benjancewicz's Xanga

Saturday, November 14, 2009

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 05:28:56 GMT

Brazen Careerist's Redesign (+ Contest!)

Wed, 02 Sep 2009 04:21:18 GMT

(My Original Blog Post: http://ping.fm/n2ESk)

Brazen Careerist, the web's most exhaustive destination for the working Gen-Y, has just gotten a facelift!

You may remember Brazen Careerist; we have done, among other things, their business card package. Ryan Paugh, one of their fearless leaders, also commissioned us to design his personal website as well, which has been been one of our most complimented web designs.

If you haven't checked out Brazen Careerist, you really need to. The wealth of information about the workplace, coworkers, finding jobs, and even philosophies on life is incredible. Ryan himself admitted he never thought it would grow this big, and it's a testament to their dedicated management and massive organized fanbase.

With their growth, they realized they needed to streamline the site, and in doing so, they've added dozens of new features. The site now boasts Facebook and Twitter integration, as well as an innovative spin on groups.

We'd like to help them grow, so if you're not already signed up, go now!

What about the contest?

Oh yeah! The contest.
What you win: A freshly designed Zerflin t-shirt (worth $20), and a roll of spiffy Zerflin stickers!
How to win: Tweet about why you love Brazen Careerist, and include @Zerflin and @Brazen Careerist.
OR: Write a blog about why you love Brazen Careerist and post it here in the comments.

A winner will be chosen in 2 weeks.

Fatigue

Sat, 25 Jul 2009 07:02:47 GMT

(My Original Blog Post: http://ping.fm/SOGzg) So sleepy... It is now 4am, and I'm just getting to bed. Tamika kept me company, and made me Chysanthemum tea with honey (so good). I was working on magazine style excerpts for Heidi Durrow's New book "The Girl Who Fell From The Sky". And I think, for the first time in my life, I got designer's block. Not because the client or subject was difficult to design for, but because my brain just decided to shut down after less than 4 hours of sleep a night... Thanks to Tamika, I got my second wind and built a really nice layout. Must. Have. Sleep...

Everything you ever wanted to know about Lion Heraldry

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 01:55:37 GMT

(My Original Blog Post: http://www.zerflin.com/Benjamin/YoungSavage/zerflin/everything-you-ever-wanted-to-know-about-lion-heraldry/) Doing research for my friend Breon's new company, I put together this bit of research:

The lion is a common charge in heraldry. It traditionally symbolizes bravery, valour, strength, and royalty, since traditionally, it is regarded as the king of beasts.

Heraldry is essentially the medieval art of displaying class and rank on shields and armour.

An animal on these items is called a charge.

A charge is any object or figure placed on a heraldic shield or on any other object of an armorial composition. Any object found in nature or technology may appear as a heraldic charge in armory. Charges can be animals, objects, or geometric shapes. Apart from the ordinaries, the most frequent charges are the cross—with its hundreds of variations—and the lion and eagle. Other common animals are stags, Wild Boars, martlets, and fish. Dragons, bats, unicorns, griffins, and more exotic monsters appear as charges and as supporters.

Animals are found in various stereotyped positions or attitudes. Quadrupeds can often be found rampant—standing on the left hind foot. Another frequent position is passant, or walking, like the lions of the coat of arms of England. Eagles are almost always shown with their wings spread, or displayed.

In English heraldry the crescent, mullet, martlet, annulet, fleur-de-lis, and rose may be added to a shield to distinguish cadet branches of a family from the senior line. These cadency marks are usually shown smaller than normal charges, but it still does not follow that a shield containing such a charge belongs to a cadet branch. All of these charges occur frequently in basic undifferenced coats of arms.

The attitude, or position, of the creature's body is usually described in the blazon. When such description is omitted (as may be the case with a lion, leopard, or eagle particularly), a lion is assumed to be rampant, a leopard is assumed to be passant, and an eagle is assumed to be displayed.

By default, the charge faces dexter (left as seen by the viewer); this would be forward on a shield worn on the left arm.

* An animal toward sinister is turned toward the right of the shield.
* An animal affronté is turned to face the viewer.
* An animal guardant faces dexter with its head turned to face the viewer.
* An animal regardant faces dexter with its head turned toward sinister, as if looking over its shoulder.

The principal attitude of beasts is rampant (i.e. standing on one hind leg with forepaws raised as if to strike). Beasts also frequently appear passant or trippant (walking), and may appear salient or springing (leaping), sejant (seated), couchant or lodged (lying prone with head raised), statant (standing with all four feet on the ground, usually with the front feet together), or occasionally dormant (sleeping).

Lion Cadent

A beast cadent (Latin: cadēns, "falling") is upside down, especially while supporting an escutcheon. Whales, dolphins, and other fish are often in this position. If the first beast on the left faces right, it is called cadent dexter; if the beast faces left, it is called cadent sinister.

Lion Couchant (This might be useful, given Daniel's story)

A beast couchant (Old French: "lying down") is lying down, but with the head raised.[7] Lodged is the term for this position when applied to the docile animals.

Lion Courant

A beast courant (also at speed or in full chase) is running, depicted at full stride with all four legs in the air.

Lion Dormant (another idea)

A beast dormant (Old French: "sleeping") is lying down with its eyes closed and head lowered, resting upon the forepaws, as if asleep.[7] Dormant erect is a synonym of couchant.

Lion Passant

A beast passant (Old French: "striding") walks toward the viewer's left, with the right forepaw raised and all others on the ground.[4] A "Lion of England" denotes a lion passant guardant Or, used as an augmentation.[4] For stags and other deerlike beasts of chase, the term trippant is used instead of passant. Interestingly, French heralds have long held that any lion in a walking position must necessarily be a "leopard", though this practice is controversial.

Lion Rampant

A beast rampant (Old French: "rearing up") is depicted in profile standing erect with forepaws raised.[2] The position of the hind legs varies according to local custom: the lion may stand on both hind legs, braced wide apart, or on only one, with the other also raised to strike; the word rampant is sometimes omitted, especially in early blazon, as this is the most usual position of a carnivorous quadruped. Note: the term segreant denotes the same position, but is only used in reference to griffins and dragons.[3] Rampant is the most frequent attitude of quadrupeds, and as supporters they are rarely seen in any other attitude.

Lion Salient

A beast salient (Latin: saliēns, "leaping") (also springing) is leaping, with both hind legs together on the ground and both forelegs together in the air.[8] This is a very rare position for a lion,[8] but is also used of other heraldic beasts. The stag and other docile animals in this position are often termed springing.

Lion Sejant

A beast sejant or sejeant (Middle French: seant, "sitting") sits on his haunches, with both forepaws on the ground.[6]
A beast sejant erect is seated on its haunches, but with its body erect and both forepaws raised in the "rampant" position (this is sometimes termed "sejant-rampant").[6]

Lion Statant

A beast statant (Old French: "standing") is "standing" (in profile toward dexter), all four feet on the ground, usually with the forepaws together.[9] This posture is more frequent in crests than in charges on shields.[8] In certain animals, such as bears, this refers to an upright, bipedal position (this position can also be referred to as statant erect). While statant is used in reference to predatory beasts, the more docile animals in the statant position may be called at bay, while such creatures statant guardant are said to be at gaze.

Renaming Moment

Wed, 15 Jul 2009 16:36:15 GMT

(My Original Blog Post: http://ping.fm/iVULh) So, I'm slowly working on setting up my new project. It's an online social game. The board game version was called "moment", but I'm rapidly realizing that name isn't unique enough. Anyone have any suggestions? Here's what I came up with: 6moments (there are 6 rounds to each section) 1moment.mobi (I'm hoping to be able to make it a cellphone game) Sixmoments Sixthmoment Attribute.cc Magnumopus.me Magnumopus.mobi Monolith.mobi What do you think?

Pete & Repeat

Mon, 08 Jun 2009 15:36:09 GMT

(My Original Blog Post: http://ping.fm/oI5Ku) So, now Nya says everything we say. Everything.

Last week, I read a book with a kitchen scene to her, and pointed out each object.

(me pointing to the book) "Apple. This is an apple. Apple. You say; apple." (and then I point to her lips)
"Abu."
"Good! Book. This is a book. You say; book."
"Bût."
"Good. Girl. This is a girl. You say."
"Gur."
"Good. Frying pan. This is a frying pan. You say."
"Fynpan."

And so on.
SINCE then, she just says everything we say, without prompting.
Everything.

So needless to say, we've been editing out words like "jerk", "douche-bag", "punk" and "moron".
Now, dinner conversations go like this:

Tamika: So, did that big project get done?
Benjamin: No. They decided to be Elmos and ask for revisions.
Nya: Ewmo!
Tamika: That stinks.
Benjamin: Yeah, they were a bunch of Big Birds. The completely Dora-ed the whole process, and sent it back for 6 Snufalumpagus revisions. I'm so sick of this Telly Monster project.
Nya: Dooo-wah! (Dora)
Tamika: I'm tired of them treating you like Ernie. How much more do you have to do with them?
Nya: Eehnie!
Benjamin: Not too much, this is the last project. It's not the AE's fault, the client is on it's way out and it's being a Backpack.
Nya: Bah-pat, BAH-PAT!

Physics

Mon, 08 Jun 2009 05:01:24 GMT

(My Original Blog Post: http://ping.fm/erWa3) Just because I'm a graphic designer, doesn't mean I can't still love physics.

If you do to, you're going to enjoy these. The explanation is pretty simple, if you don't get it from the first video, you'll understand by the last one.

There's the rub

Wed, 27 May 2009 16:35:16 GMT

(My Original Blog Post: http://ping.fm/4zPFS) My cushion soft
The belfry lies
With ballast of
Perspicacity

Shrouds mellifluous
Enfold each spur
All thorns and barbs
Now whispers

With every deafening
Nuclear drum
My fabric slows
To Rechtschaffen

Long silence brings
Sharp consciousness
So remain aphonic
And let me rest!

Tamika has a Show: Stacey Carver at La Quinta Inn

Mon, 25 May 2009 04:48:51 GMT

(My Original Blog Post: http://ping.fm/j2Y0y)

Tamika's band, called 83 South Project, has a show this Saturday, May 30th.

It's going to be held at La Quinta Inn in Glen Burnie, MD.

There are 2 shows, one at 8:30pm, and one at 10:30.

Comedian Stacey Carver is going to be headlining the event.

If you can come, please contact Tamika! The band has to sell some tickets for their spot in the lineup, and if you order them through her, you only have to pay $15 (they're $20 at the door).

Why I love Tamika: she gives me hugs

Fri, 22 May 2009 18:04:27 GMT

(My Original Blog Post: http://ping.fm/PZv4F) Lately, I've been pulling 19-20 hour days, just trying to get everything done.

Last night, I got home late from a meeting with Bourbon Coffee, which was further exacerbated by a Mercedes doing an oscillatory dance between a 3-ton truck and a Kia right at the I-95 Northbound exit off of 459.

Tamika just needed to talk, because the kids had been driving her up a wall all day long. I listened quietly, and then our conversation spilled into finances. With a lot of help; we've been slowly digging ourselves out of our financial difficulties by surviving on a shoestring budget. But that has been taking it's toll. Tamika wished we could afford a babysitter, and wondered about what our future was.

After a while, the conversation subsided. I glanced at the clock. It was 11:30.

I got up silently and went downstairs.

Tamika followed me, and quietly sat in the chair next to my desk.

"Why are you working?" she asked softly.

I stared at the screens for a moment while programs fluttered open. "It's all I know how to do." I replied, "It's all I can think of to help out."

Tamika got up, and took my head in her hands and held me close. We must have stayed like that for a half an hour. She just held my tight, played with my hair, rubbed my back, and smoothed out the lines of worry on my head.

She kissed me, then headed upstairs. A little while later, she came back down with a cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows and vanilla ice cream in it.

"Don't stay up too late." she smiled.

I love my wife.