mount Washington. It's always a fun experience, because I usually don't get the time to see any of my relatives. None of us really have a passion for hiking, and most of us certainly don't enjoy the trek going up, especially when it snows, but we sort of take enjoyment out of not enjoying it, you know? On a clear day, you get some of the most scenic views at the top, which is pretty cool for a Florida boy who doesn't have so much as a speed bump where he lives.
There's also a live folk/bluegrass band that plays during the night, so if I have any energy left, I get to bust out my mean square-dancing skills with the ladies. Definitely my favorite part of the night. Then I get to sleep in a bunk with a bunch of other sweaty dudes who snore like a pack of angry bears. Always a fun experience."
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
You submitted your first track to the audio portal in 2009 and most recently released the song Losing A Draw. What inspired you to start making music? Will we see more songs from you in the future?
"I think being exposed to music at an early age is what inspired me to get into the art. It used to be almost exclusively metal, but I've since branched out and have learned to appreciate all styles of music. I still remember that closet full of tapes and CDs that almost threatened to topple over if you opened the door too quickly. My first and so far only instrument of choice has been the guitar, although I was never serious about playing it until I listened to legends like Steve Vai and Paul Gilbert. As of now, I'd like to think that I'm an okay player, with still a lot to learn.
Losing a Draw was actually planned to be the beginning to a loosely woven story, and I still have the next chapter crafted in my head, but I've since put that idea on the backburner in lieu of a new project I plan to finish sometime hopefully soon, certainly before Halloween."
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Thundercats was your favourite cartoon series when you were younger. Tell my readers what the show is about and what you like about it.
"Thundercats is about a group of anthropomorphic cats called the Thunderians who have fled from their home planet to another world called Third Earth. The leader of the Thunderians, Lion-O, has a powerful sword called the Sword of Omens, which the Mutants, their sworn enemies, seek to possess. Mumm-Ra, a powerful demon priest and inhabitant of Third Earth, forms an alliance with the Mutants in order to acquire the Sword of Omens and eliminate the Thundercats.
I've always liked these 80's shows because I thought they were the epitome of everything hair metal. Big, muscular, but somewhat feminine looking dudes with long hair fighting with swords and whatnot. When I was a kid, I thought that that was what it meant to be cool."
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
In July you started to volunteer at a planetarium. Talk about what you do there and which aspects of working there fascinate you.
"Since the later years of high school, I've taken up a great interest in astrophysics. Now that I'm lucky enough to be in a college that has its own planetarium, there was no way that I could pass up the opportunity to volunteer. The great thing about planetariums is that you are helping people learn a little bit more about science while at the same time making it a fun experience.
When you volunteer, your basic job is to just make sure that nobody fucks up anything in the exhibit and that everybody who goes into the planetarium or theater has actually paid to get in. For most days, it's smooth sailing, but every now and then there's always that little kid who want to mess with the Foucault pendulum or crank the Van Der Graaf generator past its threshold."
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Every person has secrets. Can you tell one of yours or something else that we didn't know about you yet?
"Okay, not really a secret, but I take a great interest in the sport of bodybuilding. I haven't been nearly as active in the gym anymore, and for that I'm as skinny as a twig now, but hopefully after I get other things taken care of I can return to my hobby. I'm assuming that by the time this interview goes up, the Mr. Olympia is over and hopefully Kai Greene won. If not, I'm sure it went to Phil Heath again."
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
What can we expect from you in the future, FinaLee?
"More forum posting and more music! I have a couple of tracks in the works titled "Hallucinations" and "Beggars," so be sure to keep your radios dialed and stay tuned!""
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Now you are filled with more knowledge about FinaLee, dear reader.Feel free to leave a comment here, saying what you think about the interview, requesting users to get interviews is also appreciated. Tune in next week :3
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Jolly
first
Asandir
wow :o