Day 75 - Ponder Couch Challenge Coin - 3/15/2015

I love the podcast "99 Percent Invisible".

A while back one of their episodes inspired me to design a flag for the Ponder Couch. I still hope someone will make that flag into a real flag for me to fly.

Today I listened to the newest episode of 99 Percent Invisible. It was about Challenge Coins. These coins originated in the military. They are for people to give each other as a sign of respect, thanks, love, etc.

There is a lot of meaning wrapped up in them. There is even a drinking game designed around them.

The episode talked about how many different groups now have Challenge coins: police, firefighters, even Jimmy Buffet! It got me to thinking...

I would love to have a Ponder Couch Challenge Coin.


Apparently anyone who can pay for it can design and mint up some Challenge Coins.

"99 Percent Invisible" talked to the guy behind coinforce.com . I looked at their site a little. I don't know for sure, but I imagine having your own Challenge Coin made isn't cheap. I probably can't afford it.

But that doesn't stop me from making a quick MS Paint design for one:

So if anyone wants to pay for this design to get made... I wouldn't say no.

I need some coins to get some coins!

A Flag for the Ponder Couch!

I love the podcast "99 Percent Invisible" and listen to their podcast frequently. On a recent episode titled "Vexillonaire" they talked about people who love and study flag design (it's a radio show about all aspects of design. Design is EVERYWHERE!) and the Vexillologists laid out 5 simple rules for flag design:

1. Keep it simple

2. Use meaningful symbolism

3. Use two to three basic colors

4. No lettering or seals of any kind.

5. Be distinctive

I decided to design a flag for the Ponder Couch! Here 'tis

I've always wanted my own flag! And I really like how this turned out. I think I followed all of the Vexillological rules to the best of my MS Paint abilities.

The light blue represents the sky. This is a reference to my comic strip "Ponder and Enlightening" which is where the Ponder Couch idea originated. And the redish-brownish shapes are meant to represent a couch. I hope that is how it reads.

The podcast also mentioned another thing to do to check if your flag is a good flag. "Here’s a trick: if you want to design a kickass flag, start by drawing a one-by-one-and-a half inch rectangle on a piece of paper.

A design at these dimensions held 15 inches from your eye looks about the same as a three-by-five foot flag on a flagpole a hundred feet away. Your design has to work within that tiny rectangle, because unlike other designed objects, a flag is usually seen at a distance. It is also often in motion and partially obscured."

So I made a smaller version:

I couldn't figure out how to make it 1 inch by 1.5 inches, but I think this is pretty close. Get up from your computer, walk back 15 inches or so. Or, if you're reading this on a smart-device hold it at arm's length. Does it still read as a fancy version of a couch? I think it does.

But I will never really know until someone makes one for me out of polyester or heavyweight 2x2 ply mercerized cotton flag material. Are there any vexillographers out there who want to make one and send it to me? Contact me at sethifusp@gmail.com!

If you liked this article and want to encourage me to make more such things, consider becoming my patron: http://www.patreon.com/sethifus