avanderzwan http://www.aaronvanderzwan.com/blog Smile... It'll make you feel better. Fri, 30 Jul 2010 15:08:44 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 2006-2008 akv292@gmail.com (avanderzwan) akv292@gmail.com (avanderzwan) posts 1440 http://aaronvanderzwan.com/podcast_pic144.jpg avanderzwan http://www.aaronvanderzwan.com/blog 144 144 Smile... It'll make you feel better. avanderzwan avanderzwan akv292@gmail.com no no aaronvanderzwanhttp://feedburner.google.com August 2010 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/aaronvanderzwan/~3/Aeewa93uXv4/ http://www.aaronvanderzwan.com/blog/2010/07/august-2010/#comments Fri, 30 Jul 2010 15:04:32 +0000 Aaron Vanderzwan http://www.aaronvanderzwan.com/blog/?p=257

]]> http://www.aaronvanderzwan.com/blog/2010/07/august-2010/feed/ 0 http://www.aaronvanderzwan.com/blog/2010/07/august-2010/ My Newest Website: StylexSeating.com http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/aaronvanderzwan/~3/1Xu2YiZRNac/ http://www.aaronvanderzwan.com/blog/2010/06/my-newest-website-stylexseating/#comments Wed, 30 Jun 2010 15:40:58 +0000 Aaron Vanderzwan http://www.aaronvanderzwan.com/blog/?p=252 Stylex Product Page
Stylex Grid Page
Stylex Seating is a versatile office furniture company based out of New Jersey. This project was built on a custom CMS that dynamically writes content to static html files to speed up load speeds and lower database and server load. Released for NeoCon World’s Trade Fair 2010, it is a perfect representation of Stylex’s beautiful products and also a display of the quality of work that Conduit Studios produces. Take a look.

I have also added it to my portfolio.

]]> http://www.aaronvanderzwan.com/blog/2010/06/my-newest-website-stylexseating/feed/ 1 http://www.aaronvanderzwan.com/blog/2010/06/my-newest-website-stylexseating/ World Cup 2010 Promos http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/aaronvanderzwan/~3/mv4uD__d_EQ/ http://www.aaronvanderzwan.com/blog/2010/06/world-cup-2010-promos/#comments Thu, 17 Jun 2010 19:34:15 +0000 Aaron Vanderzwan http://www.aaronvanderzwan.com/blog/?p=250 I know there are a lot of these going around right now, but honestly… don’t you want to go find a field somewhere and kick a ball around?
Let’s also not forget, this tournament is more than just about soccer. The US is missing out on not being one of the nations overtly in love with their team. This is a beautiful sport. And I love it. I’m going to Brazil World Cup 2014… who’s with me?

]]> http://www.aaronvanderzwan.com/blog/2010/06/world-cup-2010-promos/feed/ 0 http://www.aaronvanderzwan.com/blog/2010/06/world-cup-2010-promos/ New office space at Conduit Studios http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/aaronvanderzwan/~3/p4vTPSvuroI/ http://www.aaronvanderzwan.com/blog/2010/03/new-office-space-at-conduit-studios/#comments Mon, 22 Mar 2010 13:25:36 +0000 Aaron Vanderzwan http://www.aaronvanderzwan.com/blog/?p=243 new conduit studios office
Conduit Studios is finally in the new office space. Huge arching windows, lots of sun light, perfect brick, smooth wood floors and 4 bose speakers… this place is going to knock your socks off.

There are still a few finishing touches, but we are in and getting snug. It feels like home already.

]]> http://www.aaronvanderzwan.com/blog/2010/03/new-office-space-at-conduit-studios/feed/ 0 http://www.aaronvanderzwan.com/blog/2010/03/new-office-space-at-conduit-studios/ My newest project goes live: Steelcase.com http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/aaronvanderzwan/~3/RQE-0lAGYhE/ http://www.aaronvanderzwan.com/blog/2010/03/my-newest-project-goes-live-steelcase-com/#comments Thu, 18 Mar 2010 14:48:48 +0000 Aaron Vanderzwan http://www.aaronvanderzwan.com/blog/?p=240 steelcase.com
The Basics
Steelcase.com is the largest website that I have built yet. It is built on Sharepoint which means that a lot of work went in to making it look the way it does. Any of you who don’t know what Sharepoint is, know that it is relatively frustrating to style. I used jQuery 1.4.2 and ended up writing a slider plugin to do the slide effect that you see on the homepage and on the product pages. I used a modified simple accordion plugin and a modified lightbox plugin. All in all, it was a challenge.

The History / Process
Steelcase tasked Conduit Studios with designing their new look and feel. Conduit hired me as a freelance developer, last summer, to help build the site and through the process decided I was good enough for their team. I now work full-time with Tim Carpenter and John O’Niell at Conduit Studios in Grand Rapids, MI. These guys are genius’ and it is a pleasure to work with them. We currently do work for a large array of clients including Hush Puppies and other Wolverine World Wide companies, a number of Steelcase brands including Coalesse and Nurture, apparel retail company A.K.Rikk’s, and many more.

Check it out
So check out Steelcase.com to see some of the work I have done recently. That slider thing on the home page, I built that!

]]> http://www.aaronvanderzwan.com/blog/2010/03/my-newest-project-goes-live-steelcase-com/feed/ 2 http://www.aaronvanderzwan.com/blog/2010/03/my-newest-project-goes-live-steelcase-com/ I’ve got some catching up to do – Best Albums of 2008 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/aaronvanderzwan/~3/f2mAZrByezY/ http://www.aaronvanderzwan.com/blog/2010/03/ive-got-some-catching-up-to-do-best-albums-of-2008/#comments Tue, 02 Mar 2010 22:31:42 +0000 Aaron Vanderzwan http://www.aaronvanderzwan.com/blog/?p=238 .album {clear:both;height:65px;} .album .num {margin-top:15px;} .album img {float:left;height:50px;width:50px;margin-right:10px;}
20

Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend

19

Sigur Ros – með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust

18

Coldplay – Viva la Vida

17

TV on the Radio – Dear Science

16

Secret Machines – Secret Machines

15

Mountain Goats – Heretic Pride

14

The Hold Steady – Stay Positive

13

Death Cab for Cutie – Narrow Stairs

12

Conor Oberst – Conor Oberst

11

Cloud Cult – Feel Good Ghosts (Tea-Partying Through Tornadoes)

10

Kings of Leon – Only By The Night

9

Wolf Parade – At Mount Zimmer

8

Born Ruffians – Red, Yellow & Blue

7

Fleet Foxes – Sun it Rises

6

Horse Feathers – House With No Name

5

Bon Iver – For Emma, Forever Ago

4

Ra Ra Riot – The Rhumb Line

3

The Rural Alberta Advantage – Hometowns

2

Plants & Animals – Parc Avenue

1

Frightened Rabbit – Midnight Organ Fight

]]> http://www.aaronvanderzwan.com/blog/2010/03/ive-got-some-catching-up-to-do-best-albums-of-2008/feed/ 1 http://www.aaronvanderzwan.com/blog/2010/03/ive-got-some-catching-up-to-do-best-albums-of-2008/ The Astroids Galaxy Tour – Fruit http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/aaronvanderzwan/~3/ij8GZOCLyMk/ http://www.aaronvanderzwan.com/blog/2009/11/the-astroids-galaxy-tour-fruit/#comments Tue, 17 Nov 2009 14:29:32 +0000 Aaron Vanderzwan http://aaronvanderzwan.com/blog/?p=228
Do you ever get in the mood, when you are scrolling through your large digital music collection, to listen to something different? …something that stands out? Well I do too. Therefore, I introduce you to… ‘Indie Funk’.

I do not know if the term has been coined yet, but it seems extremely fitting for my latest musical interest, ‘The Astroids Galaxy Tour’. This danish band plays dance-able funky music that will neither make VH1′s Classic Masters or Pitchfork’s Top 100 albums of the year. Mette Lindberg’s vocals (and the respective effects) seem as though they would be a contemporary indie rock band’s. Not entirely emotionless, Mette does not have the soulful, climbing vocals that you would normally associate with true funk music. Instead she drives the music and emotion with a specific harshness that resonates quite cold. Her songs of social heartache and physical conquests echo this sentiment.

Fruit is a perfect example of fun, driving, new music that pushes pop closer to the edge and is, therefore, intriguing. Give it a few listens. I promise Mette’s melodies, the simple bass lines, loose percussion and background brass will bring you out of that slump and back to tapping your foot to something you love in no time.

You can buy it at lala.com.

]]> http://www.aaronvanderzwan.com/blog/2009/11/the-astroids-galaxy-tour-fruit/feed/ 0 http://www.aaronvanderzwan.com/blog/2009/11/the-astroids-galaxy-tour-fruit/ New Music: Karen O and the Kids, The Mountain Goats http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/aaronvanderzwan/~3/KM2r3sMf1tA/ http://www.aaronvanderzwan.com/blog/2009/10/new-music-karen-o-and-the-kids-the-mountain-goats/#comments Fri, 09 Oct 2009 14:33:04 +0000 Aaron Vanderzwan http://aaronvanderzwan.com/blog/?p=222

In my profession, web development and design, I have a lot of time to sit at a computer and listen to music. I listen to music in headphones for about 7-8 hours everyday… that is approximately 6 albums worth give or take a few. I go through a lot of music and I consider it one of my passions. However, over the last 5-6 months I have found it difficult to really get into any specific albums. Some of you know the love that I have for Cloud Cult and Frightened Rabbit, these artists have made loving music more difficult for me because the bar is now so high.

However, I have two new prospects and I will mention them here… Note: You can listen to the full albums at the end of the post, just sign up for a free lala.com account.

Number 1: Karen O and the Kids – Where the Wild Things Are OST
I don’t know if I have a thing for albums written for kids, or if it’s that I was the ‘Bull’ in the Grand Rapids Ballety Company’s performance of Where the Wild Things Are, or if it’s that Spike Jonze directed the new film, or even if it all stems to Arcade Fire doing their trailer… either way, this film has been getting me more and more excited. I recently picked up the Original Sound Track and have been unable to put it down. This album is fun, it is interesting, and really, it keeps me on the edge of my seat. I don’t know what ethos this film is going to be, but I believe it is going to be a dark and honest representation of what it is like to be a child, while still being playful and redemptive. This album really transcends this idea of love vs. struggle. I’m really enjoying it so far.

Number 2: The Mountain Goats – The Life Of The World To Come
Every track on this album is titled after a bible verse. I’m not entirely familiar with the intricacies of this album yet, but have given it some serious time and I would recommend it. John Darniel really hits on the serious side of what I am trying to do with my music writing.

]]> http://www.aaronvanderzwan.com/blog/2009/10/new-music-karen-o-and-the-kids-the-mountain-goats/feed/ 0 http://www.aaronvanderzwan.com/blog/2009/10/new-music-karen-o-and-the-kids-the-mountain-goats/ More with a 35mm http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/aaronvanderzwan/~3/jVBNTEVdidw/ http://www.aaronvanderzwan.com/blog/2009/10/more-with-a-35mm/#comments Thu, 08 Oct 2009 21:57:13 +0000 Aaron Vanderzwan http://aaronvanderzwan.com/blog/?p=221 Grand Rapids had Art Prize this week and so I ran around town with my camera. There was really low light with the night shots. I think the shutter was open for a full second for most of the portraits.

(click on the photos to view larger)

Self Portrait
Self Portrait, Grand Rapids, MI

The Station
The Station, Grand Rapids, MI - Spider Webs

David Schultz
David Schultz, Grand Rapids, MI

Jason Murray
Jason Murray, Grand Rapids, MI

Central Station
Central Station, Grand Rapids, MI

Joel Stob
Joel Stob, Grand Rapids, MI

]]> http://www.aaronvanderzwan.com/blog/2009/10/more-with-a-35mm/feed/ 1 http://www.aaronvanderzwan.com/blog/2009/10/more-with-a-35mm/ Old Browse Pane Layout in iTunes 9 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/aaronvanderzwan/~3/NxcAxwrzAIQ/ http://www.aaronvanderzwan.com/blog/2009/09/old-browse-pane-layout-in-itunes-9/#comments Wed, 23 Sep 2009 13:52:23 +0000 Aaron Vanderzwan http://aaronvanderzwan.com/blog/?p=219 Show Column Browser 2) Show Albums [...]]]> itunes old browse layout
Okay. So ‘Browse’ has been rolled into something called ‘Column Browser’. If you want to get iTunes 9 to have the same pane layout as the old, default, ‘Browse’ option, you can. Here is what you are going to want to do:

1) Turn on Column Browser: View > Show Column Browser
2) Show Albums as well as artists: View > Column Browser > Albums
3) Show Genres as well as albums and artists: View > Column Browser > Genres
4) Setup Column Browser to show up above your song lists: View > Column Browser > On Top

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