diff --git a/examples/simple_mesh/main.cpp b/examples/simple_mesh/main.cpp
index 8b3fa43..343cbc4 100644
--- a/examples/simple_mesh/main.cpp
+++ b/examples/simple_mesh/main.cpp
@@ -16,6 +16,25 @@ doFrameCallback(render_state* rs)
 	entRotate(e, angle, axis);
 }
 
+simple_mesh*
+makeSquareMesh()
+{
+	uint num_vertices = 4;
+	simple_mesh* sm = meInitMesh(num_vertices);
+	sm->num_vertices = num_vertices;
+
+	sm->vertices[0] = glm::vec3(-200, 0, 200);
+	sm->vertices[1] = glm::vec3(-200, 0, -200);
+	sm->vertices[2] = glm::vec3(200, 0, -200);
+	sm->vertices[3] = glm::vec3(200, 0, 200);
+	sm->vert_colors[0] = glm::vec3(255, 0, 0);
+	sm->vert_colors[1] = glm::vec3(255, 0, 0);
+	sm->vert_colors[2] = glm::vec3(255, 0, 0);
+	sm->vert_colors[3] = glm::vec3(255, 0, 0);
+
+	return sm;
+}
+
 int
 main()
 {
@@ -32,23 +51,12 @@ main()
 	rs->render_group_count = 1;
 
 	entity& e = rs->render_groups[0].entities[0];
-	// manually construct a simple mesh
-	simple_mesh mesh = { glm::mat4(1), 0, 0, 0 };
-	mesh.num_vertices = 4;
-	mesh.vertices = UTIL_ALLOC(mesh.num_vertices, glm::vec3);
-	mesh.vertices[0] = glm::vec3(-200, 0, 200);
-	mesh.vertices[1] = glm::vec3(-200, 0, -200);
-	mesh.vertices[2] = glm::vec3(200, 0, -200);
-	mesh.vertices[3] = glm::vec3(200, 0, 200);
-	mesh.vert_colors = UTIL_ALLOC(mesh.num_vertices, glm::vec3);
-	mesh.vert_colors[0] = glm::vec3(255, 0, 0);
-	mesh.vert_colors[1] = glm::vec3(255, 0, 0);
-	mesh.vert_colors[2] = glm::vec3(255, 0, 0);
-	mesh.vert_colors[3] = glm::vec3(255, 0, 0);
-	//initialize entity with new mesh
-	entInitSimpleMesh(e, mesh, GL_LINE_LOOP);
-	utilSafeFree(mesh.vertices);
-	utilSafeFree(mesh.vert_colors);
+	simple_mesh* sm = makeSquareMesh();
+
+	// TODO: better usage would be: renPushEntity(rs->render_groups[0], e);
+	// 	would need to allocate a reasonable block size by default (~64), and
+	// 	double it if pushing to render_group would overflow
+	entInitMesh(e, sm, GL_LINE_LOOP);
 
 	cameraInitPerspective(
 		rs->cam,
diff --git a/include/entity.h b/include/entity.h
index 121521f..08d76cb 100644
--- a/include/entity.h
+++ b/include/entity.h
@@ -14,11 +14,13 @@
 // 	level functions based on the mesh_type property
 struct entity
 {
+#if 0
 	mesh_t mesh_type;
-
-	simple_mesh mesh;
 	simple_render_object* simple_ro;
 	GLenum draw_mode;
+#endif
+
+	simple_mesh* mesh;
 
 	// TODO: should be a pointer into a global array of mesh_info(s) or
 	// 	mesh_groups stored on the render_state object
@@ -28,7 +30,7 @@ struct entity
 
 bool entInitModel(entity& e, const char* model_path);
 
-bool entInitSimpleMesh(entity& e, simple_mesh& mesh, GLenum draw_mode);
+bool entInitMesh(entity& e, simple_mesh* mesh, GLenum draw_mode);
 
 void entFree(entity& e);
 
diff --git a/include/mesh.h b/include/mesh.h
index f0af702..72cc7bf 100644
--- a/include/mesh.h
+++ b/include/mesh.h
@@ -37,21 +37,29 @@ struct mesh_group
 struct simple_mesh
 {
 	glm::mat4 model_transform;
+	uint num_vertices;
 	glm::vec3* vertices;
 	glm::vec3* vert_colors;
-	uint num_vertices;
 };
 
 
-bool meInitAssimp();
+bool
+meInitAssimp();
 
 // NOTE: meshes loaded from assimp require texture coordinates, and a diffuse
 // 	texture, which can be a seperate file, or embedded in the input file
-bool meLoadFromFile(mesh_group& mesh_group, const char* filepath);
+bool
+meLoadFromFile(mesh_group& mesh_group, const char* filepath);
+
+simple_mesh*
+meInitMesh(uint num_vertices);
 
-void meFreeMeshGroup(mesh_group& mesh_group);
+void
+meFreeMeshGroup(mesh_group& mesh_group);
 
-void meFreeSimpleMesh(simple_mesh& mesh);
+void
+meFreeSimpleMesh(simple_mesh& mesh);
 
-void meShutdownAssimp();
+void
+meShutdownAssimp();
 
diff --git a/include/render_object.h b/include/render_object.h
index 8c0d7f5..e61c53c 100644
--- a/include/render_object.h
+++ b/include/render_object.h
@@ -11,19 +11,16 @@
 
 
 struct render_objects;
-struct simple_render_object;
+//struct simple_render_object;
 
 render_objects*
 roInitModel(mesh_group meshes);
 
-void
-roFree(render_objects* r_objs);
-
-simple_render_object*
-roInitSimpleMesh(simple_mesh& mesh_in);
+render_objects*
+roInitSimpleMesh(simple_mesh& mesh_in, GLenum draw_mode);
 
 void
-roFreeSimple(simple_render_object* ro);
+roFree(render_objects* r_objs);
 
 void
 roTranslate(render_objects* r_objs, glm::mat4 xform);
@@ -43,9 +40,11 @@ roDraw(render_objects* r_ojbs,
 	shader_wrapper sw,
 	light_group* lights);
 
+#if 0
 void
 roDrawSimple(simple_render_object* ro,
 	camera& cam,
 	simple_shader_program& shader,
 	GLenum draw_mode);
+#endif
 
diff --git a/src/entity.cpp b/src/entity.cpp
index 5ad39db..25e4aeb 100644
--- a/src/entity.cpp
+++ b/src/entity.cpp
@@ -11,8 +11,6 @@
 // forward declarations
 
 void initDefaults(entity& e);
-bool loadMeshesIntoGL(entity& e);
-bool loadSimpleMeshIntoGL(entity& e);
 
 
 // interface
@@ -21,7 +19,6 @@ bool
 entInitModel(entity& e, const char* model_path)
 {
 	initDefaults(e);
-	e.mesh_type = DEFAULT_MESHES;
 
 	if (meLoadFromFile(e.meshes, model_path))
 	{
@@ -36,28 +33,18 @@ entInitModel(entity& e, const char* model_path)
 }
 
 bool
-entInitSimpleMesh(entity& e, simple_mesh& mesh, GLenum draw_mode)
+entInitMesh(entity& e, simple_mesh* mesh, GLenum draw_mode)
 {
-	assert(mesh.num_vertices > 0);
+	// TODO: test that this doesn't really do anything, then remove, and in
+	// 	entInitModel
 	initDefaults(e);
-	e.mesh_type = SIMPLE_MESH;
-	e.draw_mode = draw_mode;
+	e.mesh = mesh;
+	e.render_objs = roInitSimpleMesh(*e.mesh, draw_mode);
 
-	e.mesh.model_transform = mesh.model_transform;
-	e.mesh.num_vertices = mesh.num_vertices;
-	e.mesh.vertices = UTIL_ALLOC(mesh.num_vertices, glm::vec3);
-	e.mesh.vert_colors = UTIL_ALLOC(mesh.num_vertices, glm::vec3);
-
-	for (uint i = 0; i < mesh.num_vertices; i++) {
-		e.mesh.vertices[i] = mesh.vertices[i];
-		e.mesh.vert_colors[i] = mesh.vert_colors[i];
-	}
-
-	if (loadSimpleMeshIntoGL(e))
-		return true;
+	if (e.render_objs == nullptr)
+		return false;
 
-	entFree(e);
-	return false;
+	return true;
 }
 
 void
@@ -74,7 +61,6 @@ entSetWorldPosition(entity& e, glm::vec3 v)
 	e.world_transform[3][0] = v.x;
 	e.world_transform[3][1] = v.y;
 	e.world_transform[3][2] = v.z;
-#endif
 	if (e.mesh_type == SIMPLE_MESH) {
 		//
 	}
@@ -82,6 +68,7 @@ entSetWorldPosition(entity& e, glm::vec3 v)
 	if (e.mesh_type == DEFAULT_MESHES) {
 		//
 	}
+#endif
 }
 
 void
@@ -89,7 +76,6 @@ entTranslate(entity& e, glm::vec3 v)
 {
 #if 0
 	e.world_transform = glm::translate(e.world_transform, v);
-#endif
 	if (e.mesh_type == SIMPLE_MESH) {
 		//
 	}
@@ -97,6 +83,7 @@ entTranslate(entity& e, glm::vec3 v)
 	if (e.mesh_type == DEFAULT_MESHES) {
 		//
 	}
+#endif
 }
 
 void
@@ -148,17 +135,3 @@ initDefaults(entity& e)
 	entSetWorldPosition(e, glm::vec3(0, 0, 0));
 }
 
-bool
-loadSimpleMeshIntoGL(entity& e)
-{
-	assert(e.mesh.num_vertices > 0);
-	e.simple_ro = roInitSimpleMesh(e.mesh);
-
-	if (e.simple_ro == nullptr) {
-		LOG(Error) << "Error initializing render object\n";
-		entFree(e);
-		return false;
-	}
-
-	return true;
-}
diff --git a/src/mesh.cpp b/src/mesh.cpp
index 2b3bf30..b51c96a 100644
--- a/src/mesh.cpp
+++ b/src/mesh.cpp
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 
 
 // forward declarations
+//
 mesh_info* allocateMeshInfo(uint num_vertices, uint num_indices);
 void assimpLogCB(const char* message, char* user);
 mesh_info* copyMeshInfo(const aiScene* scene, aiMesh* mesh);
@@ -67,6 +68,18 @@ meLoadFromFile(mesh_group& mesh_group, const char* filepath)
 	return true;
 }
 
+simple_mesh*
+meInitMesh(uint num_vertices)
+{
+	assert(num_vertices > 0);
+	simple_mesh* sm = UTIL_ALLOC(1, simple_mesh);
+	sm->model_transform = glm::mat4(1.0);
+	sm->num_vertices = num_vertices;
+	sm->vertices = UTIL_ALLOC(num_vertices, glm::vec3);
+	sm->vert_colors = UTIL_ALLOC(num_vertices, glm::vec3);
+	return sm;
+}
+
 void
 meFreeMeshGroup(mesh_group& mesh_group)
 {
diff --git a/src/render_object.cpp b/src/render_object.cpp
index d06e590..6ee6f51 100644
--- a/src/render_object.cpp
+++ b/src/render_object.cpp
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ struct simple_render_object
 	GLuint vertex_buffer_id;
 	GLuint vertex_color_buffer_id;
 	uint vertex_count;
+	GLenum draw_mode;
 };
 
 struct render_objects
@@ -42,6 +43,7 @@ void drawDefault(render_objects* r_objs,
 	camera& cam,
 	shader_wrapper sw,
 	light_group* lights);
+inline void enableGLFloatBuffer(uint buffer_id, uint location);
 bool initGLFloatBuffer(glm::vec3* buffer, uint count, GLuint& buffer_id);
 bool initGLIndexBuffer(uint* buffer, uint num_indices, GLuint& buffer_id);
 bool initGLTexture(const util_image image, GLuint& tex_id);
@@ -49,7 +51,6 @@ bool loadMeshIntoGL(default_render_object* ro_out, mesh_info* mi_in);
 inline void updateMatrices(default_shader_program* shader,
 	camera& cam,
 	glm::mat4 node_xform);
-inline void enableGLFloatBuffer(uint buffer_id, uint location);
 
 
 // interface
@@ -77,6 +78,34 @@ roInitModel(mesh_group mg)
 	return r_objs;
 }
 
+render_objects*
+roInitSimpleMesh(simple_mesh& mesh_in, GLenum draw_mode)
+{
+	render_objects* r_objs = UTIL_ALLOC(1, render_objects);
+	r_objs->count = 1;
+	r_objs->mesh_type = SIMPLE_MESH;
+	r_objs->objects = UTIL_ALLOC(1, simple_render_object);
+
+	simple_render_object* objects = (simple_render_object*) r_objs->objects;
+
+	if (initGLFloatBuffer(mesh_in.vertices,
+			mesh_in.num_vertices,
+			objects->vertex_buffer_id) &&
+		initGLFloatBuffer(mesh_in.vert_colors,
+			mesh_in.num_vertices,
+			objects->vertex_color_buffer_id))
+	{
+		objects->model_transform = mesh_in.model_transform;
+		objects->vertex_count = mesh_in.num_vertices;
+		objects->draw_mode = draw_mode;
+		return r_objs;
+	}
+
+	LOG(Error) << "Failed to initialize render_object\n";
+	roFree(r_objs);
+	return nullptr;
+}
+
 void
 roFree(render_objects* r_objs)
 {
@@ -99,37 +128,6 @@ roFree(render_objects* r_objs)
 	}
 }
 
-simple_render_object*
-roInitSimpleMesh(simple_mesh& mesh_in)
-{
-	// TODO: switch on mesh type here
-	simple_render_object* ro_out = UTIL_ALLOC(1, simple_render_object);
-
-	if (initGLFloatBuffer(mesh_in.vertices,
-			mesh_in.num_vertices,
-			ro_out->vertex_buffer_id) &&
-		initGLFloatBuffer(mesh_in.vert_colors,
-			mesh_in.num_vertices,
-			ro_out->vertex_color_buffer_id))
-	{
-		ro_out->model_transform = mesh_in.model_transform;
-		ro_out->vertex_count = mesh_in.num_vertices;
-		return ro_out;
-	}
-
-	LOG(Error) << "Failed to initialize render_object\n";
-	roFreeSimple(ro_out);
-	return nullptr;
-}
-
-void
-roFreeSimple(simple_render_object* ro)
-{
-	glDeleteBuffers(1, &ro->vertex_buffer_id);
-	glDeleteBuffers(1, &ro->vertex_color_buffer_id);
-	utilSafeFree(ro);
-}
-
 void
 roTranslate(render_objects* r_objs, glm::mat4 xform)
 {
@@ -167,23 +165,6 @@ roDraw(render_objects* r_objs,
 	}
 }
 
-void
-roDrawSimple(simple_render_object* ro,
-	camera& cam,
-	simple_shader_program& shader,
-	GLenum draw_mode)
-{
-	glUseProgram(shader.program_id);
-	cam.MVP = cam.projection * cam.view * ro->model_transform;
-	glUniformMatrix4fv(shader.MVP_id, 1, GL_FALSE, &cam.MVP[0][0]);
-	enableGLFloatBuffer(ro->vertex_buffer_id, 0);
-	enableGLFloatBuffer(ro->vertex_color_buffer_id, 1);
-	glDrawArrays(draw_mode, 0, ro->vertex_count);
-	glDisableVertexAttribArray(0);
-	glDisableVertexAttribArray(1);
-	glUseProgram(0);
-}
-
 
 // internal
 
@@ -193,7 +174,18 @@ drawSimple(render_objects* r_objs,
 	shader_wrapper sw,
 	light_group* lights)
 {
-
+	simple_render_object* ro = (simple_render_object*) r_objs->objects;
+	simple_shader_program* shader =
+		(simple_shader_program*) sw.simple_shader;
+	glUseProgram(shader->program_id);
+	cam.MVP = cam.projection * cam.view * ro->model_transform;
+	glUniformMatrix4fv(shader->MVP_id, 1, GL_FALSE, &cam.MVP[0][0]);
+	enableGLFloatBuffer(ro->vertex_buffer_id, 0);
+	enableGLFloatBuffer(ro->vertex_color_buffer_id, 1);
+	glDrawArrays(ro->draw_mode, 0, ro->vertex_count);
+	glDisableVertexAttribArray(0);
+	glDisableVertexAttribArray(1);
+	glUseProgram(0);
 }
 
 void
diff --git a/src/renderer.cpp b/src/renderer.cpp
index d74c538..eeaccd3 100644
--- a/src/renderer.cpp
+++ b/src/renderer.cpp
@@ -142,38 +142,11 @@ renRenderFrame(render_state* rs)
 	for (uint i = 0; i < rs->render_group_count; i++) {
 		render_group& rg = rs->render_groups[i];
 
-		if (rg.shader.shader_type == SIMPLE_SHADER) {
-			for (uint j = 0; j < rg.entity_count; j++) {
-				entity& e = rg.entities[j];
-
-				roDrawSimple(e.simple_ro,
-					rs->cam,
-					*rg.shader.simple_shader,
-					e.draw_mode);
-			}
-		}
-
-#if 0
-		if (rg.shader.shader_type == DEFAULT_SHADER) {
-			for (uint j = 0; j < rg.entity_count; j++) {
-				entity& e = rg.entities[j];
-
-				for (uint k = 0; k < e.ro_count; k++) {
-					roDraw(e.render_objs[k],
-						rs->cam,
-						*rg.shader.default_shader,
-						rs->lights);
-				}
-			}
-		}
-#endif
-		if (rg.shader.shader_type == DEFAULT_SHADER) {
-			for (uint j = 0; j < rg.entity_count; j++) {
-				roDraw(rg.entities[j].render_objs,
-					rs->cam,
-					rg.shader,
-					rs->lights);
-			}
+		for (uint j = 0; j < rg.entity_count; j++) {
+			roDraw(rg.entities[j].render_objs,
+				rs->cam,
+				rg.shader,
+				rs->lights);
 		}
 	}
 }