About Luke

Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

861 post(s):

05/23/2012

Why Are Theater People So Odd?

My wife grew up doing amateur theater. I've been involved in a few productions myself. I don't have anything against the art form. I find live performances--very distinct from my beloved films--offer a uniquely engaging experience.

But I've also noticed that those drawn to the stage--or backstage--can be, well, odd. Very odd. Sometimes socially awkwardly odd. Tilt-your-head-quizzically-to-the-side odd. Maybe it was because I was in public school and several of my theater friends were Wiccan... but it's more than that. There's a certain personality that fits the stage.

The same is true for a great many pursuits. That's how stereotypes emerge. We notice that cheerleaders--engaged in a very public show of themselves--are conscious of how they appear. We applaud athletes for their dedication and persistence, though their activity of choice rewards such things. We see that gamers are creative nerds, often more comfortable in their digital bodies than their own, overlooking the ways the games are, themselves, a massively creative and liberating media free from the confines of reality.

So what draws us to homeschooling? What's our "personality"?

We're odd ourselves, to be sure, going against the flow of the general masses. We're willing to chart a different path. Perhaps that's why so many reasons to homeschool are based on the stark differences between homeschooling and the other options available to us and our children.

Granted, like all stereotypes, nothing universally sticks. In fact, one of the cool things about reading a wide variety of homeschool blogs is seeing how different everyone is. You are unique. Your challenges are unique. Your children are each unique. And yet, we can all homeschool and enjoy learning together through great books.

Are we odd? Absolutely. But not that much odder than anyone else. We just get to cuddle with our family on the couch and grow together.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

05/21/2012

Better Business Practices: The Warehouse

Growing up on Sonlight books, I experienced the things that initially inspired labor unions. The horrible working conditions created in the name of profitability make sense when I consider the human condition. This part of history helps mold my political ideals and inform my perspectives about business and government and people and capitalism and economies and labor and such. On the other side, growing up part of a profitable and fantastic company, I got to watch as my parents consistently worked to make Sonlight a place people would want to work.

Now an employee, I'd say they've done a good job. I've participated in a wide variety of positions at Sonlight. I've helped in Customer Service; I've worked in Product Development; I've spent summers in the Warehouse. I've had the privilege of seeing every side of this company. And we do things right.

We take seriously our responsibility to be good stewards of the things God has entrusted to us. That means creating good work environments, among other things.

The topic of taking care of employees came up over lunch yesterday after my dad read the article A day in the life of a warehouse wage slave in The Week. As one who has spent time as a Picker and a Packer, I appreciate the thick foam mats Sonlight places on the concrete. (Having been to a homeschool convention recently, I know what happens when you don't stand on padding!) The story of how horrible the shipping conditions are for other online retailers stood in stark contrast to how pleasant it is to work for a company that cares about its employees and customers by keeping "the bottom line" in healthy perspective. And what's more? By God's grace, we have kept our prices competitive--and often below--that of the competition... companies that rely on rather appalling practices.

Just this morning, I bumped into a young man who works at Sonlight over the summer when he's not in school. I met him last year. "Good to see you again," he said with a smile.

"Good to see you too," I said. And it was. Because people like working at Sonlight.

...and that makes it even easier to love working here too.

What do you think of the lemonade stand dilemma? Have you ever had an employer take really good care of you?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

05/18/2012

How to Combine Students with Sonlight

One of the huge benefits of Sonlight is that you can combine students so they use the same Core. This saves you time and money. But how do you choose which program to use with multiple children? Isn't it complicated and difficult to combine students?

In some cases, yes. Every family is different, so grouping students isn't always straightforward. If you have a unique or complex situation, I highly recommend you chat with a Sonlight Curriculum Advisor. Advisors can answer your questions and help you find the materials that will work best for your family.

But, in general, combining students is not difficult with Sonlight. For years, Sonia, Sonlight's online internet advisor, has been able to help you place your students in "Study Groups" so they can work from the same Core program. And this year, we made her process even better!

We used beads to help visualize the grouping process

We spent hours discussing how make it easier for you to group your children using Sonlight. We went through four designs and several iterations of code logic to make the process seamless for you. Today, you quickly add your students and then put them into groups.

Adding Students

Want to customize those groups? No problem! Simply check and uncheck students you want to combine. Then, click the "Select Curriculum" button, or click one of the Scratch Pad icons, and Sonia will help you, step-by-step, through the process of selecting everything you need for your students.

Grouping Students

If you haven't done so already, check out the Sonia. And even if you don't have a bunch of students you want to combine using Sonlight, feel free to add a few and play with the updated grouping tool.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

05/11/2012

Do Your Children Read in the Summer?

Reading for fun is a fantastic pastime. The trouble can be finding great books to read. That's why I highly recommend that everyone purchase the 5-day option for each Core. Even if you're only planning on "doing Sonlight" 4 days a week, the extra books make great boredom busters and engaging reading for fun. It doesn't matter if you don't get to them over the school year, Sonlight's book selections make great summer readers as well.

But still, you may want more. Your children may be voracious readers whom you simply can't satiate. You need a constant flow of reading material and books to keep them going. On the other hand, your children may be more like me: Reading just a few carefully selected titles. In that case, you want to make sure the books they read are the best of the best in literature.

We've known this is a real need for over seven years. And this year, we've finally been able to make our solution a reality. Introducing: Sonlight Summer Readers.

These competitively priced book packs contain some of the best reading you'll ever have the privilege to do. And of all the amazing books I've read (and had read to me), one of my all time favorites is making its way to the forefront again. Years ago it was included in a "Holzmann Family Favorites" Christmas Sale, so it's nice to have it back again.

Here's the important thing: None of these books are included in Sonlight's homeschooling curriculum packages. They won't show up in your Core or Mulit-Subject Packages.

In other words: These fantastic reader packages make great summer readers and gifts. In fact, I think it would be fun way to introduce families to the joy of reading (together) without the pressure of "school" and "learning." Families can fall in love with literature together. And, who knows, maybe these books can inspire them to look more closely at a literature-based approach to education.

If you haven't checked out Sonlight's new Summer Reader Packages, you should. ...right now.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

05/09/2012

Going to a Homeschool Convention

I'm scrambling to get my my digital desk cleared because I leave tomorrow morning for a homeschool convention; my physical desk is all but hopeless.

I'm going to film because Sarita is speaking at two conventions this year. If you happen to be there, you'll get to meet her... and I'll be around as well <smile>. But conventions offer more than just a possibility of bumping into fun people. You can also meet with your Sonlight Curriculum Consultant (another very fun person!) and get your questions answered.

So, I'm off! Please pray that travel goes smoothly and all my equipment makes it there intact. My mom and I are traveling a lot these new few weeks, so your prayers are most appreciated.

Thank you! And I hope I get to meet at least one of you at either the Texas or North Carolina homeschool convention in the coming days.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

05/07/2012

The Tyranny and Beauty of Size

There certainly are economies of scale. It can be very helpful to buy in bulk. But the bigger you get, the more complex and convoluted things can become.

For example, after Sonlight got started, my mom and dad pretty much did everything. You can read more of the story of the early days of Sonlight, but if something needed to be done, my parents would just make it happen.

As Sonlight grew, so did the need for more resources. That's when diseconomies of scale come into play. You can't just add a second person to your team and be twice as effective. Now you have to meet and discuss, divvy up responsibility, communicate vision. Bring on more people and it takes longer. This also requires oversight and management, time devoted to helping your team work together, a person to make sure it all comes together in the end.

And that's the trade off: One person can instantly address a handful of requests. But you can't serve very many people that way. So you have to grow. But in so doing, things take longer. You can serve more people, but it's much more involved.

As an example, I just got out of a meeting where we discussed how we can best serve those waiting on our back-ordered packages. When it was just my mom and dad, they would come up with an idea and it was done. Today, we can't do that.

But we can serve more people than my parents could on their own. I've often heard the term of "turning the ship" to indicate how long it takes a large group of people to make any kind of change. A small kayak allows one person to make a major course change immediately. But if you want to do something that will affect, say, hundreds of passengers, that craft can't be nearly as nimble.

Sonlight has always been--and continues to be--dedicated to serving you on your homeschooling journey. As we've pioneered and championed the literature-based approach to learning, many people have jumped on board... so we built a bigger boat <smile>.

But now it takes longer to make things happen. We're still nowhere near a faceless giant corporation--and we don't want to become that--but we're not exactly a mom and pop shop anymore. That's both good and bad. Bad because things take longer because every decision affects many people. Good because we can serve you and your friends, and their friends, and that family down the street, the missionaries in that country over there...

This has been big year for us. Not just in all the updates and changes we've made to our curriculum. We also released more information earlier than ever. But we learned a lot about how to do that as well. And every year provides new challenges and opportunities. We are so grateful for the opportunity we have to serve you. And we're also grateful for your patience as we learn and grow.

I think we can see similar benefits and disadvantages in homeschooling and educational institutions, mega churches and house gatherings, assembly line cars and handmade custom vehicles, respected electronic brands and the repair shop on the corner, even preparing food for your spouse and a neighborhood picnic.

Thank you for coming along with us on this journey. We're thrilled to be part of your homeschooling adventure.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

P.S. Does "economies of scale" fascinate you? If so, check out Sonlight's Economics Program. There's much to learn about economic theory and how it applies to our lives!

05/04/2012

Spontaneous Vocabulary Practice

I'm not sure how it began. Suddenly we were spouting every word we could think of that started with the letter b: brains, bed, brix, blunderbuss, backwards, ballerina, bellicose, buffoon, bin, bobbin, birch...

Yes, we're nerds. But we were having a blast.

...bark, bit, byte, ballroom, burst, boink, bellboy, bell bottoms, bath, blustery, blue...

I know some people play games in groups where they go around a circle with a poem that terminates with an opportunity to enter an adjective. If you can't come up with one in rhythm, you're out: "Schrodinger's cat is a __________ cat." Or, have you ever played Scattergories? Brilliant!

...besmirch, beeswax, bigot, birth, biplane, bisect, beige, banister, benign, buck, black...

Games like these are not just fun. They challenge your recall and creativity. They allow us to bounce off the ideas of another. They also introduce us to words we didn't know before.

...bask, band-aid, brand, burnt, belie, busk, bob, bow, bough, beau, built...

As we played, I realized there was something that bound us together: It was our common love of books.

...bouquet, bank, banquet, bellows, best, bland, blister, bedfellows, botox, bug, bishop...

Reading good literature, I've been told, is one of the most effective ways of improving your vocabulary. And reading is fun, so it's a double win. One of the things I dislike about "educational games" is that the game itself rarely is actually, truly enjoyable. It's just slightly less wearisome than flat out repetition and memorization, so we put up with it. The simple ability to enjoy reveling in creative use of a skill? That I like much better.

...borked, beautiful, bigamy, blasphemy, beneath, betwixt, bend, billfold, bygone, botany, Bishkek...

This morning I watched Why Math Instruction Is Unnecessary (one of today's Other Posts of Note). The conclusion John Bennett reaches sounds familiar: Let's focus students' advanced study on games which develop their mental abilities.

What games and activities do your children spontaneously engage in that reinforce what they have learned?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

P.S. While writing this up, I was reminded of my post on poetry. Give it a read if you're feeling brave.

...bear, blunt, bake, bodacious, bulwark, boulder, body, bovine, billiard, burka, bunt...

05/01/2012

Watering Trees: The Process of Growth

The ground guzzles the water as I douse our recently planted trees.

Puddles slowly gather at the base of each sapling. My mind drifts.

'It takes time for these things to grow. A little water every day. Sunshine. Good soil. We can't expect fruit for a few more years.'

And it hits me: Education is much the same way. Regular exposure. Time. Good materials. And it takes a while for the fruit of our labor to show up.

Watered Trees

So, hang in there.

What leaves, buds, flowers, or fruit have you seen in your homeschool recently?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

04/30/2012

Reminder: Time Payments Don't End Today

The 9-month Time Payment option is usually only available in April. I've heard from several people who are scrambling to order by midnight!

And that's fine <smile>.

But if you're stressing out because you want to take advantage of a fee-free payment plan that allows you to spread the cost of your order over 9-months, don't worry. This year we're giving you an extra month to decide which curriculum will best fit your family. We are offering the 9-month Time Payment option through the end of May.

Need help choosing your homeschool curriculum? Have questions about which package will be right for your family? Do you have a complex situation that doesn't fit "normal" parameters? Please chat with a Sonlight Curriculum Advisor!

And, by all means, order today! Once we reach the busy season, it can take up to 10 business days to get your order out the door. If you order now, we'll get it shipped in just a few days. And be sure to take advantage of the Time Payment option that best fits your needs.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

04/27/2012

How to Improve

I've been thinking a lot about practice since Wednesday, when I encouraged you to praise practice. And while it's true that the way to learn good writing is to read and mimic good writing, this approach works for a great many other disciplines as well.

For example, FreddieW (an incredibly popular YouTuber) highly recommends that you keep creating stuff and practice by copying stuff other people have done. Brandon (Freddie's "partner in crime") also notes that people get hung up trying to make one epic movie, when it's far better to focus on producing a bunch of little projects (check out his reasons why in the same video at 6:28).

In other words: The way to improve is to keep practicing while observing that which is good. Don't let yourself get overwhelmed by trying to be too perfect or too impressive.

Put another way: Stay humble.

We hinder our ability to learn and grow when we feel like we have to master something before we can try it out.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

Tamp: pack tightly into a space

Brought to you by Staci Eastin

04/25/2012

Praising Practice

My dad has often reminded me that an essay is literally a "try" or attempt. Paul Graham's essay on Essays makes much the same point. Writing, then, should often be viewed more as an attempt at getting better, rather than the culmination of all literary masterpieces.

This was the general view we had when on the swim team as well: Were your times improving? That's all that really matters. The blue ribbons are fun... for a while. But the real measure is how your efforts are paying off in improvement.

I think this idea should be applied to most development and learning. We're not trying to "arrive" at some destination--especially since there isn't much of a destination at which to arrive; the goal of getting a diploma or a doctorate never really grabbed me. There's always more to learn.

Must be my embrace of life-long learning...

Earlier this week, I read Daphne Gray's advice that we find people who will praise and applaud us--even if we don't necessarily deserve it. I was immediately reminded of the classroom when she said described the toxic environment of groups built around criticism. The marks on tests and papers were never about praise. They were about seeing how well (or poorly) you measured up.

Homeschooling allows us to take the opposite approach: We can praise and applaud. These exercises and assignments are not the finished product. These moments are practice. And as long as we are steadily--however slowly--improving, that's all that really matters.

If you haven't yet, I recommend you read Daphne's Writing Lesson from Toastmasters. And then praise your children for the work they've accomplished.

And if you're not very good at applauding, you could at lease give it a try <smile>.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

Bucketsful: how much a bucket would hold; a large amount

Brought to you by Daphne Gray-Grant

P.S. I've never been into diagramming sentences, but this little website will diagram a sentence for you. Kinda cool.
Hat Tip
Henry Cate

04/23/2012

What Horror Flicks Reveal About Literature

I'm not a fan of the horror genre. I find horror films tend to center somewhere between the lame and the ludicrous. And I'm not fond of gore. But the good thrillers have one thing in common: They let your mind do the work. They don't show you the moment. They let you experience that in your head. And scenes are far more terrifying for it.

I was reminded of this phenomenon when I read books vs 'visuals' (one of today's Other Posts of Note): "Students are appallingly jaded when it comes to visuals... What does haunt them is in the books."

Granted, if your kid spends less than the average of 30 hours a week in front of the tube, visuals may still pack a punch. But even if seeing something can give you a nightmare, I still contend that great literature sticks better. Television, I've been told, is a passive activity. Reading--and, I'm guessing, being read to--requires much more of your mind. You are more invested because your mind does the work.

The Worlds Inside Books

Don't get me wrong: I love movies. But there's something fantastic about using books to learn. This powerful advantage is at the heart of Sonlight's approach to education... a model that has taken the homeschooling world by storm. Engaging books are the foundation of literature-based homeschool curriculum.

Horror movies are often ridiculous, but they remind us that letting our minds take part in the creation of a moment puts us there in ways pictures do not.

So, as you look toward the summer and finish out this school year, remember that literature sticks.

What moments have recently been stuck in your mind since reading about them?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

04/18/2012

9-Month Fee-Free Time Payment Option Available Through May

This year, we are offering our 9-month Time Payment option--usually only available in April--through the end of May. By taking advantage of this opportunity, you can spread the cost of your new homeschool curriculum over the next nine months... at no extra charge!

Time Payments are an excellent way to make your homeschool curriculum fit your budget. Rather than having to pay one large lump sum, you can take three, six, or nine months to pay. We are extending the 9-month option because we want to make sure you have an opportunity to take advantage of this while you consider all the 3-week samples we are rolling out.

Some people break up their orders into smaller parts to better fit their budget. But by doing so, they do not receive the amazing benefits of buying an entire package, such as free shipping, 10% off, and an unmatched guarantee. With our fee-free time payment options, you don't have to go to this trouble. At no extra cost, you can spread your year-long investment over 3, 6, or 9 months. And this year, you have through May to take advantage of the 9-month time payment option.

Enjoy!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

04/16/2012

Homeschoolers and the Popular Kids

I really like Paul Graham's essay on Why Nerds are Unpopular. I think it's spot on. But a mere two paragraphs into Matt's post comparing church and junior high a thought struck me: Who are the "popular" kids? Or, put another way, "I don't think the popular kids are very popular."

We all know who the popular kids are. We may be able to name them, even after all these years. It's possible we could tell you, in painful detail, how they helped make our lives miserable--assuming we were important enough to be a target.

Important. Target.

Those two words connected in my mind: The popular kids, for all their "popularity," were wildly disliked by the majority of students I knew. In other words: The "popular" kids were severely unpopular. They were important enough to be targets. The same thing happens with celebrities; the tabloid industry is built on such things.

Unpopular

Me? I was popular in high school after I got out of my awkward stage. I was good at sports, but sports no one cares about like swimming and cross country. I wasn't unattractive, but my wife says I have much improved since those days. I took advanced classes with other kids interested in winning the grade game. I ate lunch with a group of students who preferred sitting on the floor to the cafeteria tables. We were popular because we liked each other. And our relatively small group was larger than that of the "popular" entourage.

I'd be interested in hearing from a popular kid. What was life like as the alpha? I doubt it was fun.

Far better to realize that the friends you have are what make you truly popular. And even there, the numbers aren't what matter. Do you have people who love you and encourage you to become the person you should be? That's what matters. That matters far more than how many people despise you for being good at everything and looking good while doing it.

Homeschooling allows our kids to not have to worry about being popular at school. Instead, we can focus on loving our children and encouraging them to become the people they should be. And, don't worry: There are still plenty of opportunities for them to learn how to navigate the petty worlds of cliques and circles in sports and church and band and the rest of life.

But with the lengthy reprieve not offered their friends in school, may our homeschooled children recognize the truth of popularity and make better, stronger friends for it.

How popular where the popular kids you knew in school?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

04/13/2012

That Sinking Feeling and Flying Reindeer

My best friend, and excellent source for all things newsworthy, asked me, "Did you hear about all the people on Twitter who didn't know the Titanic was real?"

I hadn't. If you can handle a rant about how people are imbeciles, swing by the Gizmodo article. Otherwise, I'll summarize: At least 12 people recently discovered that the Titanic isn't just a movie.

Heh.

But even while I smile, smug in my superior grasp of the situation, I have a sinking feeling. Because, not nearly enough years ago, I didn't know reindeer were real.

Don't freak out. It was more than a decade ago. But I distinctly remember when that bit of information finally sunk in. I felt much the same then as I did when I found another gaping hole in my education. I simply hadn't considered reindeer because, in my experience, they flew... meaning, they weren't real. I hadn't seen a reindeer. I hadn't heard a credible story involving reindeer. And so I was ignorant until I encountered a story of someone who dealt with reindeer on a regular basis.

So, I'll say it again: The stuff you know is important, to be sure, but the ability to learn is ever so much more essential.

Will your children have gaps in their education? Yes. Absolutely. And that's okay.

It's tempting, when we hear that people are ignorant of basic knowledge, to decry our educational system, bemoan the youth of today, give up hope for humanity, and a great many other dramatic things. But, really, this should:

Inspire us to learn more by reminding us that we, too, were once ignorant.
Encourage us in our homeschooling journey as there is always more to learn--even if "everyone else" knew it before us.
Give us humility in the realization that a personal encounter is often needed to make something real.

And, sure, this also adds one more log to the fire of "first remove the plank from your eye" when people suggest homeschoolers need more oversight.

What do you think of people not knowing basic facts everyone "should know"?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

P.S. Not on topic, per se, but I really like this idea of things not being real until you encounter them. Reminds me of people who hear about Jesus, but it doesn't matter until they encounter Him.

04/11/2012

1,000 Reasons to Feel Like a Failure

The bluish hue from his monitor provides but a splash of illumination. He's hunkered down in his chair, looking for inspiration. He doesn't find any. Rather, as he flips through pages of material, he becomes more and more discouraged. He isn't nearly that put together. He doesn't provide that much value. His efforts pale in comparison. Eventually, he gives up in disgust. Why bother?

If that young man wasn't me, I'd tell him that his inputs and work is valuable. I'd remind him that he has a unique story and perspective to share. His work is meaningful because he's honing his skills and learning to help those around him. This is a process, and he's getting better.

Sadly, it is me.

While I don't use Pinterest, I can relate to the overwhelmed feeling of finding 1,000 reasons why I'm failing at all things domestic... minus the domestic part. I don't much try in that department. But the feelings spill over into my blogging and spiritual life, my hobbies and work, my relationships and marriage. It's so easy to become discouraged when I compare myself to others.

Hat Tip
Adina

The funny thing about this is that the reason we do the comparing is because we're concerned about others. We want to provide our family with more color and interest. We want to be a better spouse. We long to love our friends--and enemies--better. We're not doing this for ourselves!

If this was just about me, I'd be content. I'd move at my own pace and do the things that interest me. But there are people out there whom I hope to bless, to build up, to spur on to bigger and better things. They are the people I feel I'm letting down by not being enough.

But as April reminds us in her post: Your children want you. See, becoming a better person and developing skills is great, but what I need to somehow understand is that the people I so often try to do things for care more about being with me.

I don't understand it. But I can see it in action with how I feel about my friends and family. And April describes this desire to be with the people we love beautifully when she talks about her mom in the post.

By all means, get encouragement and ideas from blogs and forums and friends and the creative spaces on the internet. But when you start to feel like failure, go give your family a hug and spend some time with them.

You ever get overwhelmed by all the amazing things you can find on the internet?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

04/09/2012

Suddenly It All Seems Worth It

Every once in a while I swing by the Sonlight^® Moments forum for some encouragement. My car failed to start this morning, so encouragement was much needed! And I found just that in "Reading before breakfast."

Are things a tad busy in your neck of the woods? Life a little out of sorts? Things not going perfectly well? May I encourage you to get a little boost by reading some great reminders of the joys and benefits of homeschooling. If you're feeling a little overwhelmed or something has you down, go read a couple Sonlight Moments. They cheer me up, and I'm hoping they'll encourage you as well.

And if you have a Sonlight Moment, please share!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

04/06/2012

It's a Good Friday

If you follow my Other Posts of Note, you may have already seen the Sunday's Coming video. And, as I was reminded again this morning: Good Friday is only good in retrospect.

This week has been long and difficult. But today, here at the end of the work week, things seem to have finally started to slow down. The website cart appears fairly stable. The new homeschool curriculum is available. We've posted most of the 3-Week Samples. And aside from a couple of feature requests and mild tweaks, Sonia is working great!

But all that--the ups and the downs--pales in comparison to the reminder of what today is. Today is Good Friday, and Sunday is Easter. On the one hand, I'm a little bummed more people don't produce Easter Albums like they do for Christmas. I'm a little bothered that we don't have more songs relating to this incredibly important holiday. I sometimes wonder why this isn't an official holiday.

...on the other hand, this is a good thing: We haven't commercialized this one. The somber reminders and the holy joy we experience hasn't been overshadowed by ritual, routine, and self-focus. This isn't about us. This is about what Christ has done because of His great love for us. We're in the picture, to be sure, but our eyes are still drawn to Christ on the cross and the empty tomb we celebrate on Sunday.

This is a good Friday, even if we do end up with more technical glitches. This is a Good Friday because of what Christ has done!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

04/03/2012

Samples, Carts, and Logins

To say that today was disappointing to me would be... well... rather right on the money.

The 3-Week Samples we planned to have ready weren't (though, I should be able to get them up early tomorrow morning). The website Cart feature was overwhelmed and kept crashing. And that meant logging in was sparse and erratic, not to mention frustrating. On top of that, after we had everything live, we discovered new pricing anomalies that had not surfaced in our testing environment. In trying to debug those issues--so prices are correct and consistent as you browse the site--we ended up breaking the Add to Cart functionality entirely.

This on top of the normal product bits and pieces we regularly encounter when we update the site each year. (Thank you for bringing some of these issues to our attention!)

So... why? Why were there so many problems?

I don't have a complete picture. But two contributing factors of which I am aware are:

1. More, different, better discounts. This year we increase the package discounts on both Core and Multi-Subject Packages. We did many things to keep the price low, even as we added books and incorporated Bible and Language Arts. But these changes required significant tweaks to how the website calculates and handles numbers... leading, in part, to the pricing inconsistencies.

2. Massive updates. If you've been following along as we've unveiled everything we're doing this year, you are well aware of the many things that are new and updated. With these massive revisions, we haven't had a single spare moment to carefully prepare samples. We're too busy getting it all ready to send to you!

But, yeah, who cares about excuses? Of course there are reasons! The reality remains: Today did not go as I would have liked.

Thank you for your patience and continued prayers. Rarely do we do things "small" around here. We are constantly pushing ourselves beyond our comfort zone to bring you excellent materials for your homeschool.

...now, if only we could figure out how to let you buy the stuff...

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

04/02/2012

And We're Live!

The 2012 website is now live. Please swing by sonlight.com to see all the latest in homeschool curriculum, and check out the new Sonia functionality built right into the site!

Find any bugs, issues, problems? Please let me know.

Thanks. And, enjoy! <smile>

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

03/30/2012

What to Expect on April 2

We will turn off the shopping cart portion of the website at 12:01am Monday morning.¹ ...so if you want to get the 2011 edition of anything, you'll need to go purchase it before then <smile>.

Sometime around 10am, the entire Sonlight website will be taken offline so we can start updating everything. I expect this blog and the forums will remain online throughout that process. If not, our Facebook and YouTube pages will still be there for you.

We hope to have everything ready to go by 4pm Monday afternoon.

Please pray for us while we update. We're dealing with technology, so there are more than three things that could go wrong <smile>.

Thank you for being part of the Sonlight community! I look forward to celebrating the launch of the new Catalog season with you on Monday afternoon.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

1. This is, of course, based on our frame of reference. If you want to know what time our office is experiencing compared to your frame of reference, swing by the contact us page and click one of the Live Chat or Phone tabs to see our current time.

03/28/2012

Looking Forward to April 2

I've mentioned a few times that we have some cool updates coming to the website. We're just days away from launching--April 2--and so we're winding up these projects. Some things for you to look forward to:

Faster navigation: We're calling it "supernav" here. All the major categories and sub-categories will be a click away from the navigation bar at the top of the site. This will make it easier to find things and faster to get to the content you want.
Improved booklist and descriptions: Now, instead of five clicks to get to any list, we've cut it down to just two or three. Plus, the page layout is super simplified, focusing only on the information you want.
Sonia will now be integrated into the site: You no longer need to go to a separate page on our website to have Sonia help you. Once you fill in your student's information, she will be able to assist you as you select your curriculum.
Find curriculum for multiple students and groups: One of the really cool things about bringing Sonia into the normal choosing process is that you will now be able to select curriculum for multiple students and groups in the same selection tool. Over the past year, you could select curriculum for one student and then you'd have to start over for the next. I never liked that because it felt disjointed and it was hard to keep track of how much everything cost. This year, your student groups can all be in the same place and you'll get a running total before you add to the cart.

I plan to post a video that will walk you through a few of these changes on Monday.

I realize website updates aren't that exciting. So, what's the thing you are most looking forward to on April 2?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

03/26/2012

Missionaries, Death, and Children

As I read through my Other Posts of Note today, three ideas came together: Abortion, The Hunger Games, and the blessing of children.

One of the horrors of The Hunger Games--which I have not read, but I did see the movie with friends--is the sacrifice of children. What a timely message: Children are desirable!

In fact, in the world portrayed in the movie, the only reason not to have kids is their potential inclusion in this horrible "game." No, it's not poor living conditions, or the uncertainty of having enough, or a desire to make something of oneself before settling down. Those are non-issues. What gives pause to having children is the fear that these kids will one day be sacrificed on the alter of entertainment and totalitarian oppression.

It's the hopeless meaninglessness of it all. That's the paralyzing fear.

But what do we do with totalitarian governments? How should we respond to cruel games that sacrifice their participants? What will we do when faced with a call for self-sacrifice? Are we clever and resourceful in the face of adversity? How will we stand out in this world, so our lives--and our deaths--are not meaningless?

These are questions explored in that story. But they aren't new. In fact, growing up on a steady diet of missionary biographies, my childhood was full of examples of men and women who have done all that and more! My mom has often said that she wants to give us real heroes to look up to. And the books that fill Sonlight's homeschool curriculum do just that.

Who's your favorite hero/heroine you've read about thus far?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

03/23/2012

Has Your Catalog Arrived?

I heard yesterday morning that some people had already received their Sonlight Catalog. That was news to me because I wasn't aware they had started mailing them out yet. But I was pleasantly surprised when I arrived home and saw this:

2012 Sonlight Catalog

So, has yours arrived?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

P.S. I realize that for those of you overseas, it's going to be a while. I'm sorry. We have yet to be able to fold space-time in such a way as to get them to you faster. And, should such technology exist, it would be a while before it would be a cost-effective way of delivering mail...

P.P.S. I don't know how I had missed this until now, but Dune includes the Holzmann effect for folding space. Good times <smile>.

03/21/2012

Sonlight's 2012 Catalog Available Now

If you haven't heard already, you can check out Sonlight's 2012 Catalog in digital format right now! Just remember: If you have an iThing that does not run Flash, you will want to download the .pdf version.

Also, we've released more information about what's new with Sonlight's Language Arts this year. So be sure to check that out if you haven't had a chance to yet.

Enjoy!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

03/19/2012

The Best Students: On Lectures and Learning

I was one of the really good students in school. I paid attention. I wasn't disruptive (much). I answered and asked questions. I turned in my homework. I tested just fine. I also sat in the front when I wasn't assigned a seat in the back.

I was one of the best students in my class. This was proved by my grades, the ways my teachers interacted with me, and the fact that I graduated Valedictorian <cough>.

Over the weekend, I had the opportunity to attend a meeting with other people in the area who are interested in using social media for business. As people filed in, I realized I could probably guess who was successful in school. They would be the people who paid attention, weren't disruptive, and answered and asked questions.

That morning there were about 60 people in attendance. Only a handful made it onto my "best students" list.

And yet... the rest of the group was obviously there for a reason. Muffins and coffee are hardly motivation to get up early on a weekend and sit in an "interactive lecture" for a couple of hours.

It struck me that the classroom model rewards only a few students based (largely?) on their personality and their ability/willingness to jump through hoops. But many of my friends don't fit into this "best student" model. They are brilliant, wonderful people, but they don't match the specific requirements to be one of the top students. And the majority of the business people sitting in the room with me were also, I'm guessing, not great students. And yet, here they are, on the cutting edge of technology working for themselves or in a field they love.

With homeschooling, as we study and read and discuss and learn together, the question of "who are the best students?" rightly fades into the background. That almost meaningless comparison is overshadowed by a question: What does this student need to be successful?

Notice the shift in focus? One is about how the student fits the educational model, the other asks how the model can best benefit the student.

Homeschooling is an excellent educational option because it allows us to focus on the needs and strengths of the student. And that is much more important than figuring out who should get a piece of paper with "Valedictorian" stamped on it.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

03/16/2012

Missions, Productivity, and Homeschooling

Sonlight is committed to missions. Missions is also something that permeates our homeschool curriculum. And I was pleased to be reminded this morning that St. Patrick was a missionary to Ireland. It's good to be reminded of heroes of the faith. And if wearing green gives us another reason to remember the goodness of God, to pray for our brothers and sisters serving the unreached, and to spur us on to share the love of God with those around us... sign me up <smile>.

I was also encouraged to read an article on how productivity is highest if you limit the hours worked. This absolutely applies to homeschooling. We don't have to spend a certain number of hours with our seats in a seat to get our schooling done. Rather, we are rewarded for working efficiently and well. While "some people think being busy, or even simply present, equals productivity," we as homeschoolers can focus on "achieving results. Period."

If you're interested in seeing other things that make me smile or make me think, check out some of my Other Posts of Note from this week.

Have you been feeling particularly productive or missions-minded lately?

(It's okay if you haven't.)

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

03/12/2012

Socialization: A Reason to Stay Home

I've blogged about this before: I was lonely in public school. And I'm not the only one.

It's Sunday morning. We're sitting in the foyer, waiting for the service to start. She plunks down next to me, an incredibly articulate little girl we've known for years. "How's school going?" I ask.

"Not good."

"Really? Why?"

"I don't have any friends. All the kids pick on me. They say they're smarter than me. They say I'm stupid."

Her mom sits in a chair well within earshot, but I can't tell if she's listening. I know this family used to homeschool, but they don't anymore. Again, I wonder why. Was it because of the curriculum they were using? Did life get too busy? Are they pursuing other dreams? ...and, in the back of my mind, I wonder if things would have been different if they had used Sonlight's homeschool curriculum instead.

"That's not very nice," I offer. "And don't listen to them. Kids can just be mean sometimes. Maybe you'll make some new friends."

"But the school year's almost over."

"Maybe next year, then," I'm grasping at straws here.

"No," her downcast face becomes even more rueful. "The same kids will be there next year."

Again, I have no idea why this family choose to quit homeschooling. I've chatted with one of their other daughters recently, and--at the time--she was loving her new school. I am not in any way saying homeschooling is the only option. I'm not saying--though, I wish I could--that Sonlight would have solved their problems. But I am saying, again, that "real school" does not socialize children and that "socialization" is not a unique concern for homeschoolers.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

P.S. I can't guarantee that Sonlight will fix all your homeschooling issues, but I can guarantee that you will love using Sonlight.

03/09/2012

Behind the Scenes: What's New Videos 2012

Many homeschoolers like to give glimpses into what curriculum they're using in the coming year. For media people--like me--it's similarly interesting to know what kind of equipment people are using to do their stuff.

Almost two months ago I posted a picture of my filming location in Sonlight's back warehouse. It's the best place we've got because I could take up 300 square feet of space without getting in too many people's way. It's not the most ideal filmming location, however, because we had to work around the noise of people... well... working.

Just this morning, we were back there again, grabbing a wild line for the video coming out on Wednesday.

How did I use all the space? Well, as pictured below, I had my subject sit twenty feet in front of the bookcases. Then, I placed my camera another ten feet in front of them. This let me zoom in on the subject's face, while throwing the bookcases out of focus behind them. I didn't like how everything was all on the same "plane" in the 2011 What's New video. So assembling my own set was a big priority for me this year.

300 Square Feet

I used four lights on set. One had barn doors to cast a diagonal beam of light across the bookcase in the background for interest. Then I used two soft boxes to adjust the amount of shadow cast on my subject's faces (trying to have slightly harder shadows on the guys). Then, I put one last light about ten feet behind my subjects to illuminate the edge of their hair and give more separation from the background.

For audio, I used a shotgun microphone pointed up at them from the floor. In the past, I've used a lapel mic, but I like the sound I get from a directional microphone in noisy locations, and it's easier to have a microphone in front of the person rather than on their body.

I shoot 1080i HDV, edit in Vegas Movie Studio HD (about $80 for the older version I have), and clean up the sound in Audacity (free). I render it out as a 1080p .mwv and upload to Sonlight's YouTube channel.

Works pretty well, and I'm very happy with the results.

If you have somehow missed the 2012 What's New videos, check them out. If you, or your children, have any other questions about this production, please ask!

And if your kids are interested in learning how to make media, have them swing by Digital Flatline on the Sonlight student forums. I'm there, ready to answer questions about their media productions.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

03/06/2012

Life-Long Learning: Website Tabs

I've long known that Sonlight's site uses Tabs to make information a little more manageable. You can quickly switch to Samples, or Resources, or Included Items (with a link to the Booklist) with the tabs. But I hadn't had to create any before.

Until today when I got to help toss some together.

Swing by the What's New page to see the new tabs, new video, and a little more information about what's coming your way April 2, 2012!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

03/05/2012

How Many Hours a Day Do You Spend on School?

Way back in the day, my siblings and I were done with school by 10am or noon, at the latest. I guess, technically, we also had some school as bedtime stories... but the fantastic books didn't feel like school. In fact, few things felt "like school" to me back then.

Then came Algebra 1/2. But that's a different story. Spelling wasn't much fun either. Thankfully, if we worked hard, we could move on quickly.

As we grew older, school started to take up more of the day. (Looking for estimates of how much time a day each Sonlight Core takes to complete?) We still had plenty of time to pursue our interests, be in sports, perform in a band, go to Awana, and play with friends. I think I developed this idea that things didn't take much time.

Even at the start of film school, I would imagine that a movie trailer was for a film already completed. That's why it would make no sense to me when the final film didn't include one of my favorite lines from the trailer. Even as I worked on my own student productions and educational DVDs (Discover & Do and MathTacular), I still clung to this idea that movies were done by the time they stared talking about them.

But that is clearly not the case.

They are already talking about The Hobbit, and have been for some time now. And I clearly remember what Peter Jackson said on one of the Behind the Scenes clips for Lord of the Rings. A fan came up to him opening night and said, "I hope I like this movie!" Jackson replied, "Me too!" He hadn't seen it all the way through yet!

Crazy.

But it now makes more sense. First, stuff takes an incredible amount of time to do. Even homeschooling--for all it's efficiency--still takes some years to complete <smile>. And second, as a production company, why sit on something for months and years when you could have it in people's hands? So you start working with a deadline. And you go for it.

Cool stuff coming with the website. Is it done? ...not yet. But it's getting there. We're four weeks out, and I'll give you two tidbits:

If you want to use Sonia, she'll be integrated into the website.
You'll be able to select packages for multiple students and group your children on the site.

I can't express how much work we have poured into those two massive updates, but I am really excited to share them with you come April 2. We still have a ways to go, but we're plugging along as our deadline approaches.

How's your school year going? Are you on schedule? Rocketing ahead? Enjoying the flexibility and efficiency of your homeschool day?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

03/02/2012

Change Isn't Easy

YouTube recently changed their channel design. Facebook will be changing the layout for companies later this month. And we've got some pretty big updates going live on April 2.

Adjusting to changes made by others can be difficult and exciting. I've experienced both while tweaking our social media spaces to make them work with the updates. Some things really don't make sense to me and ruffle my feathers (and I've sent feedback on several occasions). Other aspects of the updates are long-awaited features that offer huge benefits. And for many of the changes, the outcome remains to be seen.

But there's another side of the change equation, and that's the side I'm on with Sonlight's updates. I'm one of the people working on making these things happen. Especially for things like the website, I am heavily involved in the decision making process, as well as getting stuff implemented. There is a ton of work that goes into the updates each year, and that means that the changes aren't easy.

As we look to the web updates come April 2, I'm curious: What was the most frustrating part of browsing Sonlight's website for you last year? We have some stuff I'm super excited to bring you, but I also want to make sure we're thinking about the little things that weren't as helpful as you'd like them to be. So... if you could change one thing about your experience on sonlight.com... what would it be? The more specific you can be, the better. I'd also love any ideas you have for how we could resolve the issue.

For example, a few months ago we got some feedback about an extra click we had programmed into the website. I had a very good reason for including it, but after seeing how it affected you, I realized that reducing that one click was well worth removing the feature I liked. So we updated it.

Any tweaks you'd like to suggest?

And if you can't think of one right now, that's fine. Just keep in mind that we absolutely read and consider all the feedback we get from you while you browse the website. Just look for this little guy in the sidebar:

What Bugs You? Bug

I'm looking forward to continuing to share with you all the stuff we're bringing you in 2012. Thanks for being part of these updates!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

02/29/2012

Reminder: Confidence, a Homeschool Benefit

I was reading Billy Coffey's Internet Validation post and I started tearing up. A new fad, it seems, is that girls are posting videos of themselves asking if they are pretty. The comments, in typical YouTube fashion, are brutal, mean, insipid, less-than-helpful, or kinda creepy if encouraging. [NB: Please heed the content warning on xkcd's site if you decide to browse more comics.]

Maybe it's the fact that I have sisters. Or maybe it's all the kids who hang out with me and Brittany. Or the girls in our Sunday School class. Whatever it is, how young ladies feel about themselves is important to me, so this struck a raw nerve.

And I was reminded of one of the biggest benefits of homeschooling: Confidence.

There will be plenty of time in life to "learn your place," and realize that "you're not all that," and to get an unhealthy dose of "reality" in the years to come. For now, while your children are figuring out who they are, I say the more confidence, the better! Squeeze your kids today and remind them that they work hard, are beautiful, important, and can do great things for God and men!

And if you haven't read Kate Fridkis' post I used to be the prettiest girl in the world, you should. And if you have read it, it's well worth reading again.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

P.S. Have you seen what's new in 2012? I'm pretty excited about the latest updates to Sonlight. Check 'em out!

P.P.S. Happy Leap Day!

02/27/2012

Sonlight 2012 Catalog Bluelines

The Catalog is a Big Project

Have you requested your copy of the 2012 Sonlight Catalog? You'll be able to learn more about the updates coming your way this year. But you don't have to wait until your catalog arrives to get a few details. More to come later this week <smile>.

Tim's Hiding Something

And no, it's not Wayne (he's the glasses barely sticking out the left of the page there). We've just been keeping the news under wraps... but it's coming!

Linda & Sarita Take One Last Look before the Catalog goes to print

Stay tuned.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

02/24/2012

Discerning Truth

A couple weeks ago, you had the opportunity to take a Civic Literacy Exam. Ready for a Science Quiz?

What caught my eye with this test is that it indirectly claimed to answer the question "do you have the facts to back up your opinion [on global warming, evolution, embryonic stem cells, and the politicized nature of scientific research]?"

Apparently, I do ...78% of the time (after taking the test once, I now know everything I need to). So what kind of knowledge do you need to have an appropriate opinion on these topics? You need to be able to recognize things like:

Earth's most common atmospheric gas
Elements based off their atomic number
Various abbreviations or their term
Several Greek words or other definitions
A couple compounds or their reactions
The most basic commonly accepted answers for the age of things
Some units of measure
A couple equations
The topics certain scientists worked on
Various "Trivial Pursuit" tidbits about astronomy or other areas of study
One or two physics equations
A few other words and ideas

The thing that leapt off the screen and smacked me across the face is this: None of this information has much of anything to do with anyone's opinion about climate change, evolution education, stem-cell research, or science funding. Being able to properly match/guess the answers to any of the questions in no way helps you be able to discern the truth in these areas. As if amassing a certain number of accepted facts and ideas suddenly made us worthy of seeing clearly!

I get the idea in the background: Don't talk about stuff you don't know anything about. But the magnitude of disconnect between the questions on the test and the issues at hand completely distracts from that legitimate point.

So how do we discern truth about these (and many other) issues? I'll offer my suggestion, but I look forward to your insights as well:

Learn more. Often contested ideas are complex issues.

Look at both sides of the argument. Try to get to the foundational issues/questions. I've found that many of these boil down to a couple core elements and either have little to do with each other, or are the outcome of wildly divergent presuppositions.
Follow the money/power. Funding and fear drive a great many things, often unintentionally. What is gained or lost if one side "wins" or "loses"?
Check the "fruit." Jesus was pretty clear that good comes out of good people, so I assume that ideas work the same way. But to check the fruit, you'll probably have to learn more by going back to points 1 and 2...

How do you teach your children to discern truth?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

02/20/2012

Homeschool Advantage: A Clearer Picture of Your Kids

Kids go through a lot, especially as they get older. I've witnessed my fair share of breakups and breakdowns in the small group of kids I have the privilege of knowing. It's rarely pretty. It's often messy. Worse, there comes a point where there is no "win" situation. Rather, there is but the path you should walk and the path you could stay on... which both look rather bleak.

In those times, it's me they come to. Not their parents. They wouldn't even think of telling their parents!

And part of that is, I'm pretty sure, a natural consequence of being a parent. I know my mom and dad always told me that I could come talk to them about anything, but there were things I decided not to share with them. It was more comfortable to confide in a more removed, third-party. But even though my parents didn't know everything going on in my life, they had a pretty clear picture of what I was going through.

The parents of the school children I know are far less in touch.

How could they be? Their kids are gone for the majority of the day. There are also other engagements. And it's often the case that the parents work, further distancing both parties.

As homeschoolers, we spend a ton of time together. Even without snooping, we can get a sense of what's going on. And the close proximity and general availability give us many opportunities to check in and see what's up. Also, because we're there, learning together, discussion and questions are already part of the relationship.

Do you have any tips for staying connected with your kids, whether while homeschooling or after they've "left the nest"?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

02/17/2012

God Uses All Types

It amazes me that God chooses to work through people (even those who don't acknowledge Him [Isaiah 45, especially v.4]). I saw this theme show up again and again in your blog posts this week. For example, check out this list of potential leaders that includes incredibly unsavory characters. And, again, with a nice encouraging reminder that you can homeschool. But the last post I read this week was a long and detailed review of the movie Courageous.

I haven't seen the movie. But based on my reaction to the one film by this group that I have seen, I'm guessing the comments are spot on. Plus, I've chatted with a few others who have seen the movie and had similar reactions.

But there's another side to this: God uses these movies to positively impact people.

As a filmmaker, that blows me away. Almost everything about these flicks is terrible. And yet God can use even them to change lives for the better.

What do I take from that?

A humbling reminder that God uses me as well.

God can (and does) use you too. Have you seen surprising examples of that lately?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

02/15/2012

What's in a Name?

We sit on the floor. The conversation wanders lazily as she shares her story. One parent had been interested in homeschooling, the other wasn't willing to risk it. "Mama once got an email signed by Sarita. It came on her birthday right after my grandma died."

Her huge eyes, so akin to the anime she loves, begin to mist with tears. "It meant so much to her. I realize you probably don't know Sarita, but just the fact that you work at Sonlight means a lot to my mom."

"You know who Sarita is, right?" Inwardly, I'm giddy with the news I'm about to drop on her. "Sarita is my mom."

Instantly we have a bond, a connection, a point of reference that links this girl, her mom, and me. The other terms we've used--homeschooler, Christian, friend--none have sparked anything close to light that my family's name ignited.

Names allow us to connect. We like our labels, our terms, our groups. We also use names to create stereotypes. Depending on your affiliations, terms like homeschooler, Catholic, liberal, stay at home mom, modesty, and anti-vax conjure very different images. I think this is the foundation for the recent "What I Really Do" meme.

So what's in a name?

The opportunity to connect or distance yourself. Be it the Hatfields and the McCoys, the Capulets and Montagues, an alien "Bugger" race, or even the defense of one's name presented in The Crucible, which side you're on and what the other side thinks can have devastating results. That's why I appreciate Sonlight's commitment to helping you see all sides of an issue. When we better understand, we can connect and communicate even if we disagree.

And it's possible that when Brittany and I finally get to meet this girl's mom, she may decide we're not her favorite people. But, with the connection that we have and the opportunity to see her side of things, I think we'll be able to get along.

Do homeschoolers have a good name in your area? Are there any groups you're a part of that have a name from which you wish you could distance yourself?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

P.S. If you're interested in seeing what some homeschoolers really do, check out the 2012 Sonlight Scholarship Winners.

02/13/2012

The Skill You Need vs the Stuff You Know

I've already shared about not knowing what a mandible is. I've said that you don't need to mind the gaps. I've even questioned the purpose of tests. So I wondered this morning: What difference does it make if your child can't finish the sentence, "Mary had a little ____?"

Sure, this is basic stuff. But so are John 3:16, the definitions of "trial," the number of laps that make up a mile (swimming and running), the conversion from Fahrenheit to Celsius, as well as the difference between the Mean, Median, and Mode... to name a few. In fact, libraries are packed with knowledge I haven't learned in my limited time.

So how do we determine "Core Knowledge?" What kinds of things will we decide belong on National Standards? What points of data are we certain everyone should know (and for how long)?

The answers to such questions are as interesting as they are important.

I focus on something else entirely. Rather than think about all the stuff I know, I prefer to focus on a much more important skill: learning. If I enjoy and am able to learn, I'll pick up the stuff I need to know. If I can make connections between the things I'm able to recall, I can build and grow from those lessons. And if I know where to find information and how to extract and hold on it, I can meet the challenges before me.

The stuff you know is important, to be sure, but the ability to learn is ever so much more essential.

Do you have a story of a time you didn't know something "everyone" knows?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

02/10/2012

Making Stuff Better

How's your week been? Mine's been long.

I've been thinking about, discussing, and working on Sonlight's Core programs, Instructor's Guides, Social Media, the Sonlight® Catalog, website, and more. Sweet updates and improvements are coming.

We just have much work to do to get there.

Please continue to pray for us that we would have wisdom and endurance as we continue to work toward April 2, 2012. Thank you!

What have you been up to?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

02/08/2012

Wordless Wednesday: Reviewing A Document

A Particular Document (guess which)

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

02/07/2012

Meet Your Sonlight Curriculum Consultant

Tonight I have the opportunity to go to dinner with a group of Sonlight moms. They have used Sonlight and love it so much they represent Sonlight at homeschool conventions. If you've ever swung by a Sonlight booth, you've probably met one.

One of the most encouraging things about working at Sonlight is that all of our curriculum Consultants and Advisors are Sonlight moms, like you. They've already walked a mile--or three--in homeschooling shoes, so they have lots of experience to draw upon when they help you on your homeschooling journey.

And it's such a joy to get to hang out with them! So swing by a convention and say, "Hi." I'd get a kick out of it if you'd snap a picture with them as well <smile>.

Speaking of pictures, I'm thrilled every year when I see your picture and testimonial inside the Sonlight® Catalog. It's exciting to be part of a community that all loves learning with the same fantastic books!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

02/06/2012

What Test Results Tell Us

I took a brief American Civic Literacy Exam today. I passed with an 85%. That's not great. But I console myself with the idea that I was answering based off information I learned while homeschooled prior to 9th grade. My college and high school American history classes were terrible; I don't think I learned much of anything in them.

Hat Tip
Susan Critelli

As I read through the questions, I was struck afresh by just how absurd tests like these are. What difference does the name of FDR's government programs make to history?

None.

What matters is what the New Deal tried to solve, how it got enacted, and the outcome thereof. That matters to history. The title not nearly as much (unless you're trying to write a paper on the subject and need to know what to google).

So let's try this: What do test results tell us?

How much the student learned.
How smart the student is.
The student's grasp of the subject matter.
The student's willingness to please.
How well the student can recall/recognize key elements.

Granted, the ability to recall and recognize stuff is tied to your retention of the data... which does relate to learning. So tests are very effective at getting us data on how much a person can regurgitate back to you.

But education should be much more than that. So what if I know what Lincoln and Douglas debated? Doesn't it matter more why they held the positions they did and the outcome of the exchange?

My growing suspicion is that we do not learn from history not merely because we can't recall the titles, names, dates, and other testable material, but we've failed to remember or consider the reasons why things happened as they did. We repeat history because we do not understand what was done before us. And recalling the proper labels for the branches of our government isn't going to help.

That's why I love Sonlight's approach to history. Not only can I recall more about American history than, apparently, the majority of my fellow Americans, but we also spent time talking about what these events mean. It was more than points of data. We studied history in the context of people's lives, seeing how their actions created outcomes.

How'd you do on the test?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

02/03/2012

Education and Engagement

There's a subgroup of educators who firmly believe in the educational power of video games. I've also written about the educational benefits of gaming. So it may well be that games are the future of education.

...but I don't think so. At least, I don't think games should ever become the sole educational platform.

Why?

Because it's engagement with material that powers learning, not some mystical element within games.

True, games can be very engaging. They also include built-in training which moves us gradually into the mechanics of game play. That's a very powerful combination. But there are equally engaging forms of education out there. Literature comes to mind. I'm guessing you can share plenty of stories of times when a book pulled you all into the story. We often begged my parents for "one more chapter."

Even "passive" activities--like watching a movie--can be educational if the content grabs you. I know a ton of stuff because of the documentaries my wife encourages me to watch. And while some educational DVD producers don't get it--opting to merely present the facts on video--I've seen how a carefully crafted, engaging video can help students learn math and science.

And that's not all. Hands-on activities, art projects, immersion learning, and, yes, even flashcards can be engaging and therefore powerful ways to educate.

The future of education should be a variety of approaches that engage us ...be that games, literature, hands-on activities, special interest groups, videos, or otherwise. I love how, as homeschoolers, we can take advantage of whichever methods fit our family.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

01/31/2012

Fun Inspiration: Optical Illusion

My brother-in-law sent me a link to this optical illusion wherein you shake you head to see the image behind the black bars.

Intrigued, I decided to see if I could replicate the effect.

Shake Your Head

Ah-ha!

What's so great about interesting things is that they inspire us. We take an idea and run with it. Had someone told me I had to try this on my own, I wouldn't have been as excited. But just letting me run with my inspiration, I created something fun completely of my own volition.

The same can happen with learning.

Homeschooling gave me tons of time to try my hand at things. I dabbled with audio dramas, computer coding, videos, and the like. My siblings and I built with Legos, blankets and pillows, sticks and stones. We made hardtack and salt dough. We played with cornstarch and water. And we did that all without my mom nudging us to do so.

What's inspired your children lately? And were you able to replicate the optical illusion--assuming, of course, that it inspired you?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

01/30/2012

On the Job Training

As homeschoolers, we have the opportunity to learn right along with our kids. That's a benefit to homeschooling. So it's a little odd to me when people suggest homeschooling falls apart when the student reaches a point in, say, math that the teacher never encountered in school.

We can learn a subject we need to teach.

Granted, we don't have to. There are many resources available to homeschooling parents who don't feel comfortable tackling Calculus, Chemistry, or Cuneiform. And that is yet another benefit of homeschooling: We can reach outside our "district" for resources to better educate our children.

But back to the topic at hand: I don't remember much of anything from my high school Calculus class. But given 10 years of math review and a solid math program, I'm sure I could figure it out with my kid. And there's something fun about figuring it out together. Just this last week, I was helping one of my college friends with Physics. I was the first to realize that the closest the two vehicles would get to each other was the moment before car #2 reached the velocity of car #1.

It was fun!

With homeschooling, we get to learn (and relearn) right along with our children. We get on the job training.

And, really, that's not much different from professional teachers. The best professional educators tend to be the ones who have been doing it for a while. They've had a chance to go through years of on the job training to get to where they are today. And if we, say, start homeschooling when our children are three or four years of age, we'll have plenty of years under our belt by the time they bump into something currently over our heads.

What's something you've enjoyed (re)learning with your children?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

01/27/2012

Transitions Toward Adulthood

I have several friends in their first year of college. To varying degrees, they are all struggling with the tension of becoming an adult while still being under their parents' care. It's an awkward time. I remember my own transition, and even with fantastic parents like mine there were still issues we had to work through.

So now I'm wondering: Are there steps up to this point? Are clothing/hair style choices, learning to ride a bike, piercings, sleeping over at friend's houses, driver's licenses, significant others, curfews, and the like all part of this transition into adulthood? Or is there something different about this particular stage in life?

I'd love to hear your insights!

How did you prepare for or handle the changes? What advice would you give to parents struggling with their children growing up? What do you wish your parents had told you as you grew up? Is there anything you've shared with your own kids that helped them through the tension of wanting to be grown up while still having a long way to go?

Please share, because I'm curious and I'd like to be able to encourage my friends!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

P.S. I had the opportunity to chat with The Sociable Homeschooler this morning. It was fun. Come listen as I ramble about homeschooling, media production, adoption, and more (my bit starts at 15:20).

01/25/2012

A Reason Credentials Shouldn't Concern Homeschoolers

He could have been my older brother; a handsomer,^* smarter, more well-adjusted older brother, to be sure. But he was tall with thick hair, glasses, and a jaw like that of a Grecian statue. His eyes danced merrily as he answered my questions, his attention focused equally on my queries and the chatter around him.

"I teach science at a local school. Well, I teach a good deal more than that because of the district I'm in, but I have a degree in science and environmental studies."

As he talks, I get a vague impression of the conditions of his school: At-risk students, low faculty count, non-engaged parents, budget restrictions. And so this guy, somewhere around my age, is required to teach outside his area of expertise... and he seems to be doing just fine at it.

Teaching Everything

I have another friend who spent her summer preparing to teach 1st and 2nd graders. Two weeks before the start of the year, the school told her she was actually going to be teaching 5th and 6th graders. She had to scramble to try to adjust her lessons to better match her new student group.

Stories like these remind me that, as homeschoolers, we need not be concerned with our lack of teaching credentials. Great teachers all over the nation are put into situations that are beyond their prepared curriculum. They adjust to the demands and needs of the situation. And you, having spent as much time with your children as you have, have a head start in that department. What's more, you have plenty of homeschool curriculum options to teach any subject you may wish to cover. You can be as prepared--if not more so--as the teachers in the schools around you.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

*It's a word. I checked.

01/23/2012

Literature, Language, and Vocabulary

Check out this video. It is well worth your eight minutes. My friends and family laughed incredibly hard when we watched this (several times) over the weekend:

The Three Little Pigs - Shakespeare Style

Hat Tip
Henry Cate

Observations:

Reading great literature expands our vocabulary.
Hearing a story--even with uncommon language--makes it rather easy to follow, no matter if reading the same text produces incomprehensible results.
Creative works inspire.
The more verbose, the faster you must speak for your audience to keep the idea in mind while fixing attention on your masterful use of the English language so exemplified in your presentation. It is little wonder, then, that it so often proves problematic to try to read paragraphs and passages of such poetry and pontification presented within the pages of those long past.

And this is just one more reason why I love Sonlight's Core packages! Not only do we get to read great books with fantastic writing and language, but we are also exposed to more complex works with Read-Alouds. On top of that, Sonlight's Language Arts programs take inspiration from your reading and encourage you to run with it.

Besides, it's American made.

<cough> Watch the video.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

01/20/2012

What Gives a Story Power?

Jesus often taught through parables. Aesop's fables are shared with children around the world. Stories with deeper lessons can be powerful. As a literature-rich educational company, Sonlight relies on this fact.

On the other hand, there are thought-provoking quotes which--in my opinion--are ruined by the stories attached to them. The most recent example for me: "Write your hurts in the sand. Carve your blessings in stone." The story that goes with that quote didn't help. Rather, I felt like it detracted from the power of the idea.

So what makes for a good story? What gives a story power?

Personally, I'd say: Compelling characters facing realistic situations in ways in which I can relate. "Realistic," of course, can span worlds with mythical creatures, indestructible characters, and other elements so far outside of reality that there's nothing "realistic" about them. What I need, instead, is a consistency in that world and connection between this world and the one I'm entering.

The books I had the privilege to enjoy as part of my homeschooling education with Sonlight dripped with a reality that often pointed to a deeper one. The stories were compelling, the characters felt real, and the truths these stories implanted in me stick to this day. The stories included in every Sonlight^® Core program have power behind them.

What do you find gives a story power? Do you have any quotes/ideas that you find compelling apart of the tale associated with them?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

01/18/2012

Great Learning Opportunity Today: Internet Blackout

You may have noticed it already if you frequent a few popular websites, but some of the web has gone dark today. Wikipedia, WordPress, Google are all participating, so it's pretty easy to get access to some information on this topic. But let me sum up: People are concerned that the "Stop Online Piracy Act" (SOPA) and the "Protect IP Act" (PIPA) will actually shut down websites like YouTube, WordPress, Forums... basically, anywhere people create and share content.

Censored

I'm interested in SOPA and PIPA as a blogger, filmmaker, and web user. In fact, you may have noticed a few posts about it show up in my Other Posts of Note. But as I poked around the information made readily available today, I realized that this is an excellent learning opportunity for you and your family. Today offers a great opportunity to discuss:

The internet
Piracy
Intellectual Property
Government representatives
Our legal system: laws/bills/voting/petitions/etc.
Copyright law
Business models: service, product, information -- and how the internet changed these
Political activism
Lobbying
Content sharing/remixing
...and so much more!

I got really excited today because this is--for me--a fun and not very political opportunity to dip my toes into the complex world of legislation and intellectual property protection. You can read more about SOPA and PIPA on opencongress.org.

Have you spent any time thinking about this? Bumped into any other sites participating in the "internet strike" today?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

01/17/2012

Providing a Comprehensive Educational Experience

I was taken aback when I read that the National Education Association has publicly stated that they believe "that home schooling programs based on parental choice cannot provide the student with a comprehensive education experience" (section B-82 2011-2012 NEA RESOLUTIONS).

Hat Tip
The Asbell Family

Seriously?

I could understand a "may not." Because, sure, homeschooling may not provide a comprehensive education. But to say that homeschooling cannot provide a comprehensive education experience... I don't even know how to classify that. Prideful? Myopic? Detached from reality?

Unless, of course, they define "comprehensive" in some incredibly specific way. For example: A comprehensive education experience includes cafeteria food five times a week, at least four unique teachers per semester, and exposure to illegal substances at least once between the 2^nd and 8^th grade.

Given that, I'd agree with them.

But homeschooling can absolutely provide a comprehensive education experience. I not only did school while homeschooled, but I was actively involved in sports, band, and even "shop" (with a man who worked on crane repair). There are a plethora of excellent homeschool curriculum options that offer just about every subject you can imagine, including way more electives than my public high school offered.

Homeschooling is absolutely a complete and viable option for an excellent education. Granted, it's not the only one. I wouldn't be so rash as to say such a thing. But parents--you--can provide a comprehensive educational experience at home, realizing, of course, that you may need to look outside the four walls of your living room in some instances.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

01/16/2012

Days You Don't Get Anything Done

Today was a day I "didn't get anything done." At least, that's how it felt. I kept getting bogged down; immobilized by issues I couldn't figure out how to resolve.

Have you ever had such a day? How do you recover, move on, handle it?

Me? When I finally decide that it's not worth beating my head against the wall any longer, I try to find something that I can feel successful doing. It can be something simple (like baking quick and easy cookies), or educational (such as learning to code), or personally gratifying (like tinkering with one of my hobbies).

The big thing is to distance myself from the issue and focus on something else entirely. My hope is that tomorrow I can tackle the issue with renewed vigor and a different approach (if needed). I've read many homeschool moms suggest mixing things up when the usual routine isn't working on a particular day.

What tips do you have for overcoming a day that just didn't seem to go well? Because, at the moment, I'd sure appreciate any insights you have <smile>.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

P.S. If you have a child even remotely interested in learning how to code, check out codecademy.com. I've been super impressed with it thus far.

Gina Clifford

01/13/2012

The Social vs Global Perspective

In an age where technology makes the world a tiny place, instantly accessible and connected, something rather the opposite is happening: We're becoming "social." On one level, I like that we can connect with people. On another, I fear we're setting ourselves up to miss the history for the status updates.

In the past, news spread slowly. What happened even a few miles from your home mattered little. As technology and transportation improved, the issues of the wider world came into our homes. It's to the point where I can now--in a sense-spend my evenings visiting other people's homes and see what they're having for dinner via Facebook and Twitter. And if I so choose, Google will only show me things I find interesting. I now have the option of getting "personal" search results rather than the global results Google has been feeding me for years. I could shut out the world in favor of my circles and groups and peoples.

Personal Results

Global Results

What happens when we insulate ourselves to such an extent that we no longer see beyond our digital backyard? May we never do that.

I went into my Google settings and turned off "personal results." I want my information, by default, to be broader than my myopia. Part of this is because I grew up in a world that had a broader perspective. My education was rooted in the idea that the world is bigger than me and that I have a role in it. Sonlight's missions-minded, global perspective sticks with me today. The award-winning literature that painted the backdrop of my education continues to stand the test of time. It moves me outside the fleeting status updates scribbled on my wall.

But as I think back on history, it's the people that matter. Individuals change the world. God uses men and women to reach into communities and transform cultures. So we must not miss out on opportunities to connect with our friends.

The world is bigger than me, and I have a role in it.

May we not get so caught up in the digital worlds of our making that we miss out on the bigger picture. But when we are where we should be, may we reach out in love to those around us.

How do you balance the social and global perspectives? Have you noticed a change in how you consume news? Do you find yourself using the internet to find like-minded friends or people who challenge you to think differently? My guess is a little a both. Any tips on how best to balance that?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

01/11/2012

Behind the Scenes: Upcoming Videos

Prepping for the Shoot

April 1 is a big day around Sonlight (well, April 2 this year because April 1 is a Sunday). That's the day we officially launch the new Catalog year. And we have much to do between now and then.

You're probably not thinking about April 1 yet, but we sure are!

Tomorrow we start shooting clips for the upcoming What's New videos. I'd appreciate your prayers that production goes smoothly and all the technology works properly.

Last year we shot in small rooms, which were not only cramped but also didn't let me get the kinds of shots I wanted. So this year I set up some bookcases in the back of the warehouse to give myself more control over the look of the shots. Here's hoping my effort pays off!

Please also pray for us as we continue to work toward our many fast-approaching deadlines. We need wisdom as we make important decisions and improvements to the homeschool curriculum you'll have the opportunity to use come April 2, 2012.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

01/09/2012

Glimpses of the Outcome

One of my friends in Bible college once admitted to me, "I'm definitely in danger of knowing facts about God while missing out on knowing Him." This friend is one of those impressively brilliant types who eats apologetics for breakfast and can spout off intricate details of ideas I can barely even pronounce. He's someone I'd love to have around when I read stuff like critiques of prophecy in Scripture.

But like many brilliant people I know, he's busy.

And so I got to thinking about 1 Peter 3:8 and following, especially verse 15: "Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have."

Knowing what we believe and why is important. That's just one of the reasons I'm thrilled to work for Sonlight: It's great to work for a Christian homeschool curriculum company that seeks to introduce you to the reasons for and against an idea. But I've discovered, in my limited experience discussing these kinds of things, that this back and forth can go on forever when talking with someone with the opposite view.

So what kind of answer should we be ready to give? "...the reason for the hope that you have."

I struggle with this as well. Sure, I know the hope I have in Christ, but growing up desiring to follow Him has left me with a poor perspective on what good my faith has really done me. I'm all too aware of my blatant shortcomings, let alone my more hidden faults. So what, I wonder, is the outcome of my testimony, my life, my walk with Christ?

And every once in a while, I get a peek. A few weeks ago one of my friends--another brilliant individual--who comes from an atheistic background said that one of the factors that contributed to her new found faith was what she experienced hanging out with us. She said she wanted to know what it was that made us different.

I nearly started crying my eyes out when she said that. I don't feel different. There are many times when fear and trembling is the good way to describe my feelings about salvation. It's hard to for me to see what Christ has done in my life because I'm too close it. ...which sounds odd to say. So "hope" isn't exactly the word that springs to mind when I think about what Christ has done and is doing. I lose hope too easily for lack of seeing it play out clearly.

So these glimpses of the outcome of my life are precious, invigorating, encouraging.

And I wonder if something similar happens with homeschooling. As a kid, I didn't think about it. But I wonder if my parents did. Were they too close to the situation to have a clear picture of just how fantastic homeschooling was for us and our development as children? Was the fear of trying something so radically new as literature-based homeschooling something that gave them pause? Were the difficult days where we fought or threw tantrums--who, me?--enough to make them wonder if they should have opted for a different path?

I'm guessing so. But I'm also guessing that the glimpses of the outcome [conversations over dinner, funny things we'd say, knowledge that would pour out of us] kept them encouraged.

How about you? Do you catch glimpses of the outcome (whether homeschool or your walk with God)?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

P.S. I tear up every time I read Jennifer Fulwiler's Prank calls and the power of humility post. It reminds me that head knowledge is one thing, but knowing the reason for our hope is something else entirely.

01/06/2012

Legitimacy and Feelings of Inadequacy

Ever get the feeling that you're not a real teacher?

Don't worry: You are a real teacher. You've been teaching your children from day one. You can continue to teach them into formal schooling and beyond if you choose to do so. Sure, you may not be part of the "club" of formal, professional teachers, but you have something they don't: An insider's perspective and a vested interest in the success of your children.

That's huge.

You also have access to tons of excellent homeschool curriculum and homeschool resources. You aren't alone and you don't have to start from scratch.

Also, this is a growth opportunity that just happens to involved the joy of learning with your children! A blog post (and the comments which followed) about making children's monster drawings realistic got me thinking: There's something to be said about the skills we develop as we do something over time. But there's also something cool--and potentially creepy--about seeing what our early attempts can become in the hands of a master. We may feel inadequate, and in many ways we are. But when our work is given to One who can give us legitimacy, our initial scribbles become something much more.

Becoming Real

Which brings me to the reminder that with God's strength and wisdom, we can do this.

May this be a year where we walk ever more in the peace of Christ as He leads us.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

01/03/2012

What are Your Homeschool Goals for 2012?

What are you looking forward to in this next year of your homeschooling adventure? Anything you're particularly excited about?

I'm excited about the latest in Sonlight's homeschool curriculum. I have new goals for this blog, and I'm looking forward to the fantastic stuff I get to show you in the coming months.

On the flip-side, do you have any goals for the obstacles that are coming your way? We like to think about all our great plans and resolutions to make the world and our lives better. And that's great. But what about taking some time to consider the less-than-pleasant stuff coming our way? For instance, I'm working from home right now because we had to get our main sewer line replaced the first working day of the year. Pricey. Inconvenient. And does not add new benefit. But needs doing. Do you have any of those you know of this year? If so, do you have any plans, goals, resolutions for when that stuff comes up?

It's exciting to stand on the threshold of a new year, especially when we can look back and see how we've been carried through the highs and lows of last year. No matter what happens, may 2012 be your best year homeschooling yet!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

Digging Out the Pipe

12/30/2011

Prayer for the New Year

Looking back, this has been a busy year. You got a new icon to explain the Sonlight Core and a new website interface. You also got the latest updates to Sonlight's Instructor's Guides, free shipping on orders $25+, an extra 2% off Multi-Subject Packages, among other things. We also integrated your testimonials with the website, added a new high school course, and upgraded the Sonlight^® Forums.

This blog changed as well. We moved to a new platform and brought more bloggers on board. We also had some awesome posts.

Looking back, God has been very good to us. And I want to thank you for your prayers and support as we have wrestled with the challenges we've encountered. Also, thank you for letting us be part of your homeschool adventure!

But now is the time for looking forward. And this coming year is incredibly exciting. I really want to share all the stuff we have planned. But I can't. Not yet. But it's going to be amazing.

Seriously.

As we look toward 2012, I would appreciate your continued prayers that we would be wise with the resources God has entrusted to us. We want to serve you well and continue to expand His Kingdom as He leads. There's also much to do, so we have our work cut out for us.

Thanks again for being part of the Sonlight community.

What are you excited for in the new year? Any favorites from 2011?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

12/28/2011

Why Tradition Should Give Us Pause

Traditions come in many forms. Some traditions are minor, such as opening Christmas presents one at a time, from youngest to oldest. Other traditions, like orthodox Christianity, have much more to them. And on the one hand, it is a good idea to pause and consider why we do certain things in certain ways. Doing or believing something merely for the sake of tradition may prove destructive.

But my best friend made an excellent point over Christmas: "Questioning is fine as long as the purpose is to get to truth. But you must also realize that there are reasons certain ideas have been around for so long." The trick, then, is to recognize truth while being humble enough to follow where it leads.

What my best friend said came to mind as I read a post about Christopher Hitchens and another about the contradictions of the Christmas story. I'm also reminded of my post on prayer from a few years ago that included a link to 10 questions that every intelligent Christian must answer. These kinds of questions can be troubling, but I find them exciting.

Why?

Because most--if not all--have been answered more-or-less satisfactorily by people far smarter than me. These questions just remind me of when my professor stated that, "Scholars claim that no other passage shows the errors of Scripture more than Luke 2:1-4."* Yes, it can be disorienting at first. But the exploration of these traditions and thoughts reveals truth. And the answers to accusations that we have been "mindless" prove the hubris of the speaker. Perhaps, until we knew the question, we hadn't thought of the issue. But as we dig into these topics, tradition may demonstrate that humility is the proper response.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

*Looking for answers to the Luke 2 problem?

12/23/2011

Merry Christmas!

For unto us a Child is born...

May we, through the preparation and celebration of this season, become more like Christ and follow Him more closely.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

12/21/2011

Understanding Fractions

My relatives are in town. So I've been spending a fraction of my time with my family.

11/12^ths is a fraction.

Understanding Fractions

What have you spent a large fraction of your time doing this week?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

P.S. If you're looking for a fun last-minute gift/stocking-stuffer/fantastic tool for teaching fractions (among other things), I really can't recommend MathTacular enough. Plus, you'll get to see my little brother on the DVD, the guy who's been staying at our house this week. It's been good times. As is watching MathTacular.

12/16/2011

Get Stuff by Christmas

Quick reminder: If you want to get stuff from Sonlight in time for Christmas, you need to order by Sunday the 18th and take advantage of Sonlight's fantastic FedEx rates.

That's all.

Enjoy your weekend!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

12/14/2011

How Homeschooling Affects Conformity

Henry Cate asked: Is group pressure what motivates us to root for our home team? He has an excellent (and funny) video in his post, so check it out. Then Cindy mentioned Asch's conformity experiment in a post about protests at BJU. So conformity is at the top of my mind.

Be Yourself

A common critique of homeschooling is that parents will use their authority to force their children to believe hogwash the rest of the enlightened world has rejected. And this is clearly a possibility. On the other hand, it is also clear that children come to a point where they must decide what ideas and practices they will adopt for themselves. Homeschooling parents--as a whole, I believe--wish to allow their children to grow up and gain a firm understanding of reality before they are presented with the biases and agendas found in the wider world. Parents thus become the "partner" of the Asch experiment, not an authority figure like Milgram.*

The corollary to the idea of parental domineering dogma can be found in Paul Graham's Why Nerds are Unpopular; namely, that conformity is the most highly rewarded attribute in schools. Given this, it's not parents we should be suspect of, but classmates. This is especially true if the parents ascribe to Sonlight's stance of "educate, don't indoctrinate." Peers have no such creed.

Furthermore, homeschooling gives us an excellent opportunity to learn to counteract the pressure to conform in (at least) three ways:

We're already non-conformists. Homeschooling, for all it's popularity, is still not mainstream. Thus, our selected educational model promotes working outside the lines.
Our peers are our siblings. I know my little brother looked up to me for a while, but then he decided I was a tyrannical monster--I was--and no longer copied everything I did, unless it was to be annoying. He came around again, sometime after I grew up a bit. The point: My siblings and I are all extremely different, and I never felt the need to conform to them, nor they to me.
We're encouraged to walk our own path. I wrote about this a couple years ago in the comment-happy post The Archer and Control.

Am I more of a non-conformist than my peers from a more traditional educational background? I think so. This clearly isn't only because I was homeschooled. But by homeschooling, my family continued a trajectory of making the right choice for each individual, rather than succumbing to the pressure of the group. One simple example: I may live in Broncos Country, but ...eh.

As a homeschooler, do you feel like a non-conformist? What do you think of the pressure to "fit in" in the homeschool crowd? Are your children swayed to conform, or are they their own selves? Any thoughts you'd care to toss in here?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

*I'm shocked--pardon the pun--that this experiment could be replicated in 2009. I realize that "we learn nothing from history," but the fact that these people clearly didn't recognize Milgram's experiment says something about our memory/education....

12/12/2011

On Lectures and Learning

Khan Academy is a pretty popular free education site. My wife and I have enjoyed "taking classes" on iTunes U. YouTube EDU is another education hub. And now places like Stanford and Harvard are offering certain classes online for free.

Hat Tip
Henry Cate

On one level, this is fantastic. I'm really excited that we have free learning opportunities powered by free video and audio services featuring some of the best teachers in the world. I'm really excited to see how this is going to transform education, education theory, and the look and feel of classrooms in the coming years. The potential shake-up and learning revolution is thrilling!

On a different level--the one closer to my heart--this changes almost nothing for us homeschoolers. Certainly, we now have even more excellent places to go for further study and exploration. We can reach even farther outside our homes than ever in the pursuit of knowledge and understanding. But the core of how we learn will not change.

Why?

Because we've long been attuned to learning rather than lectures. In fact, I was so excited by the Stanford Game Theory class, I immediately watched the introduction. Then I mostly lost interest. Not only was the video production poor, but the presentation was dull and lacking. Just a couple brilliant guys talking at me.

My eyes glazed over as my mind wandered. When they mentioned quizzes, I almost stopped the video.

Lectures--while potentially interesting--are not a very effective form of education. They are, for the most part, an opportunity to introduce a concept which will later be taught through repetition in homework. "Application" comes in the form of correctly regurgitating the information.

As homeschoolers, we tend to skip the lecture step and jump right in to application and practice. Growing up, Science was observed in colorful books and hands-on activities. Math came straight from the book and the practice problems. And, honestly, sitting through a lecture on history proved incredibly boring in high school and college. I longed for the way I learned History as a homeschooler: Experiencing it through the eyes of those who were there via literature.

Learning this way does not require tests or busy work. We get to talking about the ideas and implications. We can see how well we've grasped a concept, and go back to correct misunderstandings immediately. We're in this game to learn, not to pass.

So, where videos enable teachers to get out of the lecture model and straight to the application of an idea, I think media will continue to rock pedagogy. But where videos simply take the place of live lectures, I don't see them taking over the educational world. They won't be very effective nor interesting.

At least, that's my prediction as one who has helped produce a few popular Math and Science videos.

What do you think? Have you taken advantage of any of these exciting learning opportunities?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

12/09/2011

Christmas: A Story of Turmoil, Pain, and Transition

Life isn't all tinsel and puppies (unless you're thinking about when it's a tangled mess and peeing on the carpet).

Neither is Christmas.

Christmas Tree

As we move deeper into this holiday season, I'm reminded of the very real struggles out there. I know finances can be tight. I know interpersonal issues are real. I've experienced family members who reject "the Reason for the season," and I am all too familiar with the loneliness of these short days and cold nights. I, often, feel weary and burnt out. I know drama, hurt, dissatisfaction, guilt, stress, turmoil, pain, and transition.

I forget that this is precisely the story of Christ's birth. Consider:

Thoughts of divorce (Matt. 1:18-19)
Political unrest (Matt. 2:1-3)
Midnight moves due to death threats (Matt. 2:13-14)
Slaughter of children (Matt. 2:16-18)
This on top of...
Horrible travel logistics (Luke 2:4-7)
And foreboding prophecy (Luke 2:34-35)

So what's with all this talk of Peace and Good News and Favor?

Christ.

He came to a world of very real turmoil, pain, and transition precisely so He could offer peace and healing and certainty. The story of His birth--indeed, His entire ministry--demonstrates that He can relate to us. He knows us and has experienced our struggles. And He is the answer. Not that following Him is going to be roses and bon-bons (Matt. 10:34ff). Life doesn't become easy when we follow Christ. Rather, we can walk in faith, hope, and love, finding strength in the joy the Lord provides.

I have recently been encouraged by re-reading some of your comments about how Sonlight has been a blessing through difficult seasons in your life. As amazing a privilege it is to work for Sonlight, the more I thought about turmoil, pain, and transition, the more I felt the need to point back to the One whose birth and death radically transformed the world through turmoil, pain, and transition... all while pointing to hope and joy and peace.

If Sonlight has been of any help to your family in the chaos of life, I sure wouldn't mind hearing about it <smile>. But far more than that, may you--no matter your circumstances--find peace in Christ this Christmas.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

12/06/2011

Christmas Delivery with Free Shipping

If you plan to take advantage of Sonlight's free shipping on orders of $25 or more for Christmas presents, you need to order by Wednesday, December 7 (that would be tomorrow).

You can still find great deals on the Christmas Sale page, including a couple titles by Ruth Beechick as well as a very limited supply of the super-cool Colorix Silky Crayons (which, unfortunately, are not eligible for the Media Mail shipping option). Head on over to see all the great deals and discounts.

And don't forget to order by Wednesday, December 7 if you want your books by Christmas via Media Mail.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

P.S. December 7 is also the last day to submit your Sonlight Scholarship application.

12/05/2011

Forums, Friends, and Family

As I swung by Facebook earlier today to see what had happened there over the weekend, I was greeted with all the posts about the latest Forum updates. The more I thought about it, the more I appreciated the tremendous privilege we have to offer you places to hang out; digital spaces to encourage, challenge, and support one another; answer questions and give ideas; take feedback, and share news and updates.

On top of that, you may have friends and family who encourage you in your homeschooling.

In this season of thanking God for His blessings, I'm taking this moment to think of all the people--both local and electronic--who support me in my journey. May I encourage you to do the same!

And I'd be remiss to not include:

Thank you for being a part of the Sonlight community!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

12/02/2011

Injustice and Pain, Heroes and Love

Billy Coffey's post about the struggle to come to grips with his daughter’s diabetes is beautiful. His observation that "through suffering we learn not just to love, but to love more," reminded me of a post a friend shared with me about the monstrously unfair world in World of Warcraft. One of the game designers noted, "It’s an unfair world that cries out for heroes. To bring order out of chaos and justice to the downtrodden is the hero's call."

These are interesting responses to the problem of suffering: Injustice and pain allow us to become heroes and love. This prods my mind to ponder Heaven and the New Earth. 'What,' I wonder, 'will we do in a world where injustice is done away with and pain no longer exists?'

We will worship God. We will praise Him for what He has done, certainly, but I wonder if--in eternity--our worship will mature. Rather than being a response to action, will we learn to respond to who God is? Don't we say that our value does not come from our accomplishments? Perhaps, in Heaven, we will finally be able to see the One who simply is a Hero and Love; the One who has saved us and loved us beyond our wildest imaginations.

But the pain and injustice around me snaps me back to the original question: If He loves and saves like that, why not yet? What's He waiting for? Is the pain of this world really here so we have the opportunity to play the hero and learn to love?

Not exclusively, no. Part of the reason is that we are free to be villains. Partly it's that we are broken, in desperate need of a Savior. Another bit is that we simply do not grasp just how much our God loves us, and how free we are in Him.

But I really like the notion that we can love through pain, and become heroes by responding to injustice. Sonlight's Core Packages are filled with stories and accounts of people throughout history who have stood up against injustice and reached out to the hurting world around them in love.

May we, following their example, do the same.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

11/30/2011

Technology and Translation

Jesus's ministry benefited from the "social network" of His day: The Roman roads. Never before in history--I'm told--was it so easy to travel. And with this ease, information could spread quickly.

How much more true is this today!

You may have already heard about the 1,000 people who "crowdsourced" Scripture translation. Isn't it fantastic that people from all over the globe can connect on the internet to translate the Bible?

I was reminded of the amazing potential to reach millions of people from all walks of life when YouTube announced, for example, that a video shot in Brooklyn has been viewed more than 40 million times. Two hundred thousand of the views came from Brazil; that many also came from Russia. 1 out of 100 people in the Philippines have seen that video. As they say on the blog, "One of the great joys of a global platform is finding out that people from afar can relate, connect, and appreciate your videos."

But this goes way beyond videos. The internet allows us to chat with people in other countries. We can catch glimpses of the lives of friends we've never met via blogs. We can encourage one another and spur each other on to do good works. We can pray, share, praise, cry, and minister to one another sitting in front of our computers in our PJs.

It boggles my mind.

This morning, as we gathered for prayer, we got to read about Bible translation work in Central Asia ...yet another example of technology aiding translation.

Would you pray for us--here at Sonlight--that God would give us wisdom as we continue to consider all the ways we can serve you over the internet? Would you pray for the missions agencies we support, that they would know how to make the most of the tools available to them? And would you share what ministries, blogs, and tools you find most encouraging and exciting so we can celebrate the continuation of the spread of the Gospel together?

Thanks so much!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

11/29/2011

You Can Lead a Horse to Water

...but you can't make it successful.

Education, much like a stream or body of water, holds vast potential. You can go anywhere with it, do anything, gain much power and understanding. But this potential isn't the issue.

We are.

The question is: What will we do with the education before us? Compulsory education has proved again and again that forcing kids to sit in class does little to educate or motivate them. They have to "own" their learning. Their parents have to "own" it as well. Teachers can inspire--absolutely--but they can't force a kid to retain or apply knowledge. So, like the proverbial horse by the water, education is not the filling of a bucket, but giving a thirst.

Homeschooling develops this kind of thirst. Great books open our minds to the wide world out there. The freedom to explore our interests allows us to find joy in our work. The more open nature of literature gives us a chance to think and explore ideas typically predigested in textbooks. The opportunity to filter experiences and history through more than a limited naturalistic view of the world allows us to see more meaning. In short, learning on our own enables us to create an educational experience that encourages us to take responsibility and make the most of the time we have been given... not merely wait for a bell to ring.

I got excited about homeschooling yet again this morning when I read a post about the dwindling power of a college degree. We've seen the lackluster value of college degrees in those who occupied city parks for the past couple of months. This potential shift away from college reminded me of a post I read a while back that suggested investing in a business start up instead of college may be a better deal.

Not that I'm against college. I met my best friend and wife at my university. I had a great time. My college years were very influential. But they were also expensive. And, perhaps, the water trough you pay to visit isn't worth the expense if you're longing for fresh spring water in the mountains.

Do you find your homeschool curriculum gives you and your children a thirst for learning? Have any thoughts about the "dwindling power" of a degree?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

11/28/2011

The Stories in Sonlight Books Continue

One of the incredible benefits of reading missionary biographies is that missions work is ongoing. This means that we have the opportunity to see the impact of the past on things happening today (for example, the excitement of prayer putting books out of print).

I stumbled across another example this morning.

Taryn Hayes wrote about finding a blog which continues the story of And the Word Came with Power: "For us to leap from 1980-something to 2011 in the space of a few minutes of reading felt like time travel."

Seriously: Go read the rest of the post.

I found it encouraging and exhilarating to see, once again, that the stories we read about in Sonlight continue to this day. Due to the faithfulness of God and those who follow Him, His kingdom advances and we are privileged to be invited to come along.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

11/25/2011

Stuff's on Sale

I feel like there have been more Black Friday sale notices this year in general. If you agree, feel free to ignore this.

Sonlight's Christmas Sale is still in full swing. Only a few of the Clearance items are left, so click on over!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

11/23/2011

Science and Conspiracies

To start: I love science. It is fascinating and fantastic.

While clearing my RSS feed this morning, I came across Seth Godin's post about conspiracy theories. He contrasted conspiracies and science, saying, "as soon as anything appears to disprove part of the theory, the theory changes." Which is an excellent summary of the power behind scientific exploration: When something fails to work, we take another look at it. Science is "falsifiable"--testable--because it is based on observable phenomenon and hypotheses.

But Godin isn't talking about scientific theories and ideas. He is talking about conspiracies, and how they are typically un-falsifiable. Godin's point is a fair observation... he just presented it poorly. Which brings up one of my "conspiracy theories" (observations) regarding science: Scientific data and ideas are too often presented rather poorly to the general public... me.

The most recent example of this is the video Let's Talk About Evolution. I agree with much of what is presented. I raise an eyebrow, however, at the extremely vague nature of the video. I get that it was created by letting female scientists express their own opinions. Cool. But let me ask you: Can you tell when this video is talking about modification over time via natural selection, descent with modification via DNA recombination, modification via gene mutation, speciation, common descent, or abiogenesis?

I'm no scientist, but I'm pretty confident all of those are rather different areas of study. Granted, they all tie to this grand experiment, but the distinction between them has yet to be made clear in anything I've read or heard from those who promote teaching "evolution" in the classroom. My opinion: To properly teach about this important scientific idea, we must clearly distinguish between these elements.

So where does that leave me?

Happy that "despite" my strong Young Earth Creationist upbringing I'm still thrilled to learn about this subject from all angles.
Grateful that Sonlight's Science laid a solid foundation for my continued scientific education with it's heavy focus on hands-on science programs and challenges to think critically.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

P.S. To be fair, I looked up some negative reviews of Evolution: The Grand Experiment, and there are several critiques of this work as being outdated and misrepresenting vital information. That could easily be true. Granted, the books they suggest have similar accusations leveled against them. And so it comes around again: Learning about evolution is important, but what and how we learn about it is just as important.

11/21/2011

Time to Be Creative

Thought this 2 minute video was an excellent reminder of the link between time and creativity:

Hat Tip
Kristina

I love that, as a homeschooler, I had so much time I could devote to doing creative things. All that practice, I'm convinced, helped me with my creative endeavors today. Speaking of... if your child is interested in creating media, they are welcome to swing by the Digital Flatline section of the Sonlight Student Forums. I'm there to help answer questions and offer suggestions.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

11/18/2011

Conflict: The Lifeblood of Drama

...and perhaps the motivation to read.

Growing up, I had no idea that lame books existed in the world. My steady diet of Sonlight titles left me with the impression that books were great. Sure, there were some I didn't care for as much. But overall? Books contained characters I loved doing meaningful things in exciting and interesting places. They overcame obstacles and enemies, persevered through hardship, and made the world a better place. I found myself cheering often.

I was completely unaware of the large swath of literature that contains no such depth.

So when I read accounts like this, I'm thankful for the background in literature my mom gave me. Though, I must say, I found much of the literature in high school AP English to be... well... less than impressive when compared to what I read growing up. If there is a drawback to reading all the great books in Sonlight's homeschool curriculum, it's that you see more clearly where other titles fall short. Which could be problematic if you're asked to give your opinion on a "classic" bit of English history.

For young children, Barney may be just the thing. But the older you get, the more important conflict becomes. Real conflict. The kind of edge-of-your-seat excitement that keeps you invested in a story. The kind of suspense that makes you beg for one more chapter! The kind of events that inspire you to take a stand.

Part of the reason Sonlight books are so exciting is because there are so many biographies. We get to witness things God has done and marvel at how He brings His followers through intense situations.

What are your favorite stories? Do they have conflict?

Looking for a book that will make you cheer? Check out The Great and Terrible Quest.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

Fecundity: fertility; the capacity of abundant production, especially of offspring

Brought to you by Karen Campbell

11/16/2011
Sonlight Scholarship Deadline: Dec 7
Have a student heading off to college? Homeschooled with Sonlight for a while now?

Then encourage your student to apply for a Sonlight Scholarship. The application deadline is December 7, 2011. You have three weeks to fill out the forms and such. It's well worth it for up to $20,000 in college scholarships!

If, after looking over the Scholarship information, you aren't sure your student is eligible, please email scholarship@sonlight.com. We'll be happy to help.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

P.S. Is your student more creatively oriented? Don't let the keep you from applying! We have a set of scholarships weighted more heavily for creativity, mission mindedness, and acts of kindness. Academic excellence is important, but there's more to being a great person than high test scores. Check out the Green Criteria for a Sonlight Scholarship.

11/15/2011
Did You Learn Useful Stuff in School?
My class nuked Cuba.

While studying the Cuban Missile Crisis in Honors American History, our teacher broke us into two groups, one to promote history by arguing against nuking the island, and one to try to persuade the class to eliminate the threat. I was put in the group that argued for launching our own missiles before our enemies had a chance.

I'm not going to say that I single-handedly swayed the vote, but we launched the missiles. A great victory for us. I remember my teacher being upset that the class had resorted to violence.

That was a fun opportunity to practice persuasive rhetoric, but aside from fear, I learned nothing about the historical situation. The motivations, observations, and negotiations that took place were lost. I don't think we ever discussed it. Instead, we were told that missiles were being assembled near our coast and asked to debate the merits of a first strike. Of course violence was the proper response!

I thought about Cuba after reading a thought-provoking post about immigration and realized that I know next to nothing about the issues surrounding border control. My class never discussed Ellis Island and the civil unrest of major immigration. Instead, we discussed nuking an island. Had we actually learned about the situations of history (and not just the events), I'd feel a little more capable of making informed decisions about what to support today. As it is, I'm told that people are crossing the border--things are terrible in Mexico--and these illegal immigrants being misused here. But without any lessons from history, any decision feels about as rash as a first strike.

When was the last time I learned anything substantial about immigration?

20 years ago, in Sonlight's Core D and Core E.

I was under the age of 10. Sonlight did a great job of introducing me to the issue, but there's a reason ten-year-olds don't vote. But now I wonder: Isn't a complete lack of knowledge about an issue a good reason to give pause?

While chatting about this with a friend, he asked, "Did you ever learn anything about the national budget in school?"

No. I didn't.

As a life-long learner, this isn't barrier. I can learn. But I'm struck by just how much I learned through Sonlight, even as a young child, and how little I learned when I finally went to "real" school. I'm not alone, as I see many comments from parents who talk about how much they love Sonlight because of all the stuff they learn. But I thought I'd bring it up again: Did you learn useful stuff in school? Have you been enjoying learning (or relearning) the whys--and not just of the whats--of history?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

11/14/2011
Life, the Universe, and Everything: An Observation
As a homeschooler, I love learning. I relish bumping into new mysteries of life as much as seeing something unknown become clear. I like watching contested ideas bounce back and forth between their promoters and detractors. Ambiguity is as enjoyable as clarity, as long as I'm seeing progress. But every once in a while, I feel like someone who's been told that "42" is the answer, but that the meaning of such an answer is outside anyone's grasp.

I feel this most acutely in math and science. There is so much in both those areas of study of which I am hopelessly ignorant. I peaked in math at Calculus and science capped out in Physics. So I get very lost very quickly when people start talking about the math behind, say, The Fabric of the Cosmos. Then the science gets fuzzy because I can't recall ever hearing an explanation of how galaxies formed after the big bang, especially since stuff appears to be accelerating away from itself. Have you heard anything about this? What did I miss in high school?

Then I watch Martin Hanczyc's TED talk about life and non-line and I find my mind spinning again. 'What about the "information" he mentioned at the start of his talk (which reminds me of Cosmic Fingerprints)? The presenation seems to fit beautifully with the pro-life movement, if we're going to consider--even remotely--that oil and water is "life like," but I get the feeling Hanczyc wouldn't go there with me. Isn't life more than simple chemical reactions? I get the point that energy keeps us going, but that isn't life... right?'

And so I find that life-long learning continues to be fantastic, but there comes a point where my ignorance and the sheer volume of information is overwhelming. Where do I start? Where do I find the information I'm interested in? And how do I think more clearly about life, the universe, and everything with my ever limited time?

That is one huge benefit to having curriculum: Someone has already taken the time to gather great resources and lay them out for you. The information may be out there in the world somewhere, but there's real beauty in the organization of the information so I don't have to wade through the seas of muck surrounding a topic of interest.

What fascinating topic has caught your attention recently?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

11/11/2011
Bah! Humbug!
Late Wednesday evening I blogged about Sonlight's Christmas Sale and included our funny A Christmas Sale video:

I'm afraid that you missed enjoying the video (and hearing about the sale) because of how late it was when I finally got around to sharing about it. So... I'm doing it again. If you've already seen this, I'm sorry. Please just respond to this post with a "Bah! Humbug!" and move along. ...of course, even if you did visit the sale page on Wednesday, we've tweaked it a bit, which may warrant another visit.

Just sayin'.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

P.S. I saw this video a few days ago and added it to my Other Posts of Note. But I found myself thinking about it again this morning, and since you may not have seen it, I thought I'd mention it again as well. And, yes, if that's "old hat" for you, just give me another "Bah! Humbug!" <smile>

11/09/2011
Christmas Sale

It's that time of year! Announcing Sonlight's Christmas Sale. 50... 60... nay, 70% off selected titles! Save on great homeschool resources. And hurry because there is a limited supply of some of the items!

Check out the Sonlight Christmas Sale.

And, I must say, I think our video turned out pretty well <smile>.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

11/07/2011
Piranhas in the Water: On Textbooks
He's wiry. His mop of hair hints at his musical skills. This last year of high school is "pointless" because he's already been accepted to the college of his choice. The group has just finished watching a fun, albeit historically inaccurate, movie. "It bothers me that textbooks present ideas as if they were true when they aren't."

My mind fills with examples, but I'm not sure where he's going. "Like what, for instance?"

"You know, how piranhas are supposed to strip a human clean in, like, 30 seconds. Not true. It's frustrating because I was taught that was a fact. I don't like how textbooks present stuff like that."

I heartily agree.

Textbooks, my mom has often said, present ideas as if they were the only way to view the world. And this is simply not reality. Far better to consider ideas from various perspectives. Check out other works on the topic. Read more.

I like literature because it presents ideas in a less ...digested fashion. Within novels, we see ideas play out on the messy stage of life. And that, I believe, allows us to see more clearly how an idea applies. Jesus taught using parables, stories that demonstrate the application along with an idea.

Textbooks can be powerful tools. But don't be afraid to toss them overboard.

Piranha

When possible, I recommend a literature-based approach to learning.

What ideas do you remember learning in a textbook that proved to be false?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

11/04/2011
Requiring Proficiency Can Hold You Back
Starting in high school, and definitely by college, most schools realize that students learn at different paces and have slightly different interests. Thus, students can select what courses they wish to take, and skip some that "aren't for them."

With homeschooling, we can begin to apply this powerful idea much, much earlier. In my case, my mom read most of my readers to me years after I "should" have been reading on my own. Why? Because I wasn't good at reading. I struggled with it. My dad is convinced that had I been in a classroom, I would have been placed in a remedial reading program... at best. But because I wasn't required to be proficient in reading by a certain standardized age/grade/year, I was able to keep learning. Sure, I didn't read By the Great Horn Spoon myself, but I have fond memories of the book because my mom read it to me.

Put simply: My mom helped me continue learning because she didn't let me get hung up by tasks I wasn't ready for yet. I can't count the number of books I would have missed out on had she required me to read my readers.

Released from the Shackles

Homeschooling gives us flexibility so our children can continue learning, even if they get overwhelmed by some of the mechanics connected to a subject. Homeschooling allows us to focus on learning. We can race ahead in our areas of strength, and take the time we need to master the things we aren't proficient in yet.

Thank you so much, Jana, for the reminder the we can let our children keep moving foward.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

11/01/2011
Redemption and Irony
Many mommy bloggers have pointed out that yesterday was Reformation Day. How incredibly like God, then, to have me sitting at a Halloween party chatting with a girl about ... Lutherans.

Her handmade costume looked fantastic. Her laughter and her tears jumbled together as we discussed Scripture, grace, Christ's fulfillment of the Law, commands, demands, Christian fellowship, unity, love, forgiveness, pride, the Gospel, and boys.

Later, the remnants of snacks still scattered throughout the kitchen, I paused for a moment in my dark living room before going to bed. A smile played on my lips as the irony sank in: God had redeemed my Halloween. And had it not been for our party, I wouldn't have had the opportunity to have that conversation; or the one about Scriptural interpretation; or the one where we discussed various views of Creation; or the one about marriage and family; or that bit where we chatted about education. The night had been full of moments where the irony of redemption flickered in the background, like the LED light illuminating the pumpkin on the front step. As I shuffled off to bed, exhausted and joyful, my mind lingered a moment more on Andrea's Halloween post.

"Thank you, God, for redemption."

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

10/31/2011
Creative Expression
Maybe it's the all costumes I'm seeing these days. Or the funny graphics that show up on the internet. Or the music remixes and fan art I bump into. Or the arts and crafts and recipes people share this season. Or maybe I'm just wishing I had more time and energy to pursue my pet projects. Whatever the case, I'm noticing a lot of creative expression.

And I like it.

Homeschooling is fantastic because it can give so much time to our children to develop skills and creative ways to express themselves. Do you have a costume or cookie or creche or card your child created that you'd care to share?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

10/28/2011
Interested in free MathTacular stuff?
Create an eligible video entry for the MathTacular Video Contest and you will receive a MathTacular DVD. Period. Let me say that again: Every eligible entry gets a DVD. You could also win much more (hint: iPad).

Why am I mentioning this on the Sonlight Blog?

We like MathTacular^® (both on Facebook and in the real world).

I helped create MathTacular.

You're likely to win something (the odds of winning are ridiculously high*).

Granted, I know coming up with a fun math video lesson can be hard work. So if free stuff and winning isn't enough to jump start your creative process, you can still buy MathTacular. On the other hand, creating a fun math video is also a blast. So, check out the MathTacular Video Contest. I'm excited to see your clips!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

*It looks like you'd be the first entry. Those are really good odds.

10/26/2011
God Doesn't Show Off
Isn't it odd how unremarkable and non-flashy miracles often are? There are very few "fire from heaven" moments in Scripture. Instead, we tend to witness an incredible event that simply just sort of ...happens.

Feeding the 5,000: Jesus breaks the bread and they happen to collect leftovers.

Widow pouring oil: She keeps filling jars until they are all filled.

Water to wine: Only a few servants and the disciples know what's going on.

Wandering in the desert: Their clothes and shoes don't wear out.

There are no magical incantations or pulsating lights; no glowing orbs or eerie music; the fanfare is nonexistent. In fact, I get the feeling that if you weren't paying attention, you'd totally miss what just happened. Scripture glosses over the miracle part to merely state the factual outcome.

This reminds me of some of the amazing accounts we read in Sonlight's programs:

The milkman who shows up at the doorstep for George Muller's orphanage.

The medicine that doesn't run out while Corrie ten Boom was in a Nazi concentration camp.

The Bibles that slip through customs with Brother Andrew.

The missing language barrier when some of Bruce Olson's friends return from a missions trip to a neighboring village.

Why does God so often work behind the scenes and in the shadows? He's clearly involved here, so why not take a little more credit? Why not make it painfully obvious; you know, show off a bit more?

Probably because miracles are more about people than the miraculous.

God's provision and intervention is often about taking care of people, and so the person's faith and the outcome is what's important. The "magic" isn't the point. There isn't a system we should be looking for. We shouldn't get hung up on trying to figure out how to manipulate God to do something cool again. Instead, we should focus on following God where He leads. And when we do that, He takes care of us... often in an invisibly spectacular way.

There have been many times in my life when I've looked back and wondered, 'How did that work out?' God absolutely provided, but I didn't notice Him doing it at the time. I missed it because it was subtle and I wasn't paying attention.

Have you noticed when God has provided for your family? Did you recognize it at the time, or only in retrospect? Any thoughts on why God so often doesn't show off?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

10/14/2011
The Gift of Today
I was up really late last night. I was helping an up-and-coming filmmaker with a project. It was a blast, but now I'm rather exhausted. I'm also stressed because I've got some stuff to wrap up over this coming really busy weekend. It's very easy for me to slip into a bad attitude about things; to let it all get to me. And yet, I've been thinking about the weather for the past couple of days because of this post.

Weather? Sleep? What?

I too often label the weather as "good" or "bad." It's often too hot or too cold. Rarely is a day "just right." And other situations only serve to compound the less-than-perfectness of my days. I'm tired. I'm stressed. This and that didn't go perfectly.

Yet it's a good day. Today is a gift. And today there are probably little reminders of just how blessed I am if I'd only take notice.

How's the weather by you? What has your response to today been thus far?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

10/12/2011
Guaranteed Genius
Sonlight has a guarantee for our homeschool curriculum, but it's not that your child will become a genius. This idea that all homeschoolers are super bright and far outshine their public schooled counterparts rubs me the wrong way.

This comic is right that socialization isn't really an issue for homeschoolers. That's great. But the implication is that homeschoolers, on the whole, are geniuses and their peers aren't. And that's simply not true.

Blessed

In fact, the studies I've seen point out that homeschooling doesn't hinder learning... but that's about as far as that data can go. On the other hand, I keep dropping hints about the brilliant public schooled kids I know, like the three girls taking Calculus II as college Freshmen. And they aren't just math whizzes either: Their vocabulary, grasp of science, and understanding of history are all remarkable as well. And they love to learn and aren't particularly jaded about life.

This brings us back to what we discussed on Monday: Let's focus on the things that make homeschooling great. Your children are likely all geniuses, but they probably would be in a school as well. The point of homeschooling is not that your children are guaranteed to somehow turn out better, but that your family will love learning together.

It's annoying that people have such terrible stereotypes about homeschoolers. Let us not be guilty of a similar misjudgment. Homeschooling is an excellent education option. With Sonlight, you are guaranteed to love learning. But remember: A love of learning doesn't guarantee you'll turn out to be a genius.

...but it probably helps along that path <smile>.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

10/10/2011
Not Negative: The Positives of Homeschooling
Taryn has an excellent post about how her family started homeschooling. It's fun and encouraging; definitely worth the read.

What inspired me was a profound observation she made: She started homeschooling because of the things pushing her away from other school options. Now, she says, she focuses on the things that pull her toward homeschooling.

Push vs Pull

I've heard many other homeschoolers express similar sentiments. They started exploring homeschooling because something wasn't working in public or private schools. But soon they discover homeschooling isn't a last resort in a long line of bad options. Rather, it is a fantastic way to get an education! In fact, learning together at home has so many benefits, they being to promote homeschooling for its own sake. The negative factors in other options are still out there, but the benefits of homeschooling far outshine the bad things that nudged them to explore this approach to education.

Marketing gurus suggest that you avoid negatives; don't use the word no.

Er... I mean:

Marketing gurus suggest that you stick to the positives; say yes instead of no. And perhaps that's something we should keep in mind: The benefits of homeschooling are the best things to think about and share with others.

What are your favorite benefits of homeschooling and learning together?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

P.S. Today is the last day to vote for the next Sonlight Catalog cover photo.

10/07/2011
The Importance of Good Theology
It has been a heavy week for me here on the blogosphere. Not because of quantity. It was the intensity; particularly reading about the death of Hana Grace-Rose Williams.

As I've talked with other bloggers about this situation, the importance of good theology has come up again and again. This appears to be a case where the beliefs of the parents killed their child. But not in a "we believe medicine is an act of distrust in God" kind of way. Instead, this looks like a situation where the parent's beliefs about raising kids enabled them to--apparently unconsciously--kill their child.

...

The verse bouncing around in my head today is 1 Timothy 4:16: Watch your life and doctrine closely.

Dear friends, please consider your theology. As one of my Bible professors was fond of saying, "Ideas have consequences." In some cases, bad ideas lead to death.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

P.S. I'm not going to link directly to any posts about this topic. But if you'd like to read more, you can find a couple posts a little ways back in my Other Posts of Note. I have found the discussion the in the comments to be particularly enlightening.

10/04/2011
What's Behind Your Homeschool?
Charlotte Mason. Great books. Unit studies. Relaxed. These are words associated with various approaches to homeschooling. I often use "literature-rich" to describe Sonlight's homeschool curriculum.

Today I came across an excellent post about Mission-Minded Homeschooling. Sonlight has had a heart for the world from the beginning, but this post brought a fresh perspective on the idea. I was encouraged. I think you will be too!

The different structures associated with homeschooling can be very important. But for me, a global perspective is an excellent element to have behind your homeschool. I love the idea of Mission-Minded Homeschooling, and I'm thrilled to be part of a company that promotes it.

What big ideas/overarching concepts do you feel important to have behind your 3Rs?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

10/03/2011
Become a Great Writer
One of my high school English teachers asked, "Who taught Shakespeare to write?" How did someone teach the greatest writer to write so well?

I don't recall the rest of discussion, but I think I have an answer now.

This morning I read an article on writing better sales copy. In it, the author argues that we start out as good writers, but the rules and mechanics of writing make us self-conscious and "progressively worse" at writing. Seth Godin goes in a slightly different direction, saying we should write like we talk because the constant practice will do us good.

I agree that writing on a regular basis is a great way to get better at writing (blogging is fantastic for this). I agree that writing should be natural and is best when it's story-driven. But you're going to be hard-pressed to convince me that I was better at writing before I learned the specifics of writing. I've gone back and read some of my early works and they, well... they don't hold up too well.

I believe the way we learn to write better is by mimicking great communicators. Great communicators tell stories vividly painted with words and phrases. The more we hear their meter and practice building worlds the way they do, the better we can apply their words to our works. Shakespeare copied the good and then went even further, inventing words and phrases--many of which are now common today.

So, how do we learn to write better? What allows us to become a great writer?

Ingest & copy great writing

Practice

When the time comes: Throw off the rules and make your own path

Sonlight's Language Arts programs do this. Backed by the massive library of excellent literature in your Core, your students will write daily, learning from the masters and developing their own creative expression.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

09/30/2011
You Are Part of Something Bigger
Scripture encourages us to encourage one another; a key reason to gather regularly. This push for corporate experience is one of the reasons I love Sonlight's Photo Contest (vote here): It's an opportunity to participate in a visual reminder that we are part of something bigger.

The photos of Sonlighters which fill our Catalog and grace the cover remind me that homeschooling is more than just a personal experience. Homeschooling is an opportunity to bond together as a family, grow, and then go out into the world to share Christ's love with people all over the globe. Homeschooling allows us to think beyond our "school pride," and be reminded instead of how God is moving through missions and asks us to come along. Homeschooling nudges us to share the love of learning with our family, our friends, and everyone else we encounter. And the amazing photos and stories you submit each year do that.

So thank you for sharing these glimpses into your life. Thank you for your participation in the catalog. Thank you for the encouragement. Thank you for being part of homeschooling.

Have a great weekend. I look forward to following along next week as you continue to share your love of learning together.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

09/28/2011
Training Up a Prodigal Son
You, as a parent, have an tremendous influence on how your children turn out. I've heard several psychologists suggest that children see God how they see their parents. Talk about a huge responsibility!

But at the same time, please do not take Proverbs 6:22 as a burden. When my pastor preaches from this passage, he reminds us that this is a guideline, not a promise. If our children go astray, we should not hold this passage over our heads. Proverbs are wise sayings and observations of how things are, not formulas. That's how you can have two rather contradictory proverbs next to each other.

But we like formulas, don't we? That's how get rich quick schemes and promises of perfect children get to us. We want to believe in a system. We want check boxes that guarantee results. We think that God must have come up with the one best way to do things... right?

I don't think so.

God seems to do things differently all the time. I know many "did it right" parents whose children still ended up walking away from how they'd been raised. I'm not going to mention any names, except one. It's this kid I know named Luke.

Don't get me wrong, overall, he's a pretty good guy. In fact, if you only saw him now and again, you may think, 'I hope my child grows up to be like him.' But if you hung out with him long enough, and got to be a close enough friend, you'd start to see hints of some pretty serious issues.

A couple of Luke's "pet sins" have been around for a long, long time. He's also developed a few more recently. At times he is one of the most selfish, vulgar, out-of-control, tyrannical monsters you've ever seen. How did this happen? What did his parents do wrong?

Plenty of things, I'm sure ...but nothing drastic. Luke's issues are not tied to his parent's shortcomings, they reflect his own. And God--as He does again and again throughout Scripture--is doing something unique with Luke. I don't know what. I'm not sure when He'll "get through" to this kid. But I haven't found a formula for fixing the foolish. We know we are called to pray. We know we are told to share Christ's love. We know we are to have an answer when asked about our hope.

At the same time, we, like the Prodigal Father, must wait for the child to come to his or her senses.

Walking Away

I read something earlier this week from a hurting mother who bemoaned the lack of support for parents with wayward children. I immediately resonated with her, knowing many "wanderers" myself. But could it be that there simply isn't a formula, a quick fix, a system? Isn't that why the Christian community has so little to offer in the way of support? We're people, after all, and we have a long history of walking our own paths that, only by the grace of God, lead us Home. Isn't that why the latter verses of Come Thous Fount resonate with us so much?

Do you know a wayward child? Have you found things that have been comforting/helpful to you as you wait for him or her to come to his/her senses? Are there any systems/formulas that have hooked you (for good or bad)?

As someone still too often stumbling down the path, yet looking toward the Father who is so lavish and liberal with His redemption, I welcome your insights and observations.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

09/26/2011
Learn More About Sonlight
Statistics indicate that only about 1 in 5 homeschoolers attend a homeschool convention. Realizing you could easily be one who won't make it to a convention, we created a virtual Sonlight booth. You can learn more about Sonlight without leaving your home.

Sonlight's Virtual Booth

Here's my dilemma: Stats for convention attendance are low, but the stats for the virtual booth are even lower. Why?

This is where I'd love your input:

If you haven't visited the Sonlight Virtual Booth, would you mind telling me why? Was it because you had no idea it existed? You don't want to visit a Sonlight booth anywhere (real or electronic)? You got all your questions answered some other way? You just figured out everyone on your own?

If you have visited the Virtual Booth, did you like it? Was it helpful? Too slow? Was the information not relevant? Confusing? Did it not work for you?

If you want to learn more about Sonlight, I do encourage you to swing by the Virtual Booth. But, if--like many before you--you'd prefer to get your information another way, you can always chat with a Sonlight Advisor or poke around the website.

Thanks for your feedback!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

09/23/2011
The Privilege of Reading
Beth Moore mentioned in her Daniel study that one way to measure privilege is to consider if you can buy a book and read it. If so, you're wealthy. Much of the world can do neither.

How blessed we are to teach our children at home by reading books together!

Speaking of reading, I found the following video fascinating. The basic premise: Without background knowledge needed to make words meaningful, knowning the mechanics of reading achieves little. I experience this when I try to read up on something like nucleotides. But I digress:

Grace

The video is very encouraging to me. As Sonlighters, we immerse ourselves in a literature-rich approach to learning with a strong historical bent. We then talk about what we've been reading and so gain a better understanding of the world, both in the past and today. This strong emphasis on enjoying books together from the very beginning sets us up to understand what we will read in years to come.

I love it.

The more I learn about education--and I have much to learn--the more grateful I am for Sonlight's Cores and approach to homeschool curriculum. On top of that, going back to Beth Moore's point in the study, I am grateful that Sonlight has such a heart for the world and encourages us to consider how we can use the blessings we've been given to bless others.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

09/21/2011
The Foundation Dictates the Outcome
Jesus mentioned the importance of a solid foundation. You need something firm if you're going to withstand storms. A foundation is also important in determining what you can build. You can only go so high if your foundation is small and shallow (don't believe me? You haven't seen the World of Goo leaderboards have you?).

I've had a post about "why we should teach the best arguments" drafted for a while now. The idea was that without knowing the best arguments against your position, you aren't prepared. But the longer I've thought about it, the less inclined I am to compare arguments to a foundation.

They're more of a wall.

The foundation of a discussion is, I believe, presupposition. What assumptions do we make, why, and how do they affect what arguments/proofs/evidences we accept? If I am convinced that Bob is secretly an alien, the best arguments in the world against that idea won't matter at all. My foundational belief in Bob's extraterrestrial nature will skew all data to further convince me of my conclusion.

Alien

So while knowing the best arguments for and against your position is great, we should also seek to get to the presuppositions of each side. Ultimately, knowing the arguments won't help much if the person you are talking with rejects your foundation. And if you disagree on the basics, the rest of the discussion becomes moot and you can move on.

A benefit of homeschooling is that we can consider the various presuppositions behind an idea or controversial subject.

A danger of homeschooling--all forms of learning, actually--is that we can ignore our presuppositions behind an idea or controversial subject.

Throughout your years of homeschooling with Sonlight, you will have opportunities to consider the arguments and the assumptions behind hot topics. May the foundation you lay prepare your children to articulate well what they believe and why.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

09/20/2011
Sonlight with a Struggling Reader
My little sister loves reading. If she has some free time, she'll open a book. Reading is one of her favorite ways to pass the day.

Me?

Not so much. In fact, I read very few books every year. It's hard work for me. I get exhausted easily. And it takes me forever; so even if I spent the day reading, I wouldn't have the satisfaction of reaching the end of the book. Movies are a much quicker way to get through a fun story.

Wait... aren't I one of the biggest proponents of Sonlight's literature-rich approach to homeschooling? Isn't Sonlight built around lots and lots of reading? Shouldn't I just adore books?

Yes. Yes. And, I do.

I love great books. It's the mechanics of reading that bog me down. Part of it has to do with my eyes not tracking together. This conflict in my vision wears me out when I read. Part of the problem is also how I read: One word at a time. I've long joked that I can write faster than I can read. And, who knows, there may be some other issue buried deep within my psyche or physiology that further hinders my reading.

In short: I struggled with reading. A lot.

Homeschooling provided my parents the flexibility to let me go at my own pace. It also allowed me to customize my studies so I could succeed, even if I wasn't doing it the traditional way. This meant my mom read many of my school books out loud to me. In high school, I took to listening to my books on tape. I love books, but reading is hard.

Thankfully, as a film major, I didn't have to read as much in college. In fact, it wasn't until a few years after getting married, purchasing some glasses with prism lenses, and reading the Bible out loud to Brittany every morning that my reading actually significantly improved.

But Sonlight was the perfect fit for me. I'm thankful my parents were able to share all that fantastic literature with me despite my struggle with reading.

If you have struggling readers, how has Sonlight been for them? Have you checked out Sonlight's Remedial Reading Program?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

P.S. Thanks to Debra for the inspiration for this post.

09/19/2011
Sharpening Iron
Years ago a shift happened, but I didn't notice it then.

At some point my parents stopped asking me leading questions to which they had an answer and started feeding me conundrums without conclusions. I didn't notice because discussion was a common element of our household. But yesterday, hanging out with my mom, I suddenly realized that we've recently had several discussions where she really wanted my input.

Growing up continues to provide interesting experiences.

As you discuss things with your kids, have you noticed this shift? If you have older children, was it a conscious change for you?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

09/16/2011
Mug Shots and Memory Verses
Two things made me smile while I read through your blog posts this morning:

1. Why do parents line up their kids for mug shots at the beginning of the school year? <grin>

Mug Shot

2. I had somehow been oblivious to the fact that some of you post videos of your children reciting their Sonlight Bible memory verses. How cool is that?

I'll tell you: So super cool.

Enjoy your weekend learning (and smiling) with your children!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

09/14/2011
Easy to Use Science
Science is such a wonderful subject. What started as a pursuit to understand the world God created has blossomed into a panoply of focused areas of study. Yet this fascinating glimpse into the workings of the natural world is too often bogged down in school by time consuming and bothersome busywork (which is captured so well in this Foxtrot strip).

Sonlight makes it easy for you to do science activities with your children by...

Giving you the pieces you need. Often activities take more time than we have because of the "hunting/gathering" stage before we can start. Equipped with a Science Supply Kit, you're ready to go right away.

Showing you how to do the activities. Since the release of the Discover & Do Science DVDs, homeschool moms have discovered that their children now demanded that they be allowed to do science activities. Not only can you see exactly how to do the experiment, but your students are inspired to try it themselves.

But wait, there's more.

Sonlight is a literature-rich homeschool curriculum, and that extends into the study of Science as well. I love the book Diary of an Early American Boy. That book inspired me with descriptions of water wheels and bridges. I'm pretty sure Science E was my favorite because of the great books, fun experiments and fantastic activities.

Do you love Science?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

09/12/2011
Free Homeschool Samples
Blizzard has improved their free trial of World of Warcraft. You can play as long as you want up to level 20 for free, no credit card required.

Impressed, I quickly got to thinking about how Sonlight could do something similar. After all, when Blizzard was offering only a 14-day trial, you could get the first three weeks of Sonlight's Instructor's Guides for free (a full week more than Blizzard). Now that they let you play for free, could I do the same?

Yes and no.

I can't physically push books over the network, which is a bummer. But then I realized that such an analogy is flawed.

Blizzard's content is the game files, just like Sonlight's content is in the Instructor's Guides. Blizzard's services involve connecting those files to their servers and keeping you up and running in their virtual world. Sonlight's services involve connecting those Guides to your books--which you can get from us at a fantastic price with an unmatched guarantee--and helping you keep up and running on your homeschool journey. Blizzard can't give you a computer or provide you with internet for the trial and they removed some key elements of game play until you pay to play. I can't give you books until you buy them.

However, Sonlight allows you to play with the first three weeks of your school year's instructional material for free for as long as you want, no credit card required.

Get your 3-week Sonlight sample, and take as long as you like looking it over to decide if you want to enjoy Sonlight for your school year. If you have any questions about a specific Sonlight program, please chat with a Sonlight Advisor or swing by the new Sonlight Forums.

What free trials/samples have you found impressive recently?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

09/09/2011
Do You Use the Sonlight Forums?
The Sonlight Forums are an excellent place to get suggestions, advice and encouragement on your homeschooling journey. Better yet, we also recently updated the Forums with a sweet new look, a more stable system, and further enhancements to your homeschool forum experience.

My question--because I'm curious: Do you use Sonlight's Forums? Or, because you hang out here on the Blog or Facebook, do you rarely step into that digital realm?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

09/06/2011
Do Your Kids Have Free Time?
My day off yesterday was fantastic. I made some serious headway on a personal project I've been kicking around. But while the holiday was the catalyst for my progress, I've spent time on this project regularly for the past couple of weeks. My momentum has been building.

This drive to be productive in my free time isn't new. Granted, I've spent my fair share of time watching movies, playing computer games and hanging out with friends--often doing one of the former with the latter <smile>.

Still, much my free time is dedicated to creating. Many hours of my childhood were soaked up writing stories and poetry, recording music and audio dramas, shooting movies, fiddling with computer games/code, or taking apart the electronics my parents had deemed beyond repair.

I'm only "bored" when I'm too fried to do something creative, or when I find my efforts are blocked (for example: when I wanted to light a box on fire but my mom didn't think I should).

One of the great things about homeschooling is all the time it frees up for students. Since we don't have to sit at a desk for a prescribed number of hours each day, our free time need not be filled with lethargy. Instead, chunks of the day become opportunities to hone skills and produce things that help others. We don't have to be bored because we still have the emotional and mental energy we need to engage in an interest.

Paint

What do your children do with their free time? Are they frequently bored? If so, there are plenty of Electives that may spark their interest...

How about you? Are you able to find time in your busy day? Do you have the energy to pursue hobbies? If so, what are they?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

09/02/2011
Prayer Puts Books Out of Print?
Years ago Sonlight carried the book "From Arapesh to Zuni." This book introduced your children to 26 different people groups who did not have the Bible in their language.

After a few years we had to replace it with the next book in the series "From Akebu to Zapotec" because the 26 people groups from Araphesh to Zuni now had Scripture in their native tongue.

Praying for People Around the World

I've heard stories of people praying unwholesome businesses out of business. But this is closer to home. This involves your children joining with other kids around the world asking God to provide His Word to people without access to the Bible. And God has done just that.

As your family prays for the Akebu and the Zapotec (and all the people in between), I look forward to the day when we'll have to replace that title with a new one because God has moved in response to your faith and faithfulness. I'm normally not a fan of Sonlight titles going out of print, but in this case, I'm thrilled to make an exception.

What else is your family praying for?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

Obdurate: persistent in wrongdoing; stubbornly impenitent

Brought to you by Vicki Tillman

08/31/2011
Digital Distractions
I rather dislike it when a single word drops onto a line all its own in one of my blog posts.

I find that distracting and hard to read. That's why I often rework a sentence to fit the space properly. This attention to word placement and layout is a necessity of print--such as in Sonlight's Catalog--but can be easily ignored within digital publications--like this blog. But line breaks are just the tip of the iceberg, to borrow the colloquialism.¹

The "salience cues" like font size and text placement can be ignored in a digital layout. This is part of the hypothesis as to why a recent small study found people remembered more of what they read in print. Natural page breaks, non-animated ads, and careful story selection all seem to be pushing print ahead of digital delivery when it comes to retention of the written word.

Even here we're only a couple feet under the ocean's surface. I'm guessing the "real" reasons people don't retain as much online are the distractions. Not so much because of annoying flashing ads, but because the other opportunities are easier than reading. Example: You could stop reading and go play Angry Birds right now.

I'll be here if you come back.

But these digital distractions don't just impede reading. Several times while writing this post I've switched windows to check my email and see if anyone has asked a question on Sonlight's Facebook page. Why? Because writing is hard; checking my email and Facebook are not.

Don't get me wrong: I love my computers (yes, plural). My job is built on the internet: RSS, blogs, email, websites and the like. I've got a pretty strong work-ethic. But even I, who got an iThing for Christmas because it would allow me to shoot and edit movies on the go, spent a few minutes last night playing Siege Hero.

How many movies have I shot with the same device? 1.

On the other hand, I've knocked over 61 towers.

As things continue to shift toward digital delivery, may we make a focused effort to ignore the distractions and use these powerful tools to learn and grow.

Do you give in to digital distractions in your homeschool, work, or blogging? How to help your family stay on task?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

1. To borrow from Eugene Meltsner.

08/30/2011
New Sonlight Forums are Live!
The new Sonlight® Forums are now live. Check 'em out!

There are some really cool new features on the Sonlight Forums. Let me know how much you love the updates <smile>.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

Furphy: (Australian slang) rumor; untrue gossip; an improbable story

Brought to you by Belinda Letchford

08/29/2011
What Inspires Learning?
Perhaps the adage needs to be updated: You can sit a kid in class but you can't make him learn.

The latest "report card" for a local school district is depressing. They are failing to teach math to 84% of the 10th grade students.

Why?

Is it lack of funding for state of the art tools (they want to raise taxes by $51.5 million to stay afloat)? Is it the student's unmotivated peers (as someone suggested on Facebook)? Is it the fact that students are forced to be in school, and so are in an act of rebellion? Is it that there is a fundamental problem with math education in the US? Is it that parents aren't involved enough? Is the district using the wrong math program for the kids? Is it something else entirely?

I don't know. I doubt it's any one of those things, and I'm pretty sure that none of them are the core of the problem. My guess: These kids aren't inspired.

This begs the question: What inspires learning?

Great teachers certainly can. This is the story of films like Dead Poets Society, Stand and Deliver, and Take the Lead. But I'm going to hazard a guess that it's not the content that these teachers offered, nor even the way they presented it, per se, but how they treated their students that made the difference. Great teachers love their students and are able to help them see what they can become through the content of their class. Could this be why students so often ask of higher level math, "But when would I ever use this?" If math isn't applicable to my life and helping me become a better person, why bother?

I'm reminded of a quote attributed to Yeats:

Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.

This is why literature is such a great way to learn: It lights a fire. It allows us to see how knowledge can be applied to life. It opens the world before us and lets us glimpse what we can become. Granted, it's not all that effective at pragmatics of memorizing our times tables or solving quadratic equations. Literature also isn't very good at teaching us the specifics of amorphous solids or lift. But by learning about people like George Washington Carver and the Wright Brothers, we learn how important and rewarding math, science, and hard work can be.

And that is inspiring.

What inspires you and your children to learn?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

P.S. A reminder: I have the privilege of knowing some of the brightest public schooled kids in the world. They love learning and are doing well in school. Many of them have taken crazy math classes way beyond my comprehension level. So while school districts continue to receive poor marks over all, the system--for whatever reason--does work for some students.

Homeschooling--especially literature-based homeschooling--is a great option. But it's not the only way to successfully educate your children.

08/24/2011
Is Your Math Program Not "Working"?
I used Saxon Math for years. Then, the year I hit Algebra 1/2, my progress ground to a standstill. After failing to muscle my way through the textbook, it was time to try a new math program.

I switched to a different approach and rocketed ahead in math again.

Sometimes a math program simply doesn't "work" for your student. Like me, the same approach may have worked for years before you need to change it up. One of the beauties of homeschooling is that we have the ability to change programs as needed.

The first step in resolving an issue is figuring out what the problem is. I rather dislike troubleshooting, but it's a part of life--especially in the world of websites. For example, we kept getting reports that some testimonials were disappearing when people were trying to upload photos for Sonlight's Photo Contest. We tried to replicate the problem and couldn't. It wasn't until late Monday morning that I realized the problem may have been a character limit somewhere. We ran some tests and, what do you know, that was it: The only people who experienced the problem were those who were writing long testimonials. How frustrating for you! We quickly fixed the issue, but it was so late in the game that most of you had already encountered the problem.

In the case of math programs, it may take a while before you can put your finger on the problem: Not enough hands-on? Too much repetition? Not enough review? Too many new concepts? Not enough explanation? Too much explanation?

The second step is to find the program that will work. This is often much easier once you know what the problem is. You can read about what each math program offers, and find the one that addresses your child's need.

Still not sure? Have a few questions? Want a second opinion? Chat with a Sonlight Advisor who can help you decide based on her own experience with math programs.

And, as always, if you're looking for an excellent math supplement, I'd be remiss not to remind you of those fantastic MathTacular DVDs. ...granted, I'm a little biased <smile>.

Have you ever had to change your math program? Do you enjoy troubleshooting when something isn't working?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

08/22/2011
Buying Books
My college-aged friends have been bemoaning the high price of textbooks. I can't do much more than grimace and empathize: Textbooks are pricey! I wish they could order a Core and get a ton of wonderful books for less.

...but Universities don't use Sonlight. Which is a shame. <smile>

Buying my books in college was nothing like Box Day. And the experience was split up by semester so I got to go through the pain twice every year. But it was nice to not have to shell out all my dough in one lump sum.

You, by contrast, get to order your whole school year's worth of books and celebrate the joy of all you're going to cover this year. But, like my University, you don't have to pay for it all at once either. You can take advantage of Sonlight's fee-free Time Payment plans and spread the cost of your curriculum over the next three months. You can get going with your homeschooling this year, celebrate Box Day, and not break the bank all at once.

Good deal.

Find your homeschool curriculum now!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

08/19/2011
Your Photos Are Even More Important This Year
$500 Sonlight Gift Certificate? Old news.

See your family inside the Sonlight Catalog? Cool, but nothing new.

Why are your photos more important than ever this year? Because with Sonlight's photo integration with our website, your pictures can now also show up on Sonlight.com.

That's why your photo and story about homeschooling with Sonlight is so crucial: What you share about homeschooling can benefit hundreds of thousands of homeschoolers both in print and online as they make important choices about their children's education.

You have through Monday to submit your photo to Sonlight's annual Catalog Photo Contest (that now also applies to the website).

I look forward to seeing your submissions!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

08/16/2011
Seeing Inside the Missions Movement
One of the huge benefits of reading missionary biographies is that we get to see how God has worked--and is working--around the world. We are able to watch as God uses men and women to transform lives and show His love. We get to wrestle with the difficulty of contextualizing and translating messages. We witness the courage and sacrifice of believers who lay down their lives for their faith and their friends. Our views of what "church" looks like are challenged by vibrant communities of believers who worship God in ways unfamiliar to us. The pressures and assumptions of culture smash against the desire to see people encounter Christ. Missionary biographies--which are included in almost every Sonlight Core--are great because they give us a glimpse of just how big our God is.

A couple days ago my family got to talking about the "Insider Movement" that continues to be a hot topic within the world of missions. I found a brief overview of what is wrong with these ideas dating back to 2006. For the other side, check out the article written earlier this year about the Insider Movement and Discipling the Nations.

I'm not a fan of "missionary dating," but I've heard enough stories from pastors who met Jesus because they were trying to be closer to a girl to think God can't work in pretty bizarre circumstances. I've read enough missionary biographies of women whom God used to transform whole villages to believe that God can't use women to lead. And I wonder: Is the Insider Movement another "crazy" way God is transforming lives?

I am so grateful that I get to be part of a company--and curriculum--that is so committed to sharing the Good News of Christ with those who have never heard...

As you read about how God has worked through missionaries of the past, what are your thoughts on modern missionary efforts?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

08/12/2011
Need Some Encouragement?
Every once in a while I read a post that's so good I remember that you don't always need to hear from me.* That said, please go read Laura's post Do You Have Time to Home School? Her post contains so many wonderful reminders of the beauty of homeschooling. Love it!

Looking for even more encouragement on your homeschooling journey with Sonlight? The latest Sonlight Moments almost always brighten my day.

And if after all that you're still looking for some encouraging, fun and challenging reading material, there's a bunch of Other Posts of Note to read.

Enjoy your weekend, and may you start next week more excited about homeschooling than ever!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

*This rarely happens because I do so love to hear myself talk. I wouldn't be a blogger if I didn't <smile>.

08/10/2011
General Conversation, Specific Questions
"Could you tell me how to make movies?"

The question is sincere, yet maddeningly vague. 'Which part film making: The physics and chemistry of recording light, the technology required, the theories of staging, the pragmatics of script writing, the art of makeup, the details of sound mixing?' My mind asks such questions, but my fingers reply: "Could you be more specific? What part of film making are you stuck on? Do you have a camera? Are you looking for editing software? It's much easier to answer specific questions."

The answer often comes back, "I just want to learn how. lol"

These internet exchanges are very different from ones I have with kids in my home. As I work with aspiring filmmakers on their projects, we talk and discuss. Sometimes the questions are incredibly specific--"Why isn't the audio track staying in sync with the video?"--but just as often we discuss general film making ideas (e.g. "Editing is about feeling. The trick is to figure out why that cut doesn't feel right"). In these contexts, the vague "random" questions kids ask aren't nearly that random.

As you homeschool, have you noticed that the time you spend reading together peppers your general conversation with specific questions?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

P.S. As always, if you have specific questions about homeschooling or Sonlight, please don't hesitate to ask.

Excoriate: criticize severely

Brought to you by Seth Godin

08/08/2011
Homeschooling Students with Learning Challenges
Does your student struggle with learning? On the flip side, is your student so advanced you're having trouble keeping up? Both ends of the spectrum present challenges to learning (and teaching). In the webinar below, join five homeschool moms who share their insights and encouragement from their experiences with learning challenges:

Homeschool Webinar: Learning Challenges

Find more great homeschooling webinars on Sonlight's Homeschool Helps page.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

08/05/2011
When Things Go Wrong
...so... I have a video to share with you. But it failed to upload properly and it will take too long to try again today. So... Monday I plan to share a video with you.

Naturally, this is a tad frustrating. I much prefer when things work, especially when my plans revolve around said things working. But often in life things don't work. When this happens, our plans need to change. Thankfully, with this blog, I can roll with the changes. We have a similar flexibility in homeschooling to change when situations require it.

Another benefit struck me today: At home, we get to go through the changes and frustrations of life with people we love.

This is a huge benefit.

On the one hand, it's often easier to get through things with people you love. We're doing a home improvement project this weekend and our friends are coming over to help. It makes things much more fun and diffuses frustration.

On the other hand, it's often harder to get through things with family. (Or maybe that's just me.) We're doing a home improvement project this weekend and our friends are coming over to help. It makes things much more fun and diffuses the frustration I experience when it's just Brittany and me working on something. How is this a benefit? First, we can adjust the situations to be less aggravating. Second, we have the opportunity to grow through these moments.

When things go wrong, being with family gives us flexibility and grace to get through it.

Do you notice the benefit of being home with people you love, or--like me--do you more often find yourself in a "growth opportunity" when around your family?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

08/02/2011
Starting School: The Continuation of Learning
A local school district started classes yesterday. I've seen several posts of homeschoolers, like you, who are doing the same or will start in the next couple of weeks. Even if this is your first time homeschooling, remember that this coming year--for all its newness--is a continuation of something you've already been doing: Learning at home. Sure, it may not be formal education. Instead, think about how your children have learned to walk, tie their shoes, communicate and eat food. Many of the skills they have today were learned at home... with you as the teacher.

Think of all the new skills and lessons your students will learn in the coming year. Think of all the talents and insights they will gain. For all the challenges down the road, remember that homeschooling allows you to have a front row seat to witness these advances. What a blessing homeschooling is!

And if you think of it, I would appreciate your prayers for us at Sonlight as well. While much of what we do on a daily basis is a continuation of things we've been doing for 20 years, there's always new challenges to meet and opportunities to seize.

Thanks for being part of the Sonlight family this year!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

08/01/2011
In the Interest of Interests
The college model is well established: Find a major to focus on while also covering "general ed."

Why is it, then, that people take issue when homeschoolers follow a similar trajectory? I can sympathize with being nervous about a "student directed" model. I get that early education is about covering a wide range of topics and so a "trade school" approach isn't exactly what we think of for grade school. But why such negativity to covering the basics while allowing for focused pursuit of a particular subject or skill?

Lee, The HomeScholar, recently blogged about nutty homeschool parents who allow their children to "follow their interests." Mary Grace also has a blog post about the pressure to do high school the "right" way. Both posts hint at this nagging idea that school shouldn't be about interests. Rather, interests should be aligned with school.

Granted, my education prior to college didn't include much formal training in what specifically interested me. I wrote and filmed and programmed and recorded music on my own time. But homeschooling let me devote hours of the day to my hobbies. I didn't need to take a class on making movies because I was practicing on my own.

I guess this post isn't so much about the kind of schooling environment you are in, but rather the kind of learning environment that is open to you both in and outside of formal education. Do you have time to pursue your interests, either formally or for fun?

You can with homeschooling.

What better way to begin a journey of life-long learning? If you learn something because you want to, you're well on your way to enjoying the benefits of learning at home, at school, at work and wherever else you encounter something that fascinates you.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

07/29/2011
Homeschooling: Like Buying New Pants
It's time for a new pair of jeans. The pair I currently have isn't doing so well.

My Jeans

When I go to the store--which is as infrequently as possible because paying that much for an article of clothing is painful--I'll try on different styles and cuts and sizes to find the pair that's going to be best for my lanky body. I don't do the tight pants of the '80s, nor the "at your ankles" look of the late '90s. Instead, I find something my wife says looks good.

Homeschooling is like buying new pants. You have the opportunity to find the curriculum that fits your family. You don't have to squeeze into (or hold up) the educational model of the schools around you. Instead, you can find the program that's tailored to fit your needs.

Since the cost is fairly comparable,* I think it's better to go with the thing that fits.

Ready to find the homeschool curriculum that fits your family?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

*I recently heard of someone who paid over $600 in fees for each of his children to attend a local public school. That did not include school supplies. "At that point," my mom mused, "you could just buy a Core." I added, "And with Sonlight, you get to keep the books."

07/27/2011
Organs, Legos and Learning
Missus Wookie's post about Organ Donation reminded me of xkcd's strip on the topic. [NB: While the xkcd link I provided is clean, please heed the warning that "this comic occasionally contains strong language" if you decide to browse that site.]

I love simple explanations like that.

Heart

I also love that this fictional interaction took place in the home while playing with Legos. Call it a "teachable moment" if you like, but I see it as yet another natural opportunity for learning in the daily experience of life. More than that, this simple explanation opens up a world of discussion. We could move from organ donation to bioethics and issues surrounding a free market of human tissue. We could--as the alt text shows--discuss life after death and the questions surrounding what makes us us. We could then transition into the Platonic idea of Forms.

...all from thinking about the little colored bricks inside a plastic bin.

These kinds of questions can flow naturally in a homeschool environment throughout the day. Eating, playing and reading literature all lend themselves to talking and sharing ideas together. And so we see that education is not something built out of carefully placed pieces, but rather exists outside the individual elements of study.

If you're looking for an educational solution much like a Lego set--one that comes with all the pieces you need, instructions as well as the ability to make it your own--check out Sonlight's literature-based homeschool curriculum. I have fond memories of playing with Legos while my mom read and discussed with us the fantastic books in Sonlight.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

07/25/2011
What is my child's reading level?
Sonlight's Quick Reading Assessment can help you find your child's reading level. This free test uses a list of words which you have your student read out loud. Based on how well your student reads the list, you move to another list until you've found the reading level that is just right for your student to study.

The Quick Reading Assessment is based on the San Diego State Quick Reading Assessment which uses dots and dashes to obscure the reading grade level. This made the test results confusing and cumbersome, more like Morse Code than a quick test.

The Old Test's Morse Code

All your information is now just a click away. You can quickly and easily find your child's reading grade level.

Find your child's reading level now.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

07/22/2011
Fear: A Challenge to Learning
I enjoy books which make a case for "everything you've been told is wrong." That's probably a big part of why I like Gladwell and Dr. Sax, as well as things like the evolution/Creation dispute. I also enjoy hearing about what other people believe about stuff. The idea is that exposure to the other side will help me get a better picture of truth. But, to be honest, sometimes it's scary. We get The Week, and seeing both sides of a current argument can be pretty disquieting. It's much easier to pick a side and parrot the catch phrases of "the party line."

Allow me to start over: I enjoy books which make a case that "everything you've been told is wrong" about something I'm not particularly fond of. The possibility that an idea I've accepted my whole life is wrong often terrifies me. "What if this person presents proof I'm wrong about ______?"

When such fear grips me, I don't want to learn. I don't want to know. 'Ignorance is bliss,' my mind reminds me.

But no. Truth is powerful. Truth is beautiful, even if messy. Ignoring information--while easier--isn't a better place to be. It may be where you need to be today. But don't let fear stop you from learning. Other priorities? Absolutely. Don't have time for this right now? Not a problem. But fear? Please, don't let that stop you.

I bumped into a couple really good (and challenging) Other Posts of Note today. If you have time, I'd encourage you to take a look-see.

But, again, if you have other priorities, please, don't feel pressure! I'm talking about fear in this post, not responsibilities and the constraints of time.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

07/20/2011
Placement Tests
Tests can be very useful. You could find things to tweak in your homeschool. Or, with a good placement test, you could find which Math program would the best fit for your child. If you're not sure what your student's reading level is, check out the Quick Reading Assessment.

I'm currently working to make the Reading Assessment easier to use. While I'm fiddling with it, check out the placement tests available to you.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

P.S. Want to learn more about standardized tests and homeschooling? Watch the To Test or Not to Test? webinar.

07/19/2011
Why "Cool" Kids Shun Learning
Paul Graham's essay Why Nerds are Unpopular explores many of the reasons "cool" kids mock learning. But while writing yesterday's post, I was reminded of another reason why learning is so often rejected: Pride.

Pride has absolutely discouraged me from learning from time to time. Humility, then, is a key to education. But if you're "cool," humility isn't high on your list of priorities.

Too Cool for School

The kids who snickered at my dad's question were too cool to use nerdy words. Unfortunately, the opposite can also be true: I'm sometimes too nerdy to find out what a cool word means; I don't want to show my ignorance to my uber-intelligent friends.

May we seek humility and so model a learner's heart to our children.

How blessed we are, as homeschoolers, to have the opportunity to create such an environment for our students. I'm so glad I grew up in a home where questions were encouraged.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

NB: I'm not totally against being super cool. Just sayin'.

07/18/2011
A Social Drawback to Being Well-Educated
In 9th grade my dad asked a question of the teacher. The children behind him giggled while my dad laid out his query. After getting his answer, my dad asked his friend, "Why were they giggling?"

"They didn't understand a word you were saying."

My dad realized he wanted to communicate with everyone. From that day on, he tried to speak in a way that everyone around him could understand.

Ike, my friend of Discover & Do Level K fame, hangs out with Jr. Highers and says "dude" all the time. He's also one of the smartest guys I know. But he doesn't let on. Why? Because he wants to connect with people more than he wants to prove he's an intellectual.

Because homeschooling is such a fantastic way to learn, it's possible to become "smart" without realizing it. Sadly, your student's knowledge may elicit giggles from the other children--which does little more than demonstrate their poor socialization and the pressure to not be a nerd. In response to the giggles, I know I've purposely obfuscated my statements to separate myself from the masses mocking me.

The better response is to learn how to communicate with those who are less familiar with the topic at hand. This isn't about "stooping" to someone's level, but rather enabling him or her to climb up to yours. Great teachers can make the complex make sense.

May we all learn to communicate clearly with those around us, especially when we have the opportunity to learn far more than our peers about a particular topic.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

07/15/2011
Trying to Find the Best Curriculum for Your Family?
The homeschool community is packed with a wide range of curricula. With Sonlight, you have many Core options, Math programs and various Electives to chooser from. Add to this your budget constraints, your students' individual needs as well as a limited amount of time in your day. Mix it all together, and you may have a question or two.

If you have questions about Sonlight before you're ready to try it out, we've got answers. If you'd like a little more insight into a particular Math course before you can make up your mind, we can help. Want someone to go over your selection of homeschool materials with you before you purchase? Looking for the best way to teach your students together with Sonlight? Wish there was an experienced homeschool mom who was around to help you figure all this stuff out? No problem.

Sonlight Curriculum Advisors are here for you. An Advisor can help you make sure you have the best curriculum selections for your family. And remember, you are covered by Sonlight's unmatched, one-year Love to Learn Guarantee.

You can also find excellent insights from the Sonlight Forum community by posting on the Choosing Sonlight Forum. Which, by the by, I want to give a shout out to the wonderful people of the Sonlight community who answer questions on the Forums and Facebook. Thank you so much for sharing your insights with your fellow homeschoolers.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

07/13/2011
Observable Science
My house suddenly went dark. The flash of a lightning strike was immediately followed by thunder. The lights returned to normal.

"Did that lightning strike just absorb the power going to our house?" I asked no one in particular.

I don't have a better explanation, but I haven't verified that such a thing is possible.

With all the exciting weather we've been having, Science is coming to life. Sonlight Science offers hundreds of hands-on activities for you and your children to do together. You also get a Science Supply Kit which provides the hard-to-find materials you may not have lying around. Throw in a Discover & Do DVD which walks you through each activity, and you're set.

Rainy Days

As much fun as all that is, there's nothing quite like nature shaking things up. Doing science activities is great for retention. But experiencing the natural world can inspire awe and kindle the desire to learn more; the quest to find out why your house went dark right before a lightning strike, for instance.

Lightning at 9000 Frames per Second

I know it's summer, but life-long learning encourages us to discover things even while on vacation. Any natural phenomena inspiring you lately?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

07/11/2011
Odd Pastimes
My mother-in-law placed a domino on the table and gleefully announced, "Chickie four!" It was our third round of Chicken Foot. I was doing well, but ultimately didn't win.

Dominoes

As we shuffled the plastic tiles again, I started thinking about pastimes. We are blessed people indeed to have time enough to wonder about how we spend our free time. Dominoes is a game of matching the number/color of dots. Games involving cards, dice or spinning wheels have similar mechanics. These are great for teaching early math and such, but why are we adults so often involved in playing them?

Puzzles--another pastime currently in the works at my house--puzzle me. Last night I ask my wife, "Who was the first person to say, 'I'm going to take a perfectly good piece of art, cut it into tiny pieces and then put it back together again. What fun!'?" Don't get me wrong, I'll spend hours on a puzzle if you get me started. But isn't that a bit odd?

Other forms of entertainment make much more sense to me. Books, movies, video games can all transport you to other worlds where you experience adventure, friendship, loss and victory. But even here there are arguably only a handful of story lines, and the mechanics of computer games are virtual dice thrown behind the scenes.

What is it that drives these diversions? Is it the discovery of how this particular hand of cards will play out for me? Is it the joy of experiencing yet another adventure, however closely it matches one we've already been on? Is it seeing just how clever we can be at fitting pieces together? Or is it simply the joy of spending time with friends and family?

This is to say nothing of the creative pastimes of writing and recording and performing, or of gardening, sports and art; the expressive, less-passive pastimes, if you will.

So, what about you? Do you enjoy "killing time" around a board game or with a deck of cards? Do you prefer the more creative games of finding words within a jumble of letters or acting out a well-known phrase? Would you rather curl up with a fantastic book and be swept away to another time or place? What's the oddest pastime you enjoy?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

07/08/2011
Find Your Electives More Easily!
You can now quickly add your choice of Electives to your Basket and more easily customize your curriculum selections. Learn more about these exciting new updates in this brief overview video:

Customize and Electives Web Update

Since launching the new website in April, we've been looking for a way to make Electives easier to find. Before now, you could customize your program in the chooser, but then you had to go to the Electives page and add them to your cart separately. Not ideal. With this latest update, Electives are now included in the choosing process. Sweet!

Ready to see the latest from Sonlight? Check our the homeschool curriculum options from Sonlight now.

Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

07/05/2011
Getting Ready
Yesterday we had an "epic" party. We had somewhere around 25 people milling about. We attempted to keep preparations as simple as possible. Still, with several food sensitivities (wheat, sugar or dairy, depending on the person), it took some work. We also did a bit of tidying before everyone came over, to keep up appearances <smile>.

All that to say, the more variables you need to account for, the longer it takes to get ready.

We've got a website update in the works that will bring Electives to you in the choosing process. I really want to share it with you. Unfortunately, as we test the handful of common browsers out there, we find we have more work to do. Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari and Chrome don't have sensitivities to wheat, sugar or dairy, but they do behave differently when you feed them Javascript, CSS and AJAX.

I still have some general tidying to do as well.

Once again I am reminded of just how long and difficult it can be to get something ready. I imagine the same can be true if you're new to homeschooling or have several students and are considering your options. With all the variables you need to keep in mind, picking the best homeschool resources can be difficult. If you'd like to chat with a homeschool mom who has "been there and done that" before you purchase your curriculum, please don't hesitate to contact a of Sonlight curriculum Advisor.

How was your 4th of July? What variables make getting ready difficult for you?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

07/01/2011
Did Our Website Fail You Yesterday?
The technology behind our website glitches from time to time. It appears to happen when lots of people are on the website. And since we like it when lots of people visit our site when considering their homeschooling options, that bug isn't particularly welcome.

Yesterday, the final day to take advantage of the 6-month Time Payment option this year, many people were trying to purchase homeschool curriculum from Sonlight. If you were among them, you may have noticed that the site wasn't behaving properly. Worse still, the time pressure made the technical difficulties even less pleasant. In an effort to give you excellent service while we continue to resolve our technological barriers, we have opted to extend the 6-month Time Payment option through the 5th of July, 2011.

Thanks for your patience.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

06/28/2011
Act Now: 6-Month Payment Plan
Order before Friday to take advantage of Sonlight's fee-free 6-month Time Payment plan.

If you purchase your homeschool curriculum by June 30^th, you can select to spread the cost of a year's worth of curriculum over the next six months. Even better, this service doesn't cost you anything extra.

My co-worker, Mike, noticed I was working on this post and realized he should take advantage of the Time Payment option in conjunction with the fantastic Rosetta Stone sale going on right now. "I just may do that," he said.

"You should," I told him.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

06/27/2011
Summer Help
As we ramp up to our busy season here at Sonlight, the summer staff shows up: Familiar faces and friends from years before as well as new people to meet. Quite a few are college and high school students of divergent backgrounds and paths: Psychology, teaching, math, film, biology. Some are homeschoolers. Many are not.

There's this idea out there that certain educational models produce cookie cutter children. But thus far, I haven't seen one that does that. Homeschooling certainly doesn't. As I think about my public schooled friends, that system clearly doesn't either. And it's not like one group is noticeably smarter, more confident, more engaged or independent.

So where do people get these ideas that one educational model is so much worse than the other? It happens on both sides with similar magnitude.

This is the time of year when many homeschooling families start purchasing their homeschool curriculum. My friends entering college are talking about orientation. The start of high school still feels far off, but it's fast approaching as well. As you consider the choices your family has made for education in the Fall, I encourage you to think about the choices of others. As you notice those around you, I believe the differences won't seem as stark. Because, perhaps, the biggest difference is that one system guarantees you'll love to learn.

Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

06/24/2011
Stories of Longing for More
I must be on a Disney kick this week. Monday it was Beauty and the Beast, Wednesday The Incredibles, and today I've been thinking about The Little Mermaid, Lion King, Hunchback and Tangled. Why do these Disney flicks--for better or worse--focus on rebelling against authority?

I ask because I don't remember reading (any?) "rebellion" stories in Sonlight. I recall tales of questioning presuppositions, of stepping out beyond yourself, of mischievous escapades, but none about children shaking off the shackles of parental figures. The award winning stories I read and listened to as a child were about doing great things. I don't remember being told that I was "kept down" but rather that I should keep looking up.

If you are locked in a tower, please get out. But for those of us whose parents encouraged us to follow our path, rebelling against authority shouldn't be our story. Ours is a story of longing for more as well, but we long for a dream not yet realized.

Do we confuse the longing for a dream yet to come with an act of repression?

I wonder if reading missionary biographies--in particular--helped me to more accurately see my position in the world. Learning about how God has worked through people in the past helped me develop an appetite for the future.

Do you resonate with "rebellion" stories? What books have encouraged you the most?

May the stories you hear and read and watch encourage you to continue to look up as you walk the path before you.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

06/22/2011
When You're Not One of the Incredibles
There is a powerful line in The Incredibles where Dash points out that if everyone is special then no one is. The implication, of course, being that some are better at certain things than others. That's the whole point of the body of Christ, right? We use our gifts and strengths in the service of others... much like the Incredible family.

But what happens in those moments when you realize you aren't really all that talented? What about those times you feel like a failure? What are you to think when you really don't measure up; you aren't an Incredible?

Not Incredible

Kiera could tell you. She learned that lesson reading a book. And I am so glad her mom took the time to share the message with me. Because, for some reason, I too often forget. Seriously, you should read this post.

Please also remember that despite the occasional feelings of inadequacy we all face, homeschooling also gives our children confidence in their beauty/awesomeness.

Have you been feeling not very Incredible lately? I have. I need these beautiful reminders.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

06/21/2011
Goals and Regrets: Do Not Use Sonlight
"I am now regretting choosing Sonlight."

The Sonlight Curriculum Regrets review has been gnawing at the back of my mind for a few days now. The literature-based approach to learning has failed this child "miserably."

Ouch.

I can't argue with the fact that Sonlight failed this family. But this begs the question: Why? Why did Sonlight fail? ...or, perhaps more telling, what did Sonlight fail to do? Sonlight failed--because of such an emphasis on reading to your children--to get this girl ready for a first grade phonics test she needed to get into a private school. Granted, the review does point out that if you continue homeschooling, Sonlight may work for you.

So why is it that Sonlight may not prepare your child for a specialized classroom setting?

First, like all education options, Sonlight will not likely match a school's narrow requirements. Not because Sonlight is somehow academically inferior, but because the emphasis is different. Every transition from one schooling approach to another requires a reassignment of priorities.

Second, Sonlight's Top 10 Goals could be different from the school you are considering. If excellence on Phonics and Math tests are the goals of a school, Sonlight's goals will not align.

If you are looking for a program that will cram testable standards into your child's mind in the first year or two of school, Sonlight may not be for you. Again, not that Sonlight students don't excel. If you want to see just a few examples of Sonlight students' success, check out this year's Scholarship Winners. It's important to consider the goals of the academic program you are considering.

This drops us back where we started: Choosing a homeschooling curriculum. Far more than what your student may do in the following year, the question to consider now is, "What are my goals for my child's education this year?"

Have your educational goals changed over your years of homeschooling?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

06/20/2011
Memorization is Not Understanding
Lumiere invites Belle to enjoy her dinner and sings, "Tie your napkin 'round your necksery and..."

Wait.

I'm standing in my kitchen and I realize there's a comma between "neck" and the next word. Suddenly the line makes way more sense. Excited, I share my discovery with Brittany, "He says, '...neck, chérie!'"

My wife stares at me, like I've just announced that "teh" isn't the correct spelling. Looks like I've got to explain myself. "I always thought it was a made-up word to make the line flow better."

My wife isn't impressed by my creativity in the face of ignorance.

I knew the song. I knew the movie. I knew the cultural context of the characters' names. But I didn't know there was a comma. All my memorization and knowledge had failed me. Until last night, I didn't understand what the candlestick was really saying.

This demonstrates the different strata of learning. Some of these layers are:

Comprehend

Recall

and Apply

I had the gist of the song, I knew it's meaning, and I could sing it to you if you were inclined to listen. But even though neither you nor I would realize I was singing it wrong, I wouldn't have been singing it correctly.

We need to be able to recall information we understand if we're going to apply it. Too often, however, we can get lazy and believe memorization is enough. This is the fundamental flaw of "teaching to the test": We never build on the foundation.

Homeschooling allows us to focus on the application of our knowledge. And if we can apply what we have learned, we know we also comprehend and recall the information as well. If you'd like some ideas on how to do this with your homeschool curriculum, Sonlight's Instructor's Guides offer notes and comprehension questions to help get you started.

Have you ever had a moment where you suddenly understood something you've "known" forever?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

06/17/2011
Building Off Something Great
There is a fantastic article in the latest edition of Wired. (Unfortunately, it's not on their website yet, so I can't link to it.) The article presents the radical shift in computing that is upon us because of the Kinect (and our ability to tap into its power). The short, short, short version: The Kinect solves a long-standing robotics problem and now that Microsoft supports the use of their hardware outside of the Xbox, we are moving into a new world of computing.

Wired is really promoting the ability to build off something great. The article cheers when tightfisted corporations surrender to the ingenious hacker who can take their product and use it in a new way. And I cheer right along with them. As you may recall, I tend to tweak my tools too. It's important to note that this is modding, not piracy. Modding creates more with what is there, piracy takes what isn't yours.^*

How does this relate to homeschooling?

From what I've gathered, many people begin their homeschool journey by getting the recommended items or "boxed curriculum." Over the years, as they gain confidence in their homeschooling and insight into their children's learning styles, they begin to modify their curriculum selections to meet their needs.

In the end, you build off something great to make a home education just right for you and your family.

Modding Your Curriculum

Sonlight fully supports this customization. That's why we offer so many different homeschool curriculum options from complete packages to individual items. Of course, having such a great approach to homeschooling means that others "mod" Sonlight's foundation to create their own products as well. I admit that's a tad frustrating for me, but I also appreciate how this has brought homeschooling to a whole new level over the last 20 years. May your studies--no matter the form they take--enable you and your family to do amazing things and experience the joy of learning together.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

*This is probably why I have such mixed feelings about derivative works online: It's rather a cross between modding and piracy. Fascinating!

06/15/2011
Summer Bummer
This morning I read about how Erika's family is already missing school. Such a problem to have! <smile>

It's been a long time since I had a summer break. Even when I was finishing up high school, I was creating Science DVDs instead of playing with the friends I didn't have. So I'm reaching back in my mind when I think about my childhood summers. I don't recall missing school because we still got up early to go to swim practice, we still read every night before bed, we still had fascinating family discussions, and I spent a ton of time at my friends' houses (like I did while we did school as well).

But, yes, summer isn't always all that it's imagined to be. In fact, some even say that summer bites (if you're not at the beach). The change or loss of routine, the cries of boredom, the heat, the schedule that seems to fill up even more than during the rest of the year... all conspire to bring about a summer bummer.

My suggestion? Grab one of your favorite books--or one that you didn't get to--and read together on a regular basis, like bedtime. Interested in something new and fresh? You could always start reading some of next year's books now, especially if you were thinking of doing a 4-Day program. You could get the 5-Day Core program just to have a couple extra books to read over the summer.

Looking for a few more suggestions? Kelly, Jill and Judy have some great summertime tips:

Are you enjoying your summer? What great things are you planning to do?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

06/14/2011
Taking the Plunge
You research. You consider. You weigh your options. But, at some point, you just have to go for it.

That can be scary. Like jumping off the high dive for the first time.

Whether you're deciding to support a missionary, start a new venture, select next year's homeschooling curriculum, or move your blog... there comes the moment where you have to commit. You could always stop writing checks, decide to give up, return your materials, or revert to your old site--but that initial leap feels so final.

And then you have to adjust to the new thing.

Hopefully you didn't even notice that we moved the Sonlight Blog yesterday. I'd been putting that off for weeks. I struggled to make sure I had everything working. Now I settle in for the long process of getting used to the new system. But I'm excited about all the changes we've made.

Much like jumping off the high diving board, when you hit the water, you discover it was worth it.

What have you been putting off? How do you like the "new" blog?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

06/10/2011
Encouragement and Reminders
Are you feeling down or overwhelmed?

I often get depressed immediately following a great experience. I've been told that's normal. If you've been at the top of the world, even the mile high city pales in comparison. It's also easy, when thinking about the future, to become overwhelmed by everything we have to do. The events to come in the rest of our lives quickly swamp the few hours we have today.

Many families are finishing up their homeschooling for the year and looking toward the Fall. This can be exhilarating and exhausting. Summer is here, but that doesn't mean things can't be a little blue even with clear skies and perfect weather. I've found a little encouragement and some well-placed reminders to be very helpful when I'm down or stressed.

That's one reason why I love the latest update to Sonlight's website. You can now find encouraging photos and quotes in the sidebar on many pages of the site.

Encouraging Photos and Quotes

Do you have a photo and story that is a great reminder of the joy of homeschooling? Have you recently been encouraged by something that happened in your homeschool? Please, take a moment and share it on Sonlight's Photo Contest page. Your picture and story may appear in next year's Catalog and website as an encouragement to hundreds of families beginning and continuing their homeschooling journey.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

06/07/2011
Gender Matters in Education
Gender is showing up in articles again and again and again these days. The basic thrust of this in vogue idea--which appears to have been around for a little over 50 years now--is that "gender" is more than just your physiology.

Okay, sure. But this idea is no more enlightening than to say that "orange" can refer to a fruit, a color or a non-rhyme-able word. Far more important is to consider the deeper root of the discussion. Are we talking about food or art or creative writing? Similarly, we must unearth what is driving this latest thrust to let our children "discover"/"decide" their gender for themselves.

To me, Storm's parents are simply confusing the issue. While social pressures do affect how we treat boys and girls--often damagingly so--the solution is not to try to mask biological gender. Rather, as Dr. Sax so masterfully explains: We must learn about the innate differences in biology so we can give our sons and daughters equal opportunities to succeed. In fact, I would argue that trying to ignore biological differences will make it harder for a child to develop because the innate differences are not addressed and applied.

The other issue is similarly mislabeled. The roles and preferences of children are not defined by society any more than they are by biology. Both impact the student, to be sure, but personality, opportunity, and aptitude are equally influential. To put such an emphasis on essentially overthrowing one's biology is a mistake. If anything, we should overthrow society's limitations and work within the various strengths our biology gives us as we pursue the things of which we are gifted and blessed to take part.

I've written about Dr. Sax's Why Gender Matters before, but this issue has come up yet again. Dr. Sax champions the point that understanding biology frees us from the assumptions of society. Gender matters in education because if we do not take the time to understand how it influences our lives, we will be limited by our ignorance.

If you have not read Why Gender Matters, I urge you to do so. I was blown away by what I learned. And considering how hot of a topic this is today, now is the time to get the facts.

Have you noticed a recent glut of gender discussion? What are your thoughts and insights?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

06/06/2011
How Do You Grade?
I grew up hearing terms like "80th percentile" and "satisfactory" when it came to my biennial tests. I knew that a letter-based grade system existed, and I quickly realized that--truly--the only grade I should ever get was an A. How could anyone settle for less than an A?

In our homeschool, we did things until we got it right. So, I guess, our "grading" was based on a pass/fail standard where failure was not an option. The concept of being forced to stop learning something so you could be given a mark on how well you did at that moment felt astonishingly myopic. How is that a useful statistic? Wouldn't it be better to master the topic at hand before moving on?

Certainly.

But I was growing up in the privilege of homeschooling where we had the time and freedom to pursue learning at a pace I required. Grades are, in my estimation, a nasty byproduct of mass education. They are the only motivator we can offer. They are the only metric we can measure. Grades are how we compare 30 students forced to move through content together.

The question, then, is: How do we apply this system to homeschooling? It certainly didn't fit with how my family did school.

I know some homeschool families give grades based on effort. That makes sense. So, I'm curious: How do you give grades?

On Wednesday, Judy is going to share about grading and Sonlight. I look forward to seeing what she has to say and how that compares to your insights!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

06/03/2011
Taking Time to Connect
I've been thinking about Candy's post Dear Sergeant Ybarra for a couple days now. There is something powerful about someone taking the time to notice you. In fact, as Candy writes, those letters still impact her today. These simple, powerful interactions can change lives.

As I think back in my own life, the best teachers, pastors, and youth leaders all gave a focused interest in me. They demonstrated that I mattered to them and that they were happy to spend time with me.

We have the opportunity to do that with our children. Homeschooling enables us to take time to connect with our kids. It may feel more mundane than sending letters half a world away, but the impact is greater because of the frequency of contact. These benefits of homeschooling are easily taken for granted (or worse, completely overlooked), but when I think back to those who have poured into my life, my parents are definitely at the top of that list.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

05/31/2011
Which Direction Does Fire Burn?
The fire flickered as the parents talked and the kids played. The father turned to one of his sons and asked, "Does fire burn uphill or downhill?"

The boy paused, considering the question. He tried to remember if he had seen any examples of this happening in life. Had he witnessed a fire on a hill?

His father waited a moment. When it was clear the boy was fixated on the wrong information, he asked, "Does heat rise or sink?"

"Heat rises."

"So if a fire is on a hill, will it go up or down?"

The scene unfolded before me. I'd had similar conversations when I was growing up. But now the beauty of life-long learning struck me anew. 'Is this how most parents talk with their children?'

As a homeschooler, the idea of taking every opportunity and turning it into a discussion or "teaching moment" is natural. Of course fire should inspire us to ask questions about the physics of heat! But does everyone see it that way?

If so, then far more people should be homeschooling because they are already doing it.

If not, then far more people should be homeschooling because of how it changes the way we see the world and interact with our children.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

P.S. I just got my third order from Sonlight: Rosetta Stone Italian. With sale prices this low and a wife interested in linguistics, how could I refuse such an offer? Check out the incredible Rosetta Stone sale going on right now!

Rosetta Stone Italian

05/27/2011
Bug Fix: Search
Search on sonlight.com has been fixed.

For the past couple of months we've had a ton of feedback about the website. When things are working, we get positive comments about how easy the site is to use. That feels fantastic. But when something is broken, things aren't nearly as pleasant. And with good reason: When things aren't working, we've let you down.

If you've been frustrated trying to find something on Sonlight's new website, I have good news: We've updated search and it works now.

Search Feedback

If the new search tool still isn't helping you find what you're looking for, please use the search feedback form to let us know so we can improve it. Because not only do I want the site to be helpful for you, but I really like positive feedback too <smile>.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

05/25/2011
The Cost of Customizing
I never buy a pre-configured computer. I love playing with all the components to see if I can get more monster for my money. My mom would never do this. Why the difference?

I love playing with technology. My mom does not.

For me, selecting a computer is fun. It's a chore for my mom. Worse, she doesn't feel confident around technology, so the process is even stressful. Confidence makes a huge difference. That's why I don't relish modifying certain code: I have no idea what I'm doing. And I'll fiddle away hours trying to figure it out. Rarely do I not have to get help from someone else.

If you are new to homeschooling with Sonlight, the prospect of customizing your curriculum can feel overwhelming. It can take a while to become familiar with certain homeschool lingo. Your child's education is at stake and you may not be sure which program will match his or her learning style. All the options may blur together and the whole experience could end up being stressful.

That being the case, a Multi-Subject Package may be just the thing you need: All the subjects for your upcoming homeschool year in one complete package. Plus, you get the benefit of Sonlight's best discount and all the other perks we offer.

Of course, you may love customizing your homeschool experience. You enjoy mixing and matching different programs to perfectly fit your student's educational needs. Fantastic! Start with a Sonlight^® Core and add subjects to that.

The cost of customizing comes down to one thing: Comfort. If you're not comfortable getting something "out of the box," select the parts you want. If you're not comfortable selecting specific components yet, start with a complete package. As you discover what works and what could be better, you'll see your confidence increase.

Not sure what program you should get? Have a few questions about the program you are customizing? Chat with a Sonlight homeschool curriculum advisor today.

Do you enjoy customizing your homeschool curriculum? If so, have you always enjoyed the process?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

05/24/2011
View booklist with descriptions
Go to the homeschool curriculum package you are interested in and click on the "Included Items" tab. Then click the little View booklist with descriptions link.

View booklist with descriptions

Nifty, eh?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

05/23/2011
Questions About the End of the World
You've probably seen them too: The quips about how the world's still here. Turns out we get pretty smug when we're right. "No one knows when the end will come." Seriously, how much clearer can Scripture be?

And it's not like we haven't been here before. For example, allow me to remind you of Calvin and Hobbes's take on the end of the world way back in 1986. And perhaps that's the best reminder: Since we don't know, keep working diligently.

But as I read yet another post about how wrong what's-his-name was, I was struck by the rest of the passage people keep quoting. While the idea that not even Jesus knows the time is something important to remember, we've somehow forgotten the reason why Jesus told us He didn't know: Because we're supposed to be ready and keep watch.

Like the boy who cried wolf, I wonder if all these "false alarms" are actually doing us harm. When the day finally does arrive, will we pay attention? If my reaction this last week is any indication: No. I won't. By midnight, I was contentedly fast asleep, certain the end hadn't come. But what if, at that moment, the bridegroom had arrived?

For all the talk this weekend about Matthew 24:36, I didn't hear a single person actually discuss the signs we're told to consider in the immediate context.

Did you?

I love that homeschooling encourages us to discuss these kinds of things with our children. We can go beyond the pop-culture/Christian snide remarks and allow this to be an opportunity to dig into Scripture.

Did your children have any questions about the end of the world? Do you, like me, find yourself thinking, 'I've still got a long time'?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

05/20/2011
Graduation Photo Op
Several of you have mentioned that your school year is coming to an end. And with the launch of Sonlight's 2012 Catalog Photo Contest, now would be a great time to take advantage of your photo ops:

Grab a shot of your family with your favorite book (or books) from the year.

Snap a picture of how much you've read and accomplished.

Show off some of the art projects, science activities or history re-enactments you have created.

Share your celebration of completing another year of formal home education.

I'd love to see your picture and read your story in the 2012 Catalog!

Next week Brittany and I will be attending several graduation parties. Are doing anything to celebrate your success? If you school year-round, how do you celebrate transitions between years?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

05/18/2011
Save an Extra 2% on Homeschool Curriculum
Would you like to save an extra 2% when you purchase your homeschool curriculum?

Of course.

But it depends on what the catch is. If you have to sign up for a new credit card, forget it. Dave Ramsey is totally not cool with credit cards. I like mine, but there's no way I'm signing up for another one!

So how can you save an additional 2% off your next Sonlight order? Buy all the subjects you need from Sonlight in an easy-to-order Multi-Subject Package. You not only get the 10% Core discount, but you get 2% on top of that. That's 12% off a program you may have been planning to purchase somewhere else.

Granted, just like credit cards, Multi-Subject Packages aren't for everyone. But if you need Language Arts, Math, Science and Handwriting anyway, it's worth looking into a Sonlight^® Multi-Subject Package.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

P.S. Unlike credit cards, if you discover that the Multi-Subject Package isn't right for you, you are covered by Sonlight's one-year money-back guarantee. You have a year to check out half the program, and if you're not thrilled with the materials (and your savings), send it back for a refund. Dave Ramsey totally has a point when he talks about the dangers of credit cards. Sonlight's Love to Learn Guarantee allows you to only pay for the homeschool curriculum you love and use.

05/17/2011
You are Part of a Team
Your students have the benefit of an education tailored to fit their needs. You, as the homeschooling parent, have the privilege of making those choices. You can do what you want with almost no outside input.

Such freedom is a beautiful thing.

I can relate, having had this blog to myself for the past couple years. But now others here at Sonlight will share their insights with you as well. You will be able to benefit from the multiple perspectives and combined years of experience.

So too with your homeschool. You are, most likely, also part of a team. Your spouse may give you free reign to do as you please, as Sonlight gave to me. But just as there is strength in having others post to this blog, your husband*s input can make your homeschool even better. But if your husband is opposed to homeschooling, things won't go very smoothly. That's why I don't recommend a family begin homeschooling if one of the parents is absolutely against it.

So how can you get your spouse more involved? Some ideas:

Hand your spouse a Read-Aloud for the kids' bedtime story

Save some of the Science activities for weekends

Make sure you share the latest "light bulb moment" your son or daughter had

Freedom to do things on your own is fantastic. But being part of a team has a whole different set of benefits.

How do you get your spouse involved in homeschooling?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

*I realize you may be a homeschooling single parent/dad. If you are, I'd love to hear from you!

05/16/2011
Don't Mind the Gaps
Your child will never know everything.

Now you know.

Worse still, if your students are anything like me, they will likely forget much of what they learn. As the years tick by, more and more of their formal education will seep out of their minds.

But don't be alarmed. This shouldn't cause you any concern whatsoever. Our brains retain the bits we use and tend to dump the rest. "Use it or lose it," as the psychologists say. Gaps and information loss are common, natural, and probably even healthy. In fact, gaps offer a huge benefit: You get to (re)learn something!

I've recently started reading Enchantress from the Stars to my wife. I remember, years ago, finishing the book and thinking, 'Wow.' But now that I've started reading it again, I realize I have forgotten everything: The plot, the characters, the central conflict. I'm now mourning my memory loss, but I'm also secretly excited to experience the book again ...almost for the first time.

The purpose of education, then, isn't to cram information into one's head. Rather, a good education is one that teaches us how to learn and inspires us to learn more. Put another way: Don't Mind the Gaps.

Don't Mind the Gaps

Last week, Lori said it even better in her post Home Schooling or Home Education?

May you enjoy learning (and relearning) things with your children as you finish up school, enjoy the summer, and look forward to another great year of homeschooling next year!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

05/11/2011
Which Book Are You Most Excited to Read?
As more and more of you celebrate Box Day, which book are you most looking forward to reading with your children?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

In the midst of the excitement, please don't forget to send me your Box Day story. It's so encouraging to see how eager your family is to learn through great books.

05/10/2011
No Longer Alone
Ever feel like you have to do it all?

As homeschoolers we often relish our independence. Of course, we can also feel completely overwhelmed with the enormity of some of our tasks. This feeling of inadequacy is amplified when we feel uninformed about a particular topic. Thankfully, we are not alone. Sonlight continues to be committed to providing you with communities where you can find suggestions, encouragement and support on your homeschool journey.

For the past couple years, I've been going at this blog alone. As of today, that is starting to change. We still don't know exactly what the future holds, but I will no longer be the sole voice here on the Sonlight blog.

What's changing?

Right now we are consolidating all the blogs we've been running. Box Day stories will now be available here. Sarita's bi-weekly "Word" will be a regular feature on Sonlight Blog. You will also find fantastic posts from Judy, a veteran homeschool mom.

We plan to have even more people share here... but those details aren't fully fleshed out yet.

What's not changing?

I'll still be here. I'll still post regularly.

It's time for Sonlight's blog to become more than just my musings about Sonlight and homeschooling. It's time for others to join in giving you even more great content. They will be able to share from their experience and knowledge. You'll get the benefit of multiple perspectives on homeschooling and even more people to turn to when you feel overwhelmed.

I am super excited about expanding Sonlight's blog to be even more helpful for you.

Bear with me as I move some content around and get things setup.

Are there any topics you'd really like to learn more about? Is there someone at Sonlight you'd love to here from? How has the Sonlight community recently encouraged you in your homeschool journey?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

05/09/2011
Bug Fix: Adding Individual Items
Sonlight's new website is designed to make it easier for you to get the homeschooling materials you want. You can browse by program and select just the items you need from that package. The trouble has been that certain pages weren't working for some people. You would select the items you wanted, but it wouldn't add them to your cart.

Talk about frustrating!

Thankfully, we've been able to fix that problem. You can now add both homeschooling packages and whatever additional items you need to your cart.

Selections Added to Your Cart

If you've been wrestling with this feature on our site, I'm so sorry. I know how annoying it is when technology doesn't work correctly. Thanks for your patience while we sorted out what was wrong.

If you need just a couple books from a program, check out the package the books are in and add them from the Included Items list. Remember, Sonlight now offers free shipping on select orders $25 or more so you can get those few extra books you need to complete your homeschooling curriculum.

Of course, if you purchase a Core you get free US shipping on every order all year long. Check out all the great benefits of Core Club membership.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

05/06/2011
Thank You!
Again and again this week I was struck by how grateful I am for you. You share your Box Day stories. You answer questions on various Forums around "the interwebs." You start fun things like a Sonlight Blog Roll. You send us great feedback that helps us make our website better.

In short: You take such a great interest in Sonlight. You don't just love using Sonlight's homeschool curriculum. You share that love with your friends, family and us.

I just wanted to say, "Thank you!" I know you've got plenty to do, so I know your time is valuable!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

P.S. A friend sent me an email saying, "Dude, check out the Sky Survey." It was so cool, I'm passing it on to you. It has a complete 360° sphere of the night sky. Amazing!

05/05/2011
Sonia & Free Shipping
Not sure which programs to get from Sonlight? Have multiple children you want to teach this year? Would you like help selecting your homeschool curriculum? Great news! Sonia is back online.

Sonia is Sonlight's automated Internet Advisor. She asks you questions and, based on your answers, makes curriculum suggestions. She will walk you through the selection process step by step. Have Sonia help you choose your homeschool curriculum now.

The other bit of news?

Sonlight now has Free Shipping on orders $25 or more.

...naturally, some restrictions apply. For instance, we can't give you this amazing free shipping deal if you're visiting the moon. Or mars. Or anywhere outside the US. Also, since the free shipping on $25 orders goes out Media Mail, your order can't include things like Science Kits or Microscopes. But if you're getting a Microscope, you probably qualify for other Free Shipping options.

So, check out the latest from Sonlight:

Sonia & Free Shipping on orders $25 or more

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

05/04/2011
Parenting: Long, Hard Work
Perhaps it's the fact that my sister's family is involved in the long, hard work of farming. Maybe it's because parenting is a long-term job. It could be I was just feeling ornery. Whatever the reason, I initially balked at Seth Godin's Hard work vs. Long work.

Then I realized: Homeschooling allows us to work hard, but no longer than we need to. In school, you sit in your chair until the bell rings. You do your time. And as long as you don't spend that time actively trying to avoid work, you'll probably graduate. But even here--like farming--it is possible to fail at long work. "Just showing up" rarely gets you anywhere. Or maybe I just didn't take those classes or work those jobs.

The key point is not how much time you spend. If you can do it faster and reap the benfits, fantastic! That's one of many great reasons to homeschoool. On the other hand, you can work hard for months on something and still not be done with it. That's what we'd expect if it's a huge project. The time spent has nothing to do with your efforts or the eventual outcome. So it's not the time that matters.

Raising children and being there for them into adulthood is a process that takes, well, more than a couple years. Educating your kids at home is a similarly lengthy process. Food preparation, chores, sports, skill development and more are all "long work" with tremendous benefit. So, no, may we never "just show up" and expect results. Let's jump into things and work diligently and well at them. But, yes, there will be times when your efforts will not appear to be paying off.

That's okay.

We're in this for the long haul. And it's hard work.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

05/03/2011
Sonlight® Rewards: Save Money on Your Next Purchase
My local movie theater has a new rewards program. It boasts free concession upgrades, money-back deals and waived fees. Cool. Until I learned that it cost $12 a year.

Let me think... I don't go out to see a movie more than once or so a year. I never get popcorn. And I don't purchase tickets online because of the fees. This program is not for me.

My cinema's "rewards" is rather the opposite of Sonlight's Rewards Program. Some highlights:

You don't have to apply.

You can start using the program immediately.

Your Points last for 30 months. Use them on your time frame.

Sonlight Rewards benefit you and your friend.

Sonlight continues to serve more homeschool families because you shared the joy of homeschooling.

Details?

You earn points when someone brand new to Sonlight--who includes your Rewards ID--orders more than $50. Your friend gets $5 off that order. You get a discount on your order when you decide to redeem your Points.

Share your love of homeschooling with your friends to earn points and save them money. Get started with Sonlight^® Rewards Program now.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

P.S. Have a blog or website? Sign in and swing by the Widgets page for even more Sonlight^® Rewards tools.

P.P.S. How has Sonlight^® Rewards worked for you?

05/02/2011
"This is literature?"
Some of the books the girls had me read to them inspired me to ask the same question. Of course, I don't have the sweet accent of Gru. I am hoping that someday my Rosetta Stone Russian practice will enable me to at least pretend to have a sweet accent.

Where was I?

Right. Children's literature.

If you've seen Despicable Me--as I did just a few days ago--you may recall that the beauty of the scene where Gru reads isn't the excellence of the writing. Rather, it's the way the simple story speaks directly to him. The books which make up Sonlight's homeschool curriculum are often similarly moving (and, I think, much better from a literary perspective). My dad frequently got emotional while reading one of the Read-Alouds to us before bed. Really great literature is the kind that moves us, even if the language is simple.

What books have you recently read to your children which have impacted you?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

P.S. If you're looking to develop a sweet accent, or you have the more mundane goal of learning a foreign language, Rosetta Stone is on sale right now. Like: Crazy-low prices. Get your Rosetta Stone program at a huge discount today!

04/29/2011
Hurry: Offer ends Saturday!
If you've been holding off purchasing your homeschool curriculum for next year, you may not want to wait any longer. You have until tomorrow night to get a fee-free 9-month payment plan on your homeschool curriculum this year.

Order your homeschool curriculum today and enjoy the benefit of the cost of your 36 week's worth of books, supplies and materials spread out over a similar nine months. Good deal.

Enjoy your weekend, whether you decide to have the fun of selecting your curriculum today or not.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

04/28/2011
Hmm.... I've got nothing

Casuistry: plausible but false argumentation; examining ethical situations rather than following a moral rule

Brought to you by Eric M. Pazdziora

I had an idea for a blog post earlier today. Then I got swamped with some stuff, sidetracked with some other stuff, spun around by still other stuff so that now I'm at a place where my head can't hold onto stuff. <smile>

Ever have days where being pulled in so many directions seems to deplete your mind? Or is it just me?

If you're looking for some content to read (be it fascinating, challenging, hilarious, encouraging or uplifting), check out my Other Posts of Note. Even when I've got nothing, my fellow bloggers have some noteworthy stuff for you.

Enjoy!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

04/27/2011
Workspace: An Artifact of Homeschooling

Working in the Sonlight Entryway

Most of my workdays are spent in front of my computer. But if I need to read a report, look over some documentation, scribble up some ideas, or complete some non-computer-related tasks--which are admittedly few and far between--I'm likely somewhere else.

Barb, one of my coworkers, noticed me sitting in the entryway. She laughed and said, "You're totally a homeschooler. You work where you want."

I'm not convinced this is purely a homeschooler trait. But I did learn that I could work hanging upside down off the couch, sprawled on the floor, pacing in the backyard as well as sitting at a desk while homeschooled. Sure, it's a little non-traditional to find someone wandering around outside while reading a business proposal. But occasionally mixing things up is great for creative thinking and not-going-stir-crazy-ification. The right workspace can increase productivity. It can also raise morale.

The Sonlight Catalog is filled with pictures of students doing their schoolwork in trees, on walls, in boxes, on the couch, inside, outside, all around. Where does your student like to work? What's the oddest place your child has found to study?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

04/26/2011
How to Teach Your Children the Bible
Should You Believe the Trinity?

The booklet is sprinkled with Scripture passages. The names of early church fathers follow many of the quotes. Historical documents, ancient artifacts and modern research fill the pages. This thing has way more information than most of the Sunday School curriculum I am handed at church. The booklet tells me I should reject a man-made idea and go with the wisdom of God found in Scripture.

I don't.

After studying the booklet for several weeks with some Jehovah's Witness friends of mine, I still believe in the Trinity.

Despite strong Scriptural support for beating your children, some families reject this practice.

Going against the "plain teaching" of geocentricism in the Bible, not too many people still accept this idea either.

Why?

Put another way: How did we come to these conclusions?

And what drives our decisions about a great number of other contested ideas, such as speaking in tongues, tithing or the efficacy of Christ's death and resurrection? And, given that, how do we teach our children the truths found in Scripture?

I certainly don't have it all figured out. But here are suggestions based on my experience from life thus far:

Read the Bible with your children. Summaries, lessons and devotions are great and can be incredibly helpful. But don't forget to go to the source itself. I grew up memorizing NKJV verses for Awana. If I could handle that, your children can learn to follow along with your translation(s) of choice. ...especially as you talk them through the passages and answer their questions.

Pray for wisdom. Enough said.

Consider the lives of others. One of the benefits of reading biographies of great Christians is you can see how they lived out their faith. As we examine the lives of great men and women of God, we can see what produced good fruit and what did not.

Study the Scriptures. When you encounter a difficult passage or teaching that doesn't feel quite right, make use of the Body of Christ. Read commentaries, talk to friends and teachers, consider the context and the rest of Scripture, look up articles and, again, read the passages themselves.

What about you? How do you teach your children the Bible? What difficult questions have you had to answer/are still trying to figure out? What tips have you found helpful as you study Scripture?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

04/25/2011
What Dance Central Can Teach Us About Learning
[NB: This post has been modified from original publication. I have removed reference to specific songs within the game. All comments remain.]

I enjoy Dance Central. Sure, some of the songs and characters are annoying, but the game play is amazing. And it's a surprisingly intense workout to dance to some of the songs.

No, I will not post a video.

Besides being incredibly patient, encouraging and helpful, Dance Central does something else right in teaching you a new move: When you're ready to attempt it on your own, you get three tries.

Make it and you get some props. "You have that unlocked!"

Fail? The game assures you it's all good and that you'll do better next time.

...and then it moves on.

There's no wallowing in misery. There's no eternal "try that again." You simply move on to the next part with the idea of returning to this area again next time.

Left to my own devices, I would keep trying until I was beyond frustrated. Then I would storm off, swearing never to play that stupid game again. Tears and rage is where I tend to end up when I can't master something right away. I keep trying until there's no longer any joy in learning. Dance Central won't let me do this. To keep the game fun--and to keep me out of a rut--it gives me three attempts and then cheerfully moves on.

And unlike the "I'm in a band playing rock music" games which boo and jeer when you fail--and, yes, I fail--Dance Central acknowledges you need to do some more work, but stays positive.

The lessons?

Stay positive. It's easier for a computer to ignore my groans and complaints, but the constant affirmation works wonders.

Keep it limited. Put a cap on the number of attempts, and then move on until a later date.

Acknowledge growth areas. Don't tell me that I'm doing fine. I'm not and I know it. But honestly assessing that I'm not too bad but can totally get it next time is a huge benefit. If we're honest about the shortcomings then the successes will be real.

I'm a huge fan of working toward mastery. But I've realized that even the mastery approach to education needs to bend to something else: The love of learning.

If you're not loving it, take a break and move on. It's far more important to want to return to learning later than to continue until all is misery and you swear off learning forever.

Looking for homeschooling curriculum you're guaranteed to love? Sonlight has just such a guarantee when you get a complete homeschool curriculum program.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

04/22/2011
Your Return on Investment
Yesterday we met to go over the ROI (return on investment) from my blogging and other social media activities. What efforts are really helping homeschoolers? What opportunities have I not been taking advantage of? How can we work smarter in the "social ecosphere"? And is this translating--in any way--into more people homeschooling with Sonlight?

These are good questions.

In business there is no guarantee that something will work. We must constantly re-evaluate how we spend our limited time and resources. The sooner we realize something isn't the optimal choice, the more time we can spend on something more beneficial. The question ultimately comes back to your return on investment: Is this worth what I'm putting into it or is something else a better use of my time and money?

Your daily homeschool choices are similar because homeschooling is a huge investment. And I'm not just talking dollars. Your time and effort is priceless because it is limited. You have a few short years to spend with your children. You have a few hours to get everything done in a day. So how do you spend your time?

These are good questions.

Thankfully, with your homeschool, you can have a guarantee. No, you can't have a guarantee that what you choose will always work. You can't get a guarantee that how you spend your day will have a particular outcome. But you can have a guarantee that your dollars are spent on something you and your family loves to use. I can guarantee your return on your Sonlight investment. You will love using Sonlight, or your money back.

Very few people can get a refund on their time (Milo is the only exception I can think of right now). But it's really nice when you can take advantage of a money-back guarantee. You have one for your Sonlight investment. I wish I had such generous offer from social media.

Still considering your homeschool investment options for next year? Check out these 7 remarkable benefits you get from a Sonlight homeschool curriculum package.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

04/21/2011
The Mundane and the Intense
Today has been a day of code. There's nothing quite like copying and pasting the same little snippets of text over and over again across a bunch of files.

...actually, it's exactly like just about every other repetitive task on the planet.

The outcome? A much more user-friendly Contact Us page. Which is nice.

But then, not 30 minutes ago, we needed to get this new little program running. First, the file wasn't in the right place. Then the computer wouldn't allow me to edit the file. After that, every time we told the program to run, it seemed to create the same webpage over and over and over again.

We were short on time, and nothing was working. If we didn't solve this problem we'd have to postpone things four days, throwing off plans for the next several weeks.

Finally we discovered that we were missing one line of code in a file that was telling the new program to return to the same page. Update that, and everything works great.

The mundane is often punctuated by these intense moments of pressure. At the end of a long day, it's not always welcome. May you find solutions to the little things that are adding tension to your day--be it a suddenly remember appointment after a morning of chores, a child's skinned knee while making dinner, or an htaccess file which is throwing off your website's cache builder.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

04/20/2011
3-Week High School Samples
"231 pages for a Sample? That can't be right."

It wasn't.

Well, not exactly. After some careful tweaking, the document is now only 90 pages. Sonlight's 3-week Sample for the Parent's Core 100 Instructor's Guide is 90 pages worth of material.

89 if you feel like discounting the "This page intentionally left blank."

Sonlight's Instructor's Guides contain a ton of information. I've known this for a long time. But the realization that we give away 89 pages worth of material as a sample tilted my world a little bit. Almost a Whoa moment.

Considering Sonlight for your high school student this year? Request your 3-week Sample to get a feel for what your year could be like.

Homeschooling a younger child? We've got 3-week Samples for you as well <smile>.

I guess I should have said it by now: The new high school Core samples are available.

That went without saying, right?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

04/19/2011
Processing Achievement
The box is full of ribbons. There are far more blue ribbons than red. And more red than white. Even more telling, the ribbons frequently have a "Personal Best" stamp on the back. Judging by these mementos, he won more often than not and was consistently improving. So why didn't he enjoy swim meets?

Because he is an achiever.

This is why he much prefers practice.

Personal Best

Achievement is a strange thing. The minute you get there, you realize you must get farther the next time. Even reaching this point again isn't really good enough. If you've been winning, you need to keep that up. And yet, for all the pressure and fear associated with stepping up to the starting blocks, you have to keep competing. If you don't win something new or improve your performance, what are you doing each day?

And so he swims again and sets the bar a little higher.

I hated grades in high school. When you start at the top, the only direction you can move is down. I didn't understand when my friends told me not to worry about my second place finish. 'I'm not worried,' I'd think. 'I just failed to do as good as last time.'

To this day I have an odd uneasiness about achievement. I feel a need to achieve. That's why days like today, where I don't have anything new or interesting or terribly important to share with you, remind me of standing on the pool deck at a swim meet. I'd prefer to blog about the daily grind, but I can't. I feel the need to share the blue ribbons, the victories, the "important" stuff. Of course, the moment after I've told you about some cool new thing, I get a little nervous: What could I possibly give you tomorrow? I can't build you something like the Virtual Booth every day.

I have difficulty processing achievement. But the process of achievement, far more than the ribbons in my box, is what matters. I think Kimberly said it best: Life is about the process. Check out what she has to say. Then join me as I thank God for the process He is taking us on and the achievements He gives us along the way.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

04/18/2011
Waiting in the Hall for Easter
C.S. Lewis prefaces Mere Christianity with the picture of a great house. Once you enter the house, you discover many rooms branching off from the main hall. Lewis urges us to take our time in the hall deciding which room (denomination/flavor of Christianity) we believe has the most truth. At the same time, he asks us to remember that the other rooms are in the same house. And if they are incorrect in an area, they need our grace and prayers all the more.

It's been fascinating to re-read Mere Christianity. [Of course, the rebuttals are also proving to be rather interesting as well.] The thing that's been bumping around in my head today is this:

Lewis often points us back to Christ in matters where there is much disagreement.

Recent conflicts surrounding Scriptural interpretation--such as universalism and creationism--have in many ways pushed me back out into the hall. Oh, I still have the rooms I like to hang out in. I've got plenty of opinions about which rooms have the most truth. But too often I'm more comfortable out here in the hall. I don't much like the slammed doors and jeering remarks. I'd rather this was a house of unity, of love, of spurring one another on to do good. I find myself wanting to echo Christ's prayer right before His death: May we all be one.

May this Easter, by the power and grace of God, be one that sees us Christians more unified in following the Head of this house than before. May Christ be the focus of this season and the days to follow.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

04/15/2011
Your Box Day
More and more people are celebrating Box Day, which is awesome. And some families have already started their school year, even if their children can't believe this is school. That's fantastic as well.

What's slightly less fantastically awesome is that I haven't updated the Box Day blog in over a month. I know you mention your Box Day on Facebook or Twitter, but I'd really like to have a longer-term reminder of the sheer joy of Box Day. I revisit these moments every now and again for encouragement. I'm guessing others do so as well.

If you have a Box Day story, or picture, or post, please share it! Head on over to the Box Day blog and click the Share your Box Day story link in the upper right to send me an email. I'd be thrilled to celebrate Box Day with you.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

Invective: venomous language used to express blame; a railing accusation

Brought to you by Hugh Ross

04/14/2011
Visit a Virtual Sonlight Convention Booth
Homeschool conventions are an excellent (and often exhausting) way to learn about your curriculum options. But before you hit the convention floor, I suggest you swing by Sonlight's virtual homeschool convention booth. The Virtual Booth allows you to get some basic information before you're on your feet all day. You can then talk to your Sonlight Curriculum Consultant about the specific questions you have, maximizing your limited convention time.

Sonlight's Virtual Booth

Quick note: It takes a tremendous amount of time and resources to shoot the videos in the Virtual Booth. So while I've updated the links and text within the Booth, the videos still have the old Core labeling. I'd like to know if this was confusing for you as you wander the Virtual Booth.

I haven't heard from anyone about the Virtual Booth recently, and I'd appreciate your feedback as to how helpful (or not) it was for you.

Thanks!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

04/13/2011
Taxes vs Time Payments
Tax Day comes late this year. Which is nice if you're a procrastinator. Waiting is not so nice if you have a refund coming. Being out some of your money for any amount of time is a bummer.

Sonlight's Time Payments offer you the opposite experience. And, if you order your homeschool curriculum before the end of April, you can take advantage of a 9-month Time Payment option. That's right: Your payments get spread out over nine months... with no extra charges or fees.

Tax Refunds vs Time Payments

With your tax rebate, you function with less until it arrives. The government uses your money for months without paying you for the privilege. With your Time Payment, you get to use your homeschool curriculum money for months without paying any fees.

Refunds are nice. Time Payments are nicer.

Order your homeschool curriculum before the end of April to take advantage of Sonlight's 9-month Time Payment option.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

04/12/2011
This Is Broken
This blog is broken. In fact, the problem has persisted for well over a week now. Yet here I am, writing yet another post, and ignoring the problem.

What problem?

My blog header problem. Currently, you can't click on the header to get back to the full post listing. Worse yet, the header is the exact same image as Sonlight's homepage. I really need to update to header to more accurately express that this is not Sonlight's website but rather a blog where I muse about Sonlight and homeschooling.

In 2006, Seth Godin gave a talk about broken things and the inspiration for the website This Is Broken. Mr. Godin discusses 7 reasons why something could be broken:

Not my job

Selfish jerks

The world changed

I didn't know

I'm not a fish

Contradictions

Broken on purpose

I think Seth Godin is really smart guy. His blog shows up now and again in my Other Posts of Note. And I'm very grateful that he takes time in his talk to offer the caveat that there are many other reasons why something could be broken. I'll share one:

Priorities.

It's fun to laugh at humorous signs. But that really doesn't explain why so many business have broken things for you to trip over. One major reason you bump into so many broken experiences is because the business has other priorities at the moment.

This isn't because you don't matter to them. It's just that with the limited time and resources we all have, we must choose what to focus on.

The same is true of your homeschool. That's why I really appreciated Grateful for Grace's "The Best Homeschool Curriculum" post. You don't have time to do everything, so you must stick with what you can do. You must prioritize your options and spend your time the best you can.

Wondering if Sonlight is the best homeschool curriculum for your family? If you haven't yet, I recommend you take a few minutes to read 27 Reasons NOT to Buy Sonlight.

For now, my blog header remains broken. That's because I'm focusing on fixing other things at the moment. What have you had to set aside for a while because of other priorities?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

P.S. The header problem can also be found on the Box Day blog.

04/11/2011
Option Overload
Every choice we make effectively eliminates all other options for that moment. By reading this sentence you have chosen to not do something else. For instance, in the time it takes to read this you could wash a cup, put away a stack of plates, hug a child/spouse, water a plant, open/close a window, read a paragraph written by a more talented writer, do a push-up (or three), rest your eyes, say a prayer, pull something out of the freezer for dinner...

Before we go on, allow me to say how glad I am that you're spending these moments with me. <smile>

This confinement by choice boggles my mind when I think about homeschool curriculum and education in general. Where in the world do you start with education? The reality of "knowledge gaps" opens before me like the vastness of space. And then I remember: This is about life-long learning. This is about learning how to learn what you need to know in a given situation. This is about the joy of always learning more.

On the other hand, majoring in the universe isn't really an option. And so we must settle on one choice at a time.

As someone whose job involves helping make your choices easier, I ran into a problem today: How do I get you the information you need in the quickest way possible?

Actually, that's not a new problem. I just bumped into a new form of the problem. The more options you have, the more variables are involved. The more variables, the more information there is to explain the differences. The more information, the harder it is to fit it all into a single space. So what goes where? Using what little I know, I choose: This information should be here, that information accessible there.

Is that the right choice?

I don't know yet.

Time will hopefully reveal the optimal layout as I listen to feedback, consider other options and monitor--as best I can--what is proving helpful and what is not.

You have limited time. You have big decision to make in that time. And as much as I try to help, there's always some option I didn't anticipate. And so, if you can't decide on a Sonlight program, chat with a Sonlight Advisor. Worried the choice you've made isn't the right one for your family? You are covered with Sonlight's unmatched one-year Love to Learn Guarantee. You have options before and after you make your choice.

I don't have Advisors, but I do have really smart co-workers. I don't have a Guarantee, but I do have grace when things aren't quite right.

When you feel overwhelmed with choices, what do you do? Have you ever had to handle the panic of option overload? What information have you focused on recently to help you make a difficult decision?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

04/08/2011
New 3-Week Samples
Sonlight's Instructor's Guides have been updated for the new year. Unfortunately, I forgot to copy a few key elements to the new website. That's why the 3-week Samples weren't working properly until today.

Sorry about that.

The good news is that now you can get the first 3 weeks of any IG for free. You can see for yourself how the notes, schedule and other resources packed into your IG will help you in your homeschool.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

NB: As of posting, the new High School IGs aren't ready yet. Buf if you request a 3-week sample now, we'll let you know when they are available for download.

04/07/2011
Site Walkthrough - April 7, 2011

Site Walkthrough

In this video I demonstrate a few of the cool new features of Sonlight's 2011 website. More features coming soon!

How's the new site design been working for you? Anything you particularly love or find confusing? I'm getting some great feedback thus far, and we'll keep working to make the site even more helpful for you.

Thanks for watching!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

04/06/2011
The Website: Day 3

Patched Up

Still not perfect. Some features still not up. Some glitches we're working on. A few content issues that will go away next time we update. But overall... it looks like you can now wander around the site (and even buy stuff!).

I hope to post a walk-through of the new Chooser soon. Until then, enjoy exploring the new stuff! I'd appreciate your feedback on what's confusing to you as well as what you like about the new site. Initial impressions? You like? If not, why not?

Thanks for hanging in there with us through this time. I have really appreciated your encouragement through all of this.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

04/05/2011
Unstated Goals
"...every institution's unstated first goal is to survive and grow, not to undertake the mission it has nominally staked out for itself."

That quote is attributed to "a French sociologist" ...whoever he (or she) may be.

As a second day of not doing business begins to draw to a close, I wonder: Does this apply to Sonlight? Does Sonlight exist to survive and grow, or do we exist to "reach families worldwide with remarkable, literature-rich, internationally-focused homeschool curriculum"? Yesterday I asserted that Sonlight does not exist, primarily, to make money. The quote above begs to differ. Who's right? That French sociologist, or me?

I think the answer is found in the two sides of Sonlight.

For the first side, think of the bottom of Sonlight's Logo: A nice sea of blue in which an open book floats. These books--and the sale thereof--sustains the "institutional" side of Sonlight. Sonlight is a business and so to continue to do what we do we must make money. In that sense, the sociologist is right. The sale of literature-based homeschool curriculum is the first goal of Sonlight. Sales is the foundation of the company Sonlight.

Now look at the top of Sonlight's Logo: Sunbeams radiate over the horison, almost as if they came from within the book, but not exactly. This is the drive to "reach families worldwide with remarkable, literature-rich, internationally-focused homeschool curriculum." This is the reason we continue to seek to serve you. This is why Sonlight exists. If we could no longer provide you with remarkable, literature-rich, internationally-focused homeschool curriculum, we'd close our doors. We wouldn't start selling tires or shipping vegetables. Not because there's something wrong with tires or vegetables, but because Sonlight's mission is what drives us... not the pursuit of dollars.

The sociologist is right, but only as far as any truism can take you. The unstated goal of Sonlight corporate is to stay in business. But why? So we can continue to offer you amazing homeschool curriculum. If we can't do that, we'll go home.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

04/04/2011
Doing Business James 4:13-15 Style
Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that."

Well, I'm still alive. But the site is still a little... er... not as alive.

We've been studying James at the men's Bible study I attend. This passage really struck me last week. And it came to mind again. ...carrying out business and making money?

Yeah.

We ended up not being able to do that today. We're making so many updates to our system that it's simply not functional yet.

The changes are slowly showing up on the website now. Unfortunately: For all the changes, you won't be able to buy anything today.

If the Lord wills it, we'll be up and running tomorrow. That would be nice. Doing business and making money--while certainly not the drive behind Sonlight--is an essential aspect of what we do <smile>.

Your continued prayers are very welcome. Thanks for your patience!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

04/01/2011
Introducing: Gretel™
Breadcrumbs. They are all over the internet. Like the story that made them famous, websites often give you a little trail by which you can retrace your steps. For the rest of the weekend, Sonlight's breadcrumb tool lets you see where you've been. ...sort of.

Let's say you're interested in watching the sample videos for MathTacular one more time. So you go to the website, click on Subjects->Math and then go to the MathTacular page. Just above the page's title, you see:

Home >> Subjects >> Math >> MathTacular!

Great! You click on the first MathTacular. Now the breadcrumb is:

Home >> Subjects >> Resources >> Student Resources

You can't retrace your steps because the breadcrumb isn't doing its job.

With the launch of the new site on Monday, we're releasing Gretel™. She drops a breadcrumb in the top of your browser every time you visit a new page. You can quickly return to that page you were on three clicks ago. Gretel^™ faithfully keeps track of where you have been on the site.

Breadcrumbs

Cool, eh?

Just one of the site updates coming your way on Monday, April 4, 2011.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

03/31/2011
"We suffer the brain pain so you don't have to."
[NB: This post has been modified from original publication. I have attempted to remove all offensive terms. All comments remain.]

That's the mantra I've been repeating here.

Choosing a Sonlight program can be incredibly difficult. You can choose everything from a one-package-with-all-subjects-included all the way down to just buy-only-the-titles-you-need. That makes for a lot of options. As you know, we've been working on improving choosing. We want selecting your homeschool curriculum to be exciting not daunting; fun not grueling.

But with the Core level changes (from numbers to letters) and the addition of Multi-Subject Pacakges (not to mention the general craziness of our annual season launch), it's been a tad maddening. We need to try to figure out all the possible combinations of programs, what goes with what, and where you would expect to find them. Plus, if you have Core A with Grade 2 Readers... which Language Arts do you need to be shown? Why, 2LG, of course. But if you wanted the Grade K Readers, then you would need KLP.

This kind of craziness leads to some fun chat messages. I received the following from Mike while he was trying to debug the Chooser:

so on fir st ig la 1 klg?

<smile>

Good times. But the answer is "no."

Speaking of brains: This delightful site alerts us to misconceptions we have about ourselves. By the end of each post you will discover what the truth is. You will also discover how your self-delusion "keeps you sane."

If you're feeling a little crazy, take a few minutes to learn something new about yourself. And think about all the people who have suffered brain pain so you don't have to, like the friendly guy behind youarenotsosmart.com who takes the time to help me understand just how much craziness I have. <smile>

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

03/30/2011
Time with Your Family
With all the excitement of planning your next homeschool curriculum acquisition, don't forget to find time to be with your family. I'm certainly struggling with that right now. But, you know, once a year for a couple weeks isn't all that bad.

My wife doesn't exactly agree <smile>.

May you find the proper balance in all your tasks.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

03/29/2011
Progress
...we're making it.

My April 4 Notes

I tend not to use the whiteboard on the wall behind me. But with all the stuff I'm trying to keep track of for April 4, I've had to move some more global notes off the piles of papers and scribbles on my desk and onto the board.

I wish I had something more to say other than, "Thank you for your continued prayers!" ...but I don't. So: Thank you for your continued prayers! <smile>

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

Byzantine: highly complex or intricate

Brought to you by Douglas Tengdin

03/28/2011
Dehumanize and Desensitize
I'm totally guilty of this. My tendency is to discredit someone if they bother me. Bad drivers, for instance. I really don't think of them as human beings. I'm not alone. I read something--somewhere--that noted: We find it much easier to fly off the handle when a car cuts us off than when a person walking in front of us does.

Why?

Because, typically, a person will notice their mistake and glance back at you. Often, you will note the apology on their face and drop it. But with cars, we don't see the face of the person. We don't get that flash of human connection. All we see is the giant ton of metal and plastic carelessly almost killing us. And what is responsible for that machine of death? Some thoughtless maniac behind the wheel.

I got to thinking about this after watching a brutal and awesome film over the weekend. As the hordes of enemies were quickly dispatched of, I cheered. They weren't human. But when one of the main characters was wounded, I felt the pain.

I propose, then, that our desensitization comes not from over-stimulation but dehumanization.

I love books with a clear villain. But I also love stories where I understand the bad guy. The best villains are the ones that make sense. We get it. We don't agree, but we understand.

I love that Sonlight's literature-rich programs contain so many human characters... both heroes and villains. We get the opportunity to consider the lives of others and decide how we will choose to live because of it.

May we not fall prey to dehumanizing others. Instead, may we all--me, especially--become sensitive to the people around us. May we see their humanity and not fixate on their actions.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

03/25/2011
The Minimum Amount of Information
He squinted into the morning sun. Was it was safe to turn? The bright light made it impossible to see the intersection. He paused a moment. He didn't need to see the houses, the lawns, the trees, even the parked vehicles on the side of the road. What he needed to know was if there was a car stopped at the adjacent corner or not.

Nothing moved.

He turned right.

Intersection

I am often amazed by how little we need to know to make decisions. This narrow focus on the bits that matter enables us to live incredibly efficient lives.

But it also limits us.

My wife started working in our garden yesterday. A friend came over to help. They got to chatting about Victory Gardens. Apparently, many American families in during WWI and WWII didn't know how to garden. So, we got Victory Garden videos describing what one was and how to do it. We quickly lose the skills and knowledge we don't use.

One of the benefits of being a homeschool parent is that you get to learn (or re-learn) things that do not fit into the minimum amount of information you need in the rest of life. Homeschooling, then, expands your horizons. In contrast, the problem of "teaching to a test" is that the minimum amount of information is predefined!

So whether you are gardening, reviewing fractions, rediscovering a remote portion of history, or simply taking in the beauty of literature, may you enjoy the enriching nature of homeschooling. You have an opportunity to see more than I did while stopped at the intersection this morning. You can take in the houses, the lawns, the trees, even the parked vehicles on the side of the road. You have the privilege of going beyond the bare minimum.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

03/24/2011
Priorities
There are many things you'd like to do. There are even important things you probably "should" do. And yet, because of limited time and resources, you can't do them. May you have wisdom to set the right priorities. May you have grace for the things you just can't do.

Writing a long blog post about a terribly interesting subject? Would love to.
Responding to several excellent questions? I wish I could!
Catching up on my RSS feeds? Need to do that.

But none of those are a priority at the moment.

The website is the priority.

We're down to the wire. We're running out of time. We're making some fantastic progress. It is looking really good. And I'm excited that some of the major changes we're working on address several concerns people have recently raised. That is great news!

Continued prayers? I appreciate 'em! <smile>

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

03/23/2011
Learning in Disagreement
Criticism, confusion and false conclusions are an unfortunate byproduct of living in a fallen world. The internet isn't helping. Pure text--what should be the realm of ideas and ideas alone--is too easily misunderstood. We read intention, inflection and inference into structure, grammar and the ambiguity of connotation.

Worse yet, we can post our position to our fans and ignore the raving lunatics on the other side. They, of course, are doing the same thing by ignoring our inane drivel. We never have to actually hash out a debate with someone. We do not need to address their concerns before raising our own. And if all else fails, we can always point out how our opponent's views lead to death or damnation and we win!

How, then, do we have a meeting of the minds? How do we communicate if we have a fundamental disagreement about truth? If you are convinced--even rightly so--that I am dimwit, and I feel that you that you are ignoring my irrefutable argument, we're not going to get anywhere.

In light of recent events, I've started to wonder: How do we hope to be "winsome ambassadors for Christ" when people who fundamentally agree with one another can't reach common ground? As far as I can tell from briefly reading both sides, the disagreement comes down to: You said something mean and you shouldn't have/I merely told it like it is.

How do we judge such a situation?

That is crazy hard to do. ...if not completely impossible.

Over my years here at Sonlight, I have witness numerous such exchanges on the Forums and in emails. It's so easy to get defensive, to lash out. The harsh words of others burn. Still, the nagging question is always: How do we learn in such situations? Why don't we? And how do we tell when someone is simply clearly mistaken about us? And how do we help them see the truth?

Please continue to pray that Christians everywhere would be wise in how we speak, gracious in how we respond, and grow from the points of tension. May we never use the frustration and pain to dig ourselves deeper into our resolve to continue believing we are right at the cost of seeking truth.

The question I've never heard answered is this: If you and I disagree about truth, how do we find it?

What do you think?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

03/22/2011
Spring Cleaning
All the fantastic changes coming your way have necessitated a huge overhaul of the website. This calls for simplifying. You will find a much more focused website come April 4.

Few web updates give me more pleasure than deleting an unnecessary category or page. If I can get you the information you're looking for in two clicks instead of three... well, I'm pleased as punch. If something has been causing you grief for a year--or six--it's time to try to resolve it. We won't fix everything. We'll likely create new issues. But the trend, I believe, is upward. I'm super-excited about the cleaner, happier, more helpful site that's coming.

Of course, we've got a lot of spring cleaning to do. You prayers are still very much appreciated!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

If you hadn't heard yet: You can now see and download a digital copy of Sonlight's Catalog online. But remember: Until we get everything cleaned up and turned on come April, the links inside won't work properly. Bear with us. Thank you!

03/21/2011
What's New at Sonlight April 2011

What's New 2011 Trailer

Learn more about What's New at Sonlight. Links and other information will all go live on April 4, 2011. You'll have to use your imagination for some of the new stuff until then <smile>. For now, there is some great introductory information on the What's New page.

Enjoy!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

03/18/2011
Transitions
Transitions can be exciting. They can also be incredibly annoying. Like the cube transition when it's used in video. Of course, fancy video transitions are a pet peeve of mine. Maybe I'm just overly sensitive <smile>.

We're in transition here at Sonlight too. The old catalog is still in effect. The new is coming very soon. That's exciting. It's also annoying. Because as fantastic as our current homeschool curriculum is, the updates are just a few short weeks away. If you got your materials now you'd be set. But if you hold off just a little longer you'll have the latest and greatest.

The dilemma feels a bit like my brain when I look at a spinning hypercube. Cubes and transitions... so very much like Sonlight <smile>.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

03/17/2011
Math that Makes Sense
On Pi Day, a fellow blogger shared Vi Hart's "Pi Is (still) Wrong" video. It had been a while since I'd swung by Ms. Hart's blog, so I did so last night. I was pleased to discover her story about Wind and Mr. Ug. I think it would be great to gather the childrens 'round and watch it. Sure, it's 7:15 long... but well worth it.

In just over 7 minutes, Ms. Hart gives a fantastic example of story-based math education. What's more, you get to experience the thrill of "getting it" as the story unfolds. So many of my high school math classes involved the painful process of me trying to catch up with the idea. "What are the factors of 2x² - 5x + 9? To solve this, first you need to..."

Umm... how's that again?

As Wind goes about her day, I began to smile. I knew what was coming. And that made me feel smart! Math made sense. What's more, there's a reason to figure the problem out. As Dr. Sax points out in Why Gender Matters: Boys are sometimes happy to just tackle the numbers, but girls get far more excited about math when they see examples of it in nature. We tend to enjoy learning more if we see there's a connection between life and the subject at hand. So what is math?

Without looking up a formal definition, how about: Mathematics is the study of how values, matter and energy fit together, often notated by abstract symbols. That's why topics like color, money, shapes, speed, cooking and music are so easily mixed in with addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.

This is also why math can become so unbelievably understandable when we use real life to demonstrate a concept. ...as we do in MathTacular.

When we are able to pull math out of the world of equations and numbers and reconnect it with values and matter and energy, math makes sense. What's more, the numbers and equations become a means of playing with what we've learned. And that is cool.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

03/16/2011
Wordless Wednesday: The Dig

Moving a Mountain

Thank you for continuing to pray for us. Do you have any prayer requests? If you'd rather not post a public comment, feel free to drop me a line.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

03/15/2011
Refined
Yesterday I mentioned that sometimes it's better to just go with what's good enough. Not everything needs to be polished. That was because, yesterday, we shot a short little video. We wanted to share some Catalog news. We didn't need a full-blown production.

New Core Tips

Today, I'm flipping to the other side.

Over the weekend I was able to watch a 50 minute documentary about a company I respect. Blizzard Entertainment releases things when they feel they are ready. And not a decade before.

Granted, Blizzard doesn't hold to an April release every year. <smile>

Sonlight is committed to getting you the latest and greatest each April. Some of our updates, unfortunately, take longer to implement. So, sometimes products are released in April, but not available right away. That's because sometimes you have refine something before you release it. It needs to work. It needs to wow.*

Here's the deal: We are scrambling to get something up and running--let alone, refined--for April 4. It needs to be ready. It needs to work. And when we get it refined, I believe it's going to wow:

Find Your Program

But we're less than three weeks away.

We could really use your prayers. We need wisdom to know how to make things clearest for you and then translate that into code, images and text. We need speed and clarity to solve the problems we continue to discover. Thank you for being part of the Sonlight family. I appreciate your prayers.

While we continue to build and refine, if you have any questions between now and April 4, please chat with a Sonlight Curriculum Advisor. Refined technology is great. But nothing beats one-on-one personal assistance.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

*Pun only slightly intentional.

03/14/2011
Polished
Sometimes the most effective tools are the ones that get straight to the point. There's no opening credits or fancy packaging. It's quick, raw and not very well polished. But it's exactly what you need.

What have you been spending time trying to perfect that's good enough as it is?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

03/11/2011
Reminder: Time Payments
You get a great and incredibly cost-effective education with Sonlight. Still, every little bit helps. That's why this blog featured Sonlight Rewards yesterday. But you have access to another resource. It makes purchasing your homeschool curriculum from Sonlight even more manageable: Time Payments.

Plunking down all the cash for a year's worth of investment is pretty intense. That's why my internet provider, the city utilities people, the bank with my mortgage, and even my garbage man all send me bills on a regular basis. I think the bank knows that billing me once a year for many thousands of dollars wouldn't work out so well.

To make it easier to fit your homeschool curriculum into your budget, Sonlight offers opportunities to have your bill split up over three, six, and even up to nine months. What's even better: Time Payments come with no extra fees. Even my insurance agent charges me $2.50 a month if I don't pay every cent at the start of the year.

As you prepare for your next year of homeschooling, take advantage of Time Payments if that will be helpful for your family.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

03/10/2011
Reminder: Share the Love
Maybe you're not all that excited. But there are couple people out in cyberspace who are pretty pumped about this year's Catalog.

I'm one of them.

Of course, my excitement is a little dampened by the fact that April 4 is fast approaching. Not fast enough for some. But for those of us scrambling to get everything on the website done in time, it's coming on like a jet-propelled steam engine. Why a steam engine would need jet-propulsion isn't really the issue here. The fact is: Time is flying by.

If you're dying to get your hands on the latest and greatest from Sonlight, I can't do too much to help. But, I do have one suggestion that may help the time go faster:

Help a new homeschool mom discover the joy of Sonlight.

It's no secret that Sonlight has always relied on you talking to others about the curriculum you love. That's why we created the Sonlight Rewards Program. We're not trying to incentivize sharing. We wanted to say thank you for doing so. So, as you share the your love of learning with a new Sonlighter, don't forget to give them the benefit of your Rewards ID. And, since this is all about sharing the love, I think your friend would be thrilled to help you via the Rewards Program too.

As you look to purchase your next Sonlight homeschool program, will you be using your Rewards Points? How has the Rewards Program been for you?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

03/09/2011
Wordless Wednesday: 2011 Catalog

First Printed 2011 Catalogs (and I got one!)

Get your catalog here.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

03/08/2011
Work In Progress
There are those days when you almost complete something, but not quite. Those days are exciting because there's progress. But when you don't quite get it done, you can't really share the result with others yet. And that can be a tad frustrating.

Unfortunately, for all my progress, I don't have something to share with you today. It's coming together, but there's much work to be done still.

Website Progress Bar

Like all things in process, your students are making progress. There may not be much to show for it just yet. That's okay. It is very common to work for a long time before the results of your efforts begin to take shape.

Hang in there. You are making progress.

If you need some encouragement that homeschooling really does produce results, check out the 2011 Sonlight Scholarship Winners. Or read a couple recent Sonlight Moments. These stories make me smile and remind me that homeschooling is absolutely making a difference.

Have you seen the results of your homeschooling efforts recently? I'd love to hear your stories.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

03/07/2011
Purple Dinosaurs and Black Dragons
My niece, I am told, likes Barney.

Why? Because everyone in the show is nice, sings songs and dances. There's no bad guy. There's no real conflict. And he's purple.

I hadn't really thought about that until my sister mentioned it yesterday. That's probably why so many of the books in Sonlight's toddler curriculum don't have much conflict. Even Harold's purple dragon can be a bit frightening...

Purple Dragon (Harold is a much better artist than I am)

After my niece went to bed, my family stayed up and watched How to Train Your Dragon. My parents and sister hadn't seen it yet. They liked it. The film would have been too much for the little one, but it was fantastic for us--black dragon and all.

You know what your children can handle and what they aren't ready for yet. And armed with that knowledge, your family can tackle some pretty heavy stuff at the right time.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

03/04/2011
Free Samples: 3 Weeks Free
"There's a cheese sample over there." Her eyes glow as she finishes off the last bite. "You should get one."

Samples make the inner kid in us burst out like the alien spoof in Spaceballs. I decided against linking to the clip. But I think sometimes we get so giddy we even do the song and dance routine.

Speaking of samples: I just want to make sure you're aware that Sonlight always has samples out. You can download the first three weeks of any Sonlight Instructor's Guide. You can also watch MathTacular clips and view Discover & Do samples.

Do you like free samples?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

03/03/2011
Educational Gems
The old miner knew his stuff.

He rattled off some statistic about how many tons of ore per ounce of silver was required of an official mine. He proudly shared the value of the gold and silver in the pillar of earth holding up the tunnel. He talked about oxygen and dust, fires and chemicals, collapses and tumbles. In the world of mining, there is so much effort for such a relatively small mass of precious metals, stones or other useful materials.

Gold Vein

In many ways that's how all education is. Last night at a men's group meeting, several of the guys bemoaned their inability to remember everything to teacher shared.

"It's because you're old," one of the guys quipped.

I spoke up. "Maybe it's because I've got a thick head and not much gets through, but I just try to focus on the one thing that stuck."

What things have stuck or struck you recently? What have your children mentioned, or reenacted, or expressed interest in?

Me? The other day I bumped into the Feynman Point. Somehow I missed that super cool part of Pi all these years. Oh well. It's never too late to find one more gem in the mountain of information, ideas and bits of knowledge.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

03/02/2011
Becoming Second Nature
Someone left their monitor on all night. I went over to turn it off. Unfortunately, I couldn't find the power button. I fumbled with the thing for 45 seconds. It felt like 20 minutes.

Exploring every edge of the screen reminded me of a computer that had a hidden power button. There was a giant button-looking logo on the front... but that was just for show. The actual power switch was this tiny thing buried behind some cables on the back. I always fumbled with that machine too.

Still continuing my frustrated search, I realized that my own computer has a hidden power switch. But because I use it all the time, I don't even notice that it's camouflaged into the side of my chassis.

And then I realized this applied to homeschooling.

Like I said: It felt like 20 minutes.

Everything we do has a learning curve. But eventually our daily tasks become second nature. Such as reading a book. Consider the toddlers in your life. They don't read books. They look at them (upside down). They chew on them. They walk over them, oblivious to the worlds contained within.

Eventually, however, books begin to make sense. And you no longer need to call support:

KimC

As you think back on your homeschool adventures, what things have become second nature that totally baffled you at the start? Couldn't figure out Sonlight's Instructor's Guides? Bogged down by your students' learning styles? Something else?

I'd love to hear your stories.

And if something about homeschooling still isn't second nature and you feel like you're fumbling in the dark, please feel free to chat with an Advisor.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

03/01/2011
The 411 on 4.4.11
We're a month out from a big day online. Google typically does something for April 1. Many others do too. But they don't have Wikipedia pages detailing their efforts; hence, no link.

Sonlight also has a big day online. We update the site to include the latest in the Catalog.

...unless it's a weekend.

'It's not a weekend this year,' you may be thinking. 'The latest and greatest in homeschool curriculum will be mine!'

<cough>

Please, don't shoot the messenger.

April 1 is a Friday this year. We're making some huge updates to the website. We're assuming there will be one or two bugs we'll need to squash which will only show up after you start tromping around the site. And we'd rather not force you to live with bugs for an entire weekend. And so we've made the difficult choice to...

...umm...

...postpone the website/catalog launch until April 4, 2011.

<ducks>

Bug

And that, my friends, is the 411 on 4.4.11.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

02/28/2011
Catalog Sneak Peek: The Wheel
You may have noticed the following picture show up on Facebook over the weekend:

Core Wheel

What is it?

The "Core Wheel" as a quick reminder of what is included in your Core. It also hints at what other subjects you can add to your Sonlight experience. This handy guide shows up throughout your Catalog. You can immediately see that History, Read-Alouds, Bible and Readers make up your Core. The Readers part is lighter because you can select the Reader program that matches your child in the early years.

Once you've selected your Core program, move around the wheel to add the Language Arts, Handwriting, Science, Math, Electives and Resources you would like to include in your school year.

Nifty, eh?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

02/25/2011
2011 Catalog Bluelines

Wayne, Ronda and Sarita look over the 2011 Catalog

Tim Likes What He Sees (also shown: Linda, Anne Marie, Ronda)

A Spread from the 2011 Catalog

Request your Catalog now.

And one more note for the weekend: We are updating our system this weekend. If you want to use the normal checkout tools on our website to purchase homeschool curriculum before Monday the 25th, you need to place it before 2:30PM TODAY. You have three hours from the time of posting this.

You will still be able to buy things from Sonlight while we upgrade, but you'll have to order by item number... which isn't as slick.

Enjoy your weekend!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

02/24/2011
Buying Bulk
I buy bulk.

Toilet paper? 900 rolls. Cheese? 30 pound blocks. I used to get my mustard by the barrel. But my wife told me that it wasn't worth the frustration refilling the human-sized bottles and the requisite third fridge. I still buy the jumbo-huge-extra-value-family-sized jar of pickles though. It's the little victories...

Why buy such huge quantities?

Because mustard is half the price per unit if you get sixty gallons of it instead of a single 20oz bottle. That's why.

The question then is: Why doesn't "buying bulk" work when it comes to human care?

Jessica mentioned yesterday that the cost of child care is such that she can't afford to work. And I get depressed every time I think about the real cost of public schools. What's going on here?

Buying bulk works the same way getting married helps your budget. When you're single, you and your future spouse are paying for two residences, two beds, two internet connections and you're preparing two meals, doing two loads of laundry and generally duplicating everything. Getting married slashes the cost of one of you to a third. That's big savings. Have a friend move in with you? The savings get even bigger!

So, by the same logic, if you can get one teacher to watch 30 kids, we're saving a ton of money.

But we're not.

Public middle schools cost as much as my private University tuition (which included my room and board). And the reason my private University tuition was so astronomically high was because it wasn't super large (no bulk discount) and had no Federal funding. Of course, Federal funding isn't helping classrooms anyway.

One reason we're not getting a "bulk discount" from public schools is that there isn't really anything "bulk" going on. There isn't one teacher per 30 students. There are guidance counselors, nurses, assistant principals, principals, a board of education, and so on. There are buses and playgrounds, classrooms and cafeterias, soccer fields and stadiums. And, similar to you and your spouse prior to marriage, the families of these students still have houses and kitchens, parks and playgrounds, cars and bedrooms, doctors and pastors. In many ways, we're duplicating everything (and more).

This post is not about how public schools are bad. This post is about how (and an exploration of the why) public schools are so expensive. Given what the government spends on other kids, you could buy a Sonlight Core for each of your four students and make almost six figures using them.

So the question to ponder now is: How do we get people to start homeschooling in bulk?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

02/23/2011
Can Videos Teach Us?
Certainly. Videos can transmit ideas and lessons to us. There are many children who utilize video-based curricula. I'm confident most turn out just fine. And I often link to TED Talks. Even so...

I didn't think Dilbert was funny. Until I worked in an office, that is. Now I totally relate to Dilbert.

Next, think back to Calculus while watching I Will Derive!

And, finally, fire up Too Late to Apologize: A Declaration.

What do Dilbert, Calculus and Historical-themed-musical-spoofs have in common?

They are funny because we're already "in the know." Reading Dilbert does not prepare you for office politics. I'm pretty sure I couldn't find the velocity given a position, even after watching the video a few more times. And the references to what goaded the American Revolution are too subtle and quick in the song to really understand that conflict.

So what are such videos good for?

They connect to the stuff we already know. Often, such videos whet our appetite or pique our interest. These videos don't teach us as much as they remind and inspire us. On the other side of things, the failure of videos to teach babies language reminded me of the Baby Einstein lawsuit. Videos don't teach babies.

Why?

I wonder if it is because babies are still learning stuff. And to learn stuff--at least language--it appears that human interaction is required.

All this makes me glad that the educational videos I've produced are designed to supplement and reinforce your knowledge, not teach you outright.

So can videos teach us? I guess so. But I'm becoming more convinced video's true value rests in giving us one more "hook" to connect our knowledge to.

Of course, Draw Today is fantastic based on everything I've heard. And I do distinctly remember how to draw a candle after I saw a demonstration on TV. So... I'm not sure how this all breaks down, but it's fascinating.

Candle (or Dynamite)

Have you successfully utilized a video course? How did you like it? What do you remember learning from a video?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

Obsequious: fawning; cringing submissiveness

Brought to you by John Holzmann

02/22/2011
Improving Choosing
"It used to be easy to select a Sonlight program." Sarita's eyes twinkle with the punchline, "...before we let people customize."

It's easy when you have one choice: Do you want it or not?

In an effort to better serve you, we have made Sonlight incredibly customizable. That's fantastic because you can get exactly what your family needs while still enjoying all the benefits of purchasing a complete Sonlight program. The downside? Now you have to figure out which of the nine options is right for you.

This conflict is the difference between pants and spaghetti sauce. You likely don't have 40 minutes to spend on videos right now. Let me summarize: You will be less happy with your purchase if you have too many options, even if you find the "perfect" pants. But only offering one spaghetti sauce leaves huge swaths of the market unsatisfied. So, the balance is finding the right number of options and presenting them in a way that makes sense.

That's really hard to do.

Dave and I spent a solid three hours today beating our heads against Sonlight's choosing process. If all goes well, you should be able to almost effortlessly find the homeschool curriculum program that matches your family. But to make something feel effortless, we have to do the work before hand.

Mock-ups for Choosing a Choosing Option

We will succeed? Time is running out, but we're working hard.

The good news: Even before we improve the choosing process, you can get some excellent help with selecting your homeschool curriculum right now. Sonlight's curriculum Advisors are available to answer your questions and help you pick the right materials for your family. Sonia is always available to help you figure out which items you need. And the Choosing Forum is still an excellent place to get feedback from Sonlighters who have used the programs you are considering.

As always when I post something like this: We appreciate your prayers as we seek to figure out how to best serve you. I continue to step into areas far beyond my experience and wisdom. We want to give you the best of both worlds: Really easy to customize homeschool programs that match your family.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

02/21/2011
Pain and Tedium
My pinkie is on strike.

I've spent much of today copying and pasting stuff from the 2011 Catalog onto the website (which you'll be able to see April 1, Lord willing). And, due to the layout of QWERTY keyboards, it's a rather long stretch between the Control key and x, c and v (cut, copy, paste). Most days I don't even notice the distance, but after several hours my little finger began to complain.

It's now refusing to press any key.

Ctrl+C

Copy/paste isn't completely mindless (which is why my computer can't do it for me). Unfortunately, it's not exactly creative work either. It's tedious technical work. And while we continue to get closer to overcoming the tedious aspect of some tasks, there is still much work to be done.

Westley is right: People sell solutions to remove pain and tedium. That's one of the things we work so diligently to give you: A homeschool experience you love where you have everything you need ready for you. You get all your homeschool materials scheduled, notated, planned, prepared and packaged.

What painful/tedious task(s) have you worked on today?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

02/18/2011
Because I'm AWESOME
I was going to blog about calculus, music videos and learning. But then I read Kate Fridkis' I used to be the prettiest girl in the world.

After that, calculus had to wait.

Homeschooling has incredible benefits of all stripes. But I don't remember reading anything that so poignantly captured the confidence homeschooling offers your children. We can discuss socialization and peer pressure and academics and creativity and love of learning, but all of those things come together and are overshadowed by the beauty of your children enjoying who they are.

As I mentioned in the comments, I had a very similar experience. That is probably why Kate's post resonated with me so much. But, as a guy, I wasn't too interested in being pretty. But I was AWESOME.

Please, go read about how homeschooling lets your children be pretty (or AWESOME).

Bummed that I didn't write about calculus and music videos? Perhaps next week. There's a bunch of other great stuff to read and watch and enjoy in my Other Posts of Note... because I'm that AWESOME.

But not quite that awesome.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

P.S. You knew Sonlight offers just about every subject you can imagine, right? Yep, even Math.

02/17/2011
School Socialization: My Lonely Years
For some reason the topic of socialization has surfaced again recently. I feel like this critique has already been put to rest. But a twist on this issue struck me this morning:

Why do people think kids in school are socialized?

I had friends in high school. They were about as close to me as many of my Facebook friends. Some of them are my friend on Facebook. And we interact now as much as we did then: Not really at all.

So, the more accurate thing to say--and how I phrased it then--would be: I had acquaintances in high school. I didn't have a best friend. I didn't even have a close friend at school. In many ways, I was friendless. I was similarly friendless when I attended a private Christian school in Kindergarten.

Why?

I don't know. I don't blame my youth group, my school, my sports teams. My lonely situation wasn't something caused by the groups I was in. By the same token, my close friends haven't been caused by the groups I was in either.

Schools don't deserve the credit they indirectly receive for our friendships. I "socialized" with the kids in my high school as much as I did my siblings at home, my teammates at practice, my peers at church. Classrooms, like anywhere else there is a gathering of people, do provide opportunity for connection or friendship. But schools do not "socialize" kids. Schools are one confined location where socialization can happen. It's possible to make friends in school. I didn't.

It is possible to make friends anywhere there are people on a regular basis.

So those who dismiss homeschooling because of "socialization" may simply need to get out more. Or perhaps they've forgotten how lonely they were in school. Or, it's possible, they were among the fortunate few to have a really close friend at school.

I had close friends while I was homeschooled. It's odd to me that I didn't while I wasn't.

To learn more about the fantastic educational opportunities of learning at home, check out these homeschool resources.

Did you have close friends when you were in school? Are you aware of a place where you automatically socialize?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

P.S. I was looking for this video clip that beautifully contrasts the loneliness of school with the love of family. And then discovered that the entire episode is available on Hulu right now! Wow! If you haven't watched any Fruits Basket yet, you may want to catch up before jumping in... but this is my favorite episode. The moment starts at 16 minutes.

02/16/2011
Framing Colors the Picture
"No." Her tone quickly loses its hint of contempt. "No, it's not like homeschooling."

She sells paint and teaches children too sick to go to school. It's a good gig, she tells me. She gets to use her teaching credential helping kids recovering from surgery or long-term illness. It's a one-on-one home visit. She doesn't have to come up with lesson plans. And she gets paid as much as a teacher with 30 students per classroom while she only visits five students a day.

She studies me, trying to gauge how I feel about homeschooling.

I do my best to remain unreadable. I'm interested in her honest feelings about homeschooling. She hadn't said anything directly, but I want to know more about that flicker of disdain. 'Why so adamant about not being like a homeschooler?'

She doesn't offer me any more hints. And I resist the urge to question her about her student's socialization. <smile> We part ways on friendly terms. But I still wonder: Why does she feel the way she does about homeschooling?

I'm guessing it has more to do with something completely outside of homeschooling.

Our response to things is determined by how the thing is presented. One of the most obvious and easily tested examples of this is the simple A/B split test. These tests take two identical webpages, change one element, and see which page does better. You can find fascinating examples on Anne Holland's Which Test Won? Something as small as the gender of the person in your photo can radically alter your results. And the proper frame, my wife reminds me, makes a picture's color look great.

How you approach certain topics is bound to have a tremendous impact on your children. I get this certain grin when I'm about to say something snarky or take someone down in an argument. My wife knows, long before I say anything, when I'm certain someone is wrong and I can prove it. In that way, I'm coloring her view of the topic.

Have you noticed ways you frame things with your words or actions? Are there ideas you are--subconsciously--teaching your children to dismiss? For me it's not homeschooling, but I know I instantly react when someone claims to have "the biblical approach" to something. <twitch> Like the girl selling paint, have you noticed the things you automatically frame in a negative (or positive) light? Those subtle influences can make something look very different than it actually is.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

02/15/2011
Essays
Good writing should be convincing, certainly, but it should be convincing because you got the right answers, not because you did a good job of arguing.The Age of the Essay

You should read Paul Graham's essay on essays. It's good.^*

I love blogging because it gives me a chance to try--the definition of essay--out an idea. I'm still not to the place where I begin all my posts with a question. I still tend to start with a thesis. But I love the process of working out an idea while writing. It's exciting and fascinating. Yes, I am fascinated by my own posts. Perhaps I'm just really easy to please <smile>.

Dr. Graham's essay was whirling around my head when I wrote my most recent inflammatory post. Here's the excerpt that really tore into me:

...staff writers feel obliged to write something "balanced." Since they're writing for a [general audience], they start with the most radioactively controversial questions, from which-- because they're writing for a [general audience]-- they then proceed to recoil in terror. Abortion, for or against? This group says one thing. That group says another. One thing is certain: the question is a complex one. (But don't get mad at us. We didn't draw any conclusions.)

Ouch. That's me.

Yesterday's post was my first conscious attempt to write something surprising and yet convincing. Sadly, due to a poorly constructed, rather long, not particularly to-the-point, complex sentence, several people weren't convinced. Quite the opposite. Thankfully, given the opportunity to try again, things seem to have settled down.

And that's a part of blogging that makes writing so rewarding: These are public essays that, with great feedback, bring us all to the right answers. And right answers are important. Right answers can help us homeschool better.

I see blogging as a natural next step in creative writing. The Language Arts activities my parents gave me all those years ago made creative writing a joy. I composed my first poem before I could write. And now blogging is a daily opportunity to continue in creative writing that matters.

Do you encourage your students to blog? Have you added Sonlight's Language Arts program to your Core? What do you think of Dr. Graham's essay?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

*Come to think of it, you should read his essay on Why Nerds are Unpopular too.

02/14/2011
How Activities Ruin School
Several months ago I spent 30+ hours of my free time making a desktop wallpaper. It was a fantastic project. I learned a ton about Gimp and ended up with a sweet-looking computer background. Win!

My Sonlight Desktop (did not take me 30 hours)

The only way I learn how to use a computer program is by sitting down and using it. I have an amazing auditory capacity for remembering stuff. I am also an intensely visual person. But if I don't get a chance to actually do a technical task, I'll never learn how to do it. I am absolutely all for certain hands-on learning experiences.

In high school I had an incredible world history teacher. I loved going to his class. He made learning fun and inspired me to work really hard. For one assignment, I created an 8-page magazine about Martin Luther. I wrote articles. I drew pictures. I poured hours into the thing.

And today?

I don't remember any of it.

I'm not alone. One homeschool mom emailed the following about "silly activities":

They are time-wasters, in my opinion. I'd rather spend time discussing the content than making a craft to 'remember' it. Kids remember things that mean something to them without those activities.

I completely agree.

Sure, if your children want to spend 30+ hours making something because they enjoy the topic or want to express themselves, let them go for it. But there is no academic benefit that warrants you taking the time out of your busy school day to do some forced hands-on activity in a vain attempt to reinforce a lesson. None. Arts & Crafts are wonderful things to do as part of fine motor skill development, creative expression and artistic development. But hands-on activities are definitely not worth the effort as a memory aid.

Don't let needless hands-on activities ruin your school year. Let your children play quietly with Legos or doodle while you read. Encourage your children to take time out of their day to develop their artistic expression and technical abilities. By all means, add Art to your studies. But, please, do not fall prey to the pressure to add activities to your History studies.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

02/11/2011
Make Sure You Get Your 2011 Catalog
Last night on Facebook, Tim mentioned that we're finishing up the 2011 Catalog. This prompted the natural question: How do I make sure I get one?

To make sure you get a shiny new 2011 Sonlight Curriculum homeschool Catalog, simply...

Request a Sonlight Catalog now!

We'll send you one the moment we can.

Can't wait? Want a hint as to what the catalog is going to look like? Click here.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

02/10/2011
Cold Hard Truth
"Sonlight's Bible programs feel rather academic," she said. "They don't give off the warm fuzzies other programs offer."

I laughed. "That's because my dad is behind them!"

As I've written before, my dad soaks in knowledge. He is unafraid to confront uncomfortable ideas as he seeks truth.

I've been listening to Dr. Vishal Mangalwadi's Must the Sun Set On the West series. In his lecture From Tolerance to Terrorism, Dr. Mangalwadi points out that the idea of tolerance is founded on the Christian belief that truth will ultimately win. Thus ideas should be freely expressed and discussed. My dad is interested in truth. And I am too.

The "warm fuzzies" don't interest me much. Truth matters more than how I feel about it. And so I'm rarely bothered, no matter how cold and hard things get, because truth will ultimately win. There is no need, as Dr. Mangalwadi notes, for us to use "the sword" to force truth on people.

I believe Sonlight lays an excellent foundation for Biblical study. Over the course of your Sonlight years you will read through the Bible several times. You will also get a healthy dose of global perspective as you read about how God has worked--and is working--around the world. The questions and ideas you encounter will stretch your faith and, at times, ask you to confront the cold hard questions of life. Why? So you can get to truth.

Truth matters. And that's why Sonlight's Bible programs are as academic as they are.

And just so you know: We've receive some fantastic feedback and hope to make our Bible programs even better in the years to come.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

02/09/2011
Curriculum Nomads
Nomads are:

Desert wanderers

Those who follow their food supply

Desperate

I giggled as I filled in the answer.

This month in our morning prayer groups we're praying for the Fulbe nomadic peoples. One of the themes that keeps surfacing is the cost of a nomadic lifestyle. Nomads miss out on certain stabilities and benefits of a consistent home. In fact, one of the main prayer points a few days ago was for God to send missionaries willing to live a nomadic lifestyle as they join the Fulbe.

Homeschool culture appears to be shifting toward a nomadic lifestyle. Families, looking for greener grass elsewhere, abandon their current curriculum. Some never return to the lush richness of something they loved. They wander instead.

How much, I wonder, do we lose when we leave the wonderful thing we have?

Just to be painfully clear: If your current program isn't working, find one that does. Yes, even Sonlight may not be the best choice for your family. And I'm absolutely in favor of you switching from something you don't love to Sonlight <smile>. There is nothing wrong with finding the program that is right for your family. But as more and more curriculum options are born, I'm noticing curriculum nomads head out into the desert in a desperate search for the perfect program.

Have you switched homeschool programs? How has the change been? If you've switched away from Sonlight, did you/do you love your new curriculum?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

02/08/2011
Finding the Right Pair of Pants
You fidget in the tiny room. The mirror glowers back at you.

"These don't work either," your reflection admits. Finally, you settle on a pair of pants that seem to work. They're different from your last cut, but they may grow on you.

Pants are expensive. Clothes in general are expensive. But we need them.

You bring the pants home and wear them for a few months. In that time your children spill on them, the knees get a little worn and--like me--you accidentally mark them with a pen.

I Marked These Yesterday while proofing the Catalog

After several months of wear and tear you realize the pants aren't really you. You don't like the way they look and you're not thrilled with the range of motion. You now regret your purchase.

"It would be so nice to be able to return clothes after you've tried them for half a year," my co-worked mused.

I nodded in agreement, looking at the mark I'd recently added to my pant leg. "That's why Sonlight's Love to Learn Guarantee blows me away. You can use half the books, mark them up, try them out and if you don't absolutely love them in that first year, you can still get your money back."

This guarantee is as generous as it is because my mom does not want you to have to go through what she experienced her first year of homeschooling. If you'd like to "try on" Sonlight and see if it fits your family, know that you have a year to try up to half of the materials to see if you absolutely love it. If not, we've got you covered.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

02/07/2011
Cultural Shifts in Home Education
Homeschooling looked very different twenty-plus years ago. Sonlight pioneered the literature-rich homeschool curriculum movement. All that existed before were textbook based curricula. In fact, Sonlight's model was such a radical departure from accepted educational models, my mom wasn't even sure anyone else would be willing to try it.

So what are the cultural shifts I've noticed recently?

1. Suppliers
Today, there are many startup companies trying to capitalize on Sonlight's wildly successful approach to homeschooling. But it's not just literature-based programs anymore. You can now find suppliers of other varied approaches to education. This has allowed niches to form. More than that, it allows homeschoolers to find "their approach" within homeschooling.

2. Success
Homeschooling used to be counter-cultural. Homeschoolers had to fight to make homeschooling legal. Today, especially with the flood of anti-public school documentaries saturating the silver screen, homeschooling is seen by many as a far superior option. And a great option it is!

This incredible success has lead to a relaxing of the homeschool culture. Sure, we still wonder if our children are learning "enough," but given the other options, we begin to feel we needn't worry. I consider the rise of unschooling to be one of many indications of this.

3. Studies
Sonlight broke from traditional school environments by rejecting textbooks. The "living books" movement has had incredible success. The trend I see now, however, is a further break from educational models. It seems that homeschoolers are moving away from even a literature-based model toward programs with even less reading. "You don't need all those books," I hear. "Instead, just read these few, carefully selected ones."

4. Simplified
And so parents, it appears, want things even more simplified. While Sonlight's homeschool curriculum offers many of these benefits--more instruction and opportunities with less parental preparation--I think the pendulum is swigging back. Textbooks are dull and uninspiring because of how their information is presented. The life and reality of historical events is replaced with a more quickly covered paragraph summary. Worse, textbooks do not inspire conversation and discussion. Stories provide a spectrum of human experience to consider, talk about and apply. As the homeschool world shifts toward a more simplified and focused experience, I fear that depth will again be lost.

Sonlight's literature-based approach does more than just make information memorable and enjoyable. As you spend time reading with your children, you draw closer to them and they to you. You get to experience the joy of learning with them. Your whole family gets to revel in the beauty of a well-told story, and you build bounds through the shared experiences of the worlds you visit within your books.

The cultural shifts of more curriculum suppliers taking advantage of homeschooling's success has created a demand for more study options and a more simplified approach to education.

Where does that leave Sonlight? Where we've always been: Seeking to offer you the very best homeschool curriculum so you are able to love learning with your students through great literature and resources.

What do you think of my summary? Have I totally missed it? What shifts have you noticed in the culture homeschooling?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

02/04/2011
Long Week, Lots to Think About
I've come to the end of a long week. We've spent the last few days talking about stuff ...and such <cough>. Many thoughts swirling around in my head at the moment, but no time or brain power to write about it yet. Here are a few of the things bumping around in my head:

Biblical Studies and Sonlight

Even better instruction in our Guides

Stuff we should be telling you (and aren't very well)

Culture shifts in home education

The many ways Sonlight is so different from other homeschool providers

...and more!

I hope to find the brain processing time to mull this stuff over. I'd love to share some of this stuff with you!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

02/03/2011
Good Stuff from Sonlight
The updates that are coming from Sonlight this year...

Yeah.

It's good stuff.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

P.S. Not unlike other years. <smile>

02/02/2011
Homeschool Moms Offer Their Insights
The social media world is lighting up questions about homeschool curriculum. Perhaps it's the weather, the time of the year or just something in the water. Whatever it is, right now the hope and promise of the next school year is more exciting than the current one. And with this excitement come the questions:

"Which Core should I get for my students?"
"What's this homeschool program like?"
"Should I use this resource or that one?"
"What do you do about _______?"
"How would you modify this?"

The insights of homeschool moms are in high demand. I see people asking all over the internet: forums, Facebook, blogs. As the questions swirl around the World Wide Web, I'd like to share a few places where you can consistently get great advice about homeschooling:

Sonlight Curriculum Advisors
Sonlight's Advisors are homeschool moms, not sales people. Advisors aren't a group of people sitting in a call center or office waiting to sell you stuff. Sonlight's Advisors are homeschool moms who make time in their day to answer your questions about homeschooling and homeschooling with Sonlight.

Homeschool Conventions
It's no coincidence that the convention season begins around now. This is the time you want answers, so this is time to provide them. Homeschool moms from all over the nation (and even one or two internationally) lug their boxes of Sonlight stuff to conventions to show you what Sonlight is like. They answer your questions, show you the materials and then make themselves available as a resource for you throughout the year.

Virtual Booth
The Virtual Booth is my baby. I poured a lot of time and effort into this tool. You can get the basics of a convention booth before you take the effort and time to visit one. You can poke around a Sonlight convention booth, get lots of foundational information, and find some fantastic resources without moving form your spot right now. And the two "hosts" of the Virtual Booth? Also homeschool moms.

If you're looking for advice from homeschool moms for your upcoming homeschool year, we've got you covered. Chat with an Advisor. Find a homeschool convention. Or swing by the Virtual Booth.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

02/01/2011
You Are a Leader
You make decisions on a daily basis that radically influence the lives of those around you. Your choice in schedule, rations, workloads and emphasis rivals that of any corporate executive. You may not feel like your life is a well-oiled machine but, with all the balls you keep in the air, you're doing great. ...mixed metaphors and all.

When I was young, I believed that leaders possessed a certain special something that enabled them to stand out in a crowd. As I've witnessed people over the years, that view has shifted. People like to be told what to do, what to think, what the right answer is. There are many areas of my own life where I'm happy to let someone else do the research, filter the details and give me the summary. I don't want to be responsible to know all that. And, in most cases, I don't have time anyway. But in those areas where I feel a certain level of proficiency, a modicum of mastery, I gladly share my take.

Leadership, then, isn't being someone or something special. Leadership is stepping up and deciding, directing and taking responsibility.

You do that every day.

While much of the rest of the world leaves the decisions about their child's education and daily interactions to others, you have bucked the trend. Certainly there are areas where you still take the advice and insight of others--your homeschool curriculum, for example. But in the practical outplay of your day, the buck stops with you.

You are a leader.

What sets you apart from the rest of the world in this area is that you have been willing to take responsibility and make decisions.

The world needs more people like you.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

P.S. I totally understand the pressure to "get it right" when you realize that people are letting you make the choice. It still rattles me a little when someone here at Sonlight lets me make the final call. If, like all great leaders, you'd like some insights and answers from someone who has gone before you, please feel free to contact a Sonlight Advisor. These homeschool moms will be happy to answer your questions and offer you their expertise as you make important curriculum decisions.

01/31/2011
Joke Books
She looks down at her Kindle. "I've been reading joke books," she admits. "Not the 'guy walks into a bar' kind. Teen vampire books. The kinds of books that are a joke."

"Do you need some recommendations?" my wife asks. "Because we can recommend some good ones."

Two minutes later, I'm flipping through a copy of the Sonlight Catalog. I find three titles I think would be great for this teenage girl ...in Core K. There are a couple more books I think she'd really enjoy in Core 1. By the time I've made it through the High School programs, I've recommended dozens of titles. "We should buy more Sonlight Cores," I tell Brittany.

"Yes," she agrees.

A dull ache flickers in the background as I think, 'But we should wait until we have kids.' The pain vanishes and I'm focused again on the kid hanging out with us now.

"You can take that if you want," Brittany tells her.

She looks down at the Catalog as she gathers up her stuff. She hesitates. Then she adds it to her pile. "Sure. Why not."

An eighteen-year-old isn't the ideal Sonlight customer. And neither are we. But, when considering the joke books presented to the wider populace, we all agree that the literature included in Sonlight's homeschool programs is far superior.

Have you noticed a Sonlight book recently and decided to read it again? I love how good literature can be enjoyed by--and meaningful to--such a range of ages.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

01/28/2011
Ghost Posts: Reading What's Been Removed
"I'm giving up. I can't do this anymore."

The words barely echo the true hurt and frustration. Another homeschooler is experiencing burnout or worse. Life has conspired to cripple this individual, and in a last resort of cathartic expression a blog post is born.

Moved, I click over from my RSS Reader; only to discover the post has been removed. The internet remembers, even what we'd like to forget. I have, through the power of technology, caught a glimpse into a scribbled out experience of life. The blog author has "taken back" what they wrote. But what I don't know--and rarely ever see--is why the post was deleted. Did they feel too vulnerable? Did they realize they were merely feeling overwhelmed last night? Did they discover something that made them change their mind about the whole thing? And why, I wonder, did they publicly post it in the first place if they now feel it no longer appropriate to share?

I am well-acquainted with change. We update Sonlight every year, seeking ways to better serve you. This means that every year you benefit from what we've learned in the past. On the other hand, change is hard, and it can be incredibly frustrating too. In fact, we list our yearly curriculum updates as one of the reasons you may not want to buy from Sonlight. We make the changes and move forward. So I know things disappear and are replaced with new ideas and thoughts.

But "ghost posts" are different. They indicate some change in thinking. And it makes me curious: Why the change?

Have you ever bumped into a deleted blog post? Have you ever removed one of your own? What changed your mind?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

01/27/2011
Holiness and a Culture of Theft
"The culture there assumes it's your responsibility to keep things locked up. It's not someone else's responsibility to not take your stuff."

We were discussing, over lunch yesterday, the ideas summarized by Vishal Mangalwadi. One of my co-workers shared about her experience studying in South America. The culture of theft was just one of the radical differences there from what we experience here in the US.

Then, as I stood in the shower this morning, three key ideas suddenly clicked together. Here's my thesis: Piracy has created a culture of theft in the United States and, just as "adult entertainment" has completely changed, the digital revolution demands of us a higher level of holiness.

I'm sure you're aware of the ways the internet has changed the face of the "adult" industry. It is no longer required to go to a seedy part of the city and physically purchase a dirty magazine. Now, from the comfort of your favorite computer chair, you can obtain just about any kind of "adult" material you may be interested in... for free. And, as virtual worlds continue to claw their way into reality, Huxley's Brave New World of the Feelies inches closer. "How are men going to remain faithful to their wives in such a world?" one of my coworkers asked.

"The solution," I was quick to propose, "is to become more holy. Unfortunately, you can't legislate holiness and it's not easy. But these advancements in technology are forcing us to become more like Christ."

The internet--coupled with digital delivery--has made piracy a common practice as well. Right now, I could find just about any song I could imagine online. With a little more effort, I could have it on my computer. It's little wonder, then, that I get questions every week from Sonlight students asking about the legality of copying music. If you can find this stuff on major legal sites, how can it be illegal/wrong?

Well, teenagers aren't the only ones discussing this topic. John August recently blogged about sheet music piracy and both his post and the fascinating original article have been flooded with comments on both sides of this issue.

Here's what struck me this morning: The arguments often boil down to a fundamental disagreement over responsibility. Is it your responsibility to keep your stuff locked up, or my responsibility to not take your stuff?

Yes, just as we could argue about the complexities of obscene materials on the internet, we could go around and around with the issues surrounding digital copyright law. But as I stood under the hot running water of my shower--something my coworker did not have when she lived in South America--everything clicked:

I'd rather not live in a culture of theft.

Talk to your kids about being Christ-like and piracy.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

P.S. I'm not a lawyer, but I'm happy to share what I know and think about this issue if you have specific questions. This is important because your children are growing up in a world where their morality is the only thing between them and an endless stream of instantly accessible sin. It's much easier to practice being like Christ in the little things right now.

01/26/2011
One Man Band
You are a one man band.

...so to speak. I realize you are probably not in a band and most of my readers are female. The band man thing is a metaphor. As a homeschool mom (parent), you do most of the teaching on your own. The common critique of such a system--by those with a different educational model--is that you can't possibly be proficient enough to compete with a "professional educator" who is armed with an educational degree and tends to teach but one subject... a subject said educator has "emphasized" in their formal studies.

My formal college studies involved a general overview of filmmaking. I didn't "emphasize" a single aspect of filmmaking. I never took a course on cinematography or lighting. I didn't have a class dedicated to sound design or animation. No one taught me how to color correct a sequence or normalize an audio file. I've had to constantly teach myself the ins and outs of web compression as they change from year to year. I am the epitome of the one man band filmmaker. If it needs to be done, I need to make it happen.

Am I limited? Absolutely. I wasn't able to have a monster shot I needed for Sonlight Field. I don't have a studio where I can control the lighting and sound of my productions. I have to get people who really don't want to be on camera to look great. My mom is a good sport, letting me force her to be in my videos. And I've been quite successful at getting people to agree to be on tape <smile>.

But am I ever going to be on the same level as Hollywood?

No.

And that's okay. I have incredible flexibility and control over what I produce, when I produce it, and how I go about it. I don't require budgets of millions of dollars. I get to learn new things on a regular basis. I am free of the political and moral nastiness of "the industry." And what I create just so happens to bring joy to thousands of families all over the world.

Not bad for a one man band.

As a homeschool mom, you have incredible flexibility to teach your children in a way that benefits them the best. You don't need to spend thousands of dollars per student each year (even if it may feel like that sometimes <smile>). You get to learn new things. You are free of the political and moral issues surrounding "the industry." And what you do also brings joy and meaning to you children who will ultimately have the opportunity to spread that throughout the world.

Not bad for a one man band.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

01/25/2011
Building with a Blueprint
How's the first month of the year been treating you?

Perhaps you've spent it chilled out by the pool, enjoying a green smoothie while your children play quietly with each other, taking breaks now and again to do their studies. Your family has done the cooking and the cleaning. In fact, life has been running itself so well, all you have to do is pick what meal you'd like your little helpers to make you.

Life's good.

Of course, your life may be good... but on the opposite end of that spectrum. You feel buried. Your children, your house, your husband, your pets all need your attention--not to mention the laundry and the dishes. If that's you, you may find some really great tips and reminders by watching the Organize Your Home for Success video.

I can relate to feeling swamped. Right now I've got a ton to do for the new catalog season, and I've got very limited time to get it all done.

When you think of it, please pray for us. We need wisdom as we work to make the website easier to use. We have a ton of code updates and content changes we need to make as well.

I haven't had much time today to do any preparation for blogging. I like to let my brain mull over an idea while I work throughout the day. That way, when the time comes to write, I've got something say.

Today, I didn't have that luxury. My brain has been fully occupied with other projects and tasks. The idea of creating a meaningful post felt overwhelming. "I wish I had it all planned out for me beforehand. A blueprint makes building a lot easier," I told myself.

Blueprint

Suddenly, I realized that we are constructing a blueprint for you.

The effort we are pouring into the design and function of Sonlight's homeschool curriculum today will be the blueprint you can use tomorrow. We do what we do so you don't have to do it. We want you to be able to do the things we can't help you with--such as spending time with your kids and cooking meals--without getting bogged down with the things we can do for you.

We can build you a homeschool blueprint.

One of the pragmatic goals of Sonlight's homeschool curriculum is to save you the time, effort and brain power needed to gather, schedule, plan, organize, and think about your homeschool lessons. So on days when you feel buried, like me, you can still offer your children a meaningful day of learning without adding one more thing to your plate.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

01/24/2011
The Day the Teacher Threw Us Out
The black plastic recorder contrasted nicely with the sheet music in front of me. I was at a weekly homeschool group. We were doing our music lesson. Well, we were supposed to be doing our music lesson.

Come to think of it, I wasn't thinking about my recorder or the music. I was goofing off. So where the handful of other kids. I don't remember what had us so amped. I can't recall why we were giddy. I don't even remember being that abnormally off the wall. But we mindlessly brought our teacher--a sweet homeschool mom--to the end of her rope.

"That's it!" she finally bellowed. "If you're not interested in learning, just take your games outside."

The room fell silent. What were we supposed to do?

"Go," she commanded.

We went.

I placed my recorder on the railing of the back deck. The joy had left our game. We tried to play, but it was half-hearted. We had failed. We had broken the system. And, I learned that day, there comes a point where being a rebel isn't fun anymore.

I realized I needed to share this story after Susan blogged about her unmotivated son. I am definitely one of those bloggers who extols the benefits of homeschooling when it comes to the love of learning. I mean, I'm blogging for a company that guarantees you'll love homeschooling. Even so, there are times and there are subjects that simply require putting your nose to the grindstone. There are days when it may be better to just go outside and play. Effort isn't always equated with joy.

But when you see progress because of your effort?
When you begin to gain mastery?
When you use tools that resonate with you?
When you've got a system that works for you and your family?

Then--then--homeschooling is a joy. Not always. Not in everything. But in general. Overall you and your children will love learning together. And it could be that you need to find those resources that inspire your students. I had to switch math programs one year because the one I had was boring me to death. After we moved to a math program that was more in line with my personality, I again rocked in math.

When do you notice your students are unmotivated? What do you do when you feel like you're constantly reminding them to keep working? Have you ever kicked your kids out of class?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

01/21/2011
From Luke's Inbox: Ministry in Public School
I know you went to a public high school for the purpose of ministry. I feel called to do the same. Most people are heavily discouraging me from doing this. They say that homeschooled students who go to a public school for the purpose of ministry do not come out as close to God as they were, or are very far from God. Since you (I assume) have been in this situation before, I was wondering what advice you could give.

Wow, what a powerful question. I will do my best to give you the most honest and complete answer I can. But since I'm sure I won't address everything here, I am happy to continue this dialog as long as you would like.

It sounds like you've read a few of my blog posts about my reasons for going to public school. I have written again and again about my experience with ministry in public school... and, I'm sure, I'll write more in the years to come <smile>.

At the same time, the more I reflect on my high school experiences, the more I recognize the need to caution people against jumping into that crazy, really difficult world.

Before I go any further with this answer, I urge you to read these two articles I wrote for Heart of the Matter:

Desires of Our Heart
Do Hard Things: Keep Quiet

The experiences I relate in those two articles are the foundation for what I say next.

I believe going to public school for the purpose of ministry is a wonderfully horrible thing.

Ministry is hard. It's even harder when you're "doin' it wrong." As I mention in the posts above, my "ministry" was too often based on seeking to "save" people, rather than share the love of Christ and actually, you know, minister to people. I believed that my job was to change my school by getting people to follow Christ and accept His salvation. This was wrong. I've come to realize that I should have ministered to people because God loves them. I should have sought to introduce them to Christ by being like Him. It's the job of the Holy Spirit to change hearts and draw people to God. The best I can do is seek to love as Christ loves. When people see Christ, they can make the choice to follow Him or not. When people see a half-crazed, passionate religious fanatic--me--they don't think about Christ at all. How sad that my passionate efforts were so misplaced. I believed I was loving people by trying to get Jesus into their face. In reality, I was too often a "clanging gong" because I was more interested in my "ministry" and missed the opportunity to love others.

Did I leave high school close to God because of my desire to minister?

Yes. And no.

I believe that every ministry experience (no matter how "right" you do it) is incredibly difficult. Think back to the many Missionary Biographies you've read through Sonlight: Ministry is hard! It beats you up and tears you down. It crushes us and so clearly demonstrates our desperate need for the grace of God in our lives. And, often, there are long periods where we have no idea what God is up to.

I am so glad I went to a Christian University after high school. I had the opportunity to confront the really hard questions: Why doesn't God save people, when He clearly wants to? What is our responsibility in ministry? Does God use sinners? To what degree do we negatively and positively affect others? What does it mean to love people? And why do people keep talking about God using those who are "available" when that so often amounts to a hill of beans?

I wasn't far from God when I graduated from high school. But I was furious with Him. I was devastated and enraged. I certainly wasn't close to Him. I was wrestling with the "problem of pain" from a radically Christian perspective, and it was killing me.

Am I now closer to God because of my experience? Absolutely.
Am I now more like Christ because of my experience? By the grace of God.
Would I do it again? In a heartbeat.
Was it one of the hardest, most painful, potentially-drive-me-away-from-God experiences of my life? You betcha.

And, I argue: To be effective ambassadors for Christ, we must walk these paths. These are the things that allow God to make us into the people He wants us to be.

My advice (as of this moment, which I'm sure will develop and change as I grow in wisdom):

Make your ministry about loving people as Christ loves them, not about converting souls.

Expect to have your world rocked. The ideals of a Christian life aren't nearly as neat and tidy as we'd like.

Throw yourself on the mercy and grace of God through the good and terrible. There's a ton of Scripture about this, but it's easy to forget when it feels like God has forgotten you.

God is a redemptive God, and He can use even the devastation of failure for His glory. And I am happy to chat with you at any point before, during, or after high school about your experiences and your questions as I've begun to recognize God's redemptive work in this area of my life.

Ultimately, this is something that your parents will need to walk with you through as well. Definitely talk with them about this--and feel free to have them shoot me questions as well. I believe high school is a great opportunity for growing in ministry, but it is also incredibly hard.

Enough rambling for now.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

01/20/2011
Hacking Life
One of the things I hope to try this year is a "trailer" video of the new things from Sonlight. I shot three segments today. I'm scheduled to film the last one early next week. I need to keep moving if I'm going to get this thing cut together in time to share it with you.

As I was packing up my equipment, I noticed a blog worthy picture. I had set up an easel and draped paper over it to block the sun shining directly into my lens.

Creative Sun Shade

Two weeks ago I taped a clear trash bag to a window. I needed a little diffusion, and a trash bag was what I had on hand.

This kind of life hack is nothing new. My brother once used a baseball bat to flip a light switch when he was too short to reach it. My wife often substitutes ingredients. None of us have the luxury of acquiring absolutely everything potentially useful.

We work with what we have.

Here at Sonlight we seek to provide you with what you need for your homeschool. We offer some things, such as the Sonlight Microscope, that--while not essential--could be a huge boon to your studies. But you are free to hack it without such a device.

What's the craziest/coolest thing you've ever done to hack your life? (NB: Please don't tell me about any literal computer hacking or similar illegal behavior. Thank you.)

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

01/19/2011
How Sonlight Hindered Me in College
Blogs have finally taught me a skill I had failed to master until now. I couldn't do it in high school. I still couldn't do it in college.

I realized I had made a breakthrough when my dad recently asked me, "How do you keep up with all the blogs you follow?"

I'm the kind of guy who reads at the speed of writing: One word at a time. There's no way I could burn through several hundred posts every morning in a couple of hours.

But I do.

The skill required to pull off such a feat is something called "skimming."

Skimming is the art of letting your eyes pick out important words within large amounts of text to get a gist of the meaning or topic. This was, in theory, how I was supposed to read my college History textbooks. I was supposed to somehow glean the information I needed by burning through dozens of dull pages of drivel to find the important meaning buried within the poor writing.

I couldn't do it.

I read, word by word, through a few paragraphs before my brain crashed. I would wake up a couple hours later, having learned nothing. I had no idea how to find the "important" words within the chapters. Shouldn't every word be important? Clearly not. But in college I was still stuck with the idea that published books selected by my educator should contain a significant amount of important information. I blame it on my Sonlight background. Every book my mom handed me had meaning and was a joy.

Blogging finally broke me of thinking that written words must contain deep meaning for me. Not because your posts are lame and meaningless. Not at all. But I quickly discovered that I personally was not interested in certain topics. On the other hand, I found myself reading any post that had to do with a few particular subjects. The more I read blogs, the better I become at recognizing the key words and phrases that alert me to a topic of interest or importance to me.

In reading the headline and scanning a post for a few key words, I can now decide if I should read all of it, skim sections of it, or move on to the next post. It is incredibly freeing. I can cover so much more ground because of it.

Sadly, because I was raised on Sonlight's incredible literature, I grew up believing that every block of text contained a goldmine of value. This hindered me in college (and a bit in high school) when I began to encounter flat and pointless texts.

Text

I'm thankful for the Sonlight Difference. The pain I experienced from reading dry textbooks in college says far more about the nature of those texts than it does about Sonlight.

Still, it is nice to have finally mastered a skill I'd heard about all these years.

Do you find it hard to skim great literature? How did you learn to skim?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

01/18/2011
How to Work and Homeschool
Twenty years ago, my mom was homeschooling us kids and loving it. When she learned that some families were struggling with their homeschool adventure, she decided to start Sonlight Curriculum.

That's right: My mom started Sonlight while homeschooling. Granted, Sonlight was a bit smaller back then. But my mom worked while homeschooling.

Now, I'm not nearly that on top of things. I didn't work while in college. I went to class and I swam. In reality, swimming on the team took up more time than a part-time job. And, with my scholarship, probably paid better too. But, whatever. The fact remains: I felt way too overwhelmed to work and do school at the same time.

Right now, The Old Schoolhouse is hosting a Blog Cruise on Working and Homeschooling. If you're interested in learning how others pull that off, check out some of the posts.

You can also listen to a fantastic Sonlight podcast on How to Homeschool While Working. This 40 minute presentation is broken up into four parts, so you can catch bits of it when you have time. Because, even if you aren't working yet, I'm sure you're plenty busy.

Even if you're successfully homeschooling and working, you may learn ways you can do both better. If you're interested in learning more about working while homeschooling, check out the How to Homeschool While Working podcast.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

01/17/2011
Not Yet Rated
Let's say you're interested in trying out something new. It could be a new digital camera, cookbook, spelling program, dental cream, garden tool or smartphone app. Before you decide to invest in this amazing new thing, you wonder: How do other people like this?

That is, if you're anything like me. Not that I use dental cream. I have, however, used dental wax before. Which isn't really the same thing.

Where was I?

Right. If you're anything like me, you probably read reviews, blog posts and anything else you can find on a product before you shell out your hard-earned money. And you're not alone. We all love to hear about the experiences of others. Like penguins on an iceberg, we'd rather find out if someone else got eaten before we're ready to jump.

That's where you come in.

Several of our more recent products do not have any reviews yet.

MathTacular4 Reviews

Would you be willing to take a couple minutes and rate the homeschool products you're using? You will help other homeschoolers make better choices. Since you've already "tested the waters"--as it were--your insights and experience are invaluable. The number of stars you select will help shape the buying decisions of homeschoolers around the world.

That's huge.

Please feel free to review anything from Sonlight that you've used. But I'd really appreciate your feedback on:

MathTacular4
Grammar 5
Grammar 6
and Piano Wizard

Thank you so much for braving the waters for the rest of us!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

01/14/2011
The Doldrums
In The Phantom Tollbooth--one of my favorite books--our hero, Milo, ends up in the Doldrums. That is the place where "nothing ever happens and nothing ever changes." Milo is eventually rescued by Tock, a literal watchdog. They leave the Doldrums. And the adventure picks up speed.

But as we move into Day 2 of the Sonlight shopping cart dysfunction, I'm feeling a bit like Milo. I'm in the doldrums. Nothing's happening, and nothing's changing. For all our diligent work, the problem is still not resolved at this time.

Technology is amazing. Computers and websites allow us to do so much quickly, efficiently and all over the world. But when something goes wrong with technology, I tend to stagnate. I get bogged down.

But I shouldn't.

Sonlight's Instructor's Gudies are tools, but you aren't bound to them. They are flexible enough to let you do something else if it's not working for you at the moment. Similarly, the grinding halt of technology should not cause a halt in our lives. Technology is a tool. We can work without it.

So, grab one of your favorite books, enjoy it with your children, and--Lord willing--we'll be back to full speed ahead on our adventure soon. I've found that a good book can be an excellent "watchdog" to get me out of the doldrums. Have you?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

01/13/2011
The Weakest Pipe
The main artery from my house clogs on a fairly regular basis.

Clogged Pipe

My sewer main is cracked at every joint. Roots constantly grow into the pipe, trapping things we'd rather have leave. Why not just get the pipe replaced?

That's pricey. Sadly, someday, it will come to that.

One clog and the whole system stops working. And, when we don't realize it in time, I find myself in an inch of water. Not fun.

Something similar happened to our website at 2am this morning.

As of writing, the "clog" still hasn't been opened.

In many ways it's sad that the problem was created by someone outside of Sonlight. It would be easier to fix if it was something we had control over. On the other hand... I'm glad it wasn't me <smile>.

I'd appreciate your prayers for the many people working on resolving the site issue. I know several people have been plugging away at it all day, and it's still not functional. That's not good because it's much harder to serve you--and the many other homeschoolers we hear from every day--when the site isn't fully functional.

Thank you for your prayers!

What "little" things have recently thrown off your groove?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

01/12/2011
What Grade Is Your Child In?
Tim Hawkins admits he doesn't know. In one of his routines, he says, "The kid knows Greek, but he still eats bugs. What grade is that?"

Henry Cate

Ignore the health benefits of eating bugs for the moment.

Children develop skills at a variety of rates. This fact is far more important to their education than student's "date of manufacture." The practice of grouping students into "grades" is about crowd control, organization and labeling. Saying that a student is in Fifth Grade tells us nothing more than an age span.

This past Sunday, one of the teachers was away. We were given another grade level to teach in our class. Not a problem. A few more children weren't able to read yet, but that wasn't a big deal. We pressed on anyway. I teach Sunday School in such a way that the age of the kids doesn't matter much.

Literature-based curriculum has a similar benefit. Good books don't have a specific age attached to them. In fact, I personally enjoy books in every single one of Sonlight's homeschool curriculum programs. And we get comments every year from well educated parents who tell us that they learned a ton from the year of Sonlight.

Your child isn't best served by focusing on the grade he or she is "in." Far better to choose an appropriate program that covers the topics you want your student to study next. That's why we recommend several of Sonlight's Core programs for a particular age or grade.

What's more, without a specific grade, you can teach students of multiple ages with the same homeschooling curriculum. That saves you time and money. Both of which are good things.

So next time you're asked what grade your child is in, consider quoting Tim Hawkins: "The kid knows Greek, but he still eats bugs. What grade is that?"

If that does not satisfy your interrogator, you could always add: I use a Sonlight program. It's fantastic.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

01/11/2011
Your work is meaningful.
The eyes in the mirror look back at you. The face looks tired, worn. The toothpaste oozing out the side of the mouth doesn't help the look. That person has had quite the day.

Long Day

Maybe it just felt really long.

Maybe something bad happened.

As you rinse and put away your toothbrush you think, 'Please, not another day like this one,' or, 'I hope I have the strength I need for tomorrow.'

Whether you feel dejected or merely weary, I want to tell you this:

What you do is so meaningful.

What you're doing matters. You may not feel all that successful right now, but your children are learning and growing. You are making lasting bonds with your students. In short: You are making the world a better place.

No wonder you feel tired.

Changing the world is hard work. Keep it up!

Remember: Sonlight Curriculum Advisors are here to answer your questions and give you pointers. If you need someone to bounce an idea off or feel like you just can't do it anymore, please chat with a Sonlight Curriculum Advisor.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

P.S. Someone emailed me this morning and it really encouraged me. Realizing that I'm not the only one who could benefit from a little encouragement, I was inspired to write this post. Thanks, Niki!

01/10/2011
Natural Compulsory Education
"Wait. Glass isn't a slowly moving liquid?"

I blinked at the comic on my screen.

Before long I was researching "amorphous solids" and trying to get my head around molecular structures and the general lack of agreement as to what, precisely, glass is.

Then I'm jamming out to a French Revolution history lesson set to a Lady Gaga tune. (Seriously, check that out.)

A few minutes later I'm reading about homeschoolers using their free time to work on a stop motion video. It takes me back to my early days of creativity.

Web comics, "Bad Romance," filmmaking. What's this? Schools closed during the Great Depression?

This is compelling stuff. It makes me want to learn. I'm jumping into the subjects of history, economics, physics, art. And I'm doing it because something grabbed my attention. I feel compelled to learn. What's more: It's a natural part of my day. I love that homeschooling gives us the flexibility to study something we find intriguing.

And yet, I agree with Henry Cate: These things can entice students and pique their interest, but it can't replace focused learning through instruction.

Sonlight is a fantastic homeschool option because the natural compulsion to learn is built into the engaging books of Sonlight's homeschooling curriculum. Sonlight fosters a desire to learn because the books draw you in. The demand for compulsory education is drowned out by the chant that we read more.

Sonlight takes the great parts of homeschooling--such as the flexibility to enjoy life-long learning whenever/however it comes up--and adds to these the wonder and joy of a literature-based home education.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

01/07/2011
What Has Sonlight Done for You?
Brittany finally convinced me to take her to see Tut. While wandering through the exhibit, I noticed a sketch of the different crowns the Pharaoh wore. It looked suspiciously familiar, like something I had seen out of a book in Sonlight's homeschool curriculum. I had seen those same images before.

As a student, Sonlight gave me access to incredible books packed full of wonderful stories and compelling information. And I know Sonlight does that for parents as well. But my question is: What have you found Sonlight has done for you, the teacher?

I've seen glimpses into what Sonlight does for parents, I've read the stories, but I'd like to hear your experience: What has Sonlight done for your homeschool? What has Sonlight done for you?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

01/06/2011
Your Image of School
Post after post today contained pictures of homeschoolers doing their homeschooling thing. Children sitting at their desks with their math textbooks. Kids filling out worksheets. A family spread around a table, pencils in hand.

Conspicuously missing from these pictures of homeschool life is the one thing I remember from my own. Absent were the kinds of photos that pepper the Sonlight Catalog every year. I didn't see a single image reflecting the Sonlight ideal of how we learn together.

This omission reminded me of a proposed marketing theme from years back. The idea capitalized on the way Sonlight is such a radical shift from the norm. I couldn't find a mockup of the concept, so I tossed one together:

Welcome to Your New School

When I think of homeschooling, I picture myself near the couch. The sofa = school. Whether we were crammed onto it during an exciting story, or playing near it while my mom read about far off lands, or draped across it while lost in another world, the couch is the central image of my homeschooling experience.

There's something friendly, inviting, family-oriented, and literature-focused about my memory of the family room couch. And reading--together, alone, or out loud--is my image of homeschooling.

When you think of homeschooling, what image pops into your head?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

P.S. I couldn't find a picture of the "Welcome to Your New School" image, but I did find an old snapshot of myself. It seemed blog worthy to me:

Worksheets? This is Homeschool!
(said in my best Spartan voice)

01/05/2011
The Quick Fix: Reminders of Process
Ever have a moment where you wish you could just snap your fingers and have whatever it is that needs doing done?

Laundry

Dinner

Cleaning

That year-old remodeling project

Even projects I enjoy can become a burden, especially if there is a deadline (real or self-imposed). I'd much rather have my latest Sonlight website improvement instantly completed. But, alas, it's taking time to make it happen. How frustrating! The fact that I want to share it with you makes the waiting even harder.

This longing for a quick fix is a reminder of something else: Process.

Just as efforts to improve Sonlight's homeschooling curriculum and website take time, it will take time for homeschooling to produce results as well. But for as much as I'd love to show you new and cool things from Sonlight, you want your children to get the education they need even more. As each day and year passes, I know many homeschoolers wonder: Is my child learning enough?

Those who are antagonistic to homeschooling like to point to the quick fix that is public education. There are professionals at school. But this misses the point of education: The process, the steady nurturing of a life-long love of learning while gaining knowledge and wisdom and insights. School is no more a quick fix than snapping my fingers. But school--no matter where it takes place--when combined with effort and care fosters learning. Your child is leaning, likely more than you realize. But they are in process.

I hate process. I'd rather just be done with it and move on to the end of the next thing, and the next. But the quick fix is an illusion. This illusion is a reminder that persistence eventually makes what we are building a reality.

In the days to come--as you wish for that magic finger snap--remember that this is a life-long process. Enjoy what you can, take what help is available, and push through the rest.

If you feel like your homeschooling process isn't working as well as it should, please chat with a Sonlight Curriculum Advisor. Sonlight's Advisors, as homeschool moms, have been-there and done-that. They can encourage you on your homeschool journey and offer insights and answer your questions.

Look at that: Homeschooling is a process for everyone.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

01/04/2011
Cease and Desist
As my dad recently blogged: The new year is a time for considering the future. But it needs to be more than just figuring out what new things we are going to do.

We also need to figure out what we're going to stop doing. With a limited amount of time each day, we have to "pick our battles." We can't do it all. So along with resolutions like reading more, exercising more, praying more, or whatever other things we will do more of... what are we going to do proportionally less of?

Put another way: What are we going to stop, quit, cease and desist?

If you've been following this blog long enough, you may recall the start of our adoption story and then our surrogate parenting gig. But now, just as the days of being surrogates came to a close, our adoption story is over as well.

I left a message with the agency. I hate leaving messages.

That text message, from my wife, was the conclusion of this crazy journey. The impact of this change is vague and muted. We've been living as if the adoption were over for a long while now. We just finally, with the new year, made it official. We pulled the plug.

Unplugged

Will it free us up to do other things? I don't know. I guess. Perhaps.

Any changes at the start of this year for you?

If you're looking for a tool that will help you with your homeschool planning, don't forget to make use of your Sonlight Instructor's Guide.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

P.S. Brittany blogged yesterday after she called the agency.
P.P.S. The fact that I'm not using Sonlight with my own kids does cause me to question the future of what I have to offer here on Sonlight Blog. I felt I had a certain amount of blog cred from being on the adoption journey. I feel I've lost that now. That loss stings as well.

01/03/2011
Reentry: 2 Things to Start the Year Right
There's a moment in Apollo 13 where we discover that the team has to manually maneuver the ship for reentry. To make matters worse, the margin of error is equivalent to the width of a piece of paper if the earth was the size of a basketball. If they don't do it just right, they'll either burn up in the atmosphere or skip off it into the frozen emptiness of space.

Reentry into the daily grind of homeschooling can feel similarly daunting. Especially with Christmas break. Here we've had a nice long time of celebrating with friends and family, and now there are no more holidays on the horizon. The coming months can seem overwhelming. And the sugar-induced haze isn't helping anything.

What can you do to start this year off right?

1. Remember the things you do which bring you joy. Think back to the things that you were really enjoying prior to the break. Was it one of the amazing books you were reading together? Was it some skill your child just started to master? Did you discover some new topic that really excites you? Keep those victories and delights in mind as you get back into the swing of things. If you need a little inspiration, check out a few of the Sonlight Moments like this one.

2. Look over your priorities and goals again. This is the season for making plans and resolutions for the coming year. But before you do that, it's a good idea to review your goals for your homeschool. Your resolutions and plans for the coming year will become clearer as you consider the progress you've made and the things you need to emphasize more.

If you've seen Apollo 13--spoiler alert--you know the team makes splashdown safely. There's a reminder in that as well: You can do this. While you may feel like you're burning out or bouncing off into nothingness, you can make it.

What do you do when facing reentry into homeschooling?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

12/30/2010
Life-Long Learning: Controlled Crashes
"Why is the recommended tire pressure for the airplanes half as much on land as it is for landing on the ship?"

My one question pales in comparison to the many questions my dad always asks at a museum. But it was the only one I had at the moment. We were aboard the USS Midway. The man in the yellow hat happily explained that the additional pressure is required because of how hard planes hit aircraft carries while landing. "It's more of a controlled crash," he smiled. That wasn't the first time I'd heard that phrase that day. I was getting the impression that a "controlled crash" was the most accurate description.

Even more interesting was listening to one of the guys explain the Link 11 system while we looked at a radar type interface. He talked to us about how CNN was their only source of military intelligence when the TV behind us had been hastily soldered into place. He gave us his take on the IR655 incident. He told us about the successful use of the HARM missile to take out enemy radar which allowed us to fly in without fear of enemy fire.

Link 11

Museums wear me out quickly, and I tend to prefer my information presented in a more crafted form (be it a great book or movie). But getting an account of something from a person who was there is another experience altogether. Assuming, of course, the person is well-spoken and knows their stuff.

Otherwise, the controlled crash can quickly become a crash and burn.

Do you like museums? What was the most interesting thing you've learned about while visiting one?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

12/23/2010
Choosing a Homeschool Curriculum Option
"Would you like to read the instructions before continuing?"

The program was trying to be helpful, but I quickly clicked the "no" button. Not 45 seconds later I turned to my wife and said, "I probably should have read those instructions."

It's not the first time I haven't felt like reading the directions before jumping in. And it's not the last time I'm going to end up confused because of it. The trouble is, even fun things like games have a learning curve. The rules of chess are essential to enjoying the game. And if you want to be able to best someone like, say, my little brother, you have to go to the trouble of reading books on chess theory and such.

I no longer play chess with my brother.

Some games have really, really annoying methods of learning the rules. I don't play those games either.

This same knowledge gathering requirement extends into the homeschool world. Choosing homeschool curriculum can be a frustrating experience, even if you've tried to read the instructions on choosing the right homeschool program. To make matters worse, much like trying to dig through a book on chess game play, there are simply a ton of details to consider when choosing homeschooling curriculum. But when we want to find the best of something, we tend to read everything.

I know I did when I purchased my first video camera. And then, armed with what I had read, I went to the store and talked through everything again with the salesman. I wanted to be sure.

You have similar opportunities with Sonlight. If you are having trouble choosing your homeschooling curriculum, you have options. The first, and most immediate, option would be to chat with a Sonlight Advisor. Or, swing by the Choosing Sonlight forum.

If you've got a little more time to make your selection, visit a homeschool convention and chat with a Sonlight Consultant. You can also get some convention information right now by clicking over to Sonlight's Virtual Booth.

Choosing the homeschool curriculum program that is right for your family can be a lot of work. But once you have the information you need, you can be confident that you've made the best choice for you and your students.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

12/22/2010
Communicating Christmas
"Merry Christmas!"

I hug each person as they leave my house. I won't see them again for a couple weeks because of the holiday, so this is my last chance to share my affection and joy over Christmas.

The hugs and the statement are welcome because these are my friends, people I see every week. There is a common experience and understanding we draw from to influence our interaction.

In contrast, it is mind-boggling difficult to create a Christmas greeting from Sonlight. We're working on an email. A simple "Merry Christmas" email. And yet, it's not simple. While a hug and farewell is normal for our little group, you may not welcome the same from me. So what do you expect and welcome from Sonlight? What does Sally Sonlighter appreciate? What will bother Suzie Sonlighter? What can we say and do that will most effectively communicate our affection to both you and them? What words do we use? What kind of images can we include?

Blogging gives us the opportunity to have a two-way conversation. We can get to know one an other, and--I hope--you feel like you're getting to know me. But time and time again I find that messages we send to a wider audience are much harder to craft. And, because it's Christmas, I'd love to send the message to the largest audience we can get. But how do we communicate Christmas best?

I'd never realized just how hard it can be for a company to wish everyone well.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

P.S. Perhaps crafting the message for this email is not nearly as I hard as I think. I may be thinking it's difficult to get this right because I keep making mistakes in the code while testing. I think I've tested the email six times now... what is wrong with me today?

12/21/2010
Lunar Eclipse
I realized my pants were on backward. 'Oh well,' I thought as I stumbled out the front door. 'It's 1:30am. No one's gonna notice.'

My wife stood under our tree, looking up at the moon. All but a sliver was glowing reddish orange. There was no way my camera would get me a usable shot. I decided to photoshop something instead.

So I did.

Eclipse

There are a couple images of the 2010 Lunar Eclipse circulating the internet right now. Even if you didn't wake your children up to see the eclipse last night, this is a excellent opportunity to discuss some very interesting things, such as:

What is an eclipse?

Why does the moon look red?

Speaking of red moons, let's look at some Scripture passages which feature a red moon.

There's also plenty of fascinating topics to discuss when it comes to winter solstice, such as history, astronomy, religion, agriculture, physics and more.

You could also discuss the long periods of time between eclipses. Sadly, despite the few hints which piqued my interest, I yet to find a good article on this topic.

Did you get up to see the eclipse?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

12/20/2010
"You've got to show kids interesting stuff."
My dad called me on Saturday morning. He was so excited about what he had learned about Temple Grandin he just had to share. And I'm glad he did.

Dr. Grandin is an insightful person--due in large part to her incredibly visual method of thinking which is tied to her autism. Her TED talk contains many interesting observations, but my favorite was her point that in order to get students "turned on" to learning "you've got to show kids interesting stuff."

Absolutely.

Sonlight's homeschooling curriculum is packed full of fascinating books. I have fond memories of listening to the books my mom read to us. But I also spent hours just looking through many of the Usborne books. These titles were brimming over with interesting stuff. In fact, The Usborne Time Traveler inspired me so much, I drew castles in my high school drafting class:

Beast's Castle: Jr. Year of High School

In other words: The best way to get kids (and adults) interested in something is to show them interesting stuff.

How fortuitous, then, to bump into this interesting video in my RSS reader today. Granted, Vi Hart talks crazy-fast and doesn't exactly explain what's going on in her videos...

But that, I believe, is the point. She's not trying to teach here, she's trying to show you interesting stuff.

And it is interesting stuff.

In fact, you may just find yourself looking up something about math after watching one of her videos.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

12/17/2010
Learning Styles in Your Homeschool
I have no idea why my learning style is.

I am an intensely visual person, but I remember movie quotes and funny sayings often hearing them only once. In fact, I used books on tape to get through my AP English class in high school. I wrote a paper on Heart of Darkness by flipping back and forth through the book to zero in on the passages I remembered listening to on tape. Even so, you can't just tell me directions. Even writing them down won't help me much. I have to do the steps myself a few times before I've got it. That's why I don't read instruction manuals and how-to guides. Far better for me: Hand me a working website or computer program and I'll tinker with it until I understand how the code works.

This confusing interplay of learning styles and approaches to gaining knowledge can be frustrating for teachers (parents) as well. It drives my wife crazy that I refuse to even open the help manual when I'm stuck, and instead look for some tangible walk-throughs and videos online.

Speaking of online videos, we have a video that is all about homeschooling students of various learning styles and approaches:

Exploring Your Child's Learning Styles

As I read this post about one homeschooler's frustration with the school system and visual learning style differences, I got thinking about The Stroop Test. This is a simple and yet powerful reminder that we are more than a single input/output mechanism. As humans, our brains take in and process information combining multiple stimuli.

So if your student is struggling, or you're struggling with your student, take some time to consider your child's learning style, and perhaps utilize some of the suggestions in the video above.

You can find more helpful homeschool videos on our Homeschool Helps page.

Do your children learn the same way you do? Have you had to adjust the way you teach certain subjects to match your child's learning style?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

12/16/2010
At Your Service
I want to give a "shout out" to the Customer Relations team here at Sonlight. They are incredible. They do such a great job helping homeschoolers.

Part of what makes this level of support possible is Sonlight's Love to Learn Guarantee. But they do so much more than just follow scripts and parrot back pat answers. Sonlight's Customer Relations team works to take care of you.

Please don't hesitate to contact us if you have questions about choosing/using Sonlight's homeschool curriculum, or if you have questions concerning an order you've placed.

If you have a great story about how Sonlight's Customer Relations team/Sonlight Advisors have helped you, I'd love to hear it. In my opinion, Sonlight's support team can't get enough praise for the wonderful ways they serve us.

...yes, I frequently need to chat with them myself <smile>.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

12/15/2010
Two Fun Links
We had our company Christmas party over lunch today, so I am now suffering from a "food coma" and everything's ...kinda ...fuzzy.

So rather than subject you to my calorie addled thoughts, I'm going to share two fun links with you.

First, I bumped into this in my RSS Reader: http://www.teachparentstech.org/ - a humorous site with some potentially helpful videos. They're a little basic, but just right for someone who isn't super hip when it comes to the power of the internets and computer boxes.

Second, I got an email a few days ago which mentioned the "McGurk Effect" which I hadn't heard of before. This clip demonstrates what the McGurk Effect is and talks a little about how it works: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypd5txtGdGw.

Enjoy!

Oh, and remember that if you want to get anything from Sonlight's Christmas sale in time for Christmas, you need to order by the end of today.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

12/14/2010
Free Homeschool Helps Videos, Webinars, Workshops
Homeschool Helps is a free homeschooling help resource. I've been busily adding new helpful homeschool content for the past week. Right now, we have around 4.5 hours of free homeschool help videos posted.

Four and a half hours of helpful homeschool webinars, workshops and videos which help you:

get started homeschooling

organize your homeschool

create homeschool high school transcripts

homeschool with toddlers

find things to do over the summer

work with your student's learning style

learn about standardized testing

and even address the question of socialization

Did I mention this was all available right now for free?

Swing by Homeschool Helps to start watching free homeschool videos now!

You may be thinking, 'There's got to be a catch. No one gives away all that information for free!'

We do.

You can visit Homeschool Helps right now and start watching homeschool videos immediately. You don't need to sign up, you don't need to submit your email address, you don't need to agree to anything. Just click here to get Homeschool Helps and push play on the video you'd like to watch. That's it.

Why would we do this? Why give away valuable homeschool information for free?

We can host the videos for free. That means after doing the work of writing, recording, editing, and preparing the videos for the web, we don't have to worry about them anymore. So while we've spent considerable time and effort getting you these great homeschool videos, now that they're online you can watch them at no additional cost to us.

We want to support you on your homeschool journey. As a leader in the homeschool market, we have the unique opportunity to do more than merely sell you homeschool curriculum. We want you to succeed in your homeschool adventure. We want you to use the tools and resources that are best for your family. That's one of the main reasons for our 27 Reasons NOT to Buy Sonlight article: We don't want you to buy homeschool curriculum from Sonlight if it isn't right for you. How do you know what's right for you? Well, we hope that these free homeschool workshops will help you figure that out.

We're here to serve you. Sonlight Curriculum started with the goal of helping homeschoolers. We're still dedicated to that. These free homeschool help webinars are just one more way we can serve you on your homeschool journey.

Granted, I believe that by offering you our services and Homeschool Helps, you will realize just how valuable Sonlight is. And--if you decide that Sonlight is right for your family--you will get your homeschooling curriculum from a company that has already shown itself to be there for you.

Click here to access your free homeschooling help videos now.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

12/13/2010
Homeschool Public Speaking: Condors and Chickens
My first play took place in the Garden of Eden. I was one of the animals. The costume ladies were kind enough to let us pick what kind of animal we wanted to be. Fantastic!

And, of course, the coolest animal in the world is the condor. So I was going to be a condor in the church play. Me. I was going to be a bird with a six foot wing span. It was going to be awesome.

Until the dress rehearsal.

The condor costume had proven to be a tad ambitious. Instead, the nice church ladies had made me a different kind of bird: A rooster.

I went from condor to chicken with a single glimpse of the felt feathers.

Luke as a ~~Condor~~ Rooster

I was devastated.

Thankfully, with 20 years of life experience--two of which involved weekly counseling--behind me, I have been able to recover.

...mostly.

Yesterday, I got to play the self-assured, smug, "come to Jesus" guy in the Christmas musical at my church. It was fun. I still get nervous when I have to remember lines, but I'm happy to be on stage. I don't mind public presentations. And this time, I put together my own costume, thank-you-very-much.

I've heard people voice concerns that homeschoolers don't have opportunities to practice public speaking. This is about as ridiculous as a boy in a rooster costume.

But if you'd like an excellent resource on public speaking to further enhance your homeschooling, check out Secrets of Great Communicators. And next time you're on stage in front of a bunch of people, just imagine them all in a rooster costume.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

12/10/2010
Homeschool Webinar: What About Socialization?

Homeschool veterans tackle the question: What about socialization?

Are homeschoolers socialized?

This webinar is filled with tips and suggestions--as well as excellent reminders--that homeschooling provides the best socialization opportunities and environment. Homeschooled students are active in their homes and their communities. Your children can make friends.

You will also discover the ways that traditional school environments create a non-optimal socialization experience. You'll see how homeschooling can be the best socialization preparation your student can get. Homeschooling is a great opportunity to make friends and gain real-world experience in society.

I'm working on getting more of these posted so you can benefit from all of Sonlight's webinars and workshops. But for now, I thought I'd start with a nice 50 minute homeschool webinar which deals with this oft-referenced objection.

Enjoy!

Looking for more free homeschool workshops and webinars? Find more helpful free homeschool videos here.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

12/09/2010
Save: Clearance Items on Sale
I swung by the Christmas Sale page today. It looks like there are still some good Clearance Items at 40-70% off. I know I enjoyed looking through Opposites with the girls.

And if you're interested in a bigger ticket item, the Sonlight Ultra Microscope is on sale... which doesn't happen very often at all. This is the first time I remember a sale on the Sonlight Microscope.

Swing by if you haven't checked out Sonlight's Christmas Sale yet.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

12/08/2010
Bread into Noodles
I've spent most of today beating my head against technology trying to get you some more helpful homeschool videos and webinars. Unfortunately, the videos are in a "delivery" format instead of an "editing" format. I have to somehow convert the video files before I can edit them. But converting a "delivery" format is much like trying to un-bake a loaf of bread so you can make it into noodles instead.

Yeah. Not easy.

I feel a bit like Rumpelstiltskin, only my name is a tad more common, I'm not plotting to steal a maiden's first-born, and I don't plan to stomp my foot or tear myself in half at the end of this post. But I can--given enough time and the right programs--make an .flv into a .mov.

If you're looking for more content, check out some of my Other Posts of Note until I can get the new homeschool webinars posted.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

12/07/2010
This Day in History
At least two major events happened this day in history: Pearl Harbor was attacked and, 45 years later, my little brother was born. [Aside: My sister-in-law was born 20+ years ago on 9/11. I arrived the day before.] Sometimes dates come with both highs and lows.

You don't know my little brother as the bothersome sibling who always got me in trouble until he finally grew up into the super cool guy that he is today. You probably know Justin more from the MathTacular and Discover & Do fame.

[Speaking of MathTacular, you can now officially and publicly Like MathTacular on Facebook. <hint, hint>]

In honor of Justin's birthday, I'd love it if you'd share your favorite Justin Memory. Which activity from MathTacular or Discover & Do * is your favorite?

Mine?

I'd have to say the activities with Commutative Man are my favorites. But that's probably more self-serving than anything. <smile>

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

*Please don't mention activities from Discover & Do K, as that is Ike, not Justin. And definitely don't say that your favorite Justin segment is in Discover & Do 3 as that is hosted by my wife and not my brother.

Thank you. <smile>

12/06/2010
Life-Long Learning: Epinephrine Autoinjector
"Have you ever seen an orange EpiPen?" he asks me.

"I haven't," I reply.

His irregular toothy grin widens with his superior knowledge. But his is a smile of joy: The joy of teaching. He pulls out a long, slender black case and unzips it just enough to show me the colored plastic inside. "See? My mom's had to use one on me before. Have you had to use one?"

"Thankfully, no."

We're at church for the Christmas play rehearsal, and so our conversation is cut short. The little guy packs up his life-saving adrenaline tube and scurries off to recite his lines. And I sit back in my chair and realize I have no idea how to use an EpiPen.

So I look it up.

I am now a little more educated. I am now a little more prepared. I learned something today which may save a life at some point. Life-long learning isn't just about gaining more knowledge, but learning that learning is a joy and a boon to you and those around you.

As a homeschooler I call learning about epinephrine autoinjectors part of my education. My education happens all around me, whether in a class, at home or chatting with nine-year-old at church. It's part of my educational philosophy. It's part of what defines us homeschoolers: Learning is a lifestyle.

And learning may save a life.

What have you learned about recently?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

12/03/2010
Why Education Can't Save Us
"I hate it!" she yells, not at me by in my direction. "I hate that logic can't win."

We'd spent the last two hours discussing the Bible with a couple from a different religious persuasion. The time had gone well--overall--but now that they were gone we were decompressing and things were tense. It was bad. But we were winding down.

The idea that logic can't win reminded me of Seth Godin's blog post about getting people to know what you know. He states: It won't help.

Raw information, a downloaded education, and even better logic all break down at the point of presuppositions. We can't get to truth through reason alone because we lack knowledge, understanding and a clear view of everything. Reason is great. Education is important. But it can't save us. You don't even need to step outside Orthodox Christianity to see that smart people, sincerely devoted to following Christ, come to some really different views on things.

So if education can't save us, what's the point? Put in a way that's more relevant to what I do promoting a homeschool curriculum provider: If education can't ensure we win, what makes a great curriculum?

Here are the top 3 things that first popped into my head:

A great curriculum helps you think through your presuppositions. Why do you believe as you do? What about this idea compels you? What underlying assumptions are you making? As you answer those questions, you will be better able to untangle the unspoken assumptions of others.

A great curriculum encourages you to learn more. There is always more to learn, and a life-long pursuit of learning opens us up to wonders of the world around us. We can tackle difficult and debated subjects with joy.

A great curriculum lets you see how others have thought about the same things and come to different conclusions. Looking back through history and seeing the outplay of ideas gives us a glimpse into truth. Hindsight allows us see how things turn out, which hints at the underlying reality.

Education can't save us. But a great education is one that is built on a love of learning and an examination of the past which can help us walk better into the future. Those are all things I see in Sonlight's homeschool curriculum.

What do you see as the purpose of education? What makes a great lesson/curriculum/study?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

12/02/2010
Proof Homeschooling Works: Sonlight Moments
I've added a new little feature to the Sonlight homepage. Check it out.

You see it?

Yep, I am now able to show you snippets from the latest Sonlight Moments. While over on the Forums you may notice that they have a new look too. I couldn't share this exciting update with you yesterday because we were working on the changeover.

Pretty nifty improvements, if I do say so myself. I think it's important to have reminders of the things that make homeschooling so special. Homeschooling works! And now you can see little testaments to that on the Sonlight homepage.

Have you experienced any recent reminders of the joys and benefits of homeschooling in your home?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

12/01/2010
Remembering to Pray
We stop for prayer every morning at 8:30 here at Sonlight. It's a great way to remember to pray. And it's a huge privilege to be able to play a small role in your life when I get to pray for your specific needs.

But too often the longer-term, consistent needs slip my mind. At lunch today, I was reminded of a good reminder I should remember.

We were celebrating a family moving overseas to be missionaries. They had some magnets with their picture which they were handing out as a reminder to pray.

"The proper form of indulgences," one of guys quipped, "is that as you open your refrigerator and notice this magnet you pray for them before you indulge."

My memory scanned my own refrigerator. Photos of friends and family. Papers of important events and tasks. Reminders of needs and blessings. And how often have I let these physical emblems pass by unnoticed?

So, I'm going to take the indulgence challenge. I'm going to be purposeful about praying for the people represented on my refrigerator.

What have you found helps you remember to pray for others?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

11/30/2010
Scholarship Deadline: Dec. 7, 2011
Are you a student entering college Fall of 2011? You have a week from right now to submit your Sonlight college scholarship application.

Sonlight is giving away 13 scholarships this year, so be sure to apply if you are eligible for a Sonlight college scholarship. Sonlight offers four scholarships in which creativity, mission mindedness, acts of kindness, and other factors count more highly than academics and nine scholarships awarded more on the basis of academic success.

Apply for a Sonlight college scholarship by December 7, 2011.

Get to it!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

11/29/2010
Sonlight Hates Spam
After a fantastic 4-day weekend, my junk folder was packed with more than 340 spam messages. At least 20 more have piled up since this morning. I wade through all of them in the off-chance that it's a real message from you that my computer mis-categorized (which happens).

This inundation of my inbox reminded me of Sonlight's anti-spam policy.

CAN-SPAM

And, just so you know, the "CAN" in CAN-SPAM is more on lines of "can it"/get-rid-of-it than "you're allowed to do this" ...which confused me for a long while when I first bumped into the Federal Trade Commission's CAN-SPAM Act.

We want to get you all the homeschool helps and special offers we can, but we never want to spam you.

I'm guessing you probably had a pretty good holiday. What's been the best part of today, the Monday after a long weekend?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

11/24/2010
Sonlight's Virtual Booth
The longer I work at Sonlight, the more grateful I am that I have the opportunity to do so. Today's super-cool-part-of-my-job: I get to create things I've never seen before.

Introducing...

Sonlight's Virtual Booth

I've been working on this project since before September 15, 2009. The Virtual Booth is based on some of my favorite games. I took the first-person interaction and exploration idea of Myst, added the cut-scene transitions of Zelda and included the speech bubbles of Starcraft to bring you a virtual homeschool convention experience like none other!

This project is still in Beta, so your feedback and suggestions are most welcome. Please feel free to email me with any suggestions and insights you have. Please also let me know of any bugs you find.

Thanks!

Come be one of the first people in the world to wander Sonlight's virtual homeschool convention booth, learn more about Sonlight, experience some super cool technology, and help me test a project I've been dying to tell you about for over a year now!

Check out the Virtual Booth!^[Beta]

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

11/23/2010
Meaningful Work
The keyboard clicks in complaint as I tab through the fields on the form. I'm re-entering the same information yet again. The complaints in my mind are even louder than the clicking keys. This is tedious work.

Link Form

Riffling through my memory, the creative side of my brain attempts to retain composure. In desperation, it pulls at something connected to dull work. I get the vague impression of someone shoveling dirt back and forth across a field.

I wasn't able to find it mentioned online, but I've heard of a study where they paid people a significant amount of money to move dirt back and forth across a field by hand. The study found that people quit after only a few weeks. Money is not a significant enough motivation to work. We need what we do to matter.

Still in the mindless grind of copy and paste, I remembered a recent Sonlight^&reg Moment. Go ahead, read it yourself. It's a good reminder that homeschooling is such meaningful work that the benefits are Priceless.

And, honestly, the work I've been doing today is very meaningful as well. It just also happened to be tedious. Don't let your mind complain so loudly that the daily grid of life drowns out the reminders of the meaningful work you do.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

11/22/2010
Exploding Bananas and Math
Today I was reminded of Gorillas, a game where you lob exploding bananas at your opponent. (You can play a Flash version of the game here)

You are given two variables to control: Angle and Velocity. Get the right combination of the two, and, blam! your opponent is a cloud of red pixels.

Think about that: At the tender age of nine I was working with angles and velocity--not to mention that pesky notion of multiple possible solutions based on two variables in a function. I would not return to these concepts until I was in high school physics. And, surprisingly, by the time I got there, the subject was at lot more difficult.

Why?

Because rather than learning how velocity and angle relate to each other in a parabolic arch--ignoring, as we always do, wind resistance--I was forced to memorize the mathematical equations and computations needed to solve for the function. It was dull and uninspiring. In fact, I really didn't like it. Except for the one assignment where we rolled a marble down a ramp and attempted to hit the center of a target on the floor. That was applied mathematics. And it was fantastic.

The thing about Gorillas is that it is not--at heart--an educational game. The "educational" bits are left off (e.g. equations). So, sure, Gorillas didn't teach me the formula, but it did teach me very high level concepts. And while Physics taught me the formulas and computation, it didn't really teach me the problem solving skills.

I found the TED talk linked from Mary Mimouna's post to be fascinating. In it, Conrad Wolfram argues that we should stop teaching computation and start teaching math.

On the one hand, memorizing the basics of computation and equation building helps a ton when you're trying to figure something out. On the other hand, I think a lot more kids would discover that they love math if it had more to do with exploding bananas and less to do with "show your work" and "don't use a calculator."

The more I hear about math education, the more excited I am about MathTacular. We designed these DVDs to teach the concepts and demonstrate the calculations. I think it's a great balance.

What do you think of the Experimentation/Computation tension?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

11/19/2010
My Passport, MathTacular, and Malls
The three Ms.

M1. A huge thank you to everyone who participated in the My Passport to India project. We're still waiting for all the money to come in via the mail, and we're praying that we'll meet the goal when it all arrives! Thank you, again, for your generosity.

M2. More than just MathTacular4 has been added to the MathTacular Family. We just launched the MathTacular Educational Kit for the Christmas season. This Manipulatives Kit is not going to be a permanent Sonlight item, but we are offering it now as an excellent gift for a friend or family member who may not homeschool and is looking for an excellent way to reinforce math concepts.

I just want to make sure this is absolutely clear: This Manipulatives Kit is a product Avyx created for a different market. This product is not part of the original MathTacular Tetralogy. Rather, it is an offshoot project aimed at getting the incredible educational benefit of MathTacular into homes which may not be inclined to homeschool.

M3. Malls. With the launch of the MathTacular Educational Kit, I was able to go check out one of the kiosks in a local mall. It's fun to see a product I originally created displayed in a mall.

MathTacular Sign

MathTacular Kit Display

I was even able to snag a MathTacular shirt and got a shot of the kit assembly:

MathTacular Shirt

That's it for this week. See you on Monday! ...hmm... the fourth M <smile>.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

11/18/2010
Sonlight Social Media Minute
I noticed a trend as I glanced over our Facebook stats today:

Like Sonlight Thursdays

For the last month, we have had about ten times as many likes on Thursdays as any other day. How odd is that? At first I thought it was because of The Beam... but the Beam only goes out every other Thursday.

So... any guesses? Why do so many more people "Like" Sonlight on Thursday? And since today is Thursday, do you think we'll have another spike in "Likes" today? I hope so! <smile>

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

P.S. You can also get Sarita's Word from the Beam and other news from Sonlight via RSS on Sonlight's Feeds page.

11/17/2010
You're a Close Personal Friend
...my computer just don't know who you are.

I got a letter yesterday from my insurance guy. It was one of those "you mean so much to us, we made you a few dozen address stickers with a fun little graphic on them" kind of thing. The trouble was: The stickers had someone else's address on them.

Nice.

I was so inspired by their obvious care and attention to detail, I gave them a call.

"Hi, Luke," said the cheerful guy on the other end of the line.

'Weird,' I thought to myself, 'he certainly seems to know who I am.'

After a few moments, the insurance guy had found the problem. Their office had my information correct. But the marketing database had it wrong. That would explain how they were able to bill me and yet not know my address.

The world was beginning to make sense again.

And, working at Sonlight, I can relate. It would be nice to have a central system that handles everything we do... but such a piece of technology--if it exists--is beyond my reach. And so, I realzied, it's entirely possible that something fishy may happen to you as you interact with Sonlight over the years.

It's not because we don't care about you. But our computers may have no idea who you are. Just remember, like I did with my insurance company, please contact us if you have any questions or concerns. We'd love to help!

Speaking of marketing... don't forget to check out the Christmas Sale.

And if you haven't given to the Mission India project yet, you need to do it before the end of today to have your gift matched.

What's the oddest piece of mail you've received?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

11/16/2010
Emptying the Suitcase
I really dislike travel. There are two main contributing factors:

1. I'm a homebody.
2. I'm not into journeys. I'm an "arrival" kind of guy.

Unpacking my suitcase full of dirty socks and underwear is probably somewhere around position eight on my reasons I dislike travel (after things like "spending money," "logistical stress," and "security hassles").

I have a suitcase, of sorts, which has been waiting to be emptied for several days now. My Passport to India is over, and it's time to empty my donation suitcase.

Donation Suitcase (how'd my sock get in there?)

But I haven't done that yet. The suitcase with the money we've collected is still sitting where we left it, dollar bills and loose change stuffed inside.

Enough procrastination!

Wednesday, November 17th, 2010 is the last day to get my gift matched. So, when I get home this evening, I'm making my donation from the money we've raised.

Will you do the same--assuming you've been putting it off like me--and help us reach our goal $167,000?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

11/15/2010
Back to the Drawing Board
You arrive on a page--like this blog--and you decide you don't want to be there--which would be very unlike this blog <smile>. So, you click the little "back" arrow in the upper left of your browser and return to where you had been.

Easy. Well-known. Common.

But how do you visually tell people to back up? Specifically, how do you graphically communicate with just a couple of scribbles that this button will take them back a few steps?

I started with the image in the upper left (below) because it looks a lot like the "expand" button on video players. My thinking was that by stepping back you are expanding what you can see. ...trouble is, people assume that the button means "make full screen" instead of "back up." Right. That makes sense.

Images for Going Back

So I added an arrow pointing back at you (bottom right).

"Why is it pointing at me? What do I have to do with that button?" my coworker Barb asked me when I showed it to her.

<sigh>

So, it's back to the drawing board for me.

Back Icon?

How would you communicate with an icon in the picture above that clicking it will take you ten steps backward into the parking lot?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

P.S. Next week, friends. Next week I hope to share this project with you. Unfortunately, being stuck on the "back button" is slowing me down.

11/12/2010
Cool New Tools for You on Sonlight.com
Just sharing a couple fun--and hopefully helpful--updates we've made to the tools available in Your Sonlight Account:

1. New Photo Tool
Easier to upload. Easier to manage. Easier to view all your past uploaded images. And remember: Even though the 2011 Catalog Cover Contest is over, if you submit a photo now it will be entered into next year's contest (ignore what the text on the page says about Aug. 15, 2010; I haven't figure out what to say between now and when the next catalog comes out).

Here's something even more exciting about this update: Sometime around April of next year, we're planning on using this New Photo Tool to have pictures and testimonials on product pages on the site. That way people who are considering Sonlight can hear more about the programs from you. How cool is that?

I'll tell you: Pretty stinkin' cool <smile>.

2. Improved Sonlight Badges
Head over to Your Profile. At the bottom of the page you will see your Sonlight Badges. They'll look something like this (without the cool Employee badge I get because I'm special <smile>):

Sonlight Badges

Up until a couple days ago, clicking on these little guys merely sent you to Sonlight.com. Not particularly interesting. We've updated it so now the link includes your Rewards ID so people who are new to Sonlight can save $5 on their first purchase and you earn Rewards Points.

Also pretty stinkin' cool.

That's all I've got for you at the moment. Enjoy these new tools this weekend, and I look forward to seeing you all again on Monday!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

11/11/2010
Balancing Act: Social Media and SEO
There's a tension in the web world. It's a war between man and machines. We built them, they have gained a perceived level of sentience, and now we must beat them back. I can't wait for the blockbuster film next year:

Social Media vs. SEO

See, I need Sonlight's web pages to be helpful. To be helpful, they must contain information that is easy to read and talks to you about the subject you're interested in. "Sonlight's Core programs form the foundation of your school year. Easily add Language Arts, Science, Math and Electives to the Core's History and Literature." That's the kind of thing I'd want to include on a page or blog post about Sonlight's Core programs.

But I'm not creating web pages just for humans. In order for humans to find these pages, a roving bot must first decide the page is important enough to show to a human. So I have to change the text to make it clear to a computer what I'm talking about: "Sonlight's Christian homeschool curriculum Core programs form the foundation of your homeschool year. Easily add Language Arts, Science, Math and Electives packages to your Core History and Literature homeschool curriculum programs."

Wait, there's more.

I also need to make it extra clear in the code that I'm super serious about this. So I add all this hidden text and emphasize things in code to ensure the search engine bot puts my page where you can find it:

Christian Homeschool Curriculum Packages

I've been trying to balance the two as I've been updating some homeschool curriculum package pages on Sonligth's homeschool curriculum site. I want you to be able to Buy Homeschool Curriculum for Your Homeschool when you search for Christian Homeschool Curriculum online. And yet... I want it to be readable.

Have you had to balance man and machine? Who won?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

P.S. Have you considered Sonlight's Christian Homeschool Curriculum Packages for your homeschool curriculum needs?

P.P.S. Make it stop!!!

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P.P.P.S. ert+
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11/10/2010
Multiple Choice: Why Is Homeschooling Great?
Please use a #2 pencil and fill in your choice with a complete, dark circle.

Customizable learning environment

Parent-child interaction

Low teacher to student ratio

Nurturing environment

a through d

No Scantron^®

I got thinking about this when I saw the comic in this post.

I'm not a fan of the standardized test. There are much better ways to go about measuring understanding, retention, application, recall... You know, all those terms we imply when we talk about "learning" and "education." Unfortunately, since schools don't have option e above, they must resort to the tools of f.

But here's what struck me today as the image of multiple-choice teen gnawed at the back of my mind: My friends have always thought just as creatively as I do. In fact, many of them are more brilliant than I'll ever be.

So, sure: Smile sadly at the incredible limitations mass produced education demands. Be thankful for the privilege we have to educate our children at home. Consider the many blessings we enjoy as homeschoolers. But do not, do not, stick your nose in the air and believe for a minute that the children in "the other system" can't function as well as yours.

I am well aware that the school system is flawed. In spite of this, my friends have turned out amazingly well.

The encouragement we should take from this, in my mind, is we don't need to worry about our own children. We're giving them so many fantastic opportunities, what gaps and struggles we encounter can and will be overcome with a life-long love of learning.

What have you found makes your homeschool experience great?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

11/09/2010
Behind the Scenes: Christmas Sale Video
We're sending out an email officially announcing Sonlight's 2010 Christmas Sale. In it, we have a fun little video. At least, I think it's fun. It's supposed to be fun. I'll give you a sneak peek:

Sonlight Sale

I'd like to share with you some of the steps we went through to get this to you:

Videos are fun and personable, and give you a peek into Sonlight. All good things. So, the question was: What can we do on video that will be fun, personable and give people a peek into Sonlight?

Our writer--Anne Marie, who you see playing the Piano Wizard in the video above--came up with the idea of Tim waiting for a meeting and wondering where we all were. He hears some music and comes into the room where everyone is gathered looking through the great items on sale.

We tweaked this idea a little--since we didn't have a CD player--and then had the warehouse pull a copy everything on sale so we could set it up for the shoot. I pulled a microscope out of the damaged section (so I wouldn't have to unpack a nice new one) and we gathered a few people from around the building who were willing to be in the video.

After we found a time when we could all get together for the shoot, we did a rehearsal and talked through the feel of the video. "We want this to be over-the-top cheesy."

Then we shot it once.

It worked. So we cleaned up, posted the video online, and dropped it into the email.

The reminder in all this is: Doing it is relatively easy. Planning and preparing and gathering your stuff is where it takes time. ...just like homeschooling. Which is why we do what we do here at Sonlight <smile>.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

11/08/2010
Your Children's Mentors
She sits, head in her hands.

My wife's fingers gently comb through her hair. We three sit quietly. I squeeze her, my eyes brimming with tears for her pain. There are no words which would help.

Her phone chirps. Her dad is calling, making sure she's okay and accounted for. "But it's not like this at home," she confides to us. "We're not this close."

She's not the first teen I've talked with who feels this way. Homeschoolers and other-schoolers alike: At some point, for some reason, there is often a disconnect between parent and child. Looking back, I see it in my own life as well.

Park Bench

There's this idea I keep bumping into in the homeschool world: "Parents must be the ones to train their children." I get the biblical mandate. I understand the importance of parental involvement. I'm not suggesting that parents shouldn't be involved in their child's life. What I don't like is the idea that parents should be the only mentor/instructor/teacher. That does not lead to good things. And, really, that's not a reality which can be achieved in a healthy environment.

Homeschooling is great, not just because you can be so involved in your child's life, but you can also help them find resources beyond you.

The question, then, is: Who are your children's mentors? Where do your kids go when they are in pain, or frustrated, or confused and--for whatever the reason--don't feel like they can come to you?

What things are you doing/have done to help make sure your children find good mentors?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

11/05/2010
Why DIY Can Cost More
We just returned from the fabric store. The cloth can be fun, the patterns nice, the knickknacks interesting, the possibilities endless. But possibilities are dashed against the reality of a budget. As fun as homemade items can be, they can cost way more than what can be procured at a place that handles this stuff in mass.

Mass production/distribution--be it cars, curriculum or craft supplies--works in part by buying in bulk and passing on those savings to you. That gap in price is enough to keep businesses going and, in my case, me from taking the time to do it myself.

As we looked for the items we needed, we stopped by the patterns. 'Incredible,' I realized. 'They sell enough patterns to pay for the design, production, and printing of these catalogs, which includes paying the tailors, models, and photographers.'

But the price variation of mass distribution was tugging on us as well. "We'll buy one of these here for today, and we'll check the price online later."

Interestingly, this Do-It-Yourself price gap does not apply to most home improvement projects. Why? You can't mass produce custom shelves that fit my basement.

What things have you found to be prohibitively expensive to do on your own? What things are you glad others can do for you for less?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

11/04/2010
Love Learning Without Grades
A couple weeks ago Autoblot™ blogged about Motivating Learning. He discussed taking grades "off the table" and focusing instead on the joy of learning.

In the comments that followed, someone asked for a few practical ideas/tips for making a "gradeless" educational environment a reality in your homeschool. What a great idea! So, I'm going to try to do that now...

I grew up in a world without grades.

I attended a private school in Kindergarten, and I don't remember if they graded me on anything. I know they had a chart that said things like:

Luke excels at being polite.

Luke has growth opportunities in his balance.

But grades? I don't remember them.

And then I was homeschooled. I did my work until I got it right. The idea that you could be done with something that wasn't up to snuff was completely foreign to me. I did my math until it was clear I understood the concept. I kept doing the spelling words until I had them down.

For things like creative writing, my parents didn't focus on the spelling and grammar. That wasn't the point of those exercises. The goal was to encourage me to think creatively and express it. The spelling and such would come with time and practice.

In other words: What function could grades play in such a world? They didn't belong.

What about transcripts for high schoolers?

That's a question best handled by those who have graduated high schoolers and been through the college admission process. That's why I highly recommend Sonlight's College and Career Planning Kit. This is a great tool if you're thinking about starting homeschooling high school. It covers things like transcripts and such. ...very good stuff.

In the end, you know what your student knows and what they have done. You are capable of converting that into a grade designation of your choice--especially if you've kept records.

I am a huge fan of learning environments where grades clearly don't belong. Prior to high school, this is easy. And if you're concerned about what you should do for homeschool high school transcripts... Sonlight's College and Career Planning Kit has you covered.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

11/03/2010
Scribbles and Prayers
My pen drains ink onto the paper as I scribble furiously. I'm trying to keep up with the constantly changing ideas. We're in the middle of an incredibly intense meeting.

Scribbles

We've been going around and around with some ideas for a while. There's a lull in the conversation and my mom says, "We need to pray about this."

So we do.

I would really appreciate your prayers as well. We are constantly considering ways we can better serve you on your homeschool journey, and we could sure use more wisdom and direction.

Thanks for being part of the Sonlight community, and for partnering with us in prayer.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

11/02/2010
Picking the Right Tools
This blog is currently powered by Blogger. I don't have any plans of changing. But I've read about many corporate/professional bloggers who have moved to other platforms because of one reason or three. I'm grateful I haven't had to cross that river. That'd be a ton of work.

On the other hand, I have moved Sonlight's video content off our servers and onto Sonlight's YouTube channel. Again, it's not perfect--and I just ran into a limitation that's borked one of my projects... bah! But YouTube is the internet video site. And it is very nice to no longer worry about compatibility, servers, and quality options.

Needless to say: I love free tools that work and help me do my work better.

Of course, I gladly pay for other tools that make my life better as well. My cameras. My computers. My curriculum. I absolutely love finding a great deal, but I know I'm going to be shelling out some dough. And it's totally worth it.

There are also times--like this afternoon--when beating my head against a free option just doesn't seem worth it. In those moments I am tempted, sorely tempted, to start looking around for an option that works right.

What are some of your favorite tools?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

11/01/2010
Breeze of Change, Bridge of Consistency
The leaves dance in swirls across the road as I drive to Sonlight. The weather is clear, but the wind is cold. The season is changing.

Fall

Last week we sat down and talked about the future of Sonlight. Once again, in talking through our options, our plans, our dreams, our general manager asked: "Are we pursuing this just to make money?"

There was a pause as we all seriously considered it.

We had just been tossing around ideas on how to break into a new market. We really do want to make money. We absolutely must stay profitable if we are to continue. But after a moment's reflection, we all agreed:

No.

We don't do things just to make money.

We do what we do because we want to expand our influence. We want to expand our influence because we believe we have something great to offer: The best homeschool curriculum in the world--even if it's not for everyone.

Making money is a part of business, but it's not what Sonlight was founded on, and it's not what we're pursuing for the future. It was good to be reminded of this fact, especially as the breeze of change sweeps across Colorado. The bridge of consistency in mission and vision continues to be the path we walk.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

Rectitude: uprightness; integrity; honesty

Brought to you by John Holzmann

10/29/2010
From Luke's Inbox: Other Posts of Note
You had a link on your blog that I found odd. I read it because the title sounded interesting. But I found the post mainly bashed Christianity and called Christians simpleminded.

Why would you have a link to that website? I am not mad, I just don't understand and am curious.

You've helped me see how I haven't been particularly clear on my blog. Thanks for giving me the opportunity to explain:

The post in question is one I added to my Other Posts of Note. I read tons of blog posts every day and like to link to the ones I find interesting or noteworthy. I don't necessarily agree with the posts, like their message, or appreciate their tone, but I find the post is worth noting. I tend to include things that make me smile or make me think. In the case of the post you mention, I found it very provocative and spoke to some very real issues I've seen in the homeschool world. I included it because I found the post caused me to again think about some very real issues.

I don't like being bashed and called simpleminded either. But I do find it fascinating to learn why someone would consider me simpleminded and worthy of bashing. I find that those who would disagree with me often have insights I don't.

Please feel free to write to me if you'd like me to share why I found a particular post noteworthy. I'm happy to try to explain the crazy stuff going on inside my head <smile>.

By the by, if you have 12 minutes at some point this weekend, I found the video in this post to be particularly fascinating this week.

Enjoy!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

10/28/2010
MathTacular4 Is Here!
Okay, not exactly.

You can now (as of late yesterday) pre-order MathTacular4. This DVD--and the accompanying workbooks--walks you through Word Problems of all types. We start with simple goat addition (4 goats + 3 goats) and work our way up to speeds, ratios and volume equations. MathTacular4 is unlike the other MathTacular DVDs, but it still makes math Unbelievably Understandable.

MathTacular4 Trailer

Oh, and did I mention that MathTacular4 was one of the items on sale? Technically, it's part of our Christmas Sale... but it's too early to be talking about Christmas.

Pre-order MathTacular4 and check out the other homeschool materials on sale now!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

10/27/2010
Breakfast Reminder: I Love Sonlight!
As I ate my oatmeal a couple mornings back, I was reminded of a commercial I'd recently seen. It was for a well-known oatmeal brand. The guy on camera urged me to "share my breakfast story" on their Facebook page.

'Come on,' I thought to myself. 'A story worth sharing about my breakfast? You've got to be kidding me!'

But it's everywhere now: People want me to share my story about how much my car and my oatmeal have changed my life. Companies are scrambling to get in on this "social media wave" and want my story to do so.

Unfortunately, for them, I don't have a great car story. I drive it. It gets good gas mileage. It does what I expect it to do. Same with my breakfast (well, except I don't drive my breakfast or fill it with gasoline).

Oatmeal

As I took another bite of my oatmeal, you came to mind. You, and thousands of Sonlighters like you, have shared your Sonlight stories for years. Sure, our Facebook page may be a recent development, but Sonlight Moments have been around for a long time.

I'm here, not to ask you to share your Sonlight story, but to thank you for doing so.

Thank you! My mundane oatmeal breakfast reminded me just how much I love Sonlight.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

10/18/2010
Questions with Answers Are Easy
"What is the capital of Assyria?"

Sir Robin pauses. He can't remember. And, in this instance, how he responds is a matter of life and death.

Not so for the majority of children in school today. Such a question matters little.

I felt the same way as I read through student's answers to other questions. I couldn't shake the nagging thought, 'Why are these questions even on a test?'

Put another way: When was the last time you needed to recall an answer from something on a high school test? When has that information applied to your daily life?

These questions all have answers. These answers are all on the internet (or have been spelled out by your teacher). There is no reason, therefore, to keep this information in your head. If you need it, you will pick it up through the osmosis of daily usage. In other words: Questions with answers are easy.

I'm far more interested in questions without an answer. "What started the War of Independence?" is a question without an answer. Not that we don't know many of the significant catalysts for rebellion against the crown. But simplifying the motivation to "taxation without representation" isn't the full story. And it's certainly not enough to die for in battle.

I test well, so I understand the importance of regurgitating memorized responses onto paper. But right now, thinking back to the questions I was asked on tests, I realize I don't recall most of that content. Because, like the capital of Assyria, it doesn't impact my life. What does impact my life is how political undertones can incite rebellion.

I loved my Sonlight education because I talked about the difficult questions with my parents. I didn't realize until high school that regurgitation was the norm of modern education.

To laugh at students who have failed to properly swallow their lessons so as to vomit them up again at a later date feels lame to me.

Looking at test questions today, what do you recall of their answers?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

10/15/2010
Better Science: Turboencabulator
I always appreciated when a teacher or professor had something funny at the end of a test. Comics made me smile. Hilarious multiple choice possibilities made me giggle (e.g. "What do you call those who follow their food source?" d. Desperate). And the occasional insanely complex question which ended with, "You know what, just mark B!" took the edge off the stress.

So, after a couple rather long posts earlier this week, I leave you with this:

Turboencabulator

We don't discuss side fumbling in Sonlight's Science 4, but it's a great program nonetheless.

Enjoy your weekend!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

10/14/2010
Why a Core instead of a History package?
Yesterday I wrote about how it is better to study subjects together rather than as fragmented, specialized pursuits. With that floating on the outskirts of your cerebral cortex, let me ask you a question:

Why doesn't Sonlight offer a History program by itself?
Why is History combined with other subjects in a Core program?

Building the Puzzle

The motivation behind this decision is more pragmatic than philosophical. If you have an incredible historical narrative that happens to be a great reader for a student, is that a History title or a Reader? This ambiguity actually strengthens the point: Subjects should not--indeed, can not--be segregated into specialized units of study.

The pieces fit together.

We offer the whole puzzle, not just the edge pieces.

So, yes, it is not instantly clear what is included in a Core program. We can't label them as a single subject. That's because they aren't a single subject.

And that's how it should be.

To learn more about Sonlight's Core programs, click here.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

10/13/2010
Better Science: Specialization
"If something is philosophically false, it is just as discredited as if it had been disproved in a lab. We often forget this."

My professor, a long-haired hippie type, paused. As usual, he had managed to cover himself in chalk. He had a habit of losing his balance if he held still too long. He let the statement float a moment more before moving on.

It makes sense why we forget fundamental truths about how the world works. We get focused in one area and begin to forget that there's other stuff out there. This fragmentation is the problem of specialization. We no longer see how things are connected.

But they are connected.

Connected Ideas

Let's take Science as an example. Science is not a single field of study, wholly disconnected from everything else. Consider just one obvious force influencing science today... Economics.

You can get money to further your study if you decide to study the "right things." These powerful financial incentives direct science down a particular path, thus muddying the pure waters of research.

I am unaware of the use of the scientific process in food production [GMOs, baby formula, FDA restricted items] or technology development [computers, cellphones, cars]. Far as I know--please, correct me if I'm wrong--these entity-driven advancements are influenced by businesses, not scientific review. Science is used as a tool to drive profits ...not find the truth of how these things can and do affect us, for both good and ill.

The birth industry's "best practices" has a long history of getting stuff wrong in favor of philosophical and economic influences.

In the interest of better science, we must look at our study of the natural world beyond the confines of a specialized field. We must consider our ideas in the broader context of knowledge, understanding and wisdom. At minimum, we must be willing to acknowledge the other factors influencing our views.

I think Mandy's quote from Dr. Ruth Beechick is an excellent reminder. We should strive to learn in a unified way. As we learn the many facets to something, we can being to think about applying that knowledge in a specialized situation.

What do you think of specialized knowledge and study?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

10/12/2010
Better Science: Random Chance
If you haven't read the background to this series please do so now.

Two posts got me thinking about this subject:

Creation vs. Chance

American's knowledge about creationism and evolution

Looking at these two posts--coming from opposite sides of the ring--it became clear to me that "Evolution" is rather unclear. Sadly, my own ignorance is all too evident the more I learn. But, I'd like to share what little I think I currently understand in the interest of better science...

I soaked up the rebuttals to evolution early in life. I really enjoyed the "Frog in a Blender" and "toss parts of an airplane into the air" thought experiments. Sadly, it wasn't until last year that I even heard that these two staples of my grasp of evolutionary theory are wrong.

Part of my ignorance is understandable. "Evolution" is a vague term that is rarely defined consistently enough to talk about it. Here are a few areas of "evolution":

Descent with modification. Mix this with genetic mutation and heredity, and we've got something everyone can agree on. ...mostly. The fact is: Living organisms change with reproduction. One main protested sticking point is...

Common descent. Can all living things trace back to some original source via speciation? And, if so, where did that life come from? That is the question considered from a naturalistic perspective in the study of...

Abiogenesis. An element connected with abiogenesis is the Big Bang, or the potential starting point that flung everything in the universe out there.

Notice, however, that none of these areas of study even begin to touch the question of "how did it all get here in the first place?"

If we are to get anywhere in a discussion about evolution, we must be aware of which aspect of evolution we are talking about. Modification is a fact. Common descent is a theory. Abiogenesis is a naturalistic necessity. And the origin of matter is an ignored reality. ...all for very good reasons.

Or so I'm told.

I have yet to learn what most those reasons are. They weren't covered in my Honors Biology class in high school. They aren't covered in any of the Usborne books Sonlight carries in our homeschool Science programs. In fact, much of what I know about evidence for evolution comes from Young Earth Creationists' materials. Which is problematic because those are the same resources which contain the frog-blender/airplane-toss examples...

Why is it wrong to compare evolution to a blended frog zapped with electricity?

Because the "random chance" of evolution is not nearly that random or chance-ish. Here's the best analogy I've come up with thus far:

Evolutionary speciation is not like tossing pieces in the air an expecting a plane. It's more like replacing a piece of your Lego set with another piece--grabbed without looking from your bucket--each time you build a plane. If you like the new look, you keep that design for next time.

This aspect of evolution requires life to already exist. In fact...

Something I've only just started to glance at is the idea of engineered evolution. Basically, if common descent is a part of how we all got here, life was designed to evolve us forward. That is a fascinating twist!

I've still got a lot to learn about this subject. But that's the joy (and frustration) of life-long learning <smile>.

Have you heard any evidence for evolution that didn't come from someone who opposes it? And if so, what?

What do you think of the random mutation generator? Pretty fun, eh?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

P.S. If I've misrepresented something here, please leave a comment so we can learn together!

10/11/2010
Better Science: Lift
It all started on Saturday when I saw xkcd's Airfoil comic. Suddenly, I was confronted with the reality that I did not know how planes produce lift. Feeling like an ignorant chap, I googled "how do planes fly"...

The premise of these next few posts is that there are some poor/bad explanations out there in popular scientific understanding--or lack thereof. The goal, then, is to get us to think a little better about some commonly held ideas. Please keep in mind: I am not a scientist. I don't play one on TV or science DVDs. I'm a guy who loves to learn stuff. These are my observations based on my understanding as of posting. As I learn, I hope my views will be refined ...which is the point of discussing better science. <smile>

Years ago I produced my first educational DVD. In it, we touched on flight. We demonstrated how blowing over the top of a hanging strip of paper causes it to rise and flutter. Faster air moving over the top causes the pressure above to drop. This makes the higher pressure air below push up. And this activity is closely tied to the plane explanation on the same page of your science text:

Science Activities, Vol. 2

This basic--kindergarten level--premise was never challenged, not even in high school physics. Wings work by producing a pseudo-vacuum which is enough to keep planes aloft.

Works for me.

And then I read a "Level 3" Description of Lift. My continuous nodding and occasional "ah-ha!" of understanding was frequently displaced by confusion. I felt rather lost.

I should have read the How Stuff Works article on planes first. Very fascinating stuff--which, again, quickly moved outside my immediate capacity to grasp.

Did you know this stuff about airfoils, wings and lift? Or were you only taught the Bernoulli principle? What areas of science have you learned about which are not exactly the way you were taught them?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

10/08/2010
Vote by Sunday
If you haven't voted yet for the Sonlight 2011 Catalog Cover, you have through Sunday.

If someone on your network already voted, you won't be able to vote again from there. You will need to find a new network (a friend's house or a free wifi hotspot, for example).

Vote now!

And, as you get started on your homeschool year, be looking for opportunities to snap pictures for the next Photo Contest. I hear people would really like to see pictures of sons and older students next year, so get to it! <smile>

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

10/07/2010
Starting Small
Have you read A Grain of Rice? This very fun story--which is part of Sonlight's Core K program--is an excellent example of learning math concepts through literature.^* It's also a good reminder that sometimes building up to something works better than going for it straight away.

I've been very encouraged hearing how families have started planning ways to raise money for My Passport to India. And when something as small a $1 can change the lives of two children, every little bit helps.

Starting Small

What "small things" have you been up to recently? Are you excited to see what huge results will come out of My Passport to India? I know I am!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

^*You can also learn about science through literature. Check out Science 4's Diary of an Early American Boy.

10/06/2010
5 Tips for Gaining Momentum
My swim trunks clung to my legs like my nephews trying to knock me over. The water looked cool and refreshing. The pool was almost completely empty.

'I'll just warm up with a nice 500,' I told myself. If you're unfamiliar with competitive swimming, a 500 is 500 yards or twenty lengths of the pool. I jumped in and slid easily through the water. After five years of not swimming, it felt great.

...for about three lengths.

Then, suddenly, my body started to revolt. My lungs couldn't get enough air. My arms burned. My head felt light as my legs became heavy. I forced myself to swim another few lengths and then stopped for a break.

I went home early.

Sometimes it's hard to get back into the swing of things, even things--like swimming--that you were a rock-star in just a few short months ago. Gaining that momentum back can be really trying. It's even more frustrating when things were going so well right at the start there. But not now.

If you're feeling that way in your homeschool adventure, take heart! Re-entry can be rough, but if you take it easy you can get back up to speed. Here are a few tips I hope will be encouraging and helpful:

Get a buddy. I've found I'm not very good at motivating myself when it's just me in the pool. I'm really good and pushing myself if there's someone else there. Find a friend--even one online--who is also homeschooling and check in now and again to keep you going.

Take it easy. You may need to back off a bit at the start. Stick to the basics and focus on the fun stuff (like reading aloud). Don't push too hard. I worked steadily all season to get ready for Nationals, but I certainly wasn't up for it the first day of practice.

Don't run on empty. I ate a ton during the swim season. My body needed all those resources because I kept using them up. Similarly, if you don't have the resources you need, it's likely that you'll burn out soon. Complete homeschool packages can be ideal for fueling your home education. But it may be that you just need something small, like a Science Kit, to give you everything you need to keep going.

Refocus. Keep your eye on the prize. It's easy to get bogged down in the daily grind. Keep your homeschooling goals in mind, and that should help you set priorities and keep at it.

Remember the joys. I love swimming. I love the feel of the water, the sense of accomplishment, the smell of chlorine in my skin. But I tend to forget all that when my body is screaming at me to stop. Perhaps it's time to think back to the recent joys you've had. Any Sonlight Moments you need to recall? Did you recently finish reading a book that you just love? Did you get to witness a time when the "light bulb" went on?

How do you keep yourself going when you can't seem to pick up momentum? Are you rolling right along, or have you found the start of this year to be not as easy as you had anticipated?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

10/05/2010
Check Out the 1st My Passport to India Video!
The first My Passport to India video is up. Check it out! But first, a word from me...

Video Sizes and More!

Haven't signed up to get your Welcome Kit? Sign up here.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

10/04/2010
The Beauty of Incomplete Assignments
"The fog of sleep evaporated quickly as the sunlight hit his eyes. He tried to focus on the thing in front of him. Whatever it was, it was smiling."

That is still one of my favorite openings to a story I never really started. My files are filled with these incomplete works. I get an idea and start in, only to run out of time, imagination, or get sidetracked by another great idea.

There's absolutely something to be said for learning to finish projects. It is essential that we develop follow-through and tenacity in our work. We must learn how to get to the end of things and be willing to stop when it's "good enough." Those are important skills. But, in many ways, I don't think we should push ourselves--or our students--to finish creative works, our essays--our attempts.

A silent shard, a sliver,
A ...

I started typing that over two years ago, my mind flooded with words which fit together beautifully, only to reach the second line and go completely blank.

I quietly mourned the loss of a beautiful verse, and then moved on.

The wonderful mastery approach to learning should not be applied to creative writing, artistic works, or technological tinkering. The point is to discover the joy of playing with the medium--be it words, wood, or wingbats. There will be time to hone your skill; to get the punctuation correct, to trace the line without wobbling, to know the theory behind the circuitry. But for now, these attempts open the world of possibility.

What does this mean practically for your homeschool?

Don't detract points for coloring outside the lines.
Don't feel the need to correct spelling in creative works. And if your student is done with the assignment, even if it is incomplete, it may be time to move on to something else.

If you find it hard not to just let things be, make sure your children have plenty of opportunity to do things on their own. I don't think my parents have seen more than a few pages of what I wrote while at home. Most of my practice with writing came from doing it on my own time; time afforded me because I was homeschooled.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

10/01/2010
Confusing the Issue
"And remember," I add with all the gravity I can convey, "this is complicated by the fact that he likes you."

I don't recall what the situation was when I gave out this tidbit of advice. I can't remember why it mattered. But it did. For whatever the details, it was important that my little brother liked the girl I was talking to. That was a big part of the issue.

"Don't talk about stuff you don't know everything about, Luke." I don't know how he found out. But he did. And he was mad.

I can still feel the way my heart pounded when I realized that I was wrong. I didn't know everything about the situation. In fact, I knew very little about what was going on. Worse yet, I was faced with the probability that I had confused the issue. I was confident my observations were correct, but not complete. And that incomplete picture had led me to the wrong conclusion. I'm sure my little brother was attracted to her. But I'm unsure, today, if that mattered at all in that situation.

This all floods back as I consider these comments: Do we really use things "out of the box" our early years of homeschooling because we lack the confidence?

Well, yes. Absolutely.

And yet I think this idea--which I see again and again--that we're insecure when we start out, confuses the issue. We're insecure, not because that is part of who we are, but because we don't know what we're doing. Our insecurities are based in our lack of knowledge. And that lack of knowledge is the real issue. Put another way: We rightly lack self-confidence when we have yet to have learned how to do something.

The great news is that you can learn. In fact, you can likely attest to how much you've grown in your abilities to homeschool. And as you've learned how to educate your children at home, you've grown in confidence in your ability to do so. Why? Because you've succeeded again and again.

You can homeschool. But if you're feeling intimidated because you don't know how to do it with your preschooler (or your high schooler, for that matter), we'd be thrilled if you took advantage of the resources you have in homeschool curriculum. Sonlight, as someone once said, teaches you how to homeschool.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

P.S. Already know what you're doing but don't know about something within Sonlight? Not sure which package or product would be right for your students? Chat with a Sonlight Advisor and gain confidence from someone who is here to share with you what she has learned.

09/30/2010
Using It As Is
"Sweet!"

I'm giddy. My wife, who has uncomfortably hovered nearby for the last half-hour, sighs in relief. "You finally figure it out?"

I proudly show her the product of my labor: My computer's login screen now matches my desktop wallpaper.

Brittany's distrust of my abilities was well founded. I was following unclear instructions on the internet in my attempts to manually tweak my computer's permissions and registry keys. For those who do that kind of thing all the time, no sweat. For someone, like me, who knows only enough to get myself into trouble, it causes my wife more than a little concern. But there's something about renaming the hard drives, tweaking the desktop, and organizing my folders that makes the computer mine.

As homeschoolers, we often do the same with curriculum. We'll tweak and adjust to meet our family's needs. This ability to find--and use--what works is one of the many strengths of homeschooling: We can customize our curriculum so it reflects what our students need. We aren't required to use our educational materials "as is"... in fact, it's important to remember that your curriculum is a tool, not a taskmaster.

As you continue in your school year, remember that even a completely packaged curriculum can be adjusted to meet your needs. Perhaps it's something big, like rearranging the daily schedule to fit your timetable. Or, perhaps, it's something as simple as adding a label to your binder so it matches your pencils...

How about you? What do you enjoy tweaking so it feels more like it's yours? What do you use "as is"?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

09/29/2010
Consuming Consumables
I have a problem.

Okay, I have more than just one problem <smile>. Let me rephrase: I have a problem with consumables. My problem is that I hate to consume consumables. I hate using them because, once I do, they're gone! Consumed. No longer in my inventory. Unusable. Unavailable. Depleted.

This problem extends from pens to health packs in video games. For years I refused to floss because doing so consumed the dental floss. My super-cool Space Pen suffers from a similar issue: I think it's awesome. And so, even though I could use it underwater, I don't use it at all. Perhaps because I could use it underwater I don't use it in daily life. 'Never know when I'd need to write underwater,' is the thinking. 'I'll save it for when I really need it.'

I was reminded of my space pen this morning when I noticed the spiral notebook I have living under my desk plant:

Notebook and Plant (and pen)

The notebook has an aluminum cover and faintly textured pages, making it almost as spiffy as my Moleskine. Both notebooks are incredibly cool ...and completely blank. I haven't been able to come up with anything worthy of marring their pristine pages. And where in the world would I find another aluminum-covered notebook?

If you also struggle with consuming consumables which are too cool or perceived to be too difficult to acquire, I've got a suggestion for your homeschool. If you're still struggling with the dental floss thing, I can't help you. The issue is still too close to me...

...where was I?

If you are going to reuse your Core programs (or use it with more than one student), I highly recommend that you purchase the few consumables you'll need for the coming year(s). That way you won't run into the problem I have of not daring to touch them because you'll have exactly as many as you'll need. And you won't have to worry about those items getting replaced with new editions which no longer match your current program.

Can't find what you're looking for? Want some advice from another homeschool mom before you purchase? Just feel the need to talk over your options? Please don't hesitate to chat with a Sonlight Avisor. The Advisors are here to answer your questions and help you avoid missing consumables. Whether you choose to consume those items later or not is another matter entirely...

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

09/28/2010
Quick Note about My Passport to India
Just shot this video with John Holzmann. Passing it along to you:

My Passport to India Welcome Kit

Haven't signed up for My Passport to India yet? It's not too late (though your Welcome Kit may not come in time for the start of the program). Learn how to get your Welcome Kit here.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

09/27/2010
Long-Term Goals

Picayune: fiddling; small and of little importance

Brought to you by Catherine Johnson

My problem with goals is that I know what I want to do today (roughly what I did last week) and I know what I'd love to be doing in 30 years ...it's the in-between that's hazy. Five years from now? 10?

<shrug> I don't know.

That makes it hard because I don't know how to get from here to there. And without that clear direction, I'm left wondering if what I'm doing right now is "right" or not. And that makes me wonder if a similar quandary drives some of our fears in homeschooling. We want to love learning with our children and we want our children to succeed in life... it's the time between now and then that has us concerned. Are we doing it right? I mean, we certainly don't want to find out that we've been doin' it wrong.

I think this concern that we "do it right" drives questions like: What do you do when a kid flat out refuses to do anything? The wonderful thing is that there are very good answers to these questions (like the one I just linked). And, often, those answers contain a strong recommendation that we relax a bit. Which is nice for a high-strung person such as myself. <smile>

But I'd like to postulate today that perhaps our concern over what we're doing today is too often birthed from a lack of perspective. Could it be that we get so caught up in the current struggle with math, or writing, or reading, or personal development, or a character flaw that we miss the long-term goals. I know I lacked proper perspective again and again during my brief stint as a parent. I think I would have been much served by a few long-term written goals for our family and the girls. Then, no matter what was currently irking me, I could step back and see it in the perspective of where we ultimately wanted to be.

Speaking of perspective, I thought this Scale of the Universe thingy was interesting.

Greg Laden

Have you found written goals have helped you in your homeschool and parenting?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

09/24/2010
Tutoring for Just $1 - Registration Deadline Today*
Prodip, a boy in India, used to work long hours in a cashew nut factory. Today he is back in school and doing great.

What changed?

Someone gave $1 which funded his participation in a Children's Bible Club where he got the tutoring he needed to get back into school. Prodip now has hope for a brighter future... not just because of his education but also because of his new faith in Christ.

Sonlight has partnered with Mission India to bring this same opportunity to you. Register today for My Passport to India. Through this program, your family will discover India and have the opportunity to help fund the education of children in India. Even better, your gift will be matched, so every dollar you give will provide two children with the same opportunities that have changed Prodip's life.

Registration is free and does not obligate you to give.

Please, register now!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

*You can sign up and access all the online content for this learning/giving opportunity at any time for the next few months. But we want to make sure that you get your Welcome Kit in time and come along as we discover India and the opportunities we have to change lives there. So register for free today! (Registration does not obligate you to give.)

09/23/2010
From Luke's Inbox: You Missed It!
I believe your post minimizes what your customers were saying yesterday on a very important issue.

It does not take much perusing of Ms. Keeley's site to find a very disturbing theme of if you just believe it enough, you can make it happen. It promises health, wealth, organisation, and great family relationships in 5 minutes a day. Scripture promises just the opposite--that there will be trouble in our lives. "Everyone can have this perfect life" is a dangerous theology. I, along with many others on the forums, find it disturbing that SL does not see this undertone and how their support of said website could lead their customers to believe that this is an Evangelical Christian understanding.

It is also disturbing how this email and the company response to the concerns belittles your customers. A quick look any given day on the Prayer Closet reveals a lot of seriously hurting people (cancer, marriage problems, wayward children, foreclosures) and yet an email supporting a site that basically would tell them that they must not have enough faith. It is also disrespectful to the many other SL Moms and Dads who have small businesses that do not get SL sending mass emails on their behalf.

I am disappointed with this marketing strategy. But I am most disappointed that you would use your blog to belittle your customers who were expressing serious concerns in a forum designed for discussing your curriculum.

Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts.

You are correct: My post yesterday did not at all address the concerns that Hannah may be connected to a "name it and claim it" theology and how that applies to Sonlight's stance. I wanted to keep yesterday's post focused on one point. More on that below...

Hannah's Five Minute Mom coaching program promises that it will help you find ways to improve your life in 5 minute segments every day. That is, I believe, a very big difference. You wouldn't say that our lives must always be full of trouble just because Christ promised that we will experience it. In fact, continuing in that verse, Jesus says that we are to take heart because He has overcome the world. So, while we should not be surprised when trouble strikes, we should not be surprised when life is good. What's more, Hannah even acknowledges that it's possible her tips won't be of help to you and promises to refund you your money.

Now, I completely agree that a "everyone can have a perfect life" is horrible theology. But that is very different from saying, "I can help you." Sure, Hannah's sales copy is really sales-y (e.g. unlimited power of your mind and unstoppable energy are both pretty over-the-top <smile>). But she doesn't promise you a perfect life. Instead, she promises to teach you things that will help you. And those are the things we are happy to offer to those who would like them.

Does Hannah believe that if she has just enough faith God will bend to her whims? I hope not. Does Hannah believe that positive thinking can overcome anything? I doubt it. Could you take her stuff and go off the deep end? Absolutely.

I pray no one does. That is a very real danger any time you share ideas: People can take them wrong.

I haven't heard Hannah say people who struggle with cancer, their families or their finances simply don't have enough faith. If she does, I'd disagree with her on that! This morning, my prayer group covered some really painful prayer requests from the Forums. And yet I don't think it's disrespectful to offer people in such situations resources. In fact, there could be something in there that helps them deal with day-to-day stuff while they cling to God through the things that only He can change.

As for small businesses: We mean no disrespect. As a company we must focus our resources in the places where we believe we can reach and serve the most people. That's part of stewardship. It would be nice to have unlimited resources and partner with everyone who has something helpful to offer, but we don't and we can't.

Yesterday's post was not intended to belittle or minimize these serious concerns. I purposely ignored them because I wanted to focus on something else that pricked me personally. Please forgive me for that. I value the feedback and insights from our customers (hence this post).

Many of the things we offer are from those who do not share our beliefs. We do not offer these resources because we want to align ourselves with a wrong position, but rather because these products and services offer something that we see is of potential value to you. I hope that everyone will, in the spirit of Sonlight's educational philosophy, carefully consider which messages and ideas they will accept and which ones they will not.

And while we do continue to try to find effective ways of sharing Sonlight with more people, our core beliefs and values remain unchanged. Your feedback--and the few pages of Forum responses--help us make better choices in the future.

Thank you for caring enough about Sonlight to help us think through the steps we take. I appreciate the opportunity the Sonlight community gives us to be sharpened and the way it prods us to do better.

Well, friends, please feel free to continue to the conversation. I'm sure I haven't said this all perfectly and you may still have concerns.

<pushes Publish Post>

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

09/22/2010
Making an Offer You Can Refuse
A small fire flared up today within the Sonlight online community. It's interesting what sparks these fires. Frequently it's things we do not expect.

Like when I took the time to try to capture a good picture for the Sonlight Rewards Program and got comments asking why companies always had to choose good-looking models with perfect skin.

<blink>

True, I do have some good-looking co-workers. (You can meet several of them on the Sonlight Tour.) And my goal was to take a nice picture to showcase this opportunity to bless you and your friends. And while I certainly don't want to add to the Photoshopped Reality surrounding us ...I do really like Photoshop.

Today I saw--once again--accusations that Sonlight is just a business looking to make a buck and not interested in the Sonlight community.

Well, Sonlight is a business. And while we do seek to provide a service and bless you, ultimately we do have to make money. That's how we can keep providing services and work to bless you in the future.

That's also how I get a paid. And I like getting paid.

So, yes, Sonlight seeks out ways to find others to bless and serve. We do things we hope will be helpful and bring more people into the Sonlight community. But we firmly believe that what we offer must be of value and helpful. We seek to make you offers that you--and others--will want to take advantage of.

But we realize that not everything we offer will be of benefit to you. In fact, sometimes it may even make you unhappy that we offer it. That's a bummer for us because not only did we fail to provide something that will help you, but we also failed to leech another penny from your coffer.

<cough> [That was supposed to be funny] <grin>

The good news in all of this is that: Every offer we make is one you can refuse.

And the better news is that, as a business seeking to make money to keep serving you, if our offer doesn't help you we'll have to cut it out. Otherwise, we'd quickly not be able to offer anything to anyone because we'd be out of business.

So the fact that Sonlight is a business--a business built on more than just great resources--continually urges us find ways to serve you better. And whether you believe it or not, we do truly care about you and your family's educational needs. ...even if that means you refuse some of our offers.

It's late. I'll have to leave it at that for the night.

Has Sonlight served you well? What was the most ridiculous offer you've ever received?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

09/21/2010
The Joy of Being Educated
My mom has a growing collection of comic strips. She clips them from the newspaper or a magazine when they require you to have an education to find them funny. While this one ^* is not in her file, I think it could be.

This kind of cultural literacy--or whatever you want to call it--is one of the often overlooked values of education: the enormous interest it adds to life.

What interests have you found have been added to your life as you pursue a lifelong education in your homeschool?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

^*NB: The webcomic xkcd is--while very clever and often too intelligent for me--not always family friendly. You have been warned.

09/20/2010
How You Doin'?
Life is good.

Sure, there are still longstanding issues in my life, I'm feeling the scramble of catching up after a week away from work, my car was ticketed while sitting in a parking lot, my bank account isn't bursting with gold bricks, and I've got a ringworm or five ...but, really: Life is good.

One of the 1,500+ posts I skimmed through this morning urged me to tell you that this is the time to buy, buy, buy. Granted, I'm not a fan of the "trick 'em into buying stuff" and "make money at all costs" marketing schemes. That's lame and unhelpful. I want to be helpful. But as I pondered the advice, I realized it was true: Let's focus on the positives. The economy, for all the very real problems out there, seems to be just fine for a lot of people. As my best friend, who works for a major electronics corporation, has often said while selling thousands of dollars of electronics to people: "What recession?"

I realize that there are certainly times when life is hard ...really hard. And if you're there, I'm sorry. Hang in there! But for those of us who just tend to get bogged down in the bad, perhaps it's time to remember: Life is good.

And if the numbers I've seen are any indication, just as many people were able to afford homeschool materials this year as last. That's incredibly good news considering how many single-income families there are in the homeschool community.

So, how are you doing?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

09/09/2010
Introducing: Autoblot™
I'm going to be away from my desk here at Sonlight for the next week-ish.^* Since I'm spending time with my family, I won't be here hanging out with you.

But I couldn't abandon you to the void of the blogosphere for that long. So I invented my Automatic Blogging Robot:

Autoblot^™

Autoblot^™ will keep you updated while I'm gone. Please keep in mind:

Autoblot^™ does not have the ability to edit his posts. If you find a typo or something else problematic, it'll have to wait until I can go in and manually fix it.

Autoblot^™, for all his advanced AI, still can't reply to comments. So I'm leaving you a blanket comment now:
Thanks so much for commenting!

I don't know how frequently Autoblot^™ will post, but it may not be with the same consistency to which you are accustomed to here on the Sonlight Blog. ...of course, Autoblot^™ may post more than once on some days for all I know.

Autoblot^™--along with everything else on this blog--is not rated by the ESRB.

Enjoy this brief break from me. And please welcome Autoblot^™ to this blog.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

^*Now, please don't rob me while I'm gone. My house will still be occupied--by more than just Rambo the Rat--and my cubical will be under surveillance ...whenever someone wanders by and notices that it's here.

09/08/2010
Missing the Forest for the Path
"Oh no," I groan, but only loud enough so my wife knowns I'm upset.

I'm not really interested in disrupting the rest of the congregation.

It's a Sunday morning and the worship team has just started an incredibly lame song. In fact, it's a song that makes me a little uncomfortable because I don't think the theology is very sound. In fact, it may be bordering on heresy. And I'm not a big fan of heresy.

Another song begins. Another loser. 'No wonder people hate church,' I think to myself. 'This song is horrible. So much of our worship music is just so lame.'

And then I see this video where p*rnographer Ron Jeremy talks about how much he enjoys worship music.

Wha...?

He says, over and over again, that the difference is posture. Christian songs make you smile, lift your face. Contrast that with rock and roll type things where people are scowling and banging their heads while staring at the ground. But worship music, you can't help but smile, he repeats.

How did I miss that? How have I walked this path for over two decades and never noticed that distinction? And why do I find myself scowling and staring at the floor so often?

I still believe that songs should have good theology and focus more on God than us. ...but my bad attitude certainly isn't honoring God. Far better would be to take my complaints to those who can do something about it. Far better to seek to make things better than to just complain. Far better to stop wandering down my path for a moment and notice the trees.

For all the rotting bark and dead leaves, the light sprinkling through the foliage is beautiful.

Sunlight through Trees

I appreciate Craig Gross' take on who it is that Jesus loves (the linked article is where I bumped into Ron Jeremy's video clip). Craig talks a little about looking outside our Christian group, and I think it's something to think about.

Aubrey

I wonder: What do we, as members of a group, miss that strangers to our midst see and enjoy? I often think, rather bitterly, about all the things the people not on the homeschool path must think of us. I rarely--okay, never--think about what joys and beauties they may notice that I've overlooked.

Has anyone noticed something about your home education that you hadn't seen before?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

*I'm bleeping this word for the family filters.

09/07/2010
History Is Fun!
I grew up on Sonlight, so the study of history never felt like I was studying history. We read great books that seamlessly wove history and fun together. It wasn't until my public high school experience that I even consciously recognized History as a school subject. But suddenly it was a subject unto itself and, worse yet, it was boring.

I mean, they tried. They really did.

In high school, they had us debate how the US should respond to the Cuban Missile Crisis. My side won and we nuked 'em--much to our teacher's dismay. In college, my US History professor was wheeled into class dressed like FDR. But that's about all I remember from those classes. Well, I also distinctly remember that I learned how much I hated history classes.

Sonlight pioneered, and continues to champion, a completely different way of studying history. Sonlight's literature-rich approach to learning is as fantastic as it is fun. Literature-based learning removes the boring side of history class--memorization of names and dates you'll just have to look up later... if you care at all--with the important parts: Why people did what they did.

Because, really, the purpose of studying history is not to remember the names and dates of stuff that happened, but to--hopefully--learn from what has happened before so we can make better choices today and in the future. And that's the part of history that's fascinating and fun. I love reading stories of the Sonlight students who one day are told that all the reading they're doing together is part of school. "That's school?" they ask, incredulous. "That's not school! That's fun!"

There's no better way to learn.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

P.S. If you're already familiar with WWII, you may find the following "Facebook adaptation" as funny as I did (NB: some swearing & dirty comments): WWII on FACEBOOK!

Mrs. C

09/06/2010
Happy Labor Day!
I'm enjoying the day off with friends and family.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

09/03/2010
4 Ways to Pick the Right Homeschool Program for Multiple Kids
Sonlight's curriculum packages are ideal for combining students of multiple ages. In fact, Sonlight has produced materials on combining Cores for multiple students again and again and again and... well... again.

But you don't have time to listen to two hour long podcasts on the subject right now, do you? [Part 1, Part 2] If you don't, I've tried to synthesize the process of choosing the right Sonlight Core(s) for your students down to two simple steps with one of four approaches.

To begin, you could just grab the Core that has a level that corresponds to your student's grade. But over half of the people who responded to a recent query said they use a Core at least one level below their child's grade. Since Sonlight's Cores are robust and work for a span of ages, you may do well with a Core a level below your students' grade. So... how do you decide which program is right for your family?

It is important to remember, as you consider your options, that Sonlight's homeschool programs will take you through the span of history a full three times:

Sonlight's Cores Cover the Span of History 3 Times

With that in mind...

1. Decide what part of history you want to cover.

Did you just finish a year of American history? If so, you may not want to repeat that. So find a Core that covers World History.

2. Decide which of the following methods you want to use:

4 Ways to Pick the Right Sonlight Core for Your Students

Pick a Core that fits your Oldest student and supplement for the younger

Pick a Core that fits your Youngest student and supplement for the older

Pick a Core that falls toward the middle of your students and tweak where needed

Pick two "complementary" Cores which cover the same period of history but at different depths appropriate for your students

I know what you're thinking:

'Well, of course those are my options! My question is: Which is right for my family and how do I actually decide that?'

Since each family is different, I can't give you a more specific answer in a general blog post. But I can point you to those who can help you figure it out:

The Sonlight Choosing Forum is an excellent resource for finding the right homeschool program for your family. Glean the wisdom of families who have been there and done that.

And Sonlight Advisors are an incredible resource if you want to chat with someone one-on-one about the options you are considering.

If you've combined multiple students with Sonlight, how did you go about doing it?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

09/02/2010
Our Dependencies
...and how we handle problems.

Out here, in the quiet of the night, we sit. It's 10:30 and the clock is ticking past my bedtime. Our hushed voices are interrupted now and again by a screaming child a few houses down the street. The moon hasn't risen yet, but my porch light illuminates the grass. We tear at it impatiently, letting it's thin green blades slip through our fingers. We're talking.

We've been talking. Two hours into our conversation and we're still not getting anywhere.

My friend is in pain and I do not have the means to bandage his soul.

So we talk, as friends do.

My heart breaks every time I hear of someone who does not have a close friend and confidant. I've been then and it's hard. Unfortunately, homeschooling parents can find themselves far away from a support network. There are some times when even bloggy friends just can't quite cut it. I think we come to depend, in many ways, on our friends, and when we don't have one the world begins to break apart.

There are certainly other dependencies... like alcohol. [NB: Video contains a very mild profanity and mention of inappropriate activities. If you would not find that funny, you may want to skip this one. ...I, for the record, laughed.]

Another tendency is to find a group of like-minded people with whom you can complain. This is very different from a friend who may smack you upside the head when you need it. In these gatherings, the idea is to commiserate and reinforce your perspective ...even if it's wrong. [NB: The following video contains swearing] This video from The Onion--a satire "news" organization--demonstrates group complaining very well. Unfortunately, they do so with the frequent use of four-letter words. You have been warned! [Again: If you won't find it funny, please don't watch it.]

Who, or what, do you depend on to get you through the difficult times?

Is there anything my small group here at Sonlight can pray with you about? Remember, if you'd rather not post a public comment, feel free to email me: lholzmann@sonlight.com

Whether you were up late last night talking through some difficult situation in your life or you got 12 hours of sleep, I pray you were able to rest in the new mercies of God today... even if you had trouble keeping your eyes open now and again. <cough>

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

09/01/2010
Your Favorite Sonlight Book - Part II
Excellent! My plan is working.

<bwahahaha ha!>

Now that you've gone to the effort of telling me about your favorite Sonlight book--I know, I know, you can't pick just one because you love them all--it's time to take this to the next level:

Please post a review of your favorite Sonlight book on sonlight.com. Better yet, after reviewing your favorite(s), please review the Core that book came from.

Why?

Because saying you love a book/Core program here on my blog/Facebook is wonderful... but very few new homeschoolers are going to see this. People who don't already know about Sonlight's books/homeschool packages will never get to see your insights and joy. But they will see them when they're browsing for homeschool materials.

Help the next generation of homeschoolers--and the generations after that--pick the best homeschool curriculum for their family by leaving your feedback where they can find it: On the product pages of sonlight.com.

Thank you!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

P.S. Feel free to leave a review of the books you've hated as well. This is about helping other homeschoolers make the best choice, not about raising all of Sonlight's products to 5 Stars <smile>.

08/31/2010
Your Favorite Sonlight Book?
Some days I sit in front of my empty blog post, my mind as empty as the text area. What should I write about?

If you're suffering from a similar situation, I suggest you blog about your favorite Sonlight book. Talk about what you love about the book. And be sure to include links to it and mention your Rewards ID so people have the opportunity to save $5 on their first purchase and you earn points toward your next purchase too.

Sweet deal!

My favorite Sonlight book? It's a toss-up between Till We Have Faces and The Gammage Cup.^*

Till We Have Faces is an incredible look at the injustice of God and provides new insight into the book of Job. Why does God not answer us? Why does He seem to purposely mislead us? Why doesn't He give us what we long for? Why does it seem like He's toying with us? What if we could put God on trial for every wrong and incongruity in our lives? What would He say? If you've ever had the thought that you could really "stick it to God"--and I certainly have--this book is an important one to read. The answer may not be what we want, but Till We Have Faces presents the tension beautifully.

The Gammage Cup is less serious, but no less insightful. Full of wordplay and lovable characters, this adventure story has it all: outcasts shunned for being different, an invading evil horde, a hot air balloon, swords, spears, suspense and, yes, even romance that left this man grinning ear to ear.

So what's your favorite book? Go forth and write! And don't forget to include your Rewards ID.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

^*Of course, we all know that my favorite Sonlight title is Time for Friends... but that was too self-serving to mention. <grin>

08/30/2010
From Luke's Inbox: Dragons and Wizards and Demons, Oh My!
Hi, just wondering how you can label yourself as a "Christian homeschool provider" when you sell read-alouds with dragons and wizards in them? In the Bible we are told that the dragon is Satan (Revelation 12:9), and we are not to make our son or our daughters to pass through these things--including wizards, witches, etc (Deut 18:10-12, Isaiah 8:19-20). I couldn't possibly purchase a program KNOWING there are books feeding my precious children with such demonic aspects.

Thanks for writing! From the sounds of it, Sonlight may not be a good fit for you and your family. If you haven't already, I recommend you read through the 27 Reasons NOT to Buy Sonlight and Why Sonlight Uses Certain Books that Some Homeschoolers Won't Touch. Those two articles will give you a little more insight into where we are coming from. However, they do not address your specific concerns, and I'd like to do that.

You are absolutely correct that in Scripture dragons are associated with evil, though "dragon" is used to describe Nebuchadrezzar and Pharaoh, not just Satan himself. Now consider: God allowed His people to be subject to both Nebuchadrezzar and Pharaoh... so in a very real sense, God allow His people to be enslaved by these "dragons."

To my understanding, passing through the fire is a reference to sacrificing children to Molech. The rest of the passages you reference talk about not going to witches and wizards for divination. I do not find where these passages say we should avoid all reference or interaction with them. In high school, I knew several Wiccans. While I never participated in any of their witchcraft, I did speak to them and did my best to be their friend. But my personal experience has less to do with Sonlight than the actual content of our books.

Sonlight carries many missionary biographies which do often contain descriptions of witchcraft, shamanism and demonic practices. But the goal is not to feed these ideas to your children, but rather show how the forces of evil are very real in this world and that Christ has overcome them and offers so much more.

With all that as background, I'd like to finally respond to your question:

Followers of God have, throughout history, had to live with/under/next to "dragons," witches, wizards and demonic activity. Sonlight seeks to, among a great many other things, help us as followers of Christ see how He would want us to deal with these forces and those who attempt to wield them. In that sense, Sonlight is perhaps the best Christian homeschool curriculum to use.

But the specific title you allude to doesn't actually have anything to do with any of that. I believe My Father's Dragon is about ingenuity, creativity, caring for the oppressed and using one's resources wisely. The dragon is--at most--the catalyst for the tale. It is not a "Biblical dragon" but rather a mythical creature in need.

Again: It sounds like Sonlight may not be right for your family, and I completely agree that you--as a parent--need to decide what is right for your child based on your understanding of them.

I would be happy to chat about this with you further if you still have concerns or questions, and I wish you all the best in your homeschooling endeavors.

~Luke

Here at Sonlight we get questions every now again about the content of the books we carry--often The Wizard of Oz and The Witch of Blackbird Pond. Do you ever get questions about the content you teach in your home?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

08/27/2010
"What has Sonlight done to my child?!"
If you've known about Sonlight for a little while, you've probably heard stories about kids begging to do more school. In fact, a couple years ago there was a picture on the back of the catalog with a little guy who had written a note asking for more school.

But, come on: Let's be real for a minute. Have your kids ever asked to do more school?

Erin's hadn't.

She says in her blog post today:

Let me be totally honest - my kids, while they enjoy school well enough, have never, ever begged to do "more" school, or to do it at a time when it isn't normally scheduled. The thought makes me laugh!

That was, until last night...

I highly recommend you click here to read the whole story.

Now, remember: Sonlight does not guarantee that your kids will ask to do more school. But we do guarantee that you and your kids will love homeschooling with Sonlight. And often, when kids love doing something, they ask to do it more.

I know my siblings and I would often beg for "one more chapter!" I believe the chant went something like: "Read more! Read more! Read more!"

Have your children ever asked to do more school?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

08/26/2010
Starting Homeschool: Flashbacks to College
Every semester started with exactly the same feeling: Panic.

Had I had my own copy of The Hitchhikers Guide the Galaxy, perhaps I would have remembered not to panic. Sadly, I didn't. So I did.

'How am I going to get through all this?' I'd bemoan to myself. 'It's so much work. I should just give up now. I'll never make it. All is lost.' ...thankfully, Coldplay was big then so I could at least sing along in a falsetto (starting at 3:20) when I was feeling particularly overwhelmed.

Falsetto always makes me feel better.

Somehow, after a few months, I'd find myself in the swing of things again. College wasn't that hard. In fact, aside from the few boring classes and the homework, it was fantastic!

All that to say: That feeling of panic you get right when you're starting your year? That overwhelming sense of dread that creeps up your spine looking at the tome of your Instructor's Guide? That pounding in the chest? ...yep, that's all totally normal.

I didn't know that. I thought, since as a Sonlight kid life was mostly just great books and good times, somehow this feeling of doom at the start of a non-homeschool school year had something to do with my inability to make it "in the real world."

I was wrong.

It's normal, when contemplating a year's worth of material, to feel discouraged. If you felt like you could do it all today, then it probably wouldn't be worth much. So whenever the overwhelming feeling hits you, take a breath.

Don't panic.

And if all else fails: Sing something at the top of your lungs in falsetto.

If that doesn't help, perhaps you just need to talk it out with someone in the Sonlight community or with an Advisor.

How has the start of the year been for you thus far?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

08/25/2010
Pre-Release Sneak Peek of MathTacular4
We still don't have a release date for MathTacular4 yet, but I couldn't wait to share this with you. (In fact, I'm posting a couple hours late today because I had to get the video ready for you.)

How cool is MathTacular4 going to be? Well, why don't you let me take you Behind the Scenes of MathTacular4:

Luke's MathTacular4 Behind the Scenes

What's even better, after I showed this to Amber--one of the stars and the director of MathTacular--she got so excited she asked if I could add her to the Behind the Scenes on the DVD. ...so, we'll probably shoot even more good stuff for you in the coming weeks.

Cool, eh?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

08/24/2010
Seeing Behind the Scenes
The roar is deafening as thousands of pennies pour down chutes into cloth sacks.

It's been a long while since I went on a tour of the Denver Mint, but the sound still sticks between my ears. Money raining from the sky. There was something compelling about that.

And there's something compelling about tours in general. Pulling back the curtain and seeing behind the scenes is fascinating. One person's daily life becomes an incredible new world to another.

That's why I love creating the Behind the Scenes clips for the MathTacular and Discover & Do DVDs. (And I spent some time working on the MathTacular4 Behind the Scenes--BTS--segment today.) Showing off a little of what we've done to make these videos available to you is not only educational and inspirational, but also gives me an opportunity to invite you into our world for a few minutes.

Now I ask you: Is there anything we do here at Sonlight that you're interested in seeing? Naturally, I can't share all our awesome secrets that make Sonlight an absolutely spectacular homeschool company <smile>, but I'd love to "show you around" or pull back the curtain just a little.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

P.S. ...you've my Sonlight virtual tour thingy, right?

08/23/2010
The Great Wave of Witnesses
[adjusted title link here]

I paddle frantically against pull of the wave as it builds behind me. A moment later I'm hurtling toward the waterline, carried by the breaking wave. The rush is fantastic.

We finally made it to the waterpark this weekend. And aside from Voyage to the Center of the Earth, the highlight was the wave pool... which is thankfully not this crowded:

Crowded Wave Pool

There's something amazing about the power of water as it knocks you around or carries you away. ...which is similar to the power of a community. Sure, it can uncaringly knock you smack on your bum, but the same group of people can propel you forward as well.

Barb, a co-worker who helps me keep track of my blog stats, recommended I write this post. I recently contacted a bloggy friend of mine who offered me some incredible insights, wisdom and encouragement. I was telling Barb about it this morning, and she reminded me of it as I wandered the building looking for some blogging inspiration. "You should write about your experience. Well, not exactly. You don't have to share what you were talking about, but you should blog about how much this community has encouraged you."

A swell idea that built as I considered likening it to the building swells of the wave pool.

So: Thank you, my friends. This community--and most notably a few key members of it--has been instrumental in buoying me up these past couple years. And while my domain is more the blogosphere, I know that the Forums have proven to be at least as important to many of you as well.

And as we prayed this morning for some of the needs mentioned on blogs and the Forums, I was reminded of the privilege I have to be a minor part of your life.

These social media are incredible tools that, like the pumps behind the wave pool, allow us to build up together as a community and carry one another along in the choppy waters of life.

How's that for mixing metaphors? <smile>

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

P.S. Speaking of social media, we are two people away from hitting 7,500 people who "like" Sonlight on Facebook. Talk about a growing community! I'm so excited to see the ways you and I will be able to help other homeschoolers in the years to come as the tools continue to improve our ability to connect and share with one another.

08/20/2010
Building On the Work of Others
We needed a cool new graphic for Sonlight.com this morning. Unfortunately, Dave--our incredibly talented graphic designer--is at home watching his daughter at the moment. And since this is a Friday and I'm heading out soon, I won't be around to make a site update when Dave is able to make the graphic.

So, the task fell to me.

If you've been reading this blog for a while, you know that my artistic abilities begin and end with stick figures. I do not have the skill required to make something look awesome.

Thankfully, Dave saves his work in editable Photoshop files. So I grabbed one of his earlier works, edited the text, added a couple images from the site, and...

Grammar 5 and Grammar 6 Special Price

I think it turned out pretty well.

I could create something that turned out far better than had I done it on my own because I was able to build on the work Dave had already done.

That's what Sonlight hopes to do for you: Let you build your home educational experience on the work we've done for you.

I'm not saying that you couldn't do this yourself. I'm not at all inferring that your homeschooling skills are at all like my artistic competence--or lack thereof. Our goal is not to make you feel like you need us to educate your children. You don't. Our goal is to offer you the best tools and resources packaged in a way so that you can quickly, easily and enjoyably build from there.

In fact, if you like creating your own plans and would rather not build on the work of others in this area, Sonlight may not be right for you.

But if this is an area where having the prep work done for you will be helpful, by all means: Let us help get you started on your homeschool adventure!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

08/19/2010
Take Your Kids to India
I just watched a video that reminded me of my trip to India back in 2007.

Luke and Brittany in India

And what's more exciting is that your family is invited along for an "adventure of a lifetime" with this year's giving opportunity: My Passport to India.

It looks to be good times.

This isn't going to officially start until October 5, 2010, but you're my good friend and so are entitled to a little insider information. This page went live yesterday... so you'll be one of the first people to see it!

I'm sure we'll be telling you more about My Passport to India in the coming months, but you have the opportunity to hear about it first and start thinking about ways to make this year's giving opportunity a meaningful and life-changing event for both your family and hundreds of thousands of children in India.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

08/18/2010
Sonlight Coupons, Affiliates and Rewards

Save 10% on your Sonlight order

Free Shipping!

50% discount on your Instructor's Guide

If you've been around Sonlight for a while, you probably recognized these offers as standard Core benefits.

But we internet shoppers are a savvy bunch. If there's a deal to be had, we'd like to know about it. So we google "Sonlight coupons" and discover... "About 162,000 results" in less than a quarter of a second.

Sonlight Coupon Search Results

Wow! I didn't know we had any homeschool coupons to begin with--aside from a few personal coupons we hand out at conventions and such. We have our 10% Core discount... but that's not a coupon. You don't need a coupon to get these amazing benefits from Sonlight. You automatically get them when you purchase a Core or Newcomer program.

One of the things we've been working on this week is adjusting our Affiliate program to better reflect our goals. Far too many people have been searching the web for Sonlight coupons, finding these "homeschool deal" sites, clicking through and discovering that they weren't getting any kind of special deal. ...at least, not a special deal that they wouldn't have received anyway.

So... coupons sites are out. We'd rather you get the straight deal straight from us and not pay commissions to people who aren't adding any value to your Sonlight experience.

Speaking of adding value and rewards for talking about Sonlight: I heard a rumor that a blogging friend of mine recently cashed in $300 worth of Sonlight^® Rewards Points. If that's even partially true, that's super cool!

It sounds like the Sonlight Rewards Program can be a very nice addition to the discounts you already receive when you buy one of Sonlight's homeschool packages.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

08/17/2010
Heads Down, Hands Up
I've been working "heads down" for a few days now. I'm getting close to completing the first stage of my cool project. But even if I get through the second stage, we're still several weeks out from having anything to show you. I need help with the coding side of things, and Bo is swamped with other stuff.

For some reason things keep breaking.

It's enough to make me want to throw my hands in the air and head home for some ice cream.

I know we've had web issues in the past, but this year has felt abnormally filled with failed systems, troubled servers and things just not working right. Please continue to pray for us--and the web team in particular--as we try to figure out what's causing the problems.

Thanks!

For now, I'm heading home for some ice cream...

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

08/16/2010
Starting School, Walking in the Rain and Monday
Lighting rippled across the horizon as I headed up the hill. The rain splashed against my glasses and bounced off my cell phone. But I was happy.

Less than four hours later and the sun is shining outside. The collar of my shirt is still damp from my routine lunchtime walk. Brittany said she was glad I was happy walking in the rain, but told me I could have held off calling her if I had wanted to.

My Monday has been pleasant enough. Granted, there was a ton to do and even more that I didn't get to today. Emails I need to catch up on, webpages I need to update, videos that require my attention, a book I need to read, a meeting I need to prepare for, a Guest Blog Post I need to review...

...you know it's bad when a blogger doesn't even have time to get someone's guest blog post ready to publish on his blog. <smile>

As you start your school year, remember that it can be like a Monday: Overwhelming, too much, all while feeling not quite ready. It can also be like walking in the rain: Fun enough, but not ideal.

Be sure to give yourself time to get back into the swing of things. Keep moving forward, but don't let yourself get bogged down by the sheer volume of work that needs to be done. It's okay to let some of it slide until tomorrow.

And as the blue sky outside reminds me: These storms do pass.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

08/13/2010
Share Your Story
You've only got a couple more days until this year's Photo Contest will be over. So... Upload your pictures and stories now!

That was just a reminder. There's another story you have that interests me even more.

Yep: I'm all about Sonlight stories and how much you love Sonlight and how Sonlight has totally made your homeschooling experience awesome. But there's an even more important story: How Christ has impacted you ...or not.

I got thinking about this this morning when I read an "article" from The Onion. Now, I find the satire of The Onion pretty funny from time to time. I first bumped into this paper when I saw the headline: Christ Returns to the NBA.

The religious themes continue, but what I saw today took it even further.

[NB: Profanity in the title. Content will likely sting. You have been warned.]
If I Hadn't Found Jesus...

Did you survive? I hope so.

These kinds of ideas show up again and again in entertainment: Using the words and phrases of Christianity while not reflecting Christ at all. Battlestar Galactica was rife with them as well. It comes down to completely missing the point of grace and redemption. Sadly, many Christians say similar things.

But perhaps the reason these misrepresentations keep surfacing is because the real stories aren't out there. What bothers me even more about all this is that my own stories are rather lacking. For all my writing and practice in story telling, I've yet to learn how to tell my own tales of redemption. Perhaps because I'm still too young to see them properly. Perhaps because I'm still too young and so the redemption hasn't fully happened yet. Perhaps...

So, please, share your Sonlight pictures and stories, but if you have any experiences of redemption--good or not--I'd be interested in hearing them.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

08/12/2010
Looking for Homeschool Materials?
We are constantly working to improve Sonlight... both the curriculum and our website. There are little things--like adding pictures to our blog list--and there are the really big things, like:

Our new search tool.

Bo has been tweaking the new search function for weeks now. And if you've been frustrated by our old--and long broken--search tool, you can imagine how eager we've been to get this thing up and running. But creating a search that will find what you're looking for is really difficult. Thankfully, Bo is incredibly talented.

Even so... there's still work to be done. And that's where you come in: We need to know how we can make our new search tool better. So next time you're looking for homeschool materials on our website, please send us feedback if you weren't able to find what you were looking for.

Thanks!

Oh, and we're still working on improving next year's Catalog...

Dave, Anne Marie, Linda, Tim, John, Sarita, Wayne

Our goal is to make it easier to find what you're looking for in print as well. <smile>

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

08/11/2010
Get Piano Wizard Straight from Sonlight
I grew up with quite a few "educational games" at my disposal. I was familiar with titles like MathBlaster, Spellbound, Mavis Beacon, Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? and Frogger. But let's be real for a minute:

I only played the games that were fun.

Mavis Beacon had this driving game where mistyping produced a windshield full of bugs. That was hilarious! ...for a while.

MathBlaster was really just flashcards, so I skipped that most of the time.

Spellbound had a couple fun games, like the Spelling Bee with robots.

And I found Carmen Sandiego interesting, but mostly frustrating: "How am I supposed to know who invented aerosol deodorant before the wheel?"

And then there was one game which was fun and, what's more, it came with a keyboard which could produce hundreds of sound effects (which I used in my early audio recording projects). Connecting this keyboard to my computer allowed me to shoot ducks by pressing the right notes as they floated by on a stream which resembled a musical staff.

It was a blast.

Now, 15-20 years later, technology has improved. Today we have Piano Wizard. From what I hear, it's fantastic. ...and a little more technologically advanced than Peasant's Quest.

If you've been considering Piano Wizard, but didn't want to hassle with dealing with another company, great news: You can now buy Piano Wizard straight from Sonlight. You no longer need to wrestle with the other website and try to figure out how to buy it. You just go to this page, add it to your cart, and checkout.

So easy. So cool!

Looking for a fun, educational, computer-based music program? Look no further: Get Piano Wizard straight from Sonlight.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

08/10/2010
What Do You Like About Homeschool Conventions?
I'm working on one of my super exciting--albeit long, drawn-out projects that I've been working on for almost a year now--and I may be getting somewhere. My hope is to have it out to you before it become obsolete.

...again.

<cough>

But as I'm working, I'd really like to know what you enjoy about homeschool conventions. What do you find helpful when you get to a convention? Specifically, what do you look for at Sonlight's booth? What have you wished was there but wasn't? What would you love to see/have/access while wandering a homeschool convention floor?

Your input is appreciated as I continue to think through this project...

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

08/09/2010
New Grammar Product from Sonlight
If you've been following along on the Forums, you may have heard tell of the new Grammar 5 and 6 programs.

Well... they're out. And they're on sale as a special new product/introductory price type deal thingy.

I've asked people in the know, and I hear there is a copy lying?/laying? around here somewheres. I'm interested in checking it out because, for as much as I love writing, my grammar background is rather sparse. I mean, come on, Grammar 5 and 6 didn't exist when I was doing Sonlight.

...at least, that's my excuse <smile>.

Lie vs Lay: You lie down. You lay down a book.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

08/06/2010
Do Your Kids Beg to Start School?
Sonlight guarantees that you and your children will love learning with Sonlight. Yes: Guarantees.

And the stories--which come in over and over again--confirm that you love Sonlight. But this love extends beyond just the realm of actually homeschooling with Sonlight. In fact, it frequently bleeds into something aptly dubbed:

Box Day

I was just sent two more wonderful stories, so if you don't follow the Box Day blog, head over there now. And, while you're there, consider sending me your Box Day story. If the links on the site don't work for you, send me an email with your story and pictures/video (feel free to include links if they're already online):

lholzmann@sonlight.com

Subject line: I have a Box Day story, Luke!

And don't forget to include a clever title.

Do your kids beg to start school right now?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

08/05/2010
Jonelle Shares About Baby Grace
About four months ago, the Sonlight community joined my family in praying for my sister Jonelle and her newborn baby, Gracie Lou. For the next couple weeks you continued to pray and support us through the joys and the grief. (My dad documented those days on his blog.)

A few days after Baby Grace passed on, Jonelle said to me, "Luke, I don't think I can ever talk about this with anyone. It was such a public experience. I just want to be alone forever."

Well, not four months later, Jonelle has happily agreed to share what God has been doing:

Jonelle Shares Part 1 ...find Part 2 here

Thank you again for your prayers and your part in this story.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

08/04/2010
You Knew About the Photo Contest Extension, Right?
You guys got the news that you still have a week or so to get in the 2011 Sonlight Catalog right?

What you need to do by August 15, 2010:

Take a great photo while "doing Sonlight"

Write a great little blurb about what's happening in the picture

Upload it to Sonlight.com

My favorite part of reading the new Catalog every year is seeing all the amazing photos and testimonials. So... get out there and get some great pictures to go along with your fantastic stories. I look forward to seeing you inside Sonlight's next Catalog!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

P.S. Speaking of pictures... have you sent me your story and pictures from your Box Day this year?

08/03/2010
The Waterpark and Best Laid Plans
I didn't post yesterday. I was going to be enjoying the sun and fun of the waterpark with my wife and best friend.

The Waterpark

Instead, I was on my back. In bed. For the second day in a row.

Yep. I was so sick I even missed Church on Sunday. I just lay there and slept and sweated feverishly. Let me tell you, I'd much rather have been sweating in the hot sun between rides down a thrilling water ride in a giant inner tube.

I'm still not feeling very well.

I was going to ask about your plans and activities for this summer before school starts. But that was before my own plans were foiled.

Speaking of foiled plans... I'm going to try a new import method for this blog to Facebook. We'll see if that works better. I sure have missed the Facebook peoples over the past couple weeks.

So, some plans--like importing your blog to Facebook--can be tweaked and still succeed (here's hoping!). But others--like visiting a waterpark on your carefully selected day off--just go awry entirely.

Any plans you've had to tweak recently?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

07/30/2010
Have You Taken Advantage of the Sonlight Rewards Program?
Well? Have you?

This is the time when many people are considering their homeschool curriculum options. So this is also the perfect time to help your friends save $5 on their first order.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

07/29/2010
Sonlight's Christian Foundation
The following quote I found on the Quivering Daughters blog got me thinking:

If you take Jesus out of the equation, their ... culture doesn't change. If you take the ... culture out of the equation, they have no Jesus. It IS their Jesus.

Just how much does Christ permeate Sonlight's programs? Does Sonlight change if you remove the religious materials? If you take out our Instructor's Guides, does Christ remain? In short: Is Sonlight about Christ or something else? And if something else, what?

First, I realize that you may be using Sonlight in a secular school environment. For you, Sonlight absolutely can be tweaked to remove/ignore/circumvent the religious content. You could easily be living proof you can take Jesus out of Sonlight.

And yet, while I'm grateful you use Sonlight and it has helped your family love to learn together, if you skip the religious books you are missing out on a major aspect of Sonlight: A focus on missions. This may not bother you, but I think it's important to note: Sonlight is built on a Christian foundation.

Second, I know there are people who don't like Sonlight because we're not dripping with Christian materials and Bible references. We freely admit that. In that sense, some may argue that Sonlight isn't built on a Christian foundation. But I argue, in the spirit of the quote above, that the "Christian foundation" they are talking about is not about Christ as much as it is their presentation of truth. Scripture should be integral to our lives, sure, but used appropriately rather than forced into every situation. Such practices quickly lead to eisegesis. And I'm glad Sonlight steers clear of that.

Third, while Sonlight is built on a Christian foundation, I'm not comfortable saying Sonlight is about Jesus. Sonlight--as a home education company--is about homeschooling. We are here to help you on your home education journey. We are focused on homeschooling while constantly looking to honor and serve Christ in how we do that.

So, no: Homeschooling is not "our Jesus." We seek to follow Him in everything we do. Our programs are designed to help you follow Him more closely. In short: Sonlight is firmly rooted in Christ, but we gladly build on that foundation.

May we never replace Christ with an agenda or a methodology or a position. Rather, may our agendas, methodologies and positions be built as we focus on Him.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

07/28/2010
Not Importing
Facebook stopped importing my posts two weeks ago.

Sad times.

Finally found a way to submit a ticket today. Hopefully I can get this issue resolved soon. [If you're reading this on Facebook, I guess the issue got resolved <smile>]

Other than that, I ran into a DVD scripting roadblock this afternoon. I have so much more to learn about creating DVDs. It should be super cool if I can figure it out. But this is a whole new level of DVD production for me.

How's your life been going? Enjoying the summer?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

07/27/2010
Christianity Today
I thought this post--which contrasts pop Christianity with Scripture--was fascinating.

ThatMom

Now, I don't read much of anything that comes out of the Contemporary Christian Community, so I have no idea how "on the money" the post is when it comes to a particular ministry's/magazine's response to external criticism. So I can't speak to the validity of the post's final jabs at Christianity Today. But the tone of the fictitious comments rang true: Christian's today--myself too often included--fall off one side or the other as we pursue our pet ideas rather than Christ.

May we, as Christians today, learn to properly balance the message of the Gospel--sin and grace--so that we live in such a way that we accept right teaching and reject the wrong.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

07/26/2010
Your Favorite Commercial
I enjoy commercials. I don't like ads, but I enjoy commercials. The difference? In my mind, one is selling me something, the other is a fun way to tell me about something. Attempts to sell me something bother me because I'm not going to buy the thing. But I'm happy to have a laugh.

But I wonder: How many commercials are effective? I have yet to purchase something from the companies who produce my favorite commercials.

And that is one reason why--despite the fact that really enjoy this video from Old Spice--I won't be spoofing Old Spice for any Sonlight videos. Though, the thought did cross my mind.^*

But I did draw a picture of it:

Me in a Towel

Of course, there's nothing from Sonlight that has pictures of me in a towel. But I do show up in spandex in a couple MathTacular videos. You can see one such sample here (half-way down the page).

The concept that Old Spice has put together with these short videos responding to Tweets is fun. And I love the fact that he talks to his daughter in the aforementioned video. That little human touch is inspiring.

So what are you favorite commercials? And have you purchased anything from the brands that produce your favorites?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

^*Of course, there's also the issue of modesty. I'm guessing someone would have a problem with me hanging out in a towel, even if I'm no longer the "stumbling block" that I was back when I was a national level swimmer... <smile>

07/23/2010
Photo Contest Friday Reminder
You have a little over a week to get your photos in for the 2011 Sonlight Catalog Photo Contest. Remember: Even if you're not on the cover, this year's catalog is shaping up to be packed with photos and testimonials. It'd be awesome to have one of yours included.

So... what are you waiting for?

Find those photos, snap those pictures and submit them before the end of this month.

Me? I snapped a picture of my computer right as I was leaving for the weekend:

Weekend Rendering: No Touchy!

I leave a "No Touchy" sign when I have my computer working overtime. Not that people ever go into my cube, but I want someone to know what's going on if they walk past my computer and notice it's louder than usual. I certainly don't want someone shutting it off because they hear the fans going wild. No, my computer just gets really hot after 19 hours of running at 100%...

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

07/22/2010
The Agony and the Electricity
As I pull my car into my parking spot this morning, the cool morning air that flows through the open window is disrupted by a loud mechanical hum. The generator is running full bore.

I pull out my keys while juggling my lunch, the newspaper and some documents while opening the door. I am greeted by three alarms:

The keypad wants me to know it detected a "broken glass" sensation (a glitch that I was sure we'd fixed last week)

The fire panel hastily adds that the server AC unit lost power (at some point)

The time clock card swipey-thing urges me to replace it's battery

Wayne, our General Manager, has left me a message asking if the alarms had started when I had opened the building.

I call him back and then begin my day in earnest. I'm pushing to get MathTacular4 our for review by the end of the month.

A few hours later, I find out that we do not have internet access in the building, our ordering system is offline, and no one can chat, email or access their documents on the Sonlight network.

Oh my.

Thankfully, we regain internet connection so I can update Facebook with the news.

By lunchtime everything was working again. Of course, I still hear Kurt--our server/tech guy--talking to someone on the phone across the way. So, while sonlight.com is up and running, I think there's still more work to do.

Thank you for your prayers and patience as we wrestle with the great unknowns of technology and that mysterious force: Electricity.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

07/21/2010
Fascinating Things
We'd moved on.

In fact, we were in another room of the museum and, as usual, my dad still lingered over a plaque somewhere in the middle of the previous display. He was reading. He reads everything in museums. See, my dad, as I've noted before, absorbs knowledge like a sponge. Which is fantastic, unless you're ready to go home after a few hours at the museum and he's lagged behind. He finds everything absolutely fascinating.

Which can be annoying.

That said, what follows is something that fascinates me. I understand if it doesn't impress you: Business models. How do companies stay afloat? It often boggles my mind.

Sonlight's business model is rooted firmly in our commitment to provide you with a uniquely pleasurable approach to homeschooling.We do this by

gathering the best literature

packaging it together for you

creating detailed teaching resources and schedules

backing your purchase with an incredible guarantee

and then offering you a community and support as you educate your students.

Sweet, right?

Right.

But that's the foundation of Sonlight's business model. The way we can do everything I just mentioned is by making money. And we make money by selling books. Books which, in many cases, you could buy elsewhere. Now, we offer great reasons to buy our packages--including the fact that you could save money with Sonlight--but that doesn't mean everyone buys their books from us. Online book sellers keep their costs down by doing nothing more than sending you books. Sonlight does that and all the "leg work" as well.

So how do we make enough money to keep doing this year after year?

I don't know. But it fascinates me. And, in the end, even if I can work out all the calculations and careful considerations, ultimately the answer is: Sonlight continues to be able to serve you because of God's grace and your continued patronage.

Thank you.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

07/20/2010
Your Favorite Sonlight Program
What has been your favorite Sonlight program thus far?

And why?

...and have you left a review of that program on our website?

Just curious. <smile>

I can't pick a favorite package because, as a homeschool student, I never really thought about which Core I was using. I didn't care. I knew which books I was reading, which Math program I was using, the general topics we'd been covering, but I didn't care about the label.

Do your children know which Core they will be using next year?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

07/19/2010
5 Reasons to Talk About Sonlight
1. You love Sonlight.

What better reason to share something with someone else? I frequently share videos and blog posts I enjoy. I talk about my favorite technology with friends. I even mention Jesus from time to time. Books, too. Movies. Restaurants. ...so, talk about your favorite homeschool curriculum!

2. You have something to say.

There are many good reasons to love Sonlight, but your story is unique. Your experience is invaluable. Your insights are important. So, share them. What do you like about Sonlight? What didn't fit your family this year, and why? This will help other homeschoolers learn from your experiences.

3. You can help someone.

I frequently see questions that you could answer! But far more than simply answering questions, when you talk about Sonlight with friends, family, on your blog (etc) you help them on their home education journey. And helping people is great!

4. You get to give people a discount.

Include your Rewards ID on the card you hand a friend or in the URL you post on your website, and if you introduce someone brand new to Sonlight, they will get $5 off their first order of $50 or more. But that's not all...

5. You get a reward.

You also earn points toward discounts on your next Sonlight purchase. We love it when people talk about Sonlight, share Sonlight, post about Sonlight, mention Sonlight. ...so get your Rewards ID code and start reaping the benefits and sharing the love.

Seriously, if you haven't checked out Sonlight's Rewards Program, you should. You could get a discount for your friends--and yourself--while helping people discover a homeschooling approach they will love as much as you do!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

07/16/2010
Couch Potatoes and Outliers
Malcolm Gladwell in his book Outliers made a case for the link between 10,000 hours of practice and being an expert in something. It's a fascinating connection, and I've spent some time trying to figure out what I've put 10,000 hours into over the course of my life thus far. It's definitely something to consider.

I was reminded of this again today when I read Megan Dunham's article Addicted to Gaming. Kids these days, studies show, spend 10,000 playing video games and browsing the internet by the time they graduate high school.

Sounds pretty bad.

Until you read comment #7 (wish I could figure out how to link to it) which points out that 10,000 is less than a couple hours every day for fifteen years. And Facebook takes up a ton of that time. And considering the national average for TV consumption is twice that... well... <shrug>

Of course, there's also this.

I was thinking about going on to discuss pastimes of the past, hobbies, the reasons for "wasting time" as well as the many Biblical examples of people left out in the middle of nowhere for years--doing not much of anything. But that got cumbersome.

Instead, I was struck by just how little time 10,000 hours is. Consider:

If you've got a high schooler, you've likely spent well over 10,000 hours preparing meals.

Your husband hit that number in just 5 years of employment.

I put in close to 10,000 hours over the course of my sports career.

You'll be approaching that much time reading to your children when you become an Heirloom Member with Sonlight.

Sure, your children will be well on their educational journey, but I'm not an Olympian (not even close). While your husband is good at his job, it's likely he's not progressed to a level worthy of the tens of thousands of hours required to make him a success (as posited by Gladwell). And even though you've put all that time into feeding your family, not many of you have been asked to host a cooking show.

Right?

In other words, Gladwell is right to emphasize the many other factors that go into success (including "luck"). And while we certainly don't want to skip out on doing something we should be doing, I'm not going to blame my lack of success on the times I take a break.

Sure, a wise man once noted that a little laziness can bring poverty, but he also realized that time and chance happen to all of us.

So, please, don't let your kids become a couch potatoes. But, at the same time, please don't push them in the hopes that they become outliers. We need to find satisfaction in what we do. Follow where God leads. And rejoice in the rest and time God has given us... including the time to goof off.

What are you up to this weekend? Have any of your 10,000 hours paid off recently?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

07/15/2010
The Sonlight Experience
Incredulity bathes her face as she stares at me.

"You've never had a massage¹ before?!"

I shake my head. Brittany and I are celebrating our 5^th Anniversary and have sprung for a couple's massage. The room is dim. Soothing music drips in the background. Somewhere incense is smoldering. This place is all about the experience.

Brittany loved it. Me? It was nice. ...but let's just say that it's a good thing special events only roll around once in a while. My budget wouldn't handle much more. <smile>

When you visit Sonlight--via the web--we can't set the ambiance for your room. I can't make your computer suddenly smell like lavender. And we don't have the technology to work the knots out of your neck. No. Your Sonlight web experience has much more to do with how quickly we can help you find the right homeschool materials.

It's all about user experience (which, I learned today, is abbreviated UX). Melanie Seibert left us a wonderful message about how we were doing a good job. We did a little happy dance and felt fired up to make the site even better.

I thanked her for her kind words, and she immediately tweeted me back:

Thanks for Creating a Website that Works

Cloud nine. It was better than a massage (though Brittany may disagree).

We want your experience of Sonlight--both on the web and in your homeschool--a wonderful one. That's why we rely heavily on your feedback and reviews.

If you haven't swung by to tell us what you thought about your most recent Sonlight program, we'd love to know what worked and what we could do to improve your experience.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

¹There are words that tend confuse me:

County ...too much like Country

Demands ...too much like Demons

Clever ...too much like Cleaver

Angle ...too much like Angel

Massage ...too much like Message

For whatever reason, I find myself triple-checking those words.

07/14/2010
Homeschool Help if You're New to Sonlight
Do any of these describe you?

New to the homeschooling scene

First year with Sonlight

Trying to find tips, ideas, encouragement and suggestions as you begin your home education journey

Wish you didn't feel so alone on this homeschool adventure

Have a few questions as you think about starting your year

Feeling a little "out of your depth"

Great news!

When you purchase your first complete Sonlight package (Core or Newcomer), you are eligible to take part in the by-invitation-only New Instructor's Forum. This is the place to get your questions answered, ideas you're looking for, encouragement you need along with mentoring as you begin homeschooling with Sonlight.

If you purchased more than few weeks ago, you probably already got your invitation. If you ordered your curriculum, say, yesterday, your invitation should come soon.

"Umm, Luke?"

"Yes?"

"What if I, hypothetically, deleted that message? Or it ended up in my junk folder? Or I, you know, otherwise somehow lost said email? How do I get in to the New Instructor's Forum?"

So glad you asked!

All you need to do--after becoming a new Sonlight user--is drop a quick email to forumadmin@sonlight-forums.com and request access. Our Forum Administrator will be thrilled to get you connected to this incredible resource.

...

What's that, you say? You're not new to Sonlight but you still have questions?

...

But of course we've got resources for you as well!

Naturally, you can get great assistance on the Sonlight Forums. But if you want some one-on-one help thinking through your next year of homeschooling, a Sonlight Advisor may be your best bet.

You're not alone. You have many resources to help you as you begin--or continue--homeschooling with Sonlight.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

07/13/2010
Making Sonlight Better
The room is still.

Twenty minutes from now there will be raised voices--almost shouting--as we hash out our ideas and passionately defend our positions. My pulse will be throbbing in my neck. My stomach will be in knots. We'll be in the thick of it then.

But in this moment, silence.

All eyes look to me as I've just been given the floor to start the meeting. I forget to start with prayer--perhaps related to the above?--and instead jump right in: "Well, umm, let's look at the mockups I've tossed up online. What do you think of this?"

Slowly the meeting picks up speed. We're discussing how we're going to present Sonlight's Core Packages in the upcoming year. How do we make it clearer that our homeschool curriculum packages aren't grade specific? How do we help customers find what will be best for their homeschool? How have the current methods confused people, and how do we remove that confusion?

The hours tick by.

This is hard.

Besides meetings that feel eternal, we also turn to website data (including your feedback). We test things. We tweak things. And often, we're surprised by the results. In fact, right now we're running a split test on performance for our curriculum page. And the page we were all sure was going to win by a mile is losing by more than 2%.

What?

We're diligently working to make Sonlight better, but we need wisdom beyond our years. Your prayers for us that we would make right decisions and come up with more ways to better serve the home education needs of families around the world are most appreciated. Especially since, too often, I forget to pray for it myself.

Thanks for partnering with us in prayer and participation.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

07/12/2010
Study Your Bible
Daily devotions. Quiet time. Spending time in God's Word.

Something we're supposed to do, right?

Right.

I read a chapter out loud every morning to Brittany--who is still mostly asleep. If the chapter is long, I stop halfway through. If I miss a morning, I don't sweat it. I tend to start in Genesis and go straight through to Revelation. Then, start again. It's a simple reading program and I'm surprised how quickly we get through the Bible this way.

Sure, it's no "read the Bible in a year because then you're really holy" plan, but I've been consistent. And it's been good.

Mostly.

A few years ago, however, I shrugged off the uneasy feeling that I wasn't getting much out of this spiritual discipline. 'I want to know more about the Bible,' I complained to myself. 'I wonder what tools I should be using?'

I spent about four days regularly reading a few columns in my Bible Background Commentary. It was interesting, but it wasn't quite working. Reading the dictionary is interesting too, but it's so disjointed that the stuff just falls out of my head.

So I stopped before all my brains fell out. <smile>

Then yesterday, over lunch, I got talking with my dad about Scripture. He mentioned that there are--at least--two ways to read the Bible: Devotionally and critically. Growing up in church, I was told it was important to read the Bible devotionally. Read and meditate. Let it permeate my soul and change me. Cool. Mystical. Good. But... lacking something.

That "something" is criticism, scholarship, study. I loved my Bible classes in college which tore open well-known passages to show even more depth and information and ideas. Concepts I didn't even know were in question opened into an incredibly wide world of fascinating truths and uncertainties. The Bible was alive again! And looking closer, it really was incredibly sharp.

And then I went back to reading a chapter a day, like a good boy, and that fire dissipated. Devotionals are good, and I'll keep with my reading plan, but I want more.

So here's my question:

Where can I find daily study tools? Do you know of a "365 day introduction to Biblical literary criticism" resource? Something that keeps it short, to the point, because if it's too much work I'm likely to stop doing it. I'm just sayin'.

A blog, perhaps?

Because, while I firmly believe in the importance of "being in the Word"--Sonlight schedules Bible reading every day in our programs--I'm at a place in life where I'd like to get back to where I was in Bible classes: Learning more about the depth of Scripture.

What tools do you use for Bible study?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

07/09/2010
Jumping the Gun
I only false started once in my swimming career.

I didn't actually dive into the water. In fact, I didn't even start. I got into the ready position and... in the moments before the gun went off... twitched.

It was sad times.

On a much less unhappy note, I recently got the latest newsletter from Mission India. I was surprised to see the following:

Mission India: Sonlight Rice Bag Project

They're ready to go. And while this is definitely jumping the gun--seeing as we're months away from launching our next Giving Opportunity--I can't let Mission India be that far ahead of me. I'm Sonlight's blogger, for cryin' out loud!

<grin>

So, while there is very little information as of yet, if you're interested, please swing by the site to learn more about Sonlight's Giving Opportunities.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

07/08/2010
The Places Production Takes You (take 2)

Recording Audio Fixes

After finding a location close to a busy road but far away from rustling leaves, laughing children, barking dogs and construction sounds, Amber and I recorded another audio fix for MathTacular4.

We did a similar thing back in August of 2009.

We've been working on this project on and off for a long... long time. But I'm hoping to get it done soon so we can include it in next year's Catalog. Speaking of the Catalog, you are gathering your favorite pictures and testimonials, right?

With that, just a little reminder: I'd love to see some short video clips too!

I'm just sayin'.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

07/07/2010
Testing Stuff: Metacognition and Character
"I have to read this to you!"

She's already in bed, happily browsing the internet with the iPod I got her for Christmas. "It turns out that rats have metacognition!"

She's ecstatic. This latest insight gives her even more reason to love Rambo the Rat, happily consuming his dinner pellet in his cage in the basement below us. He may be able to determine his knowledge of a subject--like "is this edible?"--but he doesn't care much about that skill. He just wants to know if anyone is going to swing by to give him seconds.

Brittany and Rambo

I smile at my wife. "How'd you find that?"

"I googled 'do rats have metacognition?' and it's the second one down."

"Ah."

Scientists have known about this for three years now. But I've only been aware of it for about 18 hours. Still, it got me thinking: What kinds of things do we think about thinking about?

Character.

My mom presents something at one of Sonlight's large group prayer meetings every month. This morning she talked about how we teach character. She recently read The Wisdom of Pixar by Robert Velarde (who works 10 feet from me once a week here at Sonlight). She was inspired by the book's presentation of virtue and talked about how stories seem to be the best way to teach goodness. Christ, she noted, used many parables when He walked the earth.

And this is why Sonlight has no formal tools to teach character.

<gasp>

That's because we, like the scientists developing clever ways of testing metacognition in rats, are more interested in what our children think about virtue than their ability to recreate pat answers on worksheets.

Read more about this reason NOT to buy Sonlight...

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

07/06/2010
4 Ways to Beat Summer Boredom
My July is dedicated to finishing MathTacular4.

Whether I meet that goal or not has yet to be seen.

The point: I'm not going to be bored this month. At least, not while here at work. But once I get home, things slow down. My brain is fried so I don't feel like doing anything. But the evening stretches on, so I have to find something to do. Sometimes the thought passes through my mind: Maybe I should just stay at Sonlight a while longer at get further on MathTacular...

Brittany wouldn't be okay with that. So, I head home, and lounge around. Sometimes, I'll admit, I feel bored. Or lethargic. Or both.

So here are four ways I plan to beat my summer boredom:

Start a Project
The "brown paper bag floor" test turned out so great we're going to do the rest of the basement area with it. That means I need to tear and crumple a ton of paper so Brittany can glue it down. Nothing like a mindless task while vegging out to a documentary, podcast or movie.

Go for a Walk
I know physical activity does not sound like fun at the end of the day. But a nice comfortable walk with someone you love can be very nice. Especially if you've been cooped up inside all day.

Read
Have a few Read-Alouds left over from one of your Sonlight programs? Now would be a great time to gather round and read. If you're not feeling up to it, get someone else in the family to do the reading. Great books are a fantastic way to spend your time together.

Watch Something
There are a many fantastic documentaries and educational videos that are well worth watching. But I don't always feel in the mood for that. So, frequently, you can catch me watching something frivolous and fun. And I'm okay with that. I also sometimes watch my wife or best friend carry out some incredible conquest in their favorite game. If you're not a gamer but have children who are, try watching over their shoulder. You may still decide that EverWorld of Halo Theft Fantasy Gears Island VII isn't for you, but I've discovered I enjoy watching skilled gamers in their element. You may also discover a new point of connection. The great part about this suggestion: It fits in nicely with #1.

What do you do for fun over the summer when you're fried at the end of the day?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

07/05/2010
Happy 4th!

Happy 4th

Due to the holiday, Sonlight is closed today.

We had fireworks in the rain by our house last night.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

07/02/2010
13 Ways to Keep On Top of Your Day
As a child, I never paid attention to schedules. I had a routine, and that worked for me. I knew I had to go to swimming at a certain time. I knew that we left for Awanas after dinner. I knew when church started on Sundays. But the rest of the time: I was free. Well, I was free from the worry of time restraints. I still had to do the work my mom told me to do <smile>.

Public high school changed that.

Suddenly my day was ruled by 90 minute blocks of time denoted by a shrill bell. Ten minutes later, I had to be in an entirely new location ready with the right textbook and binder on my desk. Assignments were now arbitrary and constantly in flux. Events shifted regularly. I had to keep track of it all.

So I used the handy day planner I was given. This I dutifully filled with cryptic scribbled commands. "p22 1-13 odd" I also discovered the joy of crossing off completed work.

A few years into keeping a schedule, I decided it was time to join the nineties. I convinced my parents that I would benefit from owning a Palm. I didn't, but I felt cool for a while.

Then, in college, my PDA died.

My watch soon followed.

There I was, taking a full load of college credits, without a single scheduling tool.

And it felt great!

I was free.

I still don't own a watch. But back in 2008 I got my first cellular telephone which can tell me the time. But mostly, I just go off memory for stuff.

Which is why I miss our young marrieds group meetings so often. <cough>

How do you keep track of your schedule?

As we look toward the future of scheduling and homeschooler's needs, I'd really appreciate your feedback here. Please let me know by "voting" in the poll above.

If you don't see the poll on Facebook, please swing by the SonlightBlog to give your answer. Thanks!

I appreciate it.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

07/01/2010
Some Days I Don't Feel Very Productive
Today was one of those days.

Beat Head Against Wall

The website, as of right now, seems to be fairly stable. We're still looking into what was causing the problems.

<sigh>

If you missed this from my Other Posts of Note yesterday, I highly recommend you watch it. It will brighten your day (even if yours has been frustration free):

The Dad Life

Karen Campbell

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

06/30/2010
June in Pictures
Sonlight T-Shirt Design Contest winner, Amanda R. and family:

Barb, Joe, Joe Jr, Matt
Sherrie, Sarah, Amanda

Balloons at the entrance to the Sonlight Expo.

Sonlight Banner at the Picnic.

How cool is this? Sonlight Water

Raffle Tickets

Kids Played in the Fountain

We Ate Some Food

...and Some Cookies

I Got a Little Footage

John Read to the Kids

All in all, a very successful month of celebrating 20 years. You can also see a few clips from people who swung through for our Sonlight tours on our customer quotes page.

But today... well... today hasn't been so good. At least, not for our website:

Sonlight.com

We're sorry for any frustration and inconvenience this has caused. We're working on resolving the issue. Please note that we are extending the Price Lock and Time Payment Options through tomorrow (July 1, 2010).

The busy season is definitely upon us:

Boxes

Thank you all for continued support, encouragement, patience and prayers as we continue to strive to offer you the best home education materials in the world.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

06/29/2010
PSA: Time Out!
I love the little voice at the beginning of DC Talk's "Time Is..." that says, "Time out!"

Cracks me up.

It also brings me back to the days when I was homeschooling, hanging out with friends, going to Awana and the like. I actually purchased the audio cassette tape of Free At Last with the "Talents"--Awana money--I'd earned by memorizing Scripture. First big purchase of my life.

Speaking of purchasing and time running out:

Tomorrow, June 30 is the last day of this catalog year to get in on the 6-month Time Payment option.

It's also the last day to take advantage of our price lock. While the curriculum package prices will remain the same, individual items will now adjust with the market as publishing houses raise their rates.

Just letting you know.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

06/28/2010
Tells Us Why You Love Sonlight

Send Me Your Clips!

You probably discovered Sonlight because someone told you about it. Even today, more than half of those new to Sonlight were introduced by Sonlighters like you. In other words: That fact that you tell people you love Sonlight is the biggest reason we're still around after 20 Years.

We are so grateful for your enthusiasm, we started the Sonlight Rewards Program.

And that's why I'm starting this. We have an incredible response to our Photo Contest and I'd like to move beyond that to video testimonials. Your stories are the most powerful way we can reach new Sonlighters. Because what we say about us doesn't matter much. What our customers think is what matters. So, please: Share.

The steps:

Introduce yourself and talk about why you love Sonlight
(do not include your last name)

Upload that video to YouTube

Send me a link to the video
(leave it in a comment and/or email me)

Questions, comments, concerns? Let me know. Thanks!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

P.S. Want to know more about the giving opportunities I mentioned in the video above? Learn more about our 2009 giving project here.

06/25/2010
Enjoy Your Weekend
It's been a long week of filming stuff (cool stuff I hope to share with you soon-ish^*).

The Sonlight Picnic is tomorrow, so this week isn't over yet. I look forward to seeing you there if you're able to make it. Food, fun, food, friends, food...

If not, I'll see you Monday!

Have a great weekend.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

06/24/2010
Sonlight Includes Bible
Every Sonlight Core includes Bible. Here's how it's currently stated for the Core programs:

Bible readings and weekly Scripture memory assignments are included in every Core Instructor's Guide, along with the Biblically-based comments you'll find throughout every Sonlight Core. If your family follows the Sonlight plan, you will cover almost the entire Bible once every five or six years.

In addition to Bible reading, we also assign a variety of books from apologetics to Bible study methods to spiritual classics. Our goal is to encourage students to grow in their faith and equip them to follow Christ in whatever He calls them to do.

(Scripture readings and memory work are included in every Core. Supplemental Bible Study books are optional in Cores K-5 and are automatically included in Cores 6-400.)

We've realized that our consist mention of "optional Bible materials" has caused some people to think that we don't include Bible in our homeschool curriculum.

That's not the case.

So, to alleviate this confusion, I need to go through the website and change the wording: Sonlight's optional Bible resources will soon^* be labeled "additional Bible resources" to better convey the truth: Sonlight includes Bible in every one of our Core programs and, if you like, we offer you additional tools for further Bible study.

We have "additional" Bible programs. Our scheduled Bible elements are "optional" in the sense that every subject or assignment is optional: We don't make you do it <smile>.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

^*"Soon" is a relative term. <smile>

06/23/2010
Seeking Information
Overview
Features
Technical Specifications
Accessories

"Where are the Reviews?" I ask my computer since no one else is there to help.

I scroll back to the top of the page. Then down again. And suddenly, in the midst of looking for more information about a totally sweet-awesome camera I'm interested in, it hits me: Perhaps this is why people seek information anywhere but the company's main webpage.

This reality has been bothering me for a few weeks now. As I meander the internet, I consistently bump into questions about Sonlight. "Which Core should I choose for my student?" "Does Sonlight have a Psychology program?" "I'd like to buy my math from Sonlight, but I'm not sure they carry any." And on and on...

Now, I'm thrilled that there are answers to be had for these fine folks. Still, in the back of my mind this little voice keeps shouting, "Why aren't you asking this on Sonlight.com!?"

And last night I think I figured part of it out: Company websites are typically incredibly unhelpful. What's even closer to home: For all our efforts, there are still a great many things we could do to improve our own website. In short, if you're looking for specific information it's best to look elsewhere. Random forums that have little--or nothing--to do with the company or product, social media sites, blogs ...all have a higher chance of getting you the specifics you're looking for. Or, at least, that's my impression of the general impression of the general populace.

And since you're here on my blog, allow me to direct your attention to a few key areas of Sonlight's website:

Do you have questions about choosing or using Sonlight? Can't figure out which program would be right for you? Need someone to bounce your ideas off? Want to know more details about a particular home education product?
Chat with one of our Sonlight Curriculum Advisors.

You can find customer reviews on almost all of our product pages.
Don't forget: We'd love your reviews too!

And, at any point during your visit to the Sonlight^&reg website, please send us your ideas as to how we can make it better by clicking on the "What Bugs You" Bug.

Thanks!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

06/22/2010
Share Some Love

Equanimity: composure: steadiness of mind under stress

Brought to you by Tammy Takahashi

I saw this video. It made me smile.
A goofy grin. A tearful child.
Such good and love and openness,
Acceptance, grace; things often missed.
No matter where your day has been,
Up on a cloud / down in the den,
Please take this in our brotherhood;
Siblings in the King of Fatherhood.

Free Hugs

Warren Baldwin

<hug>

It's looking to be another long week, and free hugs are proving to be some very beautiful things.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

06/21/2010
Take a Stand - Part II
This post is for continued dialog. Read Part I and comments here.

So much good stuff, I decided that answering in a post made the most sense. That way it's easier to comment on my comments and makes my super long responses a little more accessible. ...at least, that's the hope. <smile>

First things first: Thanks for popping in here, everyone! I love reading your thoughts, ideas and insights.

For those requesting something other than Apologia, I've put in another word to Product Development that we need to be on the lookout for another science program. Thanks for the feedback!

Now I'm going to try to express myself better, Mrs. C. I knew I wasn't going to get away without miscommunicating something. Good thing it was with a good friend <smile>.

"So... people who believe the Bible is absolutely literally true and teach their children accordingly are out to INDOCTRINATE their children, not educate them?"

Not at all! Well... that's not what I was trying to say in this post. I'm sure there are some out there who do... just like some on the old earth or evolution side. My point is that Sonlight is dedicated to offering homeschool resources to help you tackle all subjects, including the sticky ones. Now, as I expressed in the post: I believe that a great way to not indoctrinate is to educate by going over both sides of an issue. Explain what you believe and why, and be willing to look at why others disagree with you. That's education. And that's great, no matter where you come down.

And, besides, Sonlight's materials still lean very heavily toward young earth. <smile>

As for the connection to the Pearls, Lynn pretty much nailed it. Sonlight does not carry any of the Pearl's materials--to my knowledge. But when the call came out, I felt I needed to respond. Obviously there was evil done, but how should an education company respond? By asking people to seek to learn and not just buy ideas hook, line and sinker. I know many people who have used their materials with, as far as I can tell, great success. That's because they take the good and reject the bad. And we should all do that with everything we encounter. But should Sonlight really take a stand on one side or another of this issue? I don't think so. Not because this isn't important. But rather that our role is to help you educate your kids, not dictate what or how you do that.

In an effort to educate as much as I could, I included many posts about the death of this little girl in my Other Posts of Note during that time. Since then, the topic has quieted down and I think very important things were discussed and expressed. So, I try to pass on material that educates. What you make of it, or do with it is up to you.

I'll also add: It goes without saying that you should not abuse children.

"If one doesn't present various viewpoints EQUALLY, one is indoctrinating? I don't buy that."

I don't buy that either. It has nothing to do with equality. Education is about learning, indoctrination is about enforcing/dismissing. As long as we maintain a humble attitude and seek to understand where others come from--and in so doing we can better express where we are coming from--we will be learning. It's a position, a style, an approach. This issue has very little to do with amount of time spent on one side or another. And, remember, I totally understand that we must all pick our battles. We simply don't have time to research and present all ideas equally well. Every time we teach something we take time from another opportunity. That's life. May we have the grace to walk in that and the wisdom to do so well.

And, Lynn, I love my job <smile>. I just wish I had more wisdom and grace in my writing.

TC, the Sonlight Forums have been... well.. fascinating and frustrating. We have spent a ton of time trying to make them helpful and inviting. Unfortunately, we get push-back from all sides. We strive to do the right thing, and we ask for grace when we have been unable to do that perfectly. I'm guessing you missed the most recent, er... event? We have started enforcing some policies and, far as I've heard, things are better there. <shrug> For what it's worth...

That is a good point, Diane. However, Sonlight is an education company, not a parenting company. And, as I noted above: Abuse of children is simply wrong. That is evident. What isn't so evident is where the Pearl's misguide people and why. Reading the dozens of posts around that time was fascinating and by no means conclusive. I've personally written about the things I find dangerous with some of the Pearl's teachings, but I doubt Sonlight will ever go there. Those issues are much more grounded in theology, philosophy and psychology and are best left to those who spent their efforts following those pursuits.

Hope Anne, I will gladly say it: Child abuse is wrong! Don't do it! Beating children to death--or nearly so--is wrong. Absolutely. If following the Pearl's teachings leads you to that, don't ever read any of their things again. It's not worth it.

Becky, you're right that many of these issues can become matters of salvation and undermine faith in Christ. There is much work still to be done by persons on all sides to determine how these data and interpretations influence what we believe and how we respond to it. Absolutely. But, just for fun, let's take the idea of death for a moment. I see at least two ways to think of death: 1. Physical demise, and 2. Damnation. I think the fact that things physically expired prior to the Fall is evident in Scripture: Genesis 2:16ff. Adam and Eve ate fruit. Fruit is part of a living organism. For the food to be nourishing to Adam and Eve, the living cells of the plant must have died and been broken down for their system to gain nutrients. In fact, it is entirely possible that had Adam and Eve stopped eating of the Tree of Life prior to the Fall they would have died then. So, in my mind, while it is clear that the Fall introduced spiritual death and separation from God, physical death--on at least a plant level--was already there. In other words: These are absolutely important issues with far-reaching ramifications. But the details are still fuzzy enough to warrant more education.

Which is incredibly fun! There's more to learn! There are more opportunities! We have not yet learned it all.

How cool is that? Pretty cool.

Thoughts?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

06/18/2010
How a Great Education Hinders You
I believe I had a great education. I had an incredible foundation built upon Sonlight. I broadened my perspective in public high school. I absorbed the University world. I knew my stuff.

But a troubling thought kept nagging the back of my mind. I had completely failed to demonstrate my great education again and again. The most notable example was when we were playing a game of Password in high school. I was the one guessing the word and my friend, Joey, gave me the clue word mandible. The other team groaned. They tried to argue that that was cheating because you couldn't give the password in your clue. The moderator let it stand and Joey looked at me expectantly.

I was completely blank. "I have no idea," I said.

"WHAT!?!" Joey was incredulous. "This is so obvious," my team assured me.

But I had no idea what a mandible was. My great homeschool education had left out this crucial piece of information and now my team was going to lose a game of Password because of my ignorance. I don't get embarrassed easily, but I'm pretty sure I turned bright red. I was humiliated. I had failed.

Perhaps it's just me, but I want to defend the fact that my homeschool education was a great one. In so doing I will occasionally turn down an opportunity to learn something in order to save face. I'll let the unknown word roll by. I won't ask for clarification. I'll let the pride in my "great education" suppress the very thing that makes my Sonlight-based education so great: A natural, life-long love of learning.

My dad does not have this problem at all. He soaks in knowledge and always has questions. As a kid I found this embarrassing. "Come on, dad!" I'd want to say. "You're smarter than that!"

How wrong I was. My dad is as educated as he is because he freely admits where he is ignorant. By doing so he learns more than ever and becomes even more educated.

The heart of my response is too often pride. My dad's incredible humility has made him one of the most informed people I know. I'm slowly beginning to realize that a truly great education is one that leaves you open to learning more. My self-serving defense of my education is actually a disservice to me and my learning.

Sonlight gave me a great education because I love to learn. From this day forward I purpose to no longer let the defense of my great education get in the way of what made my education great.

Just like my dad.

Happy Father's Day!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

06/17/2010
Why Sonlight Won't Take a Stand
This post has been a long time in coming. And yet, I still don't feel qualified to write it. So I'm stating this up front: I don't feel wise enough to say this perfectly. I would love to hear your thoughts and continue the dialog.

The first time I felt prompted to write about this topic was after reading Karen Campbell's call to say, "This is wrong and it must stop." I immediately started writing a response, but after three days of not saying it correctly, I gave up.

Then, yesterday, I read a forum thread which asked Sonlight to stop riding the fence about young earth/old earth. Again, I started writing. But I ran out of time and brain power.

Today, I hope to finally post something on this topic.

Let us begin this discussion by reviewing a few of the Reasons NOT to Buy Sonlight:

We believe you should introduce your children to the difficult subjects.

We want to encourage students to think critically and to act with gracious humility toward those who hold differing views.

Sonlight's broad vision, at points, may irritate you.

That's a very solid foundation for why Sonlight isn't likely to stamp our foot down on one side of a line or another. Not because we don't believe strongly about a great many things, but that we stick closely to our company mission and vision. Sonlight exists to serve you in your home education. We're not here to tell you what to think, believe or do.

Which leads to another phrase that we often use within the building:
We're here to educate, not indoctrinate.

Certain teachers seem bent on swaying us to their side, their method, their view. Some ideas seem to shield themselves off from criticism by repeating the mantra, "We're right, you're wrong." Both of these approaches, while certainly effective, feel very counter-educational to me. We're here to provide you with tools that will enable you to learn. How you use those tools is entirely up to you.

Beyond all this, I think there is enough ambiguity in this world that taking a stand on certain issues just doesn't feel right. I know it didn't for my dad. For many years Sonlight explicitly took a stand on the young earth side. Then, in 1999:

1999 Catalog Statement

That year, in our Instructor's Guides, my dad shared his journey and research. Sonlight's curriculum didn't really change, but our approach and stance took on a much more humble and open tone.

Why?

Because of the reasons stated above. We want to give you the best information we can find and leave it up to you. We want to present both sides because we believe that coming down on one side doesn't serve you the best. And because the research we conduct has proved to be less and less conclusive.

I don't want Sonlight to ever become a company that does what one of my Bible professors did to me: He gave me a C on a paper simply because I disagreed with him on one point. Even worse, rather than trying to educate me, he took the time to write five paragraphs berating me for the audacity I had to dare disagree.

Ridiculous.

I somehow still ended up with an A in the class. <smile> And Sonlight, way back in 1999, demonstrated one more aspect I love about this company: We listen to feedback and continue to try to learn more ourselves. Because, honestly, what good is an education company that doesn't continue to educate itself?

So, why doesn't Sonlight take a stand on certain issues? Because we're an education company dedicated to serving you with the best home education materials out there. We believe you should work through these sticky subjects with your students--when appropriate--so they can go out into the world and be winsome ambassadors for Christ. And if you don't like that, then perhaps, just perhaps, Sonlight's not for you.

... <deep breath> ...

Thoughts?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

06/16/2010
Wordless Wednesday: Getting Ready for the Weekend

Greg on a 30 Foot Sonlight Banner

Mark and Greg Demonstrating the Scale

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

06/15/2010
Three Things About Christian Companies
1. Companies aren't people.
I really appreciate what Jill said: "I don't think a company can be Christian." Such a good point. Christianity is about following Christ, and businesses can't really do anything on their own. However, companies are run by people. And people can, in their businesses, set them up with the purpose of honoring Christ and expanding His Kingdom.

And I get the vibe that we love companies whose owners/operators seek to follow and honor Christ. <smile>

Unfortunately:
2. "Christian" can mean "back away quickly!"
Too often "Christian" organizations do not honor Christ. Here are three ways this commonly happens:

Be "nice" instead of wise
I know people who have worked for Christian organizations which kept dealing with really terrible people because that's the "Christian thing to do." Personally, I'd rather take Jesus' words in Matthew 10:16 to heart.

Break rules "for Jesus"
On the opposite side, too many Christians think they can get away with proverbial murder because they're Christian. Somehow "good causes" justify terrible actions. This is ridiculous.

Push a (not so) hidden agenda
Preach the Gospel? Great! Seek to serve others around the globe? Fantastic. Love people? Absolutely. Conduct business with integrity and good stewardship? Love it. But, with annoying frequency, too many Christian organizations have a far less God-honoring focus. Much like the religious schisms of history, these groups reject large sections of the Body of Christ. This seems counter to what we should be doing. Granted, we need to watch our doctrine, but out of that comes much division. We're too often missing the love Christ talks about. Stick with your stated goals.

Still...

3. Christian businesses support good world-wide.
Several responses to yesterday's post mentioned the great things some Christian businesses have been involved with. These businesses take their hard-earned profits and give them away to causes and opportunities that bless people all over the world and change lives.

Awesome.

Sonlight is a Christian homeschool curriculum company. We strive to run our business in ways that glorify Christ, and so we label Sonlight a "Christian company." We do this through our Stewarship efforts which include things like giving to missions, pursuing ecologically-wise practices and taking great care of employees (read more).

We seek to promote truth as we provide you with remarkable, literature-rich, internationally-focused homeschool curriculum. The end result of which, we hope, will help you nurture enthusiastic, life-long learners who are motivated and equipped to follow Christ wherever He leads and in whatever He calls them to do.

Sound like something you're interested in? Check out Sonlight's Newcomer Packages.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

06/14/2010
Your Favorite Christian Companies?
Sonlight is a Christian company. But what does that mean? What does it mean to be a Christian company?

I've been kicking around some ideas myself, but I'm interested in what you think.

What Christian companies/groups do you love?

What makes them "Christian"?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

06/11/2010
Sonlight Ultra Microscope
It had appeared as if out of thin air.

A microscope sat on the corner of my desk. Not just any microscope, at that. A Sonlight^&reg Ultra Microscope.

Why was it there?

We needed a new product shot, and I was the man for the job. (I've become quite adept at cutting out product photos over the years.)

So, what's new?

Sonlight Logo

The Sonlight^&reg Ultra Microscope finally has a Sonlight logo on the front <smile>. Which is cool, but hardly an upgrade worthy of purchasing a second microscope.

Unless, of course, you needed a second microscope for your home...

Have a great weekend, friends!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

06/10/2010
Testing, Tracking and Time
I never enjoyed taking standardized tests. Didn't like them while homeschooled. Didn't like them in high school. But I tended to like the results because, well... I did well. The numbers were mostly encouraging and a nice reminder that I was learning. Or, rather, that I was "successful" in whatever schools consider success.

Now that I'm here at Sonlight, I participate in another kind of test. Today the tests aren't about how well I spell "accouterments" or can compute 1,902 - 847... now I track how well my posts affect you. How many people clicked my links? Did anyone comment? Did anyone buy anything?

Not that I blog to make money. That'd be lame, and I think my posts would reflect that. On the other hand, if I couldn't come up with a single testable/trackable method of measuring my efforts, I doubt Sonlight would let me continue doing this for very long. I may trick them for a couple years, but eventually someone here would catch on that I'm having way too much fun <smile>.

Testing and tracking are not the end-all of what we do. We're not interested in merely having our children graduate with honors. We want more from our students. We want them to be great people who go out and do great things in this world.

But much like clicks and sales and comments connected with this blog, so grades and scores and percentiles can help give us an idea of how well we're doing. How effective has the time we've invested been? Do these numbers/stats/marks indicate something else we should emphasize for a bit?

All that to say: Testing and tracking should been seen as tools to help us spend our time more effectively.

Today, I'd like to highlight:

Core 3

Given that this post is all about tracking results, the question before you is this:

Will you click the link, or not? <smile>

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

06/09/2010
Updating Curriculum
She stands in the racks of her university's book store.

Livid.

The latest edition of her textbook is out. It's $159. She can't use the old edition because they rearranged the chapters and swapped out a few charts and graphs to make it impossible for her to follow along in her course syllabus. In short: She has to spend the money even though the publishers added almost no new content to the text.

Textbook Buy-Back Day^*

That scene plays out in campuses across our nation every year. Educational texts are tweaked, re-colored, monkeyed-with enough to make resale unwise and ultimately frustrating, but not really updated.

I flipped through a textbook that was three editions beyond the one I had used years ago. I was unable to discern any new content. There may have been some... somewhere... but I'm not sure it warranted three complete versions.

Sonlight updates every year as well.

We do our best to make money (so we can stay in business and keep doing good things as well as support you). But we don't update just to make money. We update our homeschool programs to make them better. One of the powerful tools for making stuff better is all the amazing feedback we get from you.

(Hint, hint: We'd love your feedback on the program you've been using this year. <smile>)

On the other hand, we firmly believe in the quality of our programs. We want you to reuse your Core as many times as you need to. That's why we encourage you to purchase as many sets of consumables as you're likely to need. In five years we may no longer carry the little elements you need for your next student. But if you have the consumables you need, the Sonlight program you purchase today will still be an excellent resource for you and your family.

How many times have you reused a Sonlight program in your homeschool?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

^*I once brought 13 books to a textbook buy-back day. After looking them over, they offered me 50 cents for the pile. I replied, "I'd get more value from burning them."

06/08/2010
Empty Chairs and Empty Tables
[title link here]

I look down at the speedometer and smile. "In the future of Alas, Babylon, cars are so fast they have to stretch out the signs a quarter mile so people can read them."

My wife looks at me quizzically.

"There's this part where the character is really in a hurry and floors it. ...getting up to 75 miles per hour. I just matched that."

A standard sized--and easily legible--sign whips past her window. I can't see Brittany's reaction in the dark, but I hope she's amused.

"You just can't predict the future, can you."

It's 4:07 this morning. I'm taking Brittany and the girls to the airport. The time has come for the girls to go home. And now, after over six months of booster seats and bibs, after a goodbye party with the family last night, we're left with:

Empty Chairs and Empty Tables

People have asked me how I feel about it. I wish I could say, but I can't, for two reasons:

I don't know what I'm feeling, and I'm guessing it's going to take a long while to decompress and let my mind muddy through the murky waters.

I don't feel good about it at all. But not because of some, "Oh, I miss them so," kind of sentiment. Something much less happy. And that, my friends, is going to take a long time for me to formulate a response that isn't completely negative.

How terrible is that?

Let me tell you: It feels pretty terrible. Much like the part in the song above: "[We] sang about tomorrow / And tomorrow never came."

But tomorrow did come this morning. It's just a present we never expected when we looked to the future a couple years ago. "Don't ask me what [this] sacrifice was for. / Empty chairs and empty tables..."

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

06/07/2010
To Have and to Hold and to Read
"To simplify things, I may just order 500 copies of Kama Sutra. Hopefully this will get my kids into college."

That quip is posted in the comments to the article Growing up With Books Boosts Child's Education Attainment. And the jab is justified: The mere possession of a large number of books is not going to raise one's academic abilities. That much is true.

But it's also true, according to the study, that those who grow up in a household with 500 books do much better in school than those who don't have nearly as many.

Why?

Obviously, for whatever the reasons, households with tons of books are the kind of environment where more learning happens. The cause isn't the ownership of books. Even so, there is a correlation. And as Amber Naslund observes in point #5 of this post:

Cause and Correlation are different. [But] correlation can be just as valuable in terms of justifying our efforts. [W]e're not conducting science experiments. We're simply trying to understand what helps and what hinders.

And growing up in a household with a large home library helps. Plain and simple. Though, the bits and pieces that make up this reality are, I'm sure, incredibly complex and convoluted.

In short: You should buy complete Sonlight packages right now to start building a huge home library!

<cough>

Right. Sorry, the sales rep inside broke out for a minute there. The point is this: There appears to be a correlation between owning books and a solid education. Sonlight promotes owning books and strives to give you a solid education through said books. Therefore, Sonlight is a fantastic option. In fact, Sonlight is the best homeschool option... though it may not be for you.

But as the comments which started out this post illuminate: Simply having means little. You have to do something too. This is particularly relevant to this blog because earlier today I was greeted by the following:

Blogger is Unavailable

Sure, I have a blog--or nine--but having them is merely the first step to allowing me to connect with you. I need my blog to be available so I can write a post. And I'm grateful that, after several hours, I was able to do just that.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

06/04/2010
Watching Agendas
I watched the pilot of a show last night. While the show was enjoyable overall, it was annoying to see the typical stereotypes regurgitated once again. Most notably for this blog: There was a homeschooled kid who was "socially awkward" according to the school principal and came from a religiously repressive background where the parents were "shielding him" from worldly evils which led to the current drama because he had developed the hots for one of his teachers. Just like my high school experience.

Wait.

No.

Not at all.

Now, as a filmmaker, I totally get that conflict is the lifeblood of drama. I understand that you need to have tension and that lust and murder are two very powerful forms of conflict. But... I don't know. There comes a point where the cliche is mundane and the stereotypes play out in monotone. Perhaps that's why they started writing shows about polar bears on topical islands...

Where was I?

Right: Agendas. I don't think the creators of this show have an agenda against homeschoolers or the hyper religious. They were merely using hyper religious homeschoolers as a convenient way to do what they wanted to do; namely, entertain the masses. But in so doing they betrayed a secret: They really don't know much about homeschoolers.

My fear is that, as religiously influenced homeschoolers, we may be betraying reality for many of the same reasons. We don't exactly have an agenda, but we're happy to paint a less-than-accurate picture to serve our end goal; namely, give our children the education we think is best for them.

And so our agenda may be something entirely other than the actual outcome. By focusing on quickly entertaining the masses, television producers almost accidentally push another agenda. How often have we, in our focus to teach our children truths we hold dear, accidentally pushed a different agenda?

It's certainly something to at least consider as we strive to instill in our children a life-long desire to learn.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

06/03/2010
Hear from Sarita!
It's been 13 months since I first mentioned Sonlight Feeds: The place where you can get current information from Sonlight via RSS instead of email. And while I'm still getting the hang of updating it every time we have something to say, it's pretty good. And the feature I think you'd be more interested in right now is Sarita's Word. You can get a bi-weekly encouraging message from Sarita Holzmann in your RSS reader of choice.

Which is nice.

But that's not all. You can also watch some videos of Sarita on Sonlight's YouTube channel. Yes, her talk from the Virtual Meetup is there too...

You're welcome. <smile>

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

06/02/2010
Post Virtual Meetup Thoughts
"That was about as close to an epic fail as we've ever had."

It's pushing toward noon on June 1st, 2010. Also known as yesterday. The Sonlight Virtual Meetup was carrying on, but I have no idea how. Two minutes after we were supposed to be well under way and I was still on the phone trying to figure out what we were doing. I had completely failed to properly explain what was going on. Worse yet, half of what I thought was going to go on now couldn't. The chat room was flying by much like Gandalf as he plunges into the depths with the Balrog. And now, almost two hours after the start, I've learned that our "toll-free number" was anything but and that our webinars could only hold 96 people. Worse yet, not all presenters could call in and annoying alerts went off any time someone actually got onto the conference line.

The problems didn't abate. Not yet. Our internal chat system gave in at a crucial moment. We learned of an Internet Explorer bug that crashed with large chat rooms. The audio for the live video stream cut out a few times. And more than once we toasted our winner selection tool because we were overloading it.

Toss in a few people who got echo with the videos, a strange YouTube glitch, some scheduling conflicts and a few other pieces that simply never came together... and... well... Suffice it to say that there were times I wanted to assume the fetal position in the corner and cry. Or run screaming from the building. Better yet: Both at the same time.

It was insane. And yet, over 1,000 people had a great time.

As I drove home, tears filled my eyes. I couldn't figure out how to breathe. The graciousness of the Sonlight community. The overwhelming support and encouragement we felt as we bumbled through our first virtual meetup. The things I'd failed to do. The solutions we'd tossed together on the fly. The ups and downs. Sarita's incredible session. The enthusiasm for the give-aways. The way things just kept rolling. And the crazy moment when it was all over. It was too much.

As we discussed everything we'd learned this morning, the tears came back. What an incredible experience! What an amazing group of people! What a joy it was to hang out with you all day yesterday... partly because of all the madness that was going on in the background. "Memorable" is the right word, but like all memories I expect to look back on this event with fondness.

And so today we started on moving forward. As my coworker pointed out yesterday: This really didn't go so well at the start. I never like hearing "epic fail" associated with something I'm trying to do <smile>. So we're learning and trying to figure out how to overcome some of the hurdles we tripped over.

I am so grateful for you; both your patience in the glitches and your participation in the event. I'm grateful for my coworkers who hung in there with me and helped fix all the problems that arose. And, despite my frustration, I'm grateful for the technology that allowed us to spend the day with over a thousand friends across the globe in real time.

And so, in the end, what started as almost an epic fail became an epic win.

Have any of your homeschool experiences felt like that? Have you seen something that was falling apart come together in the end?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

06/01/2010
End Credits
Okay, you hung with me through my Cloverfield spoof. Now bear with me while I link to the end credits of Portal:

Still Alive - Portal End Credits

While we didn't manufacture weapons or promise you cake [that makes way more sense if you've played Portal], this song sums up my thoughts of today's Virutal Meetup as good as just about anything. It was a huge success... and a massive trial all at the same time.

Thank you all for sticking with us through the madness, technical issues, laughter and tears.

I will do my best to get recordings of everything up and posted soon-ish.

But for now: It's time to head home. Long day. Thanks for spending it with us as we celebrate 20 years!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

05/28/2010
3 Reasons to Pray of Us
Something I love about Social Media is this push for companies to show their vulnerable/human side. In many ways, this new technological/social push in business has been about getting back to the "mom and pop" days where you knew the owner of the shop you frequented. But I want to make sure I tell you one important fact within all this that may be overlooked:

We need your prayers!

Why?

1. We're human. Sonlight may be a corporate entity, but everyone here is a regular person. While my co-workers often display super-human brilliance and abilities (which consistently leave me in awe), I think they'd be the first to admit that they don't have everything together. I know I sure don't. We could really use your prayers that God will take what little we have to offer and use it for His glory and to expand His kingdom.

2. We're doing big things. I'm not suggesting that we shouldn't pray about small things--like breakfast--but that when we're striving to follow where God leads we need tons of wisdom and grace. Please pray that we will have eyes to see where God is leading us and the strength to follow when and where He calls.

3. We're working with technology. 'nough said.

June 1 is fast approaching. (Who thought it'd be a good idea to take a holiday right before the big day? That's what I want to know! <smile>) And there are so many pieces that need to come together. So many elements that are freaking me out. So much that has been stressing me to the max.

So that's, I guess, a forth reason to pray for us: I'm really high strung right now. The pressure of making this event rock is weighing heavily on me. I want it to be awesome! And I can't do it on my own.

So, between now and Tuesday--and then the days, weeks, months and years following--please pray for us when you think of it. We appreciate it. I appreciate it. And, by the grace of God, we will have at least another 20 years to serve you and your family.

Thank you.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

05/27/2010
From Luke's Inbox: Sonlight and Socialism
Hi Luke,

Last night at church, a lady cornered me wondering why Sonlight uses a history text that promotes socialism. She was referring to Hakim's History of US. I tried to explain that the Instructor's Guides give lots of notes about the books to help present the other side. I like the fact that Sonlight presents us with a variety of viewpoints. That didn't help. She seemed disturbed that homeschoolers would use texts that have been adopted by public schools. What would you say to her or others like her?

Great question!

First, I'd love to find out where she is coming from. Why she is disturbed by the idea of using books public schoolers use? What's driving that? Based on that information, I'd try to tailor my response to answer her real questions/concerns.

Second, if I'm not able to get to the heart of the issue and address the underlying concerns, I'd start by pointing her to the 27 Reasons Not to Buy Sonlght... particularly points six, fourteen, and twenty-two. These will give her the philosophy/reasoning behind why we do some of what we do. I may also encourage her to read this article.

Third, I may then move into an even deeper discussion as to why homeschoolers would use texts that hold ideas with which we don't agree. Something like:

In an effort to best serve you and your students, we do encourage you to discuss these ideas and tensions. At appropriate stages, we offer materials to help you start on this journey and we hope that by studying this material together you will grow stronger in your faith and your knowledge of other's observations and ideas. We believe in education, not indoctrination. So while we strongly support some ideas, we do our best to teach not preach.

I recently wrote that--slightly modified here--when asked about why we include books that mention Evolution. I firmly believe that, when appropriate, we are wise to present the beliefs of others so we can wrestle with why they believe as they do. Being able to learn their reasoning, discuss it, and then discover why we don't agree, are essential skills if we ever hope to participate in these discussions. I discovered very shortly after Bible school that learning to laugh at bad ideas did no good. I was unable to actually discuss postmodernism with someone if all I could say to their statements of "there's no such thing as absolute truth" was, "Do you know that absolutely?" While funny, it's not an accurate portrayal of moral relativity and won't help either of us get closer to the absolute Truth. ...all that to say: If we want to be ambassadors for Christ, I think it is our responsibility to learn what the other side thinks so we can talk to them where they are; much like Christ did for us when He came to earth as a man.

After that, I'd want to make sure I answered her questions or replied to her objections. There's much more to be said, but a blanket answer would be difficult as these concerns have many different very important roots that must not be ignored.

That's where I'd start, at least.

~Luke

Well, bloggy friend, how would you respond? What would you add? Have you ever been asked a similar question?

Have you had a similar question about Sonlight yourself? If so, did this address your concerns?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

05/26/2010
The Mess
My eyes scan the clutter on my desk. My mind has been far too occupied with Sonlight's Virtual Meetup to really sit back and compose something worthy of sharing with the blogosphere. But I need to write about something...

My Messy Desk

Sonlight Tours--where you actually get to walk around the building--start soon. I need to get my desk presentable for that. ...or, perhaps not, now that I've shared the above picture with the world. No, I should do some tidying, even if I am good at finding things when they're in their proper pile.

I am a very organized person.

It's just that if something doesn't have a home or that home is too difficult to easily access--I'm looking at you, Laundry Hamper--then I tend to give it a new home in a carefully selected pile.

Hence the clothes next to my side of the bed.

I'm just sayin'.

We have this odd tendency, us humans, to clean up our messes when we're around others. This happens when company comes to visit, we're trying to get someone to like us--be it an interview, a love-interest, or a presentation--and at Church. In fact, Matt over at The Church of No People is talking about the whole "church thing" during this recently dubbed Fail Month. And this is odd because none of us really has it together. In fact, we'd do a lot better if we could learn from each other. Perhaps one of the biggest reasons we don't share our messes is the sad truth that there's very little to learn from them.

Let's take my pile of socks, for instance. It's there because I know I should safety pin them together before putting them in the laundry (thereby saving myself the frustration of pairing them up in the midst of a pile of clean clothes). I'm too lazy to go to the effort right before bed, so I leave them on the floor, with the wishful thinking that I'll do it tomorrow. This never happens. So the pile of dirty laundry finally goes to the basement when my wife gets fed up with it or I run out of socks. At which point it comes out of the laundry in the midst of a pile of clean clothes. I've accomplished nothing more than making my wife less than happy with me.

The lesson?

I can't think of one other than I need to get my act together. And this, I believe, has something to do with our presentation of the Gospel. There's great news that redemption is out there... but without a mess to redeem we're left rather lame... but that's as far as I gotten.

And so, because my mind is such a mess right now, I'm going to close without a definitive statement or even a well-crafted question/observation. Rather, I'm going to leave this mess here for you to see.

Thoughts?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

05/25/2010
Come to the Sonlight Virtual Meetup
In less than a week, on June 1, we'll be hosting our Sonlight 20th Anniversary Virtual Meetup celebration ...thingy.

So, here's my question: What are you most excited about?

Hearing a History of Sonlight?
Playing the Sonlight Trivia Game?
Possibly winning a Core Program?
Listening to Sarita's presentation?
Getting ideas for summer?
Chatting with your friends (and many other Sonlighters) in real time?
Partying like it's 2010?

I know, I know. You're thinking, 'I can't wait for Luke's Sonlight Field Tour video!'

That's only natural.

The question above would be better stated: "What are you most excited about other than Sonlight Field?"

Speaking of which, have you RSVP'ed?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

05/24/2010
Answers in Guinnesses
I'm standing in the packed Guinness Storehouse after a day of sightseeing with the family. I've turned in my token for a soda because I hate the taste of alcohol and I've got this wheat sensitivity thing. The tour was interesting, though it felt more like a trip to Ikea than, say, the old Coors tours. And now I'm tired and ready to eat some dinner before heading off to bed.

There are people everywhere. The alcohol and crowds make conversations a little more boisterous than on the streets outside.

The years have robbed my memory of any specific conversations I may have noticed then. But I'm sure that in the crowded room there must have been at least one debate, discussion or disagreement. I'm sure that somewhere in that room, over the pints of dark, swirling liquid, a pair of minds were clashing. Had I been privy to the conversation, and known enough to follow along, I'm sure I would have agreed with one, then the other, then the first again.

Why? Because, unless I have a very firm belief about something, I tend to be swayed by the latest information given. Proverbs speaks of this. If you present a strong case, it sounds good to me. If you are countered with an even stronger idea, that sounds even better. Counter that again and, well...

I'll likely get to one of two points: Decide I like one side over the other--for any number of reasons--or decide that I won't figure it out for a long, long time and that the issue isn't settled. You could keep going back and forth with your friend and I would wander off to eavesdrop on another group.

And in my blog wanderings today, I came across this post. While the post itself was interesting to me--since it concerned an event held at my Alma Mater--the comments were even more noteworthy. I found myself reading along and thinking, 'Oohh! Sting!' and then, with the rebuttal, thinking, 'He's got him now!' only to read the next response.

On and on it went.

Eventually, my head was spinning as if I'd imbibed a stein or two of Guinness. It reminded me of a post I'd read just a few minutes before about why Christians get so upset by Old-Earth views. We Christians like neat and tidy answers. We like to know we're teaching our children the Truth. And all this back and forth is maddening, frustrating and more than a little intimidating. In short order we're ready for some dinner and bed.

As the social face of Sonlight, I find myself in between two groups. One side decries our science materials as lies from the Pit of Willful Ignorance, and the other side worries that we do not come down hard enough against the lies of Scientific Propaganda. Here I sit, watching the back and forth, and I'm glad for Sonlight's science programs. In fact, I'm glad for Sonlight's educational philosophy which influences all of our programs:

We're here to educate, not indoctrinate.

When people have been indoctrinated--which, sadly, some equate with education--they are unwilling to accept the possibility of tension. The facts and figures and ideas others toss their way must be shot down as lies and false. May we never get there. The fact that Jesus spent time realigning His listener's interpretation of Scripture is caution enough for me to hold my ideas with humility.

There comes a point, however, where we must--for the time being--decide where we stand today. We like a particular side--for any number of reasons--and that's where we stand. The issue may not be settled yet, but we're happy where we are.

May we always seek the Truth. May we always be open to learning more. And may we rest peacefully where we are with an open ear to the two sides of the conversation around us. Because, if we are always willing to learn, we will find the Truth. ...it just may take a little longer than we'd wish. The good news is that, as Sonlighters, we've got our whole lives to learn.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

05/21/2010
The Oddity of Small Talk
"Where do you buy your toothpaste?"

The smile leaves my face. 'Why does she want to know that?' I wonder. This is hardly how I'd like to start a friendship with someone I just met.

"Umm..." I try to buy time while I attempt to interpret her expression. What's motivating this query? Is she an orthodontist? A representative of Crest gate? An entreprenure? A concerned mother? A political lobbyist? Simply nosy? Making small talk?

I finally just give it to her straight: "For the last few months I've just been putting baking soda on my toothbrush."

"WHAT!" Her eruption almost matches the fury behind her eyes. "How dare you! How can you leave something as important as your oral care to someone less qualified than the professionals who produce this stuff for a living?"

"I, umm..."

"Do you realize how completely irresponsible you are?"

"Well, no..."

For the next twenty minutes of this fictitious exchange I learn all about the importance of buying my properly branded toothpaste from a local supermarket.

How awkward would that be if it had really happened. So why do we so often get into similar discussions?

"Where do your kids go to school?"
"What do you do for work?"
"What's your major?"
"When's the baby due?"

Then, to make matters worse, we often have staunch opinions about whatever it is we just asked. But had we never learned that our new friend worked for "The Evil Empire" or was majoring in Paranormal Psychosis or sent their children to "that school" all while not really being pregnant... well... yeah: Life would be a lot less awkward.

And let's face it: Who you are has very little to do with the labels on your background. Where you come from has absolutely shaped you, but we have no way of knowing if hardship pushes you forward or crushes you, your educational environment inspired or bored you, the people around you called you to something more or dragged you down.

Now, I just so happen to believe that homeschooling gives you an excellent opportunity to work on becoming a better person. I firmly ascribe to the idea that parents should interact with their children because it's good for them. I found homeschooling to be a great educational option. But let's stop with this odd practice of using labels to "figure people out." If we did that, I think we'd say foolish things like, "But you're so normal!" less often.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

05/20/2010
Virtual Meetup = Free Stuff for You!
I've read that using the word "free" in headlines is not a good thing to do due to spammers, scammers, and spam scanners. But it's true: Be a part of Sonlight's Virtual Meetup on June 1, and you'll get free stuff. What kind of free stuff? Well, you get...

to attend the online World Premiere of my latest 10 minute movie:
Sonlight Field Tour
(this alone is the worth the $0.00 price of admission)

entry to both John and Sarita's talks

four interactive sessions with veteran homeschoolers

a chance to win prizes playing the Sonlight Trivia game

access to give-aways throughout the day
(including a Core package of your^* choice)

hours of chat time

and access to Advisors

Free.

What's the catch? What have we hidden in the fine print? What's our angle?

<sigh>

You caught me.

The catch is that you have to be there. So while you could totally just show up unannounced with 50 of your friends, I do encourage you to RSVP so we can send you a reminder before we get started.

The fine print?
The sessions will have Q&A. We're having give-aways throughout the day. Your name and email address is required when RSVPing. ...oh! And since this is our first official, non-test Sonlight Live! event, the stuff straight from Sonlight is powered by Justin.tv. I'm pretty sure that's it.

What's our angle?

Sonlight's 20th Anniversary! And we want to have you come celebrate with us. So, please:

Find out more--including a schedule--here.
RSVP here.

Thank you.

I look forward to chatting with you during my Q&A session after you've had a chance to watch Sonlight Field Tour.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

^*Assuming, of course, that the "you" in this case is the winner. I don't know why we'd let you pick the Core for someone else. You wouldn't want a stranger choosing a Core for you to win, would you? ...didn't think so.

05/19/2010
Updates Coming Tomorrow
...or, due to the oddity of my feed delivery mechanism settings, it may already be "tomorrow" when you're reading this.

In either case, I have some exciting things I want to share, but I didn't quite get them all set up today.

So, tomorrow, friends. Tomorrow!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

05/18/2010
A Time to Not Answer
My pulse skyrockets.

I can feel my heart beating in the glands under my jaw. I'm ready to take on the world if it came after me. I feel attacked and I'm ready to defend myself and, in so doing, take down my attacker.

...and then I pause.

I was just about to smack down a friend with The Truth which happens to have an additional +12 to Righteous Indignation and a chance on crit to deal 6 snark damage. Reminds me of the jokes we used to make about our Bible Thumping Jesus at Biola:

Jesus Ready to Thump You

"Respond, don't react." The maxim seeps into my consciousness. My pulse begins to slow, though my face still feels flushed. I don't want to escalate the situation. Well, I do. But only because I want to "win." But in my attempts to do so I'd merely give them reason to come back at me with The Truth--and +12 Righteous Indignation with a chance of snark. Which in turn would inspire me...

No.

I must be the mature one. I need to eat it and just let it go.

I'm here to help. I'm here to encourage. I'm here to share what is true wherever possible. But too often, far too often, I can't. For whatever the reasons I am just not on the same plane. I'm talking past the issue and missing the point. And I simply can't hear what the other is really trying to say and failing to communicate to me.

"It's their fault," I tell myself, hoping I'm right. But a major part of the problem is that I'm simply not in their shoes. I don't know what's really driving the frustration, anger, mistrust. I'm hopelessly clueless and there is little chance of them taking the time to get me up to speed because it would take too long; I'm a little slow sometimes.

It hurts me to not respond. I like responding. I love the feeling of adrenaline coursing through my system. I enjoy telling people that I'm right. It thrills me to take on the world and "win."

But there are no winners here. Not today.

I say nothing and move on.

I'm here to encourage and to help. And if that's not what I'm doing, I should probably keep my mouth shut. I like giving answers, but if it's not a real question then I'm not helping anyone by jumping in.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

05/17/2010
The Realization
I'm a filmmaker and I'm currently super excited about a project I've been working on. It's little wonder, then, that I woke up this morning with the realization that YouTube has a 2GB file size limit.

That's a problem because my last Sonlight video was a minute and a half and almost two gigs. How in the world was I going to fit my ten minute video on YouTube?

I confirmed when I got to work: 7.63GB.

Hmm... well, there goes 60+ hours of computer rendering time out the window.

Whether it's burned dinner, forgotten laundry in the washer, muddy tracks on the carpet, child regression or some other annoying aspect of life that has you starting over, hang in there. It's Monday.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

05/14/2010
Homeschool: Green Eggs and Ham
I have a theory: Those who think they shouldn't homeschool because they couldn't be with their kids all day are right.

And wrong.

I'm no psychologist, therapist or professional child-understanding professional. I'm not even a "real dad." I'm a surrogate father and a homeschooling advocate, so take this with a grain of salt, but here's my thinking: Brittany and I have had a major breakthrough in our understanding about the girls: One of them is still totally not attached to us. And this makes it incredibly hard to do things with her.

I think I missed something in our adoption classes. We were told that attachment issues were difficult. I totally got the message that the kids would be distant, frustrating, hurtful. But I think I skipped the day they talked about how you simply wouldn't care at all about the child with whom you had not bonded.

Crying? Don't care.
Hungry? Stop complaining.
Tried? Deal with it.

In fact, my reactions have been 180° from what I've heard about parenting and seen in books about raising girls. Right now, I can't imagine a little girl of mine ever melting my heart. Can't even fathom it.

That makes me sad.

But if my theory is right, I get where those apprehensive about spending all day with their kids are coming from: They--like me--are not attached to their children. Their children--like the two I'm watching--drive them crazy more than they warm their hearts. So is it any wonder they don't want to be stuck in the same room with them for several hours a day, wrestling through school work and having to <shudder> cuddle with them on the couch?

I imagine, however, there are those of you, perfectly bonded with your children, who are shaking your heads right now. 'That's not how it should be,' you're thinking. 'Having children is such a joy! There is some much more to experience. Homeschool! Homeschool! You'll see!"

And I agree. I firmly believe that homeschooling is the best way to attach. Attaching can be painful, difficult, frustrating and a number of other negative descriptors. But being attached is how life with children should be. Society has somehow made attachment optional, so you may be experiencing the same kind of issues those of us in the foster/adoption track struggle through. But on the other side, I'm told, life is great.

Are you up for it? Because if you are not attached with your children, you absolutely should homeschool. You'd have the opportunity to do things like:

Read Green Eggs and Ham Together

Build with Blocks

"Opportunity?"

I realize it doesn't feel like an opportunity. "Torture" may seem more like it. Many times I know I don't feel like reading to the girls.

Still, do I want to go through life avoiding my children?

No.

And so I do the responsible thing and I read, I play, I spend time. And I'm hoping that eventually we'll bond and everything I've been told about the wonders and joys of parenting will become true.

I hope, as I take another bite out of parenting, to one day discover that:

Say!
I like ~~green eggs and ham~~ my chil-der-en!
I do! I like them, Sam-I-am!

I do so like my chil-der-en!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

05/13/2010
Fried
I count: 1... 2... 3... 4... 5... 6... 7... 8...

The number on my screen flips to the next in the sequence.

I count to eight again.

I need a new computer. My 5 year old machines just can't handle processing this newfangled HD footage. At least, not in any reasonable timespan. 30 minutes to output 3 seconds of footage? My computer has it's work cut out for it for the next few days. I hope it's done by Monday and doesn't fry itself over the weekend.

I'm feeling pretty fried right now myself. It's been a long week already (trying to get this video done for our Virtual Meetup on June 1). We've also been working really hard to get ready for CHEC, our picnic and a bunch of other things that have fallen out of my head for the time being.

Please be praying for us in the coming weeks. June is a big month for us and we are beginning to experience the push back from both spiritual and physical entities. Unfortunately, much like my computer chugging away in the background, these issues, projects and plans will take time to work through. Thank you for your continued support and encouragement as we strive to serve you in your homeschooling adventure.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

Desiccated: thoroughly dried out; dehydrated

Brought to you by Cherish

05/12/2010
Wordless Wednesday: Getting Ready for June

Me and Greg getting ready for June...

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

05/11/2010
History, Fiction and Learning
I watched Valkyrie last night. As I reflected on the experience, I realized how sad it is that people think history is boring.

And, let's face it: History can be boring.

Much like watching a movie that drags now and again. The pointless bits and pieces detract from the experience. Scene after scene of driving, or flying, or walking made the movie slow and uninteresting. Similarly, trying to push names and dates makes history slow and uninteresting.

But those moments of human experience, tension, personality and choices... those are what make history come alive. And after witnessing everything these men and women went through, it made the reveal at the end even more incredible: There were at least 15 attempts on Hitler's life.

I had no idea.

But now that I've experienced it, that fact is etched in my mind.

The study of history need not be boring. Great historical fiction (the literary equivalent of movies "based on a true story") allows you to experience the important parts of history--the how and why and what--while only nodding toward the boring details--who, when, where. When we can apply the how and why of history to what we experience, we can learn from history. When our focus is set upon information more applicable to a party--when and where--then we miss out on the very reason we should be studying this subject in the first place.

What is the most impressive thing you've learned about history recently?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

05/10/2010
Siblings Yesterday, Family Today
I shift my weight onto my elbows again. I'm sprawled in my younger sister's living room chatting with my older sister and wife. It's pushing past midnight.

We've been discussing adoption, surrogate parenting and the struggles, frustrations, concerns and confusion we have already encountered on this journey. And we look toward the future. Painfully, however, the future is even less certain, less known, and full of more conflict and the persistent fog of war.

"I don't even want to go there," I say, trying to find a comfortable way to support my weight on the floor.

The women around me nod.

Half an hour later, as we start the drive home, my wife says, "I know we stayed late, but I wanted you to be able to talk with your sister. You don't get to do that much."

I don't.

But we have a bond that, while not incredible close, allows us to chat late into the night about the ups and downs of life. We can laugh over dinner. We enjoy being together.

Homeschooling didn't create that bond. My older sister, four years my senior, was always in a radically different place in life. But our family had a lifestyle influenced by homeschooling. Life was an opportunity to learn, grow and share... together. And that togetherness persists through today, just hours after we said goodbye and headed home.

So, no, homeschooling doesn't create family connection. But it is a powerful catalyst that helps foster family bonds.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

05/07/2010
Tell Us What You Think
The traditional school year is wrapping up. The sun is shining. And Gandalf the Grey rides to ...er... wait. What was I talking about?

Ah, yes: The coming warmer days and the end of another school year (for those of you who don't school year-round). Right now a common blog theme is "what I'm planning for next year" along with posts about how this year went.

And that's what I want to know: How did this year go for you?

Please head over to sonlight.com and leave a review of the curriculum package you used. Please rate the program and give your honest opinion. We use this information to help improve our product and better serve homeschoolers around the world.

Granted, I realize that I run the risk of biasing your review a little by asking for it now. You may very well be in the only-a-few-more-weeks-and-then-we-can-start-a-different-Core mode, but please try to remember the good times you've had this year too <smile>. Thanks!

Post a review of your curriculum package now. And if you're itching to see what you'll do next year, perhaps browse a little as well...

And even if you don't get around to sharing your feedback, enjoy your weekend and I'll see you on Monday!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

05/06/2010
Show Me the Money!
...I haven't even seen that movie.

I remember standing in the camera shop, feeling the sweat pool on my forehead. My hands were clammy, my stomach in knots, my heart pounding like I'd just swum a mile at Nationals. I felt sick. Hoping no one noticed how completely uncomfortable I was, I handed the man behind the counter my credit card. I was buying my first video camera.¹

I hate spending money.

I like new stuff--especially cool new technology--but I hate the process of exchanging my hard-earned pesos for goods and services. It doesn't just stress me out, it can be so bad that I feel sick. Looking over the budget at my house is never a happy time because I'm looking at what money we've spent. Ugh.

But I like making money. I love following the money line as long as it points up and I feel like I can do something about that.

You can do something about your own line. Sonlight offers two ways to share your love of homeschooling while increasing your dollar value. One comes in the form of actual dollars, the other as points you can use for Sonlight purchases (much like a credit card).

Sonlight's Affiliate Program allows you to earn money by linking from your blog/website to Sonlight. In short: We'll give you a 4% commission for sending people our way. That's a sweet deal. This is the program for you if:

You love talking about Sonlight

You have an active blog/site

You're trying to make money online

You don't mind handling financial transactions and forms in the often confusing digital realm

The Sonlight Rewards Program gives you Rewards Points which you can use toward future Sonlight purchases. You basically get a 5% kick-back in the form of Rewards Points whenever you introduce someone to Sonlight (and they get a discount on their first purchase too). This is the program for you if:

You love talking about Sonlight

You don't want to hassle with taxes, online forms or account activation

You want something really easy to use

With the Rewards Program you don't even need a website or blog. We give you tools you can use to share Sonlight both online and off. The great news: You can get started right now without applying for anything, filling out anything, or wading through paperwork of any kind. You just log into your Sonlight Account and get started.

As for the Affiliate Program, we just switched to Commission Junction and so there are already over 400 people who have applied. We're working on weeding out the spam from the genuine Sonlight supporters, so this could take awhile. But I've got good news: If you really want to get started with this whole Affiliate thing, apply and then drop a line to affiliates@sonlight.com and we'll move you to the top of the list.

Sweet deal.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

¹That purchase was probably the best investment I've ever made. I still use that camera for projects, including such famous productions as Discover & Do and MathTacular.

05/05/2010
Homeschooling's Not Bad for You
For those of you who actually still visit this blog proper--and don't just read the posts in an RSS reader or on Facebook--you may have noticed I added a link to Sonlight's relatively new Homeschool 101 section.

And that's nice.

Digging into Homeschool 101 reveals Sonlight's Tour of Top Homeschool Resources. And browsing that list reveals Milton Gaither's blog. And he recently posted about a February 2010 Study of Homeschooler Demographics and Achievement.

As I noted back in December of '09, these results are initially disheartening to me. Seems that even though homeschoolers rock on tests, we don't really rock any more than those who also fall into our same socio-economic brackets. In short: It's not surprising that rich white kids from stable homes do well in school, whether homeschooled or not. Mr. Gaither concludes his analysis by saying

...homeschooling doesn't make priviliged kids do worse on tests than they would have done had they gone to school. Homeschooling is no academic disadvantage. That's newsworthy enough I think.

Okay, sure.

For those who wish to regulate or remove homeschooling, this is important information. But for those of us--like me--for whom homeschooling is an almost foregone conclusion, it'd be nice to have something with a little more punch. Simply stating that homeschooling isn't bad for us isn't very impressive or inspiring.

But the more I think about it, the more I realize how right I was back in December: This actually reinforces the fact that homeschooling is a great option! And Sonlight is one of the best of these really great options. Not because your students will suddenly become smarter, more gifted, test better, achieve great things or outshine their peers (though I wish that were true too <smile>). Sonlight is ~~one of~~ the best options because of the very thing we guarantee:

You will love to teach and your students will love to learn with Sonlight.

Your academic statistics will be more-or-less on par with other excellent results. Sonlight won't be what makes your students succeed any more than another program or system. But Sonlight will provide you with an incredible homeschooling experience that you and your family will love.

And if all other things are equal, that's what matters the most.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

05/04/2010
3 Ways to Get Free Food

Visit a friend and stay for a meal

Swing by a party at a local park and help yourself to the buffet

Attend Sonlight's 20th Anniversary Picnic
...which happens to involve the first two

To make sure we have enough food--and something that fits your needs--please RSVP if you're coming to Sonlight's 20th Anniversary Picnic here in Colorado (about 5 minutes from Sonlight HQ).

I like free food.

Granted, if you're coming from Timbuktu or Albuquerque--where you need to make that left turn--it wouldn't really be free food, what with the price of gasoline and all. In that case, I hope you're coming to hang out and such (as well as eat free food).

So, again: Please RSVP.

Look forward to seeing you there!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

05/03/2010
Selling It
Just a heads up: Rosetta Stone packages are on sale. Looks like you can save $75 on a Level 1-3 bundle and $125 on a Level 1-5 set. But the sale is only good through Mother's Day (May 9, 2010). So, if you're thinking about purchasing Rosetta Stone this year, do it now.

Again, that's just a PSA if you're looking to buy Rosetta Stone. I'm not trying to sell it, just making it available.

What I've been working on selling all day today is an explosion:

No Explosion

As you can see, while the shot is pretty awesome, it is most assuredly missing an explosion. So I've been working to put one in.

What I have added:

Broken windows

The explosion proper (complete with debris)

Lighting effects to match the explosion

I think it looks pretty good:

Explosion

Tomorrow I hope to start working on the sound effects. Strong sound sells a shot like nothing else. <contented sigh>

I'm really excited to show you the final product June 1. ...assuming I don't "sell it" too much and my mom decides it's too realistic and therefore too disturbing to share with the world.

That'd be shame.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

04/30/2010
In the Thick of It
The good news:
Everyone who came into Sonlight this morning thought we'd had a break in.

So, my chaos set decorating worked well.

In hindsight, perhaps I should have let a few more people know about my plans...

The bad news:
I didn't take any pictures.

I know. I know.

I totally planned to. I brought my camera and everything. But when you're caught up in the pressure of the moment, well, things just slip the mind. I was moving ceiling tiles, knocking over computer monitors, trashing the floor, ripping up paper, directing makeup application, running through the sequence and getting ready to set off the fire alarm for the fifth time that morning ...all before 9:30 when I needed to be done so you could contact support and not hear destruction in the background.

If you couldn't get through until 9:45... yeah, that was my fault.

I'd like to take this opportunity to remind you to take pictures of your Box Day. Otherwise, you'll be like me: Disappointed that I didn't take pictures.

Once you have pictures (and video?)--and even if you don't--submit your Box Day stories to Sonlight's Box Day blog so you can share your joy with the world.

Thank you.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

04/29/2010
Confessions of a Happy Filmmaker
I pause the video. The title card reads:

Chaos

The images that word evokes in the context of the film make me smile. In my mind, the scene plays out perfectly. 'It's going to be so cool!' I tell myself. And for the moment, I'm happy. Content. Thrilled to be working on this project because it's so much fun!

When will you get to see it?

If all goes well, June 1. This video is slated to be a main feature in our 2010 Live Virtual Meetup.

I attempt to film the chaos scene tomorrow morning. I hope it goes well because it is the climax of the movie. It's also complicated and messy... the way you'd expect chaos to be. But that's not great for film making where you want things controlled and precise. Plus, I haven't worked out all the details yet. That's the problem with things in your head: They're perfectly vague... just detailed enough to be awesome but not clear enough to be concrete.

I'm going to talk through the sequence with Brittany tonight. It's very nice being married to a girl you've been shooting films with for over 5 years. I can tell her, "I need you to make me some blunt force trauma wounds," and she says, "Sweet, I'll look up photos on the internet."

I love that girl. Experienced, helpful, willing to work with me.

Wish there was someone like that for your yet-to-be-detailed homeschool plans?

There is!

Chat with a Sonlight Curriculum Advisor to get an experienced, helpful, willing-to-work-with-you person with whom you can solidify your choices. Because--while in certain contexts it can be fun--chaos isn't a very nice place to live. I'd rather you be happy. Content. Thrilled to be homeschooling because it's so much fun!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

04/28/2010
Time Payments Update
For those of you waiting for the changes to Sonlight's Time Payment plans...

Go here.

That's all I'm sayin'.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

04/27/2010
The Head, the Heart, and Literature
"I'm growing increasingly less confident that God cares."

I can't blame him. First, his dad. Now my niece. Tons of other details and issues that comprise the sum of a rather disappointing life right now. For some unknown reason God does not respond when the stakes are high. He lets the truly terrible happen while providing--through elaborate and convoluted means--minor blessings in life here and there.

"I'd rather have people than things," he mumbles.

Agreed.

So, what's up, God? And since He rarely answers: What's God up to?

I don't know.

I've never known. Years of Scripture memorization, Bible studies, a minor in Bible from a Christian university, years of teaching Sunday School, study and discussion have left me where I am today: Clueless. Not because I don't have opinions or insights or ideas about all this, but because I don't know. I can't provide an answer that brings comfort or satisfactorily deals with the topic. And this is where what I call "Sunday School answers" fall so short. This is why I hate Christianese responses. This is why so many people are frustrated by the pat answers they teach us in Bible school. This is the problem:

The answer doesn't address the pain.

I've got my theology down pretty well. I can give you the correct response and I can clearly demonstrate how the majority of well-meaning comments in times like these are theologically errant. But so what?

Emotional pain is a heart issue, and textbook responses fail to reach the heart.

Well written literature gets much closer to the pain. But, as Thornton Wilder states:

"The business of literature is not to answer questions, but to state them fairly." I claim that human affection contains a strange unanalyzable consolation and that is all. People who are full of faith claim that the book is a vindication of this optimism; disillusioned people claim that is is a barely concealed "anatomy of despair." I am nearer the second group than the first; though some days I discover myself shouting confidentially in the first group.
End notes in The Bridge of San Luis Rey

So while literature tugs at our hearts, it does not push us one way or another.

Life does.

That's one reason I think it's essential to read biographies--both secular and Christian: So we can see how others have wrestled with these questions. And while these glimpses into the deeper issues of life won't give you all the answers, it will start you down the path.

Unfortunately, I'm finding, once you're on this path it's rather hard to walk.

And that is where others can be such a wonderful help. Please continue to pray for my family. This is proving to be a very difficult time.

...

One last benefit of literature: Since it is so good at touching the heart of an issue, it is often reiterated and rephrased throughout history as we continue to wade through the grime of life. I must say, I love Switchfoot's incorporation of Job in The Economy of Mercy (starting around 2:35 if you don't have time to listen to the whole song)...

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

04/26/2010
Socialization: The Troll in the Castle
"What's your name?"

I look up from behind the short shelves of children's books. I find myself here every Saturday now. While I spend the time looking over other children's stories to see if I can gain any insights into children's literature, I'm not there for the books. I'm there to keep an eye on the two girls in my charge who are playing in the small castle featured in our library.

The girls love it.

"I wanna know your name," the girl whines. "What's your name?"

I'm terrible with ages, but she's probably five or six. She accosts the silent two and three year olds one more time. "Tell me your name."

'Oh no,' I think to myself. See, we've taught them to only give out their name when they've been given permission. We've encouraged them to be nice, polite and to greet others, but to be more possessive of their name.

This is obviously not true of the other girl. She appears to be from a system where divulging your name is the foundational ritual of all social interactions. And within the confines of a classroom, this makes sense. But this isn't a classroom. This is a public library. And loud ~~talking~~ whining is not socially acceptable.

The girl moves on, giving up on her quest. She heads to the stairs of the little castle and one in my charge follows.

"No!" she yells. "You can't come up here. There can only be one Queen and I'm the Queen. You can't come up here."

Undeterred by this ludicrous babble, the three year old again attempts to take the stairs. The bigger girl spreads her feet and grabs hold of the railing, blocking all entry.

"NO!" she yells again. "I'm the Queen and there can only be one Queen. And I say you can't come up here. You can't come up because I want to be alone. And I'm the Queen. And there can only be one Queen."

I almost ask this little troll where her parents are.

I almost remind her that this is a library and of the importance of being polite and that understanding social protocol is essential if one is to be queen. In short, to be quiet, like the two in my care who haven't raised their voices above a whisper since we entered the building 15 minutes ago.

I almost inform her that the two girls she is addressing care nothing of being queen. They want to be princesses. And of princesses there need be no limit.

Almost.

But I stand back, half obstructed by children's books, watching to see what will unfold. The six year old troll continues to shout about her self-appointed title¹ and how it grants her exclusive rights to the castle--for, as she points out again and again, only the Queen can live in the castle, and there can only be one queen and that would be her.

When the girl's parents do not appear, I gently coach the three year old. "Use your words," I quietly remind.

"Please can you move?" she asks in a whisper. I almost explode with pride.

"No, I'm Queen," comes the loud and obnoxious reply.

My surrogate dauther turns to me. "Oh, she said, 'No.'"

"She did," I agree, nodding encouragingly. We've been working on not trying to force your will on another. You may make requests, but not demands. If your request is turned down, you must live with it.

The older girl has started up the last four steps to the upper level of the castle.

"She's moved," I tell mine. "You can go up now."

The troll stops and glares at the little girl. "No. I don't want her to come up," she says.

"That's too bad," I calmly reply.

The troll, completely unable to handle adult conversation, mounts the last few steps and sits down, singing to herself about how she is Queen.

Castle Queen of the Trolls

Once we're back in the car I tell the girls how proud I am of them for being quiet and nice despite the other girl. We tell Brittany when we get home.

My wife smiles.

"That's the perfect response to bullies. I'm so glad they didn't feed the troll."

Socialization is not a problem in this preschool.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

P.S. On a much more difficult note, I'm not sure I'll ever figure out the proper social technique for dealing with the loss of life: My family mourns the loss of Baby Grace.

¹For those of you not familiar with the xkcd web comic it often contains inappropriate content. This one is safe, but check out the other posts at your own risk.

04/23/2010
Lewis, Wilder, Frost and Me
...speech was for them a debased form of silence; how much more futile is poetry which is a debased form of speech. All those allusions to honor, reputation, and the flame of love, all the metaphors about birds, Achilles and the jewels of Ceylon were fatiguing. In the presence of literature they had the same darkling intelligence that stirs for a time behind the eyes of a dog, but they sat on patiently, gazing at the bright candles and the rich clothes.
The Bridge of San Luis Rey

"I wish I could write like that," I say between mouthfuls of stew. "I love reading these great authors but it makes me bummed because my stuff isn't nearly that good."

I've spilled. Not only is my writing not up there with the masters, but I'm a messy eater too.

"I don't think you should be comparing yourself to the great writers of the past," my co-worker cautions. "Stick with what you're trying to write, keep improving, but don't compare yourself to what others do. That's not going to help you much."

She's right.

And as I think about some of my favorite writers, I realize just how diverse they are. My favorite bloggers are nothing like Chesterton, but I enjoy reading works by both. I absolutely love reading Lewis, but that doesn't mean I don't also enjoy the works of Robert Service. And some of the most well-known poetry in the world was written by Robert Frost and Dr. Seuss whose works are brilliant in their simplicity and nothing like Wilder's word pictures.

We have a constant draw to be like others whom we wish to emulate. May we not forget to be ourselves. Not because of some trite "you're special" kind of reasoning, but rather because we recognize that we--as unique individuals--have unique opportunities to shape and impact this world.

So, no, I'm no master author (though I'd love to be that someday). I also happen to spill things from time to time (something I'd like to see less and less of in my life). But for now, I must keep my focus on what I have been uniquely given to do: Encourage you in your homeschooling experience.

Each of your children is uniquely gifted to do certain things. That's certainly proven true for us four Holzmann kids. May you find ways to encourage your children to not become disheartened by the greatness in others but to find the greatness to which they have been called.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

04/22/2010
I Can Has Unity? Luv?
[I admit it: Despite--because of?--the grammar and spelling, my wife and I get a kick out of lolcats though it's not for everyone or always appropriate ...just sayin']

I've stopped breathing.

All of my energy and focus is consumed by my rage. I'm furious at my twerp of a little brother. We are at each other's throats. More accurately: I'm at his throat.

The things my parents had to deal with. <sigh>

Don't be fooled: Homeschooling doesn't automatically remove all sibling strife. But it does allow us kids experience dealing with people who frustrate us the most. And you wouldn't know it to look at us now, but Justin and I used to fight like, well, cats.

He sure has gotten less annoying and a whole lot cooler over the years.
...of course, I'm the one in the spandex. <smile>

Life is so much better when there's unity between brothers. And that's why, despite the difficulty of this time, I'm so grateful for the way you have united yourself with us in prayer for my family. That's a part of Christian brotherhood that is so amazing and good and powerful.

But there's a darker side to this Christian thing, too. Much like my destructive retaliation at my brother, too often we Christians are at each other's throats. Rather than being known by our love, we are often known by our infighting. And I'm feeling that frustration right now because of the way a certain group is acting toward us. They're being mean and annoying; picking on us. They're doing the things that, years ago when done by my brother, would send me over the edge.

Now, right now, it just makes me sad. Not to say that a significant level of indignation and retaliation didn't flood my heart before. But for the moment, I'm sorry. I'm sorry that we can't find a way to work together for the expansion of God's Kingdom and the better serving of the saints. I'm bummed. I'm frustrated. And more than once I've stopped breathing.

My prayer is that soon we will grow up as brothers and discover that, despite our differences and wrongs, we're really a whole lot cooler and less annoying than we currently think.

And, you know what?

I'd be happy to wear spandex again if that will make things better.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

04/21/2010
Tedium
The keys of the keyboard rhythmically tap out a beat: ctrl+tab, ctrl+a [click] ctrl+c, ctrl+v ...repeat: ctrl+tab, ctrl+a [click] ctrl+c, ctrl+v...

Thirty-six times.

It could be enjoyable if the task wasn't so annoying. I feel my eye twitch. The muscles in my back, neck and arms start to spasm. I'm quickly going mad.

...

Some days are filled with thankless, mindless, tedious tasks. It's not a side of life we like to dwell on, especially when we're trying to convince others that what we do is great. Who am I kidding? There are days I'm trying to convince myself that what I do is great.

But even great things are sometimes less than thrilling; like, changing diapers, dealing with food issues or folding laundry. Raising kids is a great thing, but it's not always glamorous, fun or even remotely interesting. Sometimes it's just frustrating toil.

Ennui: boredom (pronunciation here)

Whatever dull and boring tasks you find yourself doing today, may they be completed quickly so you can move on to more enjoyable things--like reading great books!

...on the other hand, is it just me, or does reading the same early reader for the umpteenth time sometimes get a little tedious too?

It must just be me.

<twitch>

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

04/20/2010
A Reason to Homeschool: Lay a Foundation
As I wrote about my high school experiences, I was surprised to discover that so much of it was... bad. Why did I enjoy that experience when there were so many things that were simply not enjoyable?

In answer, a song that came out two years after I graduated keeps running through my head: I Hate Everything About You [NB: If you're not familiar with the song, as the title implies, it's not super pleasant <grin>. You've been warned.]

The chorus plays:

I ...hate ...everything about you.
Why ...do I ...love you?

My high school experience was like that song.

I didn't understand it at first. It seemed too contradictory to love what you hate. It wasn't until I saw the video that I realized it screams about the paradox of being radically negatively affected by someone/something and yet still caring about it. We can't just shake it off. These things/people have put hooks into our souls.

So too Englewood.

My pain, frustration--yes, even rage--is directly tied to how much I care for my peers with whom I spent four years of my life. And their pain, so viscerally portrayed in the video above, affected me. That wasn't my life, that wasn't my experience, but seeing it in the lives of those around me affected me profoundly. There is such need, such pain... oh, that love and redemption would turn that around!

But just like I don't think the video above is suitable for young children, so high school is not suitable for many children either. Without a solid foundation that allows you to properly respond to that much rage and pain and worldly experience, such things are horribly inappropriate. High school is an R rated world. And worse.

A purpose of homeschooling, then, is to lay a solid foundation that allows your students to enter and interact with this world. But that development may not happen until after the high school years, which means keeping them home could be the best thing for your chidren. Beyond this, high school is a warped and twisted version of life, so it may be best to avoid it entirely. My wife is convinced that staying home until college was best for her. By staying out of the school scene entirely she never had to experience the nastiness that so many American teenagers accept as normal.

And that could easily be the case for your students as well.

While I firmly believe that going to public school can be a great way to grow in ministry, it will have the exact opposite outcome if the foundation isn't there to support growth. And that foundation often needs years to develop.

In my case, I had a fantastic foundation--and was totally ready--for ministry my Freshman year. God used my spiritual bravado to humble and shape me over those four years. And it was good. Super hard. Incredibly painful. Absolutely devastating. But good. And it's where God wanted me.

Where does He want your children?

Have you listened to the Deciding Between Public, Private, or Home School podcast?

I think my mom's article Why in the world would you homeschool high schoolers? offers another great perspective on this high school discussion.

May God give you wisdom and direction as you consider your options.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

04/19/2010
A Community of Prayer
I've had a follow up post to A Reason Not to Homeschool almost ready to go since Friday morning, but my sister's baby totally took over. My other post is coming, but I have to take care of current business first:

Baby Grace is doing well, as is Jonelle. My dad's blog has a ton of photos and all the latest.

I was, as I said on Friday, blown away by your response and prayers. Thank you. Words do not express the gratitude I feel at the outpouring of your support. Your immediate and continued prayers powerfully demonstrated the kind of community we are: A community of support and love. A community of prayer.

I am so honored to be a part of this community. What a privilege!

Three things struck me today:

1. I want to remind you that we absolutely want to support you in prayer as well. If you don't feel like sharing your prayer matter with the world via Facebook, we do have the private Prayer Closet on our Forums. We pray for these needs on a weekly basis within our prayer groups.

2. With great popularity comes great opportunity. You may not read my posts often. You may not know me very well. You may not really care what I think about. But when I posted with the Sonlight logo on Facebook an urgent prayer need, you responded. 144 comments here. 50 there. More and more pouring in. Absolutely inspiring and humbling. I'm not a celebrity in the homeschool world,^* but the Sonlight logo gave me a certain amount of clout. This is both wonderful and sobering.

Sobering because my friends who have equally weighty needs don't have the instant support that I did. They aren't connected to a well-known name. Their needs aren't as pressing. And so their burdens fall more squarely on their shoulders.

May we as a loving community of believers draw together for all needs. May we continue to support one another ever more. And may those who feel alone, abandoned, in need and still wanting be comforted. I know I need to grow in this area. Which leads to...

3. The Leech Effect. I hate bringing up the same prayer request week after week in our prayer groups. It feels draining, unproductive. And so I don't mention it. Worse yet, there are times when a need is brought up yet again that I think, 'This again?'

How terrible of me! May we never weary in doing good and constantly bring our needs before the Lord.

That said, what can I pray with you about today?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

^*Not for lack of trying, mind you. <smile>

04/16/2010
Baby Grace
If you missed it on Facebook, my little sister, Jonelle, had an emergency c-section this morning for her premature baby. Your immediate prayers and support were so encouraging and welcome.

After the procedure, both Jonelle and baby Grace were still okay.

Baby Grace born 4-16-2010 weight: 440 grams

Things are good for the time being but could take a turn for the worse for baby Grace at any point over the next four days because she is so small. Your continued prayers, especially over this weekend, are most welcome. If she survives the next few days then the doctors will be able to discuss next steps. Your prayers are still very much needed!

Thank you, friends. Thank you.

I have been overwhelmed by your love and support.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

04/15/2010
Frenetic
I watched the cursor blink at me--my mind spinning.

Too many tasks for a single day. Too many that needed to be completed right now ...yet weren't. I hope to catch up tomorrow, but that's probably wishful thinking. I have things I want to write about, but I don't have the time or brain space to put them into words. Too much life noise. Too much scrambling and getting nowhere. In fact, the little blinking line waiting for me to enter a title for this post was remarkably calm compared to me. And that's when I realized I just needed to let it go.

<the cursor blinks>

If your life feels overwhelming, too full, frenetic... drop something. Put something down for awhile. I know what it means to have everything require your attention at the same time, but we just can't do that. Eventually the craziness takes over.

So stop.

Pause.

Take a deep breath. Be still for a moment. If it helps to watch the cursor for a minute, do so. Then re-enter life with a fresh perspective.

And get a good night's sleep (if you can).

Don't worry: The crazy can return tomorrow if you miss it. <smile>

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

04/14/2010
A Reason Not to Homeschool: Grow in Ministry
Why and when homeschooling may not be the best choice.

Sharolyn C on Facebook asked me to give some insight into when and why it could be a good decision to go to "real school" and when keeping kids home might not be so good.

Great question.

Three things as foundation for this post:

I'm a huge homeschooling advocate. Yet I am happy to share the good parts of my experience in public high school.

You know your kids best. I gladly share my experience, but it's my experience... not yours and your child is not me.

I'm not an expert. I'm a kid who loved homeschooling and enjoyed my high school experience. What follows is a glimpse into that...

I went to "real school" for high school because I wanted to do ministry. I was there to change my campus for Christ. My mom also thought that wood shop and swimming would be good too... and they were. I set two school records in swimming. But that wasn't why I was there. I wasn't there for friends either. Or the parties. Or even the memories; though, I do still treasure what classmate after classmate wrote inside my Senior yearbook.

High school was a chance to put my faith into action. In many ways, high school was a 10-14 hour daily experiment in walking out the Christian life in the "real world." And high school is one of the best times to do this because, psychologically, we're at a stage in our development where things are black and white and we're inspired by books like Do Hard Things. We're at a place in life where "getting out there" makes sense.

And so I did.

Some memories that still stick with me today:

The young lady who said, "Luke, I don't want to talk about Jesus. Shut up about that."

The young man who said, "I can't talk to you about my problems, Luke. You're too perfect."

The girl who told me that if I dated she'd go out with me.

The teacher who gave me an A on a paper about chirality and the problems it poses to the Miller-Urey experiment.

And the day I did the hard thing and kept quiet.

Those four years shaped my views dramatically. I had lived, more or less, in a Christian vacuum other than sports. So high school was the only place to really practice daily ministry.

So it was good.

High school was very, very good. It was also important, for reasons I still don't grasp, for me to fail. The foundation of why I went to high school completely crumbled my forth year. Those events killed me. But I'm growing in my confidence that the death I died was that of a seed. My prayer is that ministry will flourish out of that.

Okay, enough rambling and reminiscing. The point:

High school is an incredibly formative time and an excellent opportunity to see your Christian faith stretched and your religious perceptions challenged. But it certainly isn't easy, especially if there's fallout from it.

If you and your son or daughter is up for the ride, public high school could be one of the most important roller coasters they every go on. Then again, that was not the case for my little sister who left high school feeling like she'd wasted four years of her life. ...which isn't very productive.

...

I was going to link you now to an article on Sonlight.com about why you should consider homeschooling your high schooler, but I'm not going to. That would be the wrong way to end a post about why homeschooling your high schooler may not be the best choice.

Public high school, for good or ill, will challenge your student if they open themselves up to be challenged. It will scar them. It may crush them. But you're the one who has the best chance of knowing if it will make them stronger.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

04/13/2010
Sonlight Live!
I would love your help.

On June 1, 2010 we will have our very first Virtual Meetup where you'll get to see some live presentations and other stuff. ...very exciting other stuff. <smile>

But in order to do that, I first need to figure out how to do it. I've got something I'm going to try, and I invite you to join in and help me beta test. Tomorrow morning, at 8:30am Mountain Time, Sarita Holzmann will be presenting at our very first Sonlight Live! event:

Sonlight Live!

I will also be recording this presentation as a possible sample to send to conventions so they are encouraged to have her come speak. So it should be a very encouraging message.

I hope you can swing by tomorrow morning at 8:30am Mountain Time to take part in the first test of Sonlight Live!

After the event, please let me know what your experience was like. Did it work? Did you enjoy it? Did anything confuse/bother you? What would make the experience better for you?

Thanks!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

04/12/2010
Parent Tip: Be Inconsistently Consistent
A family from church came over to hang out with us last night. They've adopted three girls from China--one of whom is in the Sunday School class we teach--and they seem to have "adopted" us as well. It's nice to have a couple who are a little farther down the path share the things they've learned with us.

We talked for a while about some of the struggles we're experiencing with the girls. [If you're up for a raw, albeit well-written, glimpse into some of that, swing by my wife's blog.] At one point while we were talking about food issues I said, "If they were merely afraid there wasn't going to be enough food, I could handle that. We covered that in adoption class. But this, this is entirely different and it drives me bonkers!"

Yes: Bonkers.

They smiled at me and offered some really good advice. Then some more. And even more after that. Some of it should be obvious--like the fact that I should focus on encouraging and building up, not just pointing out where they need to "shape up." But one idea was so totally different I just had to share it with you:

You make up the rules.

As a parent, we're in charge of the game. We make up the rules and if we need to change them for us--or our children--we can.

"But what about consistency?" I asked. "Consistency is key, right?"

"Yes, but if it's not helping anyone then it needs to change. The really important thing that must remain consistent is that they need to obey. But if it comes down to being consistent versus changing what needs to be done so you can help your child move forward... change."

That was good.

I have long felt trapped--painted into a corner--by my unyielding consistency done under the banner of "for the children."

Painting Myself into a Corner

No more.

This is my house. As the authority, the parent, I make the rules. And the rules can change. In fact, the rules should change if it will help me love the girls better and help the girls become the women they are supposed to become.

I'm Free

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

04/09/2010
The Best Teachers

Catherine Johnson

As I read the New York Times article "Building a Better Teacher" I kept wanting to jump up and down and yell: This is why homeschooling works so well!

Why? Because teaching has so many ties to good parenting. Parents make the best teachers because they already possess so many of the traits described in this article.

Granted, having good curriculum to back you up when you get stuck is a very valuable tool as well. But the point remains: You, as a good parent, are well on your way to being an incredible teacher for your children.

I'm going to stop writing here to give you time to read the article.

If you're doubting your ability to teach, it sounds like the book may be a good resource to check out. I think you'll likely find you're already doing many of the things outlined there, but it certainly wouldn't hurt to pick up a few new tips along the way.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

04/08/2010
Bishkek
Three years ago I didn't even know that a place called Kyrgyzstan even existed. But then I started the process of adopting from there and noticed the name pop up now and again. Kyrgyzstan won a few medals in this last Olympics, for instance.

Then yesterday things went nuts there.

The nation turned itself inside out. A coup. Killing in the streets. Protests. It's a mess. And it doesn't help that there is pressure from Russia and the US on either side of this small country.

Your prayers are very much appreciated for the people of Kyrgyzstan and the three children we call our own who are still over there.

I'm personally invested in what happens in Kyrgyzstan now. I have their weather forecast location saved on my Wii weather report. I'm interested in what transpires in that area of the world.

Sonlight strives to give you and your students a similar connection with nations around the globe. The people you meet and the places you go in Sonlight's literature-based history programs give you experiences in other lands. You don't just read about a place; you learn about the people within it. People like the three children in orphanages somewhere near a political overthrow taking place right now.

The goal is that our hearts and minds would begin to develop a broader perspective on the world. That we would move beyond our own myopic experience and consider what else we might do with our lives to best impact others, both here and abroad.

Granted, what Sonlight will give you is not even close to the connection you feel when you've got people (your people) over there. But it's a great start and a very easy way to discover the broader world around you.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

04/07/2010
Awkward Homeschoolers
I'm not so sure anyone else noticed, but it was painfully clear to me:

He was clueless.

The lanky kid strolled down the hall trying to act cool, but there was a nervous twitch in his gait. He was unsure of where he was going. The building was unfamiliar. The social expectations foreign. He was a lost figure in the midst of a sea of knowledgeable, comfortable, normal kids. The way he kept glancing at the paper in his hand made him look like a tourist from another land.

He was lost.

Over the next few months I watched him as he sat in the front of all his classes, ate lunch by himself in one of the locker rooms, didn't really make any friends and never talked to anyone outside of class. He didn't belong in this world. He was socially inept and awkward.

He was a homeschooler.

Those poor awkward homeschoolers.

"What school do you come from?" a classmate would ask.

"I was homeschooled," he'd reply.

That's typically where the conversation would die. No one cared to learn more about homeschooling. It was different, unfamiliar, and that was enough for them. Besides, this kid was weird.

...

But as I look back on myself, now from the perspective of a few years and experience, I was no more awkward than any other student entering a new school filled with kids who had known each other since preschool. Granted, I may have willingly challenged the system a bit more coming from an educational model that encourages dialog between students and their instructors. I may have been more vocal about a few things now and again because I was uninhibited by years of peer pressure to conform. I may have been a tad of a loner, not willing to push myself on others, but that's because I only ever really had one truly incredible friend at a time. I wasn't looking for a social circle.

So are teenage homeschoolers sometimes awkward?

Absolutely.

They're about as awkward as any teenage kid. Toss a student from any background into a new situation and you're bound to have a certain amount of dysfunction.

That's life.

And it has almost nothing to do with homeschooling.

...

Not long after starting "real school" this young man ate lunch with a diverse circle of friends. He was active in the school community. He excelled in his classes. He even got to be homecoming king once...

Not too shabby for a homeschooler.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

04/06/2010
There's No Such Thing as a Stupid Question
I disagree.

Stupid questions come in the form of:

Questions asked without seeking answers.
I don't mean rhetorical questions. I mean the kind of thing I'd say to my wife if I was upset that dinner wasn't ready, "What have you been doing all day?" Those are not my finer moments.

Questions asked to prove how ignorant another is.
I did this in high school a few times to prove to myself that my teachers were clueless. ...not a good practice and a very good indication of how much of a prideful punk I was. Notice that I wasn't seeking answers.

Questions designed to annoy/crush someone.
Been guilty of this one too. A friend and I were debating of birth control. Granted, I felt like she was attacking me personally, but that is no excuse for my scathing question which brought tears to her eyes. This is also related to not seeking answers.

I'm sure there are many other forms, but you get the picture: Questions asked for some reason other than to get answers are not good questions.

But it's so easy, oh so easy, in the heat of a moment to pull out these powerful tools. Rubbing someone's ignorance in their face is so tempting. Smashing someone's position with a loaded question is so easy...

Unless you are met by those who have gracious answers.

Alasandra recently posted some answers to some questions. I thought the questions were interesting and the answers provided--before commenting was closed--are great. My favorite was #4:

Okay. Seriously. If parents are stupid — as in, not all that bright from an academic perspective — should they homeschool?

My answer: Absolutely!

If your education left you "not all that bright from an academic perspective" there is no better time to learn then with your kids. I know I'll be relearning things throughout my life and I hope to constantly learn new things... and I did great from an academic perspective!

The idea of giving up because you're "stupid" is sad to me. Homeschooling offers us a completely different approach: Life-long learning.

It's a beautiful thing.

May our questions--and answers--always be as beautiful.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

04/05/2010
Post Easter Study: Was Jesus a Liar?
I grew up in church so some things never even cross my mind to question. My reasoning is something along the lines of, "If smart people for a couple thousand years don't take issue with this, why should I?" Not the greatest of positions, but, then again, I have to pick my battles. So I tend to only research the issues that people mention in passing.

And someone mentioned, in passing, that Jesus was only in the ground for a day and a few hours. I was reminded of this as I sat down for our Good Friday service: If Jesus died on Friday evening, somehow got buried right around then--even with the whole Pilate/Joseph exchange and whatnot--then rose again early Sunday morning... well, Jesus would have been "in the ground" for little more than 24 hours.

That is strange! How had I never noticed that?

I was surprised to discover that there were not a bunch of suggested solutions. I fully expected to find scholars debating this one hotly, arguing back and forth about what the "Biblical" answer was. Instead, I found two. Just two. Two rather straight-forward solutions.

The first, while easier to explain, didn't satisfy me: Jesus was buried for part of a day, which could be counted as a whole day in the sense that "I worked all day on researching this topic" ...despite only spending a few hours.

Eh, okay. That's fine, but not all that scholarly. And it's not nearly as interesting as...

The second, which points out that there were two Sabbaths that week. What? Two Sabbaths?

Yep.

While not incredibly written, I really liked this article on the issue. The short version: Jesus was buried at sunset on Wednesday and arose at sunset on Saturday. The message of this Easter lesson is three-fold:

Looking back on history not only clears up questions but gives an even greater appreciation for other cultures and times

Don't let the beauty and simplicity of traditions distract you for the reality and struggle of the past

and The incredible power of history recorded in Scripture is absolutely amazing.

I can see how my lack of questioning every aspect of my faith could be viewed and naive and foolish. Burying ones head in the sand is certainly not a good course of action. On the other hand, a quick search unearthed a wealth of scholarship on this subject. And so I find the skeptics position to be one that is even more naive: Thinking of questions and then not bothering to look for an answer is even more foolish than trusting those who have gone before to have those answers.

Granted, we must be active is searching out answers when questions arise, or we are even greater fools than those who question us. But learning new things is fun. At least, I love to learn.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

04/02/2010
Customer Quotes
We love to hear from you. We appreciate your feedback. We're thrilled to be able to help you. But as I flip through the new catalog with my wife, I'm reminded of something that makes me even happier:

Customer quotes.

Your quotes.

The stories you share with the rest of us about how much Sonlight means to your family, how much you are enjoying your Core program, what a difference Sonlight has made in your homeschool experience, the thrill you get when you read one of the great books...

Those quotes fill the catalog. It truly is encouraging. What's more--my wife was surprised to learn this: The photos and quotes are new every year. You provide us with so many incredible stories and pictures that we don't have to reuse them.

I don't know how many other companies get that kind of love, but I don't thinks it's very many. One burger joint I enjoy has had the same quotes listed on their packaging for at least 6 years now.

So, I'm feeling blessed today. Blessed to experience your enthusiasm for Sonlight again this year.

We haven't officially started next year's catalog cover contest--since this one is still arriving in people's mailboxes--but if you have a great photo/story please share it with us!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

04/01/2010
Sonlight 2010-2011 Is Up
Swing by sonlight.com to discover all that is new for the 2010-2011 catalog season, including our new Homeschool 101 section that we will be adding to in the days to come.

Happy browsing!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

03/31/2010
Nature vs. Nurture and Friends

Bromide: platitude; a trite or obvious remark

Brought to you by Daphne Gray-Grant

Doing stressful things alone can tweak you out. The lone crazy person, wandering the jungle with a gun is now both iconic and contemporary (especially if you're watching Lost). The propensity for us to get in trouble on our own is also hinted at in passages of Scripture that mention how it's not good for man to be alone and the need for the body to work together.

We need people. Friends. Those who can encourage us to become the people we should be. Because, let me tell you, friends, I'm not yet the person I should be. There are days when parenting makes me feel like I'm the lone crazy person, wandering the forest with a gun.

There's currently an interesting discussion in part of the scientific community concerning the propensity for bad parenting and the abuse of children.

Karen Joy

I can totally relate to Karen's feeling that the parenting gene has passed me by. But for all my protests, I'm grateful that my wife and friends continue to nudge me to spend time with the girls.

The question for me isn't between nature and nurture. I learned in Psychology that it's nature via nurture, but I don't care much about that either. I'm much more interested in how I can overcome my nature/nurture to become who I should be. What I care about is community.

Who's supporting you? To whom are you listening? Are you alone, or have you found a group of friends to help keep you moving in the right direction?

That's what you need.

That's what I need too.

Where can you find a community? Here on the blogosphere. The Sonlight Forums. Facebook. Your local church.

It's a start, at least.

Where have you found community that fits your needs?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

03/30/2010
The Catalog Arrives at the Holzmann Home!
A curious two year old "reads" the articles. [The photo is, I'll admit, slightly staged. By the time I got the camera she had moved on. So we asked her to do it again.]

Future Sonlighter

My wife starts looking through the testimonials.

"I'm just looking at the pictures right now."

I've seen many other people have received their catalogs as well. What's your favorite part of the new catalog?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

03/29/2010
Sonlight's Box Day Video Process - Part 3
[Read Part 2 here]

Review and Re-render

After an uncounted number of hours of incomprehensible math whereby my computer converted a 1.2 gig stream of images made up of pixels housed within a specific type of coding that enabled some software to interpret it as a video into a different type of code that enabled some web-based software to convert the now 34MB file into something playable on YouTube, I give you...

Box Day v2

Thankfully my second attempt worked. I really didn't want to have to wait another 20 hours for my computer to give me a nice looking video.

Feedback? Thoughts?

I've had some very valuable input already. I would love to make this video even more helpful!

...granted, given how little time we have until April 1, I won't be able to make major changes. I also reserve the right to do what I believe is best for Sonlight... which may involve putting my efforts elsewhere even if there is a great idea for an improvement.

But such is the nature of production/business/life: We must pick our battles. There's always more to do. Sometimes choosing which things to leave and which things to change is the hardest part.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

03/26/2010
Sometimes...
...during rigorous testing, you need to keep things fun.

Like so:

Awesomeville

I have no idea what Bo was testing, but it made me smile when I saw the envelope. It's been almost 11 months since I shared the flux capacitor with you, so I felt it was time to give you another glimpse into the things that make me giggle while working.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

03/25/2010
Sonlight's Box Day Video Process - Part 2
[Read Part 1 here]

My computer is currently chugging away at making a web-ready copy of the next draft of the Box Day video. It says it only has 18 hours 3 minutes to go.

The video is a minute and a half long.

Yep. Video production can take time.

But the part that took the most of my time was assembling the pieces.

Illustrator to Photoshop

I went in and grabbed the specific elements that the artist drew (you'll notice these images lack my "homely" flair). Then I pasted them into my graphic program to resize to my scene's dimensions. After that, I saved the frame as a single moment in the video and moved on to the next scene. I did this about 60 times for each of the elements.

After that, I positioned all the bits in the timeline and exported the video with just picture and voice over. I brought this into my audio mixing software and added sound effects. This also takes a while because you have to find the right sound. If you can't find the right sound, you record it. I recorded some paper rustling and opening/closing a binder.

Exciting.

There were several moments throughout this process when I wished someone had assembled the pieces for me so I could focus on the fun part: Using those pieces to make something great. But, alas, no such person appeared. I was stuck wading through hundreds of layers and sound bytes looking for the one I needed. I was copying and pasting bits from something someone else had created. It wasn't fun. It wasn't how I wanted to spend my time. But it needed to be done.

Thankfully, you don't have to go through that.

Well, you will if you decide to make a video like this. But you're not doing that at the moment. Right now you're focusing on homeschooling. And with homeschooling there are options where someone else has assembled it for you. Every one of Sonlight's curriculum packages includes the books and schedule you need. You can push a button and have all the pieces sent to you. You don't have to spend your time copy/pasting parts that others have built and left for you to put together.

Your time is valuable and best spent on important things. Consider having the work done for you in the form of a Sonlight curriculum package.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

Lagniappe: an extra or unexpected gift or benefit

Brought to you by Heather

03/24/2010
5 Ways to Have Poor Customer Support

Have short hours

Have long wait times (bonus points for bad hold music)

Have tiered support: "I can't help you with that"

Give but one point of contact (email)

Have people who don't know your product support it

How does Sonlight stack up to these?

Short hours: We do have limited hours. Some would say that they're standard, but that doesn't mean I don't get frustrated when someone tells me I can contact them during normal business hours... between the time I start and stop working. But with our many support options, I don't know how big of a deal this is... I ask for your thoughts below, so please keep reading.

Long wait times: I had to wait for a while to get through once. But I usually get help from Sonlight pretty quickly. And I've been very impressed with how fast I get someone via Chat. (Yes, I've chatted our Customer Relations team many times.)

Tiered support/Tied hands: Sonlight rocks this. Our incredible customer support people have the power to help you. Granted, they can't give you up to half the company, but do they have the authority to act on your behalf (so be nice <smile>).

Only email support: Nope. Not at all. Sonlight offers you phone, email and chat support. More than that, we've also got the Forums and Facebook, not to mention this blog, if you want to get opinions from customers who are currently using Sonlight.

Scripted answers: I used Sonlight when I was kid, but I don't have much experience teaching with it yet. But I can point you to the veteran homeschool moms who do have a ton of experience. Sonlight's Advisors are here to answer your questions about Sonlight and help you select the best program for your family. They'll look things up for you, but they won't be reading a script. This is personalized help based on years of experience at it's finest!

What say you? Have you been frustrated by Sonlight's hours? Do you find we get to you promptly on the phone and via chat? Have you been "wowed" by CR's ability to resolve your issue? Which is your favorite: Phone, email, chat, Forums? Have you chatted with an Advisor?

We say we have world-class support and strive to "wow" you each time you contact us. I'm curious: Do we live up to that?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

03/23/2010
Sonlight's 2010 Catalog on Facebook?
Could it be true? Is Sonlight's 2010 catalog really accessible from Facebook?

Find out!

If you happen to see a warning message, it's okay to continue on...

Be Careful!

That is, if you trust me <smile>.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

03/22/2010
A Moment of Panic
"11 new comments," my notice tells me.

I experience a moment of panic. Trepidation fills my heart. And I wonder yet again, 'Why do I come up with potentially controversial post topics on Fridays?' I write something and then leave it out there for the blogosphere to chomp on for a weekend. What am I thinking?

There's even more feedback on Facebook. Yikes.

And this is the paradox of being a blogger: I love comments, they make my day, they remind me that what I do matters to someone... and yet, there's always the fear that I've really upset you, pushed you over the edge, made you bust out the pitchforks, torches, tar and feathers. It's an emotional roller-coaster of "They love me!" plunging into the dread of "They hate me, yes?"

Tarred and Feathered

Sometimes my heart can't take it, friends. Even without the tar and feathers I'm still a chicken inside. As a blogger, my success rides entirely on my reception. If no one bothers to read anymore, it's curtains for me.

And then I begin to read the comments. Such wonderful comments! Even those who disagree or take issue with my position are gracious and kind. What a joy! What love! Up the slope I go, reveling in the heights to which I've climbed. Ignoring, for the moment, the plunge that awaits just beyond the crest.

I hate roller-coasters.

As parents, and homeschoolers to boot, we experience similar moments of panic. Perhaps not as sharp or clearly evidenced, but the fear is still there. Is what I'm doing good for my children, or am I causing irreparable harm? Our success as parents and homeschoolers rests on the response of others: Our children.

That's scary, friends. This gig isn't for the faint of heart. And yet we're all a little unsure at times. The doubt creeps in...

What can you do?

Read the comments. Read the comments of others about what you're doing. Read a few of the Sonlight Moments in the widget on the side of my blog. See what people are saying on Facebook. Read the hundreds of amazing and encouraging quotes in the Sonlight Catalog. Such wonderful comments! What joy! What love! And up the slope you go...

...so next time you take a plunge you can enjoy it instead of experiencing a moment of panic...

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

03/19/2010
Theology Through Books
"God caused Columbine to happen. He is Sovereign, so don't think for a minute He wasn't behind this. He has a bigger plan."

It had been a few weeks since the incident. I was at a park not far from the campus attending a benefit concert for the families of those who had lost loved ones in the shooting.

I turned to one of my friends, "You've got to be kidding me. Did he just say that?"

Bad theology leads to very bad things.

Or, at the very least, statements that aren't very helpful. Now, I have a Minor in Bible. I grew up in the church. I was in Awana for a long while. I attended Bible studies and all that. I've been reading my Bible regularly since sometime early on in high school. But I don't have a degree in theology.

So what have I noticed most influenced my views on God and how He interacts with the world?

It wasn't my group leaders, pastors or professors--though I'm sure they were part of it.
It wasn't my friends.
It wasn't my family.
It wasn't reading my Bible--though that foundation, I pray, helps keep me solid.
It wasn't even my experience--though that has tainted some of my views and raised some significant questions.
It wasn't my Bible college texts.

What shaped my theology the most were the biographies we read as part of Sonlight. Why? Because these are real people living their real lives before a real God. Biblical interpretation is one thing, but practical outplay over history is another. And that's why Scripture--as part of that history--is so important to consider as well.

The debate about a woman's role in the church is quickly shown to be shallow when compared to the lives of great female missionaries. The nature of faith is tested in the lives of those who rested solely on God's provision. The goodness of God is pulled into perspective when seen in the light of martyrs. The love of Christ is demonstrated most clearly in the joy of those who find Him.

Yet, like all subjects, I don't have a complete understanding of theology. The pieces I've assembled over time through literature and study are incomplete. I can't help my best friend figure out hope. I can't seem to walk in the path of "the New Man." I don't understand why God would refuse to work through a willing servant to save others.

I wouldn't be surprised if your theology was significantly shaped by the stories you listen to as well. Which is why it is so important to consider what you take in. Read stories from people you'd like to emulate. ...but do more than that too. Strive to hear stories from other sides. Without a little dissension you can't really wrestle with the hard questions.

And wrestle we did in my house.

I'm grateful to my parents--and few professors--who presented the tensions and struggles of theology to me as we read biographies and discussed history. It's an important aspect of humility and a learner's heart.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

03/18/2010
Sonlight's Box Day Video Process - Part 1
I titled this "Part 1" because I'm hoping I'll have something to say further along the process that will warrant a "Part 2" <smile>.

We need to update for a video that is currently (as of writing) on Sonlight.com; unfortunately, it is outdated and cumbersome. We want a cool new video with all the right information for our April 1 web update which coincides with the official 2010 Catalog launch.

That means I need to get cracking on this thing.

So, I start the project with some storyboards:

Meet John and Jane Doe

Walk You Through Box Day

Strong, Happy, Pro-Sonlight Finish

I get a little feedback, and then toss together the first mockup:

Box Day Mockup1

Fun, short, cool. But Judy helped me work through some of the weaker story elements, added some ideas for needed content and helped me think the video through again.

So, back to writing up a few more voice over lines, sketch a few more frames and...

Box Day Mockup2

Much better!

What's next?

Wait for feedback

Tweak

Get some real artwork

Record with the real voice over talent

Edit

Build a soundtrack

Create/add music

Mix together

and post online!

I love doing these "quick" projects, but they sure are a lot of work!

Do you have any Box Day Stories you'd like to share? Please do! Or, visit the Box Day Blog and read real Box Day stories.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

03/17/2010
A Look Back to a Year Ago
A wonderful post he would write
If but day was not followed by night.
And so in its stead,
This from off of his head,
A limerick and picture your plight.

Happy Saint Patty's Day!

Whoa, just realized that we got our Catalog a day earlier than last year. And I didn't wear green again today. But I am in mostly blue.

Whether you're reflecting on the influence of the man of history, pinching your friends, eating corned beef and cabbage or doing something else entirely, may your day be full of joy.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

03/16/2010
Look What I Got

It's coming...

Request your Sonlight Catalog today!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

03/15/2010
Do You See Yourself in Your Kids?
"I think I know why she did it," she whispers into my ear.

"Huh?" I look at the clock. It's well after midnight. I'd been asleep.

My wife scoots a little closer to me, glad I'm awake. "I can't sleep. I think I know why she got back on the potty right before bath. She's like you: She's a routine person and she always goes potty before bath."

"Huh." I pretend I don't care. I need to go back to sleep. Thinking about it would hurt too much. And, besides, I don't have a good response.

'Maybe I'll blog about this tomorrow,' I tell myself as I drift off to sleep, leaving my wife to her thoughts.

***

Six hours earlier the older child had just finished going potty. She got off to get ready for the coming bath. I started the water and she ran back into the bathroom. Her sister was heading in and looked like she might need to go.

"I need to go potty," the older one said.

I eye her suspiciously. She has a history of claiming to need to go potty when she really is just trying to kill time or stall. On top of this, her sister is walking a little cross-legged, which isn't a good sign. But the older one is already back on the pot. Guess I'll wait and see.

And wait we do as the steam slowly fills the bathroom along with the chatter of two excited little girls.

I'm waiting. There's no way she's going to go again. My suspicious are confirmed:

"All my pee-pees are out!" she proudly announces.

I'm furious. We've been working with her on this. We've been trying to communicate that she needs to tell the truth, that this is unacceptable behavior. On top of that, her sister looked more than a little uncomfortable waiting for her to finish the business she didn't need to do.

***

I've heard it said that the things we hate the most in others are the very things we do. And if it's true that she got back on the potty because of our routine, then all my assumptions and frustrations were unfounded.

The possibility brings tears to my eyes. The possibility that she and I are too much alike and, because of that frustrating fact, I couldn't see what was happening. I couldn't help her and encourage her to become a little more open to change. I was too busy focusing on what I was sure was going on that I might have missed a glimpse into who she is.

It's a good thing I have a wife who can look at both of us and see the similarities.

Some days the wife and kids teach me more about myself than I could possibly offer them: I'm a pretty poor husband and surrogate father. How many more times do I need to climb onto the proverbial potty before I get that out of my system?

Homeschooling, it's not just for the kids. I've still got a lot to learn as well.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

03/12/2010
Genuine: One of Those Days
We wake the girls up for our new Friday morning routine and discover that both had thrown up on their pillows in the middle of the night. The good blogger that I am, I thought about snapping a picture.

The good blogger that I am, I decided against it and took the sheets down to be washed instead.

Laundry

My morning had started five hours earlier when I woke up with the distinct impression that I needed to throw up. So I headed to the bathroom. I didn't, but those thirty minutes "on the pot" weren't all that pleasant; I would have preferred to have been happily sleeping.

Things weren't going well and it wasn't even 7:30 yet.

Then, I got a call at about 9:00 telling me that the main line of my house had clogged and water was filling the laundry room.

Fantastic.

It's been a long and rather frustrating day. Nothing like this day, but long and frustrating nonetheless.

Oddly enough, this is a benefit of homeschooling: Our kids get to experience life in the real world. They get a genuine experience. They see us at our best and our worst. We get to introduce them to the Plumber and explain how he helped fix the toilet so we can flush it again. They see us rip off the sheets in frustration to then tromp off to the basement. They get the good and the bad.

Sunday school teachers, instructors, coaches, anyone in a professional or paraprofessional leadership role will tend to present the world as stable and under control. In fact, this is such a common experience the two exceptions I've encountered in my life stand out in stark contrast. And while this professionalism is essential to a public situation, that's not where most of us need improvement. We're all pretty good at behaving in public.

Homeschooling allows our children to learn from how we handle stress, frustration and disappointment. They go through the experiences with us and learn how to cope. Sobering thoughts for those of us still in the process of learning how to roll with life's punches.

I'm writing this post to remind myself that even days that start off not so well are excellent opportunities for me and my children to learn and grow together. And if it turns out that your three month long project in the basement wasn't ruined, you had a coupon for half off the plumbing service and you were taken out to dinner by some friends, perhaps it's important to celebrate the blessings of life as well. I'm not nearly grateful enough because I'm too often focused on dealing with the things that went wrong.

So, here I am, at the end of one of those days sitting back and thinking, "Life is good."

How's yours?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

03/11/2010
Homeschool Priorities: Pick Your Battles
You're busy.

My wife is busy too. We're having guests arrive four hours earlier than anticipated so she's probably pretty active at the moment making the house ready. And that's on top of the things she normally does like, you know, tend to the children, make meals and all that.

You may not have guests showing up, but I'm sure your life has it's own unexpected twists. Even without those, you're plenty busy. And if you're anything like me, every once in a while you lose the ability to determine the most important things to focus on. I have so many pressing items on my schedule I seem incapable of completing any of them. Worse still, many of them have wait times associated with them, so I can't even "just do it a minute" and be done with it.

And in these moments do we really care about eschatology? My world already feels like it's falling apart, I don't care when the Tribulation is supposed to hit!
Hermeneutics? A child is trying to tell me something from the bathroom, I need to investigate that first.
Age of the Earth? Today already feels like a contradiction: I've only had ten minutes to do anything but I feel like I've been doing it for a million years!

I could go on, but you're busy.

As finite creatures we have to make priorities. We must pick our battles. And some days, our priorities require that we forgo participating in even our pet conflicts.

I'm not saying that the things listed above--or the numerous other topics like organic food, abortion, pollution, politics, evangelism, etc--aren't important. But for the time being, your time may be needed elsewhere.

Where?

Only you know that. But if you're having trouble focusing, perhaps it's time to remind yourself of your homeschool goals and work from there.

I need to work out my priorities as well. I think it would help me tremendously.

If only I could find the time...

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

03/10/2010
Holzmann Family Update
...well, my branch of it, at least.

For those of you just joining us, let me catch you up:

My wife and I are in the process of adopting three children. Two years into the process...

In the meantime, we're pseudo-fostering two girls.

We're doing Sonlight P3/4 with them.

And that's pretty much the last I've said of it.

Until now.

My good bloggy friend Mrs. C emailed me and asked how things were going. And while I'm still going to email you back with specifics, Mrs. C, I thought it'd be a good idea to post an update here.

First things first: The girls really like the Sonlight stories. They currently love Go, Dog, Go! and will often ask me if I like their hat. I once got it wrong by saying I did like it, not realizing I was supposed to not like it three more times. It's also not uncommon to hear, "Go! The light is green now!" as they run laps around the coffee table.

Second, we've received a few new pictures of our kids in Kyrgyzstan. Unfortunately, due to adoption law, I can't share them with you until the adoption goes through. And, near as we can tell, it's still just as stuck as it was over a year ago when the clog stopped up the pipe.

Third, the life of pseudo-fostering continues to be hard. Your prayers are much appreciated. However, Brittany and I recently decided to make conscious efforts to accept that the girls are part of the family. Not that they weren't accepted before, but that we hadn't yet consciously moved out of babysitting mode. It was exhausting to always be "watching" them. As we try to relearn how to go about our lives, now with children underfoot, we are trying to figure out how to incorporate them into what we do rather than waiting for them to go down for a nap before we start doing chores. Writing that makes it sound so obvious that we should have done that from day one. But some of us are just slow, I guess. Especially since we're still figuring it out...

There's more to say, I'm sure, but I've run out of steam. I think my emotional regulator just kicked in and shut off oxygen to my brain, ceasing all thought.

I'd be happy to answer any questions you have, or provide more details for anything you're interested in. Please just leave a comment and I'll try to get to it. If you have no questions, that's fine: I would absolutely appreciate your prayers.

Thanks!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

03/09/2010
The New Sonlight Logo
Last month I mentioned that our old logo had been removed from the building.

Today the new logo was installed:

A Work in Progress

A Few of the Pieces

Sonlight's New Logo

Pretty cool...

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

03/08/2010
He Who Defines, Wins
I really like words. That's one of the reasons I share "Words of the Day" with you when I stumble across them:

Autochthonous:^* indigenous; originating where it is found

Brought to you by
Milton Gaither

Definitions are important because, without them, we lose meaning and the ability to communicate. In debate they say that "he who defines, wins" because if your definition is accepted you can direct the conversation where you want it to go. A few examples:

Is abortion a medical procedure or murder?

Is swatting your child's hand training or abuse?

Is evolution a scientific fact or a godless lie?

Is homeschooling selfish and vile or a wonderful opportunity?

Is eating meat productive or immoral?

Is the use of "he" instead of gender neutral pronouns acceptable or chauvinistic?

Is this blog fantastic of lame?

Is Luke Holzmann a ninny or brilliant?

Ultimately, much like the last two, neither answer is entirely accurate--or, perhaps more accurately, both answers contain a certain level of truth. Logicians call what I gave above a false dichotomy. But the point remains: If you can convince people to accept your definition, you are more likely to sway them to your side.

The difficulty, then, is determining what definitions are correct. And when there is disagreement, discover what drives the two sides. Why do they define it that way? And what's influencing that definition?

Are you a parent or a teacher? Are your offspring your children or your students? And what in the world is a Core or an Instructor's Guide anyway?

I spent some time today working on a lexicon for a potential new Sonlight product. It was amazing to me how difficult it is to find words that will be wildly recognizable without leading to wrong impressions or confusion. Schedule or Calendar? Asset or Resource? Teachers Manual or Lesson Plan? Course or Program or Study Unit?

May the words you use today be edifying and understood by those around and closest to you.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

^*Yep, I had to look up the pronunciation too.

03/05/2010
The Problem with Routine
...is when you have to break it.

I'm a routine guy. More than that, I'm a schedule guy. I don't always have to be on time ...as long as I'm early. I park in the same spot every day. I have a morning routine. I have a evening series of events. I do the same thing every Saturday night and Sunday morning (Movie Night and church, respectively). My body is so used to my order of life, I wake up at 6am on mornings I forget to set my alarm (which is great because otherwise I'd throw a hissy fit because my groove was thrown off. Not proud of those moments).

You get the picture.

Today, my routine was broken.

Garage sale season has started; there was one this morning. And for that one garage sale I got up early to do a little work, then drove my wife to meet my sister and my mom, watched the girls for a couple hours with my brother-in-law, drove home and then, and only then, was able to come into Sonlight--four hours later than I usually do.^*

I was grumpy.

And that's the real problem with routine: I feel entitled to it. The problem is me. Routine is fantastic, even beneficial in many ways. But like so many good things, it's how we use it and respond to it. Vegetables are great, but they aren't if I were to go ballistic on the kids over them. Money is wonderful, but an unhealthy focus on it leads to trouble.

You get the picture.

Are you like me and need to have a solid routine? Or are you on the other end of the spectrum--with my wife--and fight against repetition? I'm guessing neither extreme is super healthy. That's why I'm so thankful for Sonlight's approach to scheduling: Consistency with flexibility. Every Sonlight Instructor's Guide allows you to plan your day how you want so you can quickly adjust when you need to. Like when garage sale season starts....

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

^*My wife accused me of wanting to get to work so desperately I almost drove down to open the building at 6:30. I still maintain that I had responsibilities that were thankfully covered by another.

03/04/2010
Sonlight's 2010 Catalog Proofs
Stop the presses!

Sonlight's Catalog is heading off to the printer.^*

Today we looked over the "blue lines"--whatever that means--of the catalog and it should be back to the printer soon. I can't believe it's already March 4th. April 1 is coming so quickly...

2010 Catalog Proofs

The Red Pens of Marking

When we find mistakes, we mark them on stickies. Rebel that I am I used my blue pen instead of the red.

This Blog is Getting Some Love! That makes me super excited <smile>.

Are you excited about the 2010 Catalog?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

Deportment: demeanor; the way a person behaves toward others

Brought to you by Mrs. C

^*Come on, that was punny.

03/03/2010
Multitasking
My wife can hold three small children at the same time. She can make dinner, tell me to stop looking in the fridge for a snack and keep an ear open for the plaintive wail of a distressed child. She can listen to a podcast and play WoW or be in Second Life. She's a pretty impressive person.

But she can't multitask.

You can't either.

NPR has an interesting article on this. But I think, 'Perhaps I'm different. Perhaps I really can do multiple things at once.' If you're anything like me, I suggest you give yourself a practical test via the Multitask flash game. [NB: There are ads for webgames on this site. While I didn't notice any offensive ones when I hit the site, that does not rule out the possibility that they exist.] It took me all of about a minute before I realized that my constant switching in focus didn't cut it.

Businesses--I hear--have found this to be true as well. People are far more productive if they sit down and focus on a task. Unfortunately, the world of instant messaging, email, phones, Facebook, Twitter, RSS and the like make it difficult to stay on target. I know I get distracted when a message pops up telling me that I just got a new email.

I found it interesting, then, to read about a school that is excited that giving their students laptops "helps them multitask." I don't see how this would be a good thing. I heard that recent studies have found no benefits to trying to multitask.

Case in point: I know when my wife is multitasking while I'm on the phone with her. She's far less communicative if she's also checking Facebook or looking for a cool new app... she may be able to juggle a bunch of kids, but she still can't multitask.

Instead of encouraging your children to practice being distracted in the hopes that it will make them more prepared for the world of new media, encourage them to focus on a book or story and then switch their attention fully to the next subject at hand. This is a great skill to have when talking to people too: Give them your full attention.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

P.S. Despite what I say above, I think it was great that my mom let us play quietly with Legos while she read to us. My sister sometimes doodled as well. There is something to be said for freeing children to focus on something other than merely "staying focused." So, perhaps--just perhaps--moderation is a good thing as well...

03/02/2010
Always Be There to Help Your Students
Jerri Ann asked, "When do you quit [helping with] homework?"

It's the homeschooler in me that answers, "It depends."

If a student is truly confused, why wouldn't you help them? Because they need to figure it out on their own? That is a great skill to learn. But if we believed that people should always figure things out on their own we'd never try to teach them anything. The learning process is a give and take that, when applied well, leads a student to move beyond what the teacher has taught. Confusion is a terrible state. Sure, don't spoon-feed answers, but simple clarification can be the difference between giving up and a light bulb moment.

If a little instruction will help a student move forward, help them! I am grateful for the friends who help me with things even here at Sonlight. And if I'm not too old to still benefit from a few pointers, I doubt your student is either.

Ultimately, though, I think this sums it up: Learning is far more important than "going at it alone." In fact, pushing students to figure it out on their own may actually reinforce the idea that building on what others have learned is a bad thing... and that would be a terrible mistake. We should all strive to stand on the shoulders of the giants who have gone before us.

I'm not advocating, however, that students should always get your help. I know there were times when I was mentally "dragging my feet" instead of applying myself. In those cases, it was good for my mom to leave me alone. Hand holding wasn't going to help me.

As a teacher you are your student's weightlifting partner. You're there to help lift the bar when the weight becomes too great. But you'd do no favors if you carried the burden instead.

Now I just mixed my metaphors...

Lifting Weights on the Shoulders of Giants

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

03/01/2010
Cowboys, Facebook and Stuff I'd Write About
I mention cowboys and Sonlight's catalog on my blog and no one comments. No one mentions it on Facebook. I mean, I realize it was toward the end of a post, but I thought I'd get at least one giggle or "yeehaw" or something.

I got crickets instead.

Then I noticed that Facebook never published the post that mentioned cowboys and catalogs and contests. Say wha? What's going on here?

I fiddle. I tinker. I poke around. Finally I add the "Notes" tab and, lo and behold, there the post is... but it's still not on Sonlight's Facebook Wall. First it was Twitter that just stopped updating my stuff. Now it's Facebook. The social media world has conspired to bring me a slow social death.

<tears>

I've got several things I want to blog about, but they are sensitive subjects that require more thought and much more wisdom than I have. A few others would be better to post about at a later date. One is perfect for Father's Day (though I wrote it last week).

Needless to say, I'd rather be writing about other things than trying to sort out the mysteries of social media tools that simply stop working all of a sudden...

...and, please, someone tell me you thought having a cowboy on a page that said "Whoa! Hang on a minute there, cowboy" would have been hilarious. Otherwise, I'll have to post the crying cowboy sketch again...

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

02/24/2010
A New Beginning and a Quickly Coming End
Great news: Sonlight.com is back online!

We got the site back up before noon today--almost 6 hours ahead of schedule. There were only a few kinks (that we've heard of thus far). Other than that, things are moving along beautifully on our new server.

Important news: The T-Shirt Design Contest ends this Sunday! Submit your designs before then. You've only got a few more days...

Other news: I'm not going to be here the rest of this week, so no posts tomorrow or Friday. But I wanted to let you know that I have radically--yes: radically--updated the Widgets page to make it more user friendly and better than ever. In fact, if you already have one of the Sonlight banners, badges or widgets on your site/blog, you'll want to consider replacing what you have with the new code. It's sweet!

And people have started asking, so I thought I'd just toss this out there: If you were to, say, request a Sonlight catalog right now, you just may land on a page that originally had a cowboy on it before we decided my humor wasn't for everyone...

I'm just sayin'.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

02/23/2010
Suggesting Sonlight
I noticed a spike in tweets about Sonlight yesterday. What further piqued my interest was that they were mostly directed toward one person who had asked for homeschool curricula suggestions.

Why had this person generated so many tweets?

I swung by her blog to see if I could figure it out. It was very nice. Then I noticed something...

Whoa. She has almost 6,000 followers!

Suddenly I was back in the pool as a college student. I frequently won races. I held school records. I was super cool! Until we attended a meet with some of the really big schools--like Standford and BYU. I took 86th in the 500. I doubt I had been bested by 85 people over the course of my entire swimming career prior to that.

Any dreams of Olympic gold that may have been budding in my subconscious died a gruesome death that day, mercilessly drowned in the pool of competitors that were way outside my league.

I was reminded of two things:

1. I should never, ever, ever look at my blog stats. It's depressing.

2. I am so thankful for you because you promote Sonlight so much better than I will ever be able to. I am grateful that so many Sonlighters take the time to share their love of Sonlight with others. Don't forget: We started the Sonlight Rewards program as a small way of saying thanks.

And speaking of Twitter, I should work on a Twitter widget thingy for the Widgets page...

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

02/22/2010
Three Things I Do Not Understand...
...four that cause me grief.

The inability for a DVD replicator to properly print, the madness that is .pdf exporting, a case of the Mondays and mass emails that need to be sent.

In honor of my artist skillz--the "z" indicates they aren't actually there--I have taken a self-portrait entitled:

Frustrated with Technology

To alleviate some potential frustration you may encounter, please note:

Sonlight.com will be down for maintenance tomorrow and Wednesday.
(the 23-24 of February, 2010)

We are still around to help. You can find us at http://maint.sonlight.com/ until we're back online.

This blog will be here, the Sonlight Forums and Sonlight's Facebook page as well. Please swing by to encourage us. We welcome your thoughts and prayers as we tackle this major technological task.

Thanks, friends!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

P.S. Spam was getting annoying, so I had to disable the Username/URL option for comments for a while. I'm sorry for any inconvenience this may cause you. I really do welcome your input!

02/19/2010
Easy Gluten-free Cookie Recipe
You visit SonlightBlog.com for three reasons:

The wit

The profound insights

My recipes

You don't come here for recipes?

Probably because I don't have many recipes and the few I do have I seldom share. But today, while trying to come up with something to blog about, I pulled out a peanut butter sugar cookie and started munching.

I Made This Cookie and I ate it too

Fun? Check.
Tasty? Check.
Easy to do? Check.
Homeschool related? Check.
Perfect blog fodder? Check.

These cookies take 20 minutes from start to finish. And I don't mean in the traditional cooking show way of: 20 minutes if you have everything prepping into those little bowls and the oven on and you don't need to look at the directions. I mean, 20 minutes from when you think, 'I think I'll make some cookies,' to when you can be munching. My kind of 20 minutes.

Step 1: Turn on your oven to 375°
Step 2: Mix 1cup peanut butter, 1cup sugar, 1tsp vanilla and 1 egg (a mixing machine makes this even easier)
Step 3: Form into balls on cookie sheet

Step 3b: (optional) Use fork to make pretty lines on cookies
Step 3c: (optional) Sprinkle sugar on top if a 1:1 ratio isn't good enough for ya

Step 4: Bake for 9 minutes
Step 5: Remove and let cool
Step 6: Eat a limited quantity ***this is the hardest part***

This is a great activity for the whole family (assuming you don't have a peanut sensitivity). You can discuss what happens when you heat sugar, the microbe-killing effect of cooking eggs, the importance of a healthy diet, displacement when force is applied to matter, and even the calming nature of a good snack. Chemistry, biology, dietetics, physics and sociology--not to mention cookies--in 20 minutes?

Not bad for a Friday afternoon.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

02/18/2010
Changes Here at Sonlight
We've been in the process of doing a major Sonlight brand overhaul for a couple years now. This has been further influenced by our 20th Anniversary. 20 years of serving the homeschool community. 20 years of improving our product. 20 years of leading in excellent literature-rich homeschooling.

But today, a physical change occurred here at Sonlight: Our old logo was removed from the building.

Ghost of Logo Past

This will be replaced with our new logo. As I listen to the scraping of the stucco workers outside, I am reminded of the hard work that has gone into getting us to where we are today. The continually improved curriculum packages. The yearly updated Instructor's Guides. The daily commitment to providing you with excellent support. And our commitment to serve you as long as God allows.

There's something almost melancholy--pensive--about this moment. Change, for all it's excitement, leaves something behind... like the ghostly shadow of the logo that is being scrapped off the building's facade even as I type.

May this year, and the years to come, see even more changes here at Sonlight; changes that benefit you and bless you in your homeschooling journey.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

02/17/2010
Do You Have Questions About Sonlight?
Sonlight Curriculum Advisors are here to help you. They can help you find answers to questions like:

What Sonlight program will work for my family?

How do I use Sonlight with multiple students?

Should I get the Core 1+2 or the Core 1 program?

What Reader pack should I get for my child?

If this book isn't working for my student, can I stop reading it?

and much, much more!

Each one of the SCAs--as we like to call them--are veteran Sonlight moms who can help you decide what will be best for you and your family. These are the perfect people to go to with questions, ideas you want to bounce off someone, and any other matters you want to discuss concerning the Sonlight materials you're using or hope to use.

I find I recommend people chat with a Sonlight Curriculum Advisor almost every time they ask me something about Sonlight. So if you have questions about Sonlight Curriculum and Sonlight's homeschool programs, skip a step and go directly to the SCAs. They are here to help you find out what will be best for you and your students.

Petard: an explosive device used to break down a gate or wall

Brought to you by Suburban Correspondent (more here)

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

02/16/2010
Uploading Images to Sonlight
Remember that T-Shirt Design Contest I told you about?

Well, it's almost over.

Which means, you need to get your submissions in pronto.

'But, Luke,' you're thinking, 'I tried to upload my image. But I got a message about it being the "wrong file type" even though it was the right kind!'

Hmm... good point. Turns out--we discovered today--that Internet Explorer changed image MIME definitions to a non-standard form some time in the past and that threw off everyone who was ignorant of this issue (namely: me). I'm not even sure what a MIME type definition is, but thankfully I've got smart people here to help me. So, it's fixed.

In other words:

You no longer have an excuse!

Submit your design to Sonlight's 2010 T-Shirt Design Contest.

Do it.

Do it now!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

02/15/2010
Announcing Sonlight's 2010 Scholarship Winners
Since 2000, Sonlight has awarded college scholarships. Check out the 2010 Sonlight Scholarship Winners. We will be adding biography blurbs for all the winners in the weeks to come, so stay tuned <smile>.

Do you have a student who will soon be a Sonlight graduate? Have you looked into applying for a Sonlight scholarship? You should.

Congratulations to this year's winners!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

02/12/2010
A Benefit of Reading: Love to Learn
Fitting to speak of loving to learn right before Valentine's Day. And what better way to wrap up a series on the benefits of reading?

Books--at least goods books--are a joy to read. Far more than just providing enjoyment, though, these books teach you things. You can learn history, geography, sociology, philosophy and more through literature. In fact, I believe this is the best way to learn these things.

The stories help you make connections, understand what's happening around you and better articulate your response. More than that, you will enjoy doing so. You won't want to stop. You'll love it too much to quit!

Unlike other learning systems, reading great books will inspire you to learn more, not give up on an educational system. For as much as I enjoyed college, I feel no compulsion to go back to school. I'm done with the classroom setting. I'm sick of homework and tests and grade games. Yet I am still enthralled with learning. Sure, I don't make as much time for reading as I should, but when I find a great book I dive into it. I drink in the knowledge like a glass of fresh-squeezed orange juice. I love it.

That is how education should be.

That is precisely how homeschooling with Sonlight is.

Sonlight combines all of the benefits of reading a ton of great literature and couples them with powerful tools that help you draw the most from the experience. I remember begging my mom to keep reading. I remember getting lost in a book. I remember homeschooling with Sonlight and all the wonderful benefits it gave me--as a student. I absolutely love to learn.

But wait, there's more!

Sonlight guarantees that your students will not only love to learn with our curriculum packages, but that you'll love to teach with them too!

As we look forward to a day full of chocolates, flowers and pink candies, there's really nothing more sweet than loving to learn together as a family.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

02/11/2010
A Benefit of Reading: Greater Perspective
Books can take you places you may never be able to visit in person. Limit finances--not to mention the space-time continuum--make it impossible for you to travel to certain destinations. But a good book will "take you there" for a couple of bucks and a few hours of reading.

Sonlight is packed full of such books. My mom gave a few examples in a presentation back in October. (She starts talking about this subject at 4:40.)

By experiencing different people throughout the world and history, we develop a greater perspective on life. This helps us grow a heart for the world--a fundamental part of Sonlight's educational philosophy.

It's possible that this greater perspective I received from my Sonlight education is what has helped me avoid culture shock. I've traveled to several countries and have yet to feel like I'm in a truly foreign place. Sure, it's not home, but for all it's differences, it's not that unfamiliar. Could it be that all the "travel" I did as a child via the literature we read as a family prepared me for cross-cultural experiences?

I think so.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

02/10/2010
A Benefit of Reading: Connections
It's no secret that I really enjoy Chuck. And now my mom is hooked on it as well.

[Obligatory disclaimer: This show contains content that will not be welcome in all households. Just because I think it's hilarious--and my mom likes it--does not mean that you will find it wholesome or acceptable by the standards of your family.]

Chuck is jam-packed with nerdy cultural references. These connections add to the humor of the show and give me one more point of contact with the characters and the story. This just heightens my enjoyment and fandom.

Reading tons of great literature has a similar benefit. You will be more connected with other books. Plots and characters will make more sense. You'll be able to draw even greater insights from the richness of the text by noticing where the author connects with another work. Even Christ used literary connection to add depth to His statements.

Many Sonlight families find that the connections they get from reading together go beyond the world of literature. The "shared experience" books provide give many points of contact within the family. This knits us closer together as brothers and sister, parents and children. We can all smile or cry as we recall an event that happened in one of our books.

Beyond that, I think many Sonlighters feel a certain camaraderie with each other. We have enjoyed many of the same things through the literature we share.

What are some of your favorite literary connections?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

02/09/2010
A Benefit of Reading: Writing
"The fog of sleep evaporated quickly as the sunlight hit his eyes."

Such a strong opening. What's more, I wrote it when I was in junior high.

There was a post somewhere about a kid who started a writing assignment with a similarly creative punch.^* When asked why he had begun his story with action instead of the typical "Once upon a time" opening, he replied, "That's how my Sonlight books start."

It's true.

"Trad found the white-haired stranger by nearly putting an arrow into him, thinking he was a rabbit."
~The Great and Terrible Quest

Sonlight's programs are packed full of Award-Winner books. But it's not just that these books are a joy to read or listen to. Consuming great literature like this will naturally impact your writing. This can be further encouraged with a Language Arts program that models these wonderful stories.

Reading great books will help your writing.

That's not to say that practice and hard work aren't essential to composition. But a heavy background in wonderful literature is an important foundation.

Interestingly, I was sent the following article this morning and found it incredibly relevant to this series: The Case for Literature. I was thrilled that so many of Nancie Atwell's points are precisely the things that Sonlight offers in its literature.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

^*Unfortunately, I have long lost that post (was it on a blog? a Sonlight Momement? a customer comment?). If you wrote that story, please let me know so I can link to it!

02/08/2010
A Benefit of Reading: Plots
Sonlight uses a lot of literature. I doubt it's a literal ton, but there could easily be a thousand pounds of books in Sonlight's Pre-K through High School Cores.

My mom, however, reads a ton of books. Literally. All this literature has given her the ability to guess plots. Most notably was this:

***Spoiler Alert for a 2004 film***

We sat down to watch The Village. The movie opens with a community meal. A crazed young man claps his hands and stares off wildly into the forest.

My mom, who doesn't watch thriller type films, looks over at me and says, "Oh, it's a world within a world story."

What!?! Come on! How could she know that?

***End spoiler***

My mom said that it was "obvious" because "directors like to show you things with subtle clues."

Uh-huh.

That very well may be the case. But the fact of the matter is that my mom knows so much story theory that she can pick up on the arch of a tale within the first few minutes of it starting. You don't get that kind of knowledge from studying literature theory. You don't gain those insights by reading textbooks on authorial intent. You don't pick up on those subtleties when you write an essay on symbolism.

No. You gain that skill by enjoying stories. You gain that skill by reading a ton. And, thankfully, Sonlight provides the first half of that ton in our homeschool programs.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

02/05/2010
That Was Brilliant Before
I love writing. I have since before I could write. One of the things I love the most about writing is that I am a genius. My prose and poetry is brilliant. I thoroughly enjoy going back and reading those things I've written that speak directly to the human condition, elicit long lost emotions and share insights into the darkest recesses of human knowledge.

But here's the catch: I hate listening to others read my stuff.

The luster is gone. My thoughts sound like inane babble. My gorgeous mastery of the English language is suddenly replaced with a hideous cacophony of poor sentence structure and pathetic reasoning. I'm an idiot. I should never write again.

Sometimes this reality strikes me when I revisit old passages and posts. I look upon a foreign text, something that could not possibly have flowed from my thoughtful and practiced fingers. I am disgusted. And then I wonder: Why do people read this stuff?

I've been revisiting some of my older posts.

For those of you who waded through those early days of blogging for Sonlight, I commend you! Thanks for swinging by and encouraging me. Your presence here spurred me onward to where I am today.

Today, though, I'm more wary of my writing. I read articles about how, if I were a good blogger, I'd write about you more than about me. I would ask questions more than make statements. My confidence shattered I wonder: Why does anyone read this blog?

Why do you read this blog? What makes you come back here again and again?

They--whoever "they" are--suggest that you be yourself on your blog. "Don't fake it," these nameless gurus say. And so I don't. I continue in my narcissistic outpouring of thoughts and experiences.

Is this one of the beautiful things of a good education--to love what we do and find pleasure in it?

I think so.

My parents let me explore my abilities, praised my efforts and continued to nudge me to hone my strengths. That, in turn, made learning a joy. And as we master things, the doing becomes fun as well. Which is likely why I love writing and find my words so insightful.

That's not to say that tears and correction are not a part of the struggle to master something. But I believe a slightly irrational belief in one's own brilliance is a boon to learning how to produce brilliant things.

Do you see that in your own children or in your life?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

02/04/2010
Keeping Track of Your Homeschool Tasks
...alt title: "If Aesop Tweeted"

As the warm water poured over me this morning in the shower, I thought of a great blog topic.

Now I have forgotten it.

Like the fox giving up on obtaining some grapes, I'd like to think my idea wasn't very good anyway. But, like the fable, that likely isn't the case.

"Write me a sticky," my mother tells me. I do the same for myself if I need to remember something. The bright yellow square slapped on my wallet or phone is an excellent reminder to bring my camera or return things to the library.

Unfortunately, stickies don't survive well in the shower.

As a busy homeschool parent I'm sure there are many things you would forget if not for the tools you've found. Here are four things that help me keep track of stuff:

Stickies

Computer scratch pad

Whiteboard

Desktop "notes.txt" file

I've even entertained the idea of texting a Tweet to myself when I'm away from a computer and don't have access to paper and pen. I haven't been that desperate yet.

Might be fun though.

So how about? Do you write notes to yourself in your IG? On your fridge? On your kid's forehead? How do you keep track of your homeschool tasks, schedule, shopping list and such?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

02/02/2010
Busy...
I was completely consumed by a seminar type thingy today.

I'll be busy again tomorrow as we spend these few days discussing Sonlight's presence at homeschool conventions.

Pretty exciting stuff coming up this year. You'll want to be sure to swing by one of our booths at your local homeschool convention and say "hi" with one of our amazing Sonlight Curriculum Consultants. We fondly call them SCCs. <smile>

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

02/01/2010
Homeschoolers: The Well Behaved Bunch
He was tall, but thin. Hardly more than a 110 pounds. At just over 6 feet he resembled a twig. His giant XXL t-shirt only reinforced his skeletal form. The 80 pound backpack caused him to hunch.

He was headed to class.

A larger boy with a familiar face approached him. Something was wrong. The larger boy threw his shoulder into him, causing him to stumble against the wall.

'What?'

The other boy walked on. The skinny kid watched him go and wondered what his name was and why he was mad at him.

I doubt I'll ever know.

Bully

I hadn't thought of that experience in years, but it came back to me when I read Danielle's post on the difference between homeschooled and "traditionally" schooled kids. Why, she asks, do homeschooled kids behave better?

First, allow me to dispel a myth: I wasn't a little angel when homeschooled. I specifically remember dropping my sister on her face once when she made me angry. She must have forgiven me because she's never brought it up. That, or the brain damage never healed...

But even though we fought like siblings, we were pretty good kids. We worked hard. We enjoyed the Sonlight books. We poured our blood, sweat and tears--lots of tears--into our writing assignments. And while I was a little shy and awkward in groups, I never hip checked someone into a wall. That simply was not something you did to those outside your family. Your little brother when he was driving you crazy... sure, but not someone you hardly knew.

For whatever reason there is a different set of social rules in a "traditional" school. Picking on people is common. Making fun of others is socially acceptable. Physically assaulting another is just a fact of life.

Which is so very odd to those coming from the other world, the world where socialization has kicked in and constructive criticism, encouragement and mature behavior is expected of you even if you're still at the stage in life where the only recourse to your rage is throttling your punk little brother.

Second, I listened to my teachers. I played their game. I followed directions. And if I disagreed, I spun their demands back on them--completely complying without doing what they wanted.

Perhaps it was the freedom of homeschooling that opened me up to this possibility. I knew I needed to follow the rules, but that didn't mean that I needed to agree with them. And that didn't mean that I had to be silent about my disagreement. But those "in the system" don't always know that. At least for those kids--like the bully in hall--who didn't care much for school, the only offensive move was to tune out, drop out, opt out. Not so with me. The way to respond was to so perfectly adhere to the rules so as to show the insanity of them. There was always a creative solution to push back, if I only had enough energy and time to make it happen.

So are homeschoolers the well behaved bunch?

Yes and no.

There were days when I know I was an unholy terror for my mom (sorry, mom). I know for a fact I was a defiant little punk by the time I got to public school. But my defiance took a different form from that of my peers. Rather than based in an apathetic tuning out, mine was rooted in an indignation at the frivolous nature of my work or assignment. So I became more engaged. I put more effort into my work. I dug even deeper.

That may be a sign of maturity. But at the moment I think the difference is taking personal responsibility and doing what you can to overcome the obstacle.

Homeschooling taught me that I had options. It was my responsibility to learn. It was up to me to set things right. And that didn't happen when I picked on others. It happened when I took things head on.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

01/29/2010
Hobbies
Very interesting article in the Other Posts of Note today: Goodbye plans, hello goals! on Heart of the Matter Online.

As a kid I had time to write stories, fiddle with programing, shoot movies and start a band all on top of youth group, Awana, trumpet lessons, swimming and school. Homeschooling opened the world to me because it freed up much of my schedule. But even in college I was still tinkering with my hobbies.

Then I got a job. That ate into some of my time.

Then I got married. That ate into more of my time.

Now the girls are really taking a bite out of my schedule.

So it's rare to find me playing around with my hobbies anymore. I still find an hour here and there, but mostly it's serious business and adult responsibility.

Is that the same for you? And given an hour or two, what hobbies do you (still) have?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

01/28/2010
They Shouldn't Let Me Near Code...
I look up from my keyboard to see if my code change worked.

I Broke It

Oh no. How did that happen?

"Umm... Bo..." I begin. Bo stops what he's doing to look at me. This is a rather common occurrence for my cube neighbor. Though I'm pretty sure he's rethinking my access to the web code by now.

This was going to be a quick update. But no.

The battle to make our videos pretty and functional continues...

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

01/27/2010
Outdated Browsers
I was wondering why so few people had watched the new HD Sonlight videos, but then I heard that they weren't working in Internet Explorer 7.

...that might have something to do with people not watching.

While digging for an answer, I discovered that if you visit YouTube right now in IE7 [NB: It was on IE6, not 7] you will see something like...

Get a Better Browser

Google is suggesting that you update your browser. And I agree. It's really annoying to have to code for earlier IE bugs.

I haven't worked out all the kinks yet, but you can now watch the clips at the bottom of Sonlight's Video page in IE7.

Please: Update to IE8. Or switch to Firefox or Chrome. It will make my job easier <smile>.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

01/26/2010
Two HUGE Updates to Sonlight.com
Situation 1:
You go visit one of Sonlight's Core Packages. You select your program and start looking through the X number of items included in that package. Interested in one of the books, you click the title...

Before today you would be taken to the product page. You'd read the information. Then you'd click "back" to return to your Core. But what's this!?!! The handy green box with the items in the package has closed! The nerve! The aggravation! The torment! Oh, the horrors!

Update: No more. Now, clicking on a product from within the green package box will open a new tab or window.

Situation 2:
You're looking for a specific Instructor's Guide so you swing by the IG page. You select the level you're looking for and...

Huh? Where are all the IGs? And why is the Language Arts IG listed but nothing else? And why is the Core in the "Individual Items" tab? What is this madness?

Update: We have renamed the tabs "Packages & Guides" and "Individual Items" to make it easier to find your Instructor's Guide.

I spent today combing through your feedback on our website. The two above issues came up more often than any other. I'm really excited to have finally been able to find a solution to these issues.

What Bugs You? Bug

I really do value your feedback on what is (and is not) working for you on Sonlight.com. By the time I find a solution, the update may be long overdue. But your comments are invaluable.

Thanks for taking the time to help us serve you better!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

01/25/2010
Sonlight Rewards Badge
My mom asked me to create a link for her to the Sonlight Rewards Program.

Great idea!

I created the graphic, added it to my blog, sent her the code and thought, 'If my mom wants this for her blog, perhaps others out there want it too.'

So I added a badge for Sonlight Rewards to the Widgets page. Here's the super cool thing: If you are logged into your Sonlight Account while on the Widgets page, your Rewards ID code is automatically included in the HTML.

Say what?

Log into your Sonlight account. Copy the Rewards badge HTML. Add it to your blog/website. A visitor who clicks on it will automatically be brought to the friendly "create an account to save money" page. And if he or she creates an account then, you'll earn points on his or her first purchase.

So cool!

Unfortunately, Facebook does not let you use HTML on your Facebook page.

But wait!

There is something on the Widgets page for you, faithful Facebook fans! That's right: New Flair, now with the twenty-ten logo.

Huzzah!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

01/22/2010
Blog Mobile Reading
I currently used Blogger to power SonlightBlog.com. I like it because it's tied to my Google Account and allows me to connect with others with the same. But there are some things that irk me, especially since this is a corporate blog for Sonlight. I need certain features and tools that simply are not available yet (and may never be).

Today was the search for a mobile publishing/delivery tool for SonlightBlog.com. Smartphones with full browsers built in do just fine on this site. If you set up your smartphone to read my RSS, you're gold. But if your smartphone does not have a full browser and is not set to read this blog via RSS... well... then things start to break down. And I need to change that.

Enter my Mobile Site hack. Ideally, when your smartphone loads this blog, you will be presented with the above link. That's the idea. I can't test it because my phone is, well, not as smart.

Luke's Phone

If you have a smartphone, would you mind directing it to SonlightBlog.com and, if it's there, clicking on the Mobile Site link? After that, please swing back here and tell me how it went.

Because at the moment, I have no idea if it works.

Thanks!

I hope to find a more permanent solution someday, but for now this will have to do.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

01/21/2010
Sonlight's Homeschool Web Videos
...now in HD!

With the advent of high definition video available online, YouTube has increased the file size limitation to 2GB per video. And that made me super excited.

Why?

Because I've created some Sonlight specific HD content that I can now share with you!

Two of the IG videos are available now on the Instructor's Guide page. The rest are coming.^*

While working on preparing the IG videos for HD delivery, I revisited some of the other clips I've made. May I revel for a moment? I absolutely love my MathTacular trailers. They're not in HD, but that does not detract from the joy I get every time I watch them.

If you haven't recently experienced the MathTacular Trailers--or sample clips, for matter--you should:

Watch the MathTacular Trailer

Watch the MathTacular2 Trailer

Watch the MathTacular3 Trailer

I look forward to bringing you more useful product demonstrations and samples in the years to come. But for now, it's fun to be part of the high definition digital revolution.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

^*I have six more videos rendering on my other computer right now. They should be ready in the next... erm... 35 hours ...or so. Definitely by Monday. <smile>

01/20/2010
Geeking Out: Motion Tracking
I've spent much of my day working on some special effects shots for an upcoming product. The other few hours were devoted to meetings.

I realize that you likely don't care much about motion tracking--or even know precisely what it is. But for me, it has been a thorn in my side for this project for quite some time.

But no more.

Today I found a bit of freeware that allows me to do--in a matter of minutes--something I was unable to perfect after dozens of hours of trying.

Sweet!

In the video below I give you two examples. The first is from when I painstakingly tried to match the movement by hand. Several hours of work and a ton of eye strain. To add insult to injury, the motion isn't very good. The graphic "slides" all over the screen and is obviously added in post.

The second clip was produced in a couple of minutes by some free software I found today. Not only was is super easy (I pushed a couple buttons), but the motion is much, much smoother. Granted, it's not on par with the digital magic of ILM, but it's pretty impressive for freeware:

Motion Tracking Examples

I'm super excited.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

01/19/2010
Why I Went to High School
Yesterday I linked to a fantastic article on popularity. In his article, Paul Graham argues--among other things--that high school has no real purpose; the stated goal of "educating" is little more than a farce except in the instance of the few shining examples of truly great teachers.

That certainly rang true for me. Attending a public high school wasn't about learning. In fact, I readily told everyone at the time that if I had really wanted to learn something, I would have stayed home.

No, I had another reason to be at my public high school: Ministry. I was there to change the world.

Granted, as I alluded to yesterday, I was involved in tons of extra curricular activities as well. I believe I "lettered" officially 19 times. I gave myself two non-official letters I deserved but was not awarded. I fully understand the draw that wood shop, band, sports, theater, clubs and school publications offer. But those are secondary. Education tertiary. My primary reason for going to school was to stretch my wings as a minster of the Gospel.

And I had a blast. I really enjoyed high school.

But my younger sister did not. We overlapped by two years, and I can still remember her clinging to me and crying right before I graduated. She was about to be alone in a pointless world without a friendly soul to turn to.

She still talks about her horrible experiences and the waste of those years.

My wife, on the other hand, was homeschooled through high school. We met in college. She's bright, well educated and--in many ways--better adjusted than I.

My point is this: There are excellent and worthy reasons to attend high school. But I would caution against those reasons which are of the academic nature. You absolutely can homeschool your children through high school. You need not worry about the larnin' of yer students.

And if you're just beginning your homeschool journey, remember:

Sonlight offers homeschool programs from pre-school through high school.

We've got your covered.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

01/18/2010
Peers and Popularity
The trees had dropped their leaves. The sun was pale through the window. He sat hunched in his desk looking at his trigonometry textbook. Actually, he was looking at the slip of paper on his text:

Ballot it read.

"Please nominate the top five males and top five females for Winter Homecoming Royalty."

His mind had gone blank. Five? Which five? Then a smile crept across his face. "Hey, everyone," he said loudly. The classroom turned to look at him. "Put down Luke Holzmann."

There was a moment of silence.

Then his friends turned back to their ballot, shrugged, and started scribbling. A few months later he was crowned king by default because the football player he had tied with was at a game that night.

My fifteen minutes of high school popularity were courtesy of a whim and a technicality. I couldn't have asked for more irony (except, of course, that the queen was one of my good friends and leader of our weekly prayer meetings).

I had come a long way from the kid who ate lunch by himself in the Cross Country locker room. I had risen from the new kid who was loud and odd to "that tall, loud guy" whom everyone at least could recognize. I had restarted the swim team. I would be captain of the Cross Country team next year. I lead FCA. I participated in musicals. I wrote for the school paper. I was everywhere. And while I had many acquaintances, I didn't have any friends.

At least, no true friends that I would bother to contact after I graduated. None that I hung out with outside of school.

I was popular enough with my peers, the other slightly nerdy yet incredibly involved and successful students. I was mostly comfortable in my skin. I was overly zealous in my convictions. And I was homecoming king.

I realize very few of you have time to browse my Other Posts of Note, but one by Janine Cate really got to me today. Well, the post is great, but the linked article absolutely blew me away.

Definitely worth reading. It's long. But so, so good. Please go read Paul Graham's article on popularity. It brought me back to some of those moments in high school and reinforced the incredible benefits homeschooling has when it comes to socialization.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

01/15/2010
Labeling Conventions
Sonlight does attend homeschool conventions, but that's not what I'm talking about in this post.

The cursor blinks at me, oblivious to my struggle. I can't recall how I typically name these files. Are they File7-Master.mp3 or File7-master.mp3?

I close the dialog box and skim through the files I've saved in the past. Not surprisingly, I see both uppercase and lowercase examples.

Great.

Today is a lowercase day. I click "Save" and the computer writes File7-master.mp3 to my hard drive... right below File6-Master.mp3. I feel disorganized.

This is the fundamental flaw of labeling conventions: We tend to change. Thankfully, Sonlight's product labeling convention remains fairly consistent: level, subject, product number and modifier. For instance: 6R28: Core 6, Reader 28.

"Thanks nice, Luke, but why should I care about that?"

If you know the product number you're looking for from your catalog, you can quickly Order by Item Number on our website.

Also--and this is just a fun trick--you can use the Item Number to find the product on our site. Go to sonlight.com and then add the item number to the end of the URL: http://www.sonlight.com/Item+Number+Here.html.

Just be sure to get the labeling convention right. While the system is smart enough to guess that you meant RM23.html when you typed http://www.sonlight.com/rm32... it can sometimes get confused.

Much like me. Especially when I discover that I really want to name a file with lowercase letters when I've been using CAPS all along.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

01/14/2010
Sonlight Customer Reviews
"Customer reviews are the most credible form of advertising."
That's what some marketing guru said on a recording I listened to. And I'm pretty sure he's right. I know I consider customer reviews whenever I go to purchase something.

What's more, this guy said that products with 50+ reviews perform significantly better than those with only a few.

Curious, I hopped over to the Sonlight Newcomer Package I purchased back in October.

13 reviews?

That's a few less than 50.

So here's what I'm asking:

If you have used a Sonlight Core or Newcomer Package, please go back to that product on sonlight.com and write a review. I would love to see all of our main programs have 50+ reviews on them.

Select Your Program

If you got a Newcomer Package, it's really easy. Select your program as indicated in the graphic above, and leave your review at the bottom of the page.

If you used a Sonlight Core, the process is a little more involved. Not only do you need to select the Core level you used, but also which specific build of the program. It is one extra click.

But only one.

So, please, help others select the best program. Share your experiences and insights with the world. After all: You're the most credible form of advertising Sonlight has. Why? Because you use it "in the trenches" every day. I can blog about Sonlight until my fingers turn blue, but your reviews are what people will read when they're about to buy curriculum. Make their choice easier.

Write a review of your Core program by clicking here.

Write a review of your Newcomer Package by clicking here.

Thank you. Thank you very much in getting us one review closer to 50!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

01/13/2010
Food, Friends and Fun

Picnic

Nothing says "summer" like a picnic. Sun, fun, friends and food. But mostly food. And people. Mingling. Meeting people. Hangin' out. All under the warm rays of the June 26th sun that will surely be shining in Colorado between 11am and 3pm.

This year marks Sonlight's 20th anniversary, and we're planning lots of things to make this year memorable and enjoyable. Find out more about Sonlight's 2010 plans here.

I already mentioned the t-shirt design contest. But there's more!

Much more!

Like our live 2010 virtual meetup thingy. Yep: A live web event with Sonlight peoples. Soooo coooool!

And the picnic.

And don't forget the Sonlight tours! Swing by some Thursday in June between 1-3pm, and I'll gladly show you around.

This year is already looking good, and we're just getting warmed up!

I look forward to celebrating with you this year. Hope to see you at one of our 2010 twenty years of business events!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

01/12/2010
Sonlight and Sunlight
I've heard that Colorado gets around 300 days of sun every year.

And that's nice.

Today it's supposedly 60° out there, but the breeze was cool while we ate at the picnic tables. Still, that's a lot warmer than it's been recently. And it was nice to eat outside again. The solar energy felt great on my pasty white flesh. Vitamin D is a very nice thing.

While we ate, refueling after a morning's work, something else was soaking up the rays:

Sonlight's Solar Power Array

It's been going since noon, so the data is a little sparse right now. I'll definitely give you a better link when we've had a chance to get all the monitoring stuff working properly.

I'm not a huge fan of the political side of "Going Green," but I am a major proponent of caring for what we've been entrusted with. That's why I'm so pleased with how much Sonlight recycles, and this latest solar initiative is another great opportunity to be a good steward of what we have been given.

Sonlight: now partially powered by sunlight.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

01/11/2010
2010 T-Shirt Design Contest
I once wore t-shirts all the time. But now my wife has me wearing polos. And, I'll admit: I look better in a polo.

But given the right opportunity--like a a Saturday, or every evening when I get home, or the perfect outing to sport a Myst t-shirt--and I'm wearing one again.

Old habits die hard.

Are you looking for a great reason to wear a t-shirt again?

I thought so! That's why I'm giving you the perfect opportunity to wear a t-shirt: Sonlight's 2010 T-Shirt Design Contest. After we get some entries, pick a winner, get the shirts made, you purchase one, it arrives at your house... well... then, then will be the perfect time to wear a t-shirt again. You could wear this t-shirt with pride to:

a homeschool convention

your school reunion

a rock concert

the Sonlight picnic

your book club meetings

to bed

while cleaning the bathroom

the possibilities are only limited to the number of outfits you will wear in your life...

T-shirts are very versatile.

But here's the deal: We need some submissions.

Do you need to be an awesome artist?

No.

Here's proof:

Luke's Submission to the 2010 Sonlight T-Shirt Design Contest

And that sweet-awesome logo that I used? Yep--you can download it on the t-shirt design contest page. Don't have an incredible graphic design program? No problem! We point you to a couple really cool--and free--options on the contest page. We give you templates and encouragement, links and specifications, not to mention information about what we're planning on doing whenever someone buys a shirt. So, come on: Check it out!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

P.S. I almost put "t-shirt contest" in the title, but added the word design to hopefully stave off google searches that would prove to be less than fruitful for those looking for something more... er... umm... non-Sonlight related.

01/08/2010
Cookies
Sorry, not the kind you eat. (Though, you must admit: It was a pretty good hook, no? <smile>)

The web browser type of cookie. If you don't know what a cookie is, hop on over to Sonlight's page on cookies.

I just cleaned the article up. I hope it's clearer. I think it is, considering it used to have paragraphs like:

When you enter a Web site using cookies, you may be asked to fill out a form providing such information as your name and interests. This information is packaged into a cookie and sent to your Web browser which stores it for later use. The next time you go to the same Web site, your browser will send the cookie to the Web server. The server can use this information to present you with custom Web pages.

I've noticed something about Sonlight's older web content: We try to be so helpful that the content becomes overwhelming and unhelpful. I'm working on fixing that.

Brevity with clarity.

It's a beautiful thing.

In other news... did you notice the new 2010 logo?

And please feel free to share your favorite edible cookie recipes in the comments.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

01/07/2010
Poor Penmanship
I just got my tablet hooked up, so I felt I needed to draw/sketch/write something.

But what?

How about a little blog recognition of my readers?

Thanks for Reading SonlightBlog.com

As I looked at my scribbled message, I realized something: When my penmanship is legible, I like it. The slanted scrawl has personality. That, or it's just mere exposure effect.

But my handwriting hasn't always been very legible. In fact, it got so bad in high school and college that I had to resort to drastic measures.

I started taking notes in my own cipher.^*

A Luke Cipher Sample

Writing this way slowed me down enough that I had to be more precise than my perpetually slurred cursive. Slowing down allowed me to produce very legible results... if only I could remember the cipher and figure out what I was trying to spell later on. Misspelled words didn't look wrong in cipher, so mistakes were harder to catch.

This adaptation was unique to me among my classmates. I'd like to think that my confidence in adopting a new method of note taking had something to do with my homeschool background. I didn't feel the need to conform to the way you were "supposed" to take notes. I found a method that worked for me and ran with it.

May your children do the same!

So... did you figure out my secret message?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

^*This was before I started typing my notes on a 42lb extremely portable laptop with a one half of ten minute battery life.

01/06/2010
Twitter, Feeds and Peanut Butter

Tractable: easily managed; amenable

Brought to you by Ken Chapman

Today was a big day for me:

1. I decided to really start using Twitter.

Sure, I've had the tool for a while now. Twitter's been "all the rage" in the social media world for quite some time. And since I'm the media relations guy here at Sonlight, well, I had to at least have an account. But I'm too busy blogging to be tweeting.

But today, here near the start of 2010, I've made a change. I've long been providing Other Posts of Note for my blog visitors to peruse. But my fellow bloggers weren't getting enough link love from me. So Twitter will now tweet my Other Posts of Note under the #OPoN tag.

Which is sweet.

If you're following me on Twitter you'll also get an update when my latest post goes live. Which is redundant for all of you subscribed to my blog via RSS or email. I realize this. So to make sure you felt like you were in the loop...

2. I updated my FeedBurner feed.

You don't need to resubscribe or anything... but you certainly may. I've updated my email welcome message so it's a little more personal. I've adjusted a few settings so it better reflects this blog. Nothing major. But to the 72 subscribed through FeedBurner... this is a shout-out for you.

3. I've started work on cleaning up the FAQ section of Sonlight.com.

This is proving to be much harder than I initially thought. But I'm working diligently to make that section of the site clearer and more helpful. Unfortunately, it's rather like running through peanut butter.

Chat with Bo

Bear with me...

Not too shabby a start for the new year. What other exciting things will happen in 2010?

Follow along--via Twitter, RSS, Facebook, email or otherwise--as we find out!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

01/05/2010
Free Sonlight Samples
Download Sonlight samples here.

That's right: You can see sample pages from Sonlight's Instructor's Guides as well as many other products. Get a feel for how Sonlight handles schedules and notes. Discover the incredible amount of information included in every one of Sonlight's teacher's manuals (what we fondly call "IGs"). Simply download a free sample from one of Sonlight's many programs.

Just posting this in the off chance you were not aware that Sonlight has .pdf samples available for download.

And thanks everyone: I'm feeling better today. Hope to be 100% tomorrow.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

01/04/2010
The Parking Lot
Retching.

[NB: This post doesn't improve much from that first word. You have been warned.]

I look at the clock: 12:23am. It must be my wife. I go to investigate. Yep, Brittany is poised over the toilet heaving. This continues all night. I wake to take my shower at 6am and find her curled in the bathtub... the only place she's been able to sleep all night.

I stay home and catch up on my RSS feeds. I don't feel like I have the energy to respond to many posts. There were even some really interesting ones. But I just couldn't do it. You'll find a couple of them in my Other Posts of Note.

By lunch I'm not feeling so well. But Brittany needs some electrolyte juice, so I'm off to the store with the two girls in tow. I have to take a break every few minutes to sit. Right before heading out. In the parking lot. I'm really not feeling hot.

I do not remember the last time I threw up. In fact, I'm pretty sure I never have. But standing in line to purchase some important fluids, I started to really question my stomach's next move.

"Thank you, Mr. Holzmann," the cashier says as she hands me my receipt. I force a smile and head for the door, trying to limit my movement while moving to where I can sit down and let my stomach settle.

I have the girls by either hand. The plastic bag hangs from my wrist. My stomach tightens.

'Oh no.' I turn around to keep the girls behind me as a few pieces of orange and a gallon of water spew forth. The older girl is fascinated.

"You just made orange come out of your mouth."

"Yes," I reply, between heaves. "This is what Brittany was doing all last night. It's what happens when you're sick."

Three more contractions. I'm trying not to bring attention to myself, and the other shoppers seem to be doing their best to ignore me.

I straighten up. I feel markedly better. I get home and take a nap while the girls do the same.

I awake at 5:30. The evening stretches before us. We need to find the strength to feed the girls and get them to bed. Thankfully they don't appear to have the bug yet.

That was my first working day of the year. How was yours?

Ever thrown up in the middle of a parking lot?

I hadn't. Until today.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

12/31/2009
URGENT: End of the Year Opportunity
Way back in 2008, Sonlight had the Rice Bag giving opportunity. It was a huge success.

I got an email two hours ago from Mission India with another opportunity: Give before the end of 2009 and your money will be doubled. A ministry partner has agreed to match up to $150,000 of gifts given in the last few hours of 2009.

Just wanted to spread the word. This is a crazy opportunity. Crazy time frame. Crazy cool. So if you're looking for a last minute place to give your tax deductible gifts for 2009, consider giving to Mission India.

As I wrap up my last day of work for 2009, I'll share a small update I did yesterday. You can now find a friendly link to Sonia on the right side of most pages on Sonlight's website. Who is Sonia? Head on over and find out!

Happy New Year!

See you next week in 2010.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

12/30/2009
The Dying Mouse
The cursor stutters across the screen. I need to be precise, but my tools are failing me. The timeline is packed with clips, graphics and audio files. The computer lags for a moment. My hand slips across the mousepad. The edit is wrong.

Undo. Try again.

This is the third mouse I've killed since starting here at Sonlight.

And, no, I do not stick them on the glue boards by the entryway.

Mouse Trap

So, it's time for a new interface tool. I've put in my request for a tablet. Hopefully I'll get one shortly after the new year. That would be fantastic!

Any new tools on the horizon for you? (aside from the obvious, of course) New computer gadgets? Better kitchenware? New pencils? An electronic book reader?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

12/29/2009
Nail Clippers for Weasels
Some Blog Business:
Blog comments are beautiful things. ...unless they are from "Anonymous" who is sharing links that are, well, less than ideal.

That is why I have fiddled with Blogger's code and finally figured out how to make Anonymous's comments no longer show up on a post's main page. They will still be in the "Post a Comment" section until I delete them, but at least my blog's posts will be cleaner. Now, on with the post!

All Things Being Equal, Who's Best?

I was forwarded a link to the August, 2009 NHERI findings summary. There are some interesting stats, but one idea really caught my attention:

There are no statistically significant differences in achievement by whether the student has been home educated all his or her academic life [or] whether the student is enrolled in a full-service curriculum...

There are [marginally] statistically significant differences in achievement among homeschool students when classified by ...amount of money spent on education, ...degree of structure in the homeschooling, [and] amount of time student spends in structured learning...

In other words: It looks like it doesn't much matter what curriculum you use or for how long.

At first that stung. I really want to be able to tell everyone that Sonlight is the shining difference in the homeschool marketplace. I would love it if the study had said, "Students who use Sonlight far and away out-perform their peers." But that's not what the data shows.

Thanks for bursting my bubble.

But then I thought about it more: So what? This actually reinforces something I've said over and over again, "Homeschooling is a great option!" And Sonlight, Sonlight is one of the really great options; not because your students will suddenly become smarter, more gifted, test better, achieve great things or outshine their peers. Sonlight is a great option because of the very thing we guarantee:

You will love to teach and your students will love to learn with Sonlight, or your money back.

Your educational outcome will be more-or-less on par with other excellent homeschool results. Sonlight won't be what makes your students succeed. But Sonlight will provide you with a homeschooling experience that you and your family will love.

And if all other things are equal, that's a really big deal.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

P.S. I don't know much about weasel nail clippers, but I do have a bit of experience with trimming rat teeth. Not very much fun. Thanks, Mrs. C, for this blog's title.

12/28/2009
The Dilbert Dilemma
I read an interview with Scott Adams (creator of Dilbert) in the Costco Magazine a while back. The point that stuck with me was that Mr. Adams says he struggles to remember what topics he's already covered in his strip.

Now, he's been doing Dilbert for 20 years. But as I come up on another year of blogging, I can relate to his struggle ...and I haven't been doing this nearly as long. I'm struck again and again with the thought, "Have I blogged about this already?"

Repetition is fine, sure. But I don't want to bore anyone by repeating myself. If I'm going to say the same thing again and again, it needs to be with purpose, reason and intentionality. I mean, it's okay to repeat an idea... but not if it drives readers away. Yet, I realize that people stumble across this blog from time to time, and I don't want them to miss anything, which is one reason why I repeat myself. But that means I'm being repetitive. And repetition is fine, sure. But I don't want to bore anyone...

<cough>

You get the picture.

Of course, you're not sitting in a cube like me or Dilbert. You're spending your days homeschooling. You're reading incredible books. You're doing fun science experiments. You're relearning math. You're experiencing the joy of life-long learning. So everything is new every day, yes?

No?

Even with all the wonderful books you're reading with your students, life can become a grind. Even homeschooling can feel repetitive. Holiday breaks can be great, but they can also emphasize your routine as well. And that can be disheartening.

So mix it up a bit.

The girls loved listening to "grandpa" and "grandma" read to them while we visited over Christmas. And they're not the only ones. Even college graduates still find joy in Sonlight's Read-Alouds.

If you're looking for something new and different in the coming year--or just feeling "the grind"--then perhaps ask someone else to do a little reading.

It may just make your day and bring a fresh perspective to your homeschooling journey.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

12/23/2009
Immanuel
I won't be here tomorrow to wish you all a Merry Christmas. My family always has our big Christmas shindig on Christmas Eve. That's why I'm doing it today:

Merry Christmas!

Sure, Christ most likely wasn't born on December 25. But it is nice to take a day (or three) and celebrate the fact that He humbled Himself and walked among us.

If I get a great family photo to share, I'll post it here in the coming days.

Until then, may you have a wonderful Christmas... and all that entails!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

12/22/2009
Lonely and Cold
Olfactory cues are powerful things. To this day the smell of my parent's leather couch brings me back to several specific titles I read while homeschooled. Campfire smoke trapped in clothing transports me to the woods. Chlorine raises my pulse as I remember preparing to swim the mile at Nationals.

Other smells are even more naturally tied. The scent of a Christmas tree. Cookies and bread baking in the oven. The smell of snow as it approaches on the night air. Wet wool mittens as they dry.

But one smell consistently causes my eyes to well up with tears: My car's heater running at full blast.

Something about that hot, dry air rushing over my face in my frozen car reminds me of "the holidays." I don't know what it is about this time of year but I don't feel a closeness to all humanity. Instead, I feel distant, aloof, alone.

Which is crazy. I'm always with friends and family. We go the church services. We have parties. We eat, drink and are merry.

Perhaps that's the problem.

I'm an introvert and a homebody. Parties don't elevate me. "Catching up" with distant relatives feels forced. The inevitable exhausted drive home in the cold dark nights around Christmas just get to me.

Night Drive

I love celebrating with my family. I do enjoy the opportunities and connections this time of year allows. I have a New Year's party every year at my house. So it's not that I don't like this time of year. But for whatever reason, the smell of my car's heater reminds me that I often feel lonely too.

Why so glum?

Yesterday I spent some time crafting a couple blog comments. Both have been rejected by the blog authors. One went so far as to slam me for attempting to comment.

I take my position seriously. I love interacting with people on blogs. I am thrilled when I meet a new person.

But some days, much like those cold holiday night drives, I feel alone.

Do you ever get moody near the holidays, or is it just me?

What's your favorite memory that comes back to you when you smell something?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

P.S. I'm not really fishing for positive comments here, but I sure do appreciate them <smile>.

12/21/2009
Christmas Conspiracies
Presents, trees, family and friends, eggnog, reindeer, corny old movies, potentially even cornier music, red and green decorations hanging everywhere, cards from people you've never met, sales, and conspiracy theories.

Ah... Christmas.

I was thinking about writing a series on this, but "the bounce has gone out of my bungee." And I did a series last week, so... yeah. No series. Just a few points that have struck me over the last few weeks.

Twice now I've heard people discuss the things that Christmas "borrowed" from pre-Christian beliefs. Seems to be a rather popular topic this time of the year. And why not? If Christ's birth is merely the conglomeration of myths cut and pasted together, then that sure puts Christianity in a bad light.

Trouble is: While many of the commonly cited religions/mythologies do predate Christ, their ties to Christ don't appear until well after Christ Himself.

Huh?

Winter Solstice has long been celebrated by cultures worldwide. And with good reason: Agrarian cultures are tied closely to the changing seasons. But ties to a Son of God, born of a virgin, later to die a martyr's death and rise again to save mankind... yeah, those all got tied to various mythologies post-Christ.

My mom researched this a few weeks back in response to a letter she received. And my pastor talked about it yesterday. Since it came up twice, thought it was time to pass it along. Fear not: If anything, pagans borrowed from Christians for this one.

On the other side of the conspiracy fence is the group of Christians who decry Christmas because it borrows from pagans. Yep, that's right: Same complaint, slightly different bent. The argument goes that since this is a man-made potentially borrowed from pagans "holy day," we are to avoid it. Much like Halloween, only without the added ammunition of demons and ghouls.

Thus far, I haven't seen anything in Scripture that even hints at staying away from remembering Christ and spending time rejoicing in His goodness to us with friends and family. I've read a few blog posts on this recently, but they have been far from compelling. But, sure: The consumerism is a tad out of control. And it's a pain to find presents for everyone <smile>.

Whether you celebrate Christmas or Solstice or nothing, I am interested in hearing your thoughts on the matter. I do love me a good conspiracy <smile>.

For me, the only question that remains is this: Why do we have so many songs about Christ's birth, but so few about His Resurrection?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

12/18/2009
Greater Educators
Read Part 3 if you missed it.

I'd like to end this series by turning the focus around.

See, I've had some really great teachers over the years. And they weren't all just my mom. And they weren't just my AWANA Counselors, Camp Group Leaders, Sunday School teachers, pastors, coaches and mentors--though I've had a fair share of great people in those roles as well. There were more. Many more.

I look back with fondness as I remember:

The high school teacher who gave me a zero on an assignment because I forgot to put my name at the top. That was an important lesson to learn and I'm glad she didn't budge from her decision. (Notice how all these posts are signed?)

My Psychology teacher who helped me rock on the AP Psych exam. (His course is now available to homeschoolers in the form of Sonlight's Psychology program.)

My Bible professor who continues to check up on me every now and again.

My film prof who took time every week to talk with me about my dreams, goals and ideas.

That's just to list a few.

I am not one to say that homeschooling is the only way we should learn. I am not against other educational models. I have benefited from public and private schooling myself. I have had the benefit of many great educators. Many of whom were outside of the school system entirely.

And that is why I say, over and over again, "Homeschooling is a great option." Walking down one path requires you to abandon another. There are fantastic options and resources out there. And you, as the parent, have the great responsibility and opportunity to choose what will be best for you and your students.

You can teach your child. And no matter what other opportunities you invest in, your students will have many other mentors and teachers. This is a wonderful thing that only adds to the beauty of homeschooling.

On the other hand, you can relax and go where you need to in life. Mary Grace has a very good post on this subject.

Whether with Sonlight or no, may you and your children be blessed with confidence as you work together on sorting out life's mysteries.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

12/17/2009
Educator #3 - The Weight of Blessing
He is a brilliant physicist. So brilliant, in fact, that he convinced me that I didn't understand electron clouds. I did. But his explanation was so over my head that I was sure I had missed something.

Anyway.

He was kind, generous with his time and possessions, and loved nature. We were of different perspectives in other areas, to be sure, but we got along just fine.

However, something struck me when I came back to visit him a few years after graduation. Much like Part 2 of this series--I discovered a new dimension to my teacher, a new level of disconnect.

He looked up from behind his desk. "Oh, hey!" He greeted me warmly. "How are you doing?"

I rehearsed the last few years of my life: college, work, marriage...

He smiled. "See? You work hard. You went out there and got this for yourself. Good work!"

I twitched.

"I'm blessed," I countered. "I've really had some amazing opportunities and things handed to me."

He studied me. A sudden weight filled the air between us. "You've got to give yourself credit. You always work hard. Your success is due to your efforts. It's great to see how far you've come already."

"No," I replied, probably more sharply that I should have. "No, I didn't do this on my own. So many things were given to me. I am truly blessed to be where I am."

In my memory we went around a few more times, neither conceding the other's view. I didn't feel like I had really earned anything. No. My friends, my house, my wife, my position, my stuff... all of it had been a gift, an opportunity, a blessing wholly apart from me. I had been there. But I was the beneficiary, not the originator.

That was the first time I was really aware of a clash of worldviews.

Part 4 is available.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

12/16/2009
Educator #2 - The Confidence Man
Read Part 1 if you missed it.

He's a stocky fellow. His voice is loud and heavy. His eyes bore into his students with intensity. Legend says that he's thrown clipboards a hundred yards in one of his rages. He's intimidating when you're young.

I've seen him twice since I had him as a teacher. Both times I was struck by the insecurity that drips off him like a leaky faucet. He was a behemoth when I last saw him. What changed?

Me.

I changed. I grew up. I learned, as an adult, that adults struggle with many of the same issues that I dealt with as a child. And the need of acceptance, the quest for validation, the pursuit of control over your environment ...that never really goes away. But I couldn't see it when he was standing in front of the classroom or barking orders at his athletes. It was only later, seeing him in a different context, that his dominant personality was replaced by a much more timid character.

But then my mind wanders back to that moment when I should have seen it.

There was a lull in activity. Perhaps it was between class periods or directly after school. Whatever the case, he pulled me aside.

"Luke," he said in an almost hushed tone, "I really want to take part in this event. But I don't qualify. One of my friends has agreed to let me take his place. What do you think?"

I looked into his eyes. They were pleading. He really wanted to be a part of this.

"Besides," he continued, "there will be thousands of people there. No one is going to notice or care." He was building his case, psyching himself up, roping me in. He knew I was a Christian. I was more than vocal about my beliefs at that stage in my life. He had even called me "Bible Boy" when I questioned his use of the word fishes.^* He wanted my validation.

Why? Why did a grown man want permission from me before stepping out into a gray area?

Perhaps because I was certain of myself. Perhaps. But I know it infuriated him as well. He once told me that he had seen a guy on TV who reminded him of me. "The guy had your smile, Luke. He was just waiting to tell the reporter how wrong he was."

But at this moment my teacher was asking me if he could bend the rules. If he asked me today I would say, "Go for it." But at the time I was a little more wary. "You could get away with it." I left it at that.

...

Weeks later, the teacher proudly displayed his fake ID and participant's badge to the class. He recounted the tale of walking up to the registration table, armed with a cover story, and skirting by without a hitch. He reveled in completing one of his life dreams. He smiled.

And I sat in the second row watching him, still believing he was a confident man.

Part 3 is up.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

Levity: lacking seriousness

Brought to you by Karen Joy

^*Turns out, "fishes" is the KJV version and "fish" is the NIV version.

12/15/2009
Educators (i.e. Those In The System)
I have the impression of brown, earthy tones. But I honestly don't remember the color. The room smelled old. There was a white dented radiator to my left. The windows to my right must have been shaded. I have no memory of trees outside.

The walk up the creaking steps had only reinforced the foreign nature of this place. I wasn't exactly nervous, but there was a certain unease about the locale. Not sinister; brooding.

I was in Castle Rock, about to take a standardized test that would determine if I was learning adequately at home. I had done this kind of thing before and, near as I could tell, was still allowed to homeschool. That had to mean something.

The test started after the usual admonitions to fill in the bubbles completely. I must have ended a section early because suddenly the woman who was watching us take the test was at my side.

She showed me a piece of paper.

"Is this how you spell 'mystery'?" she asked.

The world suddenly began to spin the wrong way. Was this a test? Did she really not know? Why was she asking me? Worse yet, my mother had not yet begun to drill us on spelling. Was I reading into reverse psychology too much and so assuming that she was tricking me when she really wasn't and so it really was the right spelling, or was she testing my knowledge in such a way so as to find out if I was a fool and I would fail the exam entirely based on this one question? I was getting dizzy.

She was looking at me.

"Umm," I fought for time. "It looks right to me, but..." I could think of no way to pad myself from choosing wrong. "Yeah," I ended lamely.

She smiled and moved back to front of the classroom.

To this day I have no idea why she was asking me about the proper spelling of 'mystery,' which, I suppose, just makes it an even greater mystery.

Here's the link to Part 2.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

P.S. Internet Explorer gives me grief. But the graphical header shift bug has been fixed. Well, hacked. I have no idea why it was shifting my blog up fifteen pixels. I compared the code to another blog that was working correctly... and the code is identical.

Huh?

Almost as confusing as a test administrator randomly asking you how to spell a word.

12/14/2009
It's Not Homeschooling That's Hard
Parenting is hard. Homeschooling isn't.

That's my naive view of the moment. What's so hard about reading books together? I do that just about every night before bedtime. What's so hard about drilling kids on their colors and encouraging them to count? No, no... homeschooling is cake.

Parenting is rough! Good grief. Why didn't anyone tell me!?!

...wait... oh, right. You did.

I often giggle along while reading my Other Posts of Note; so many great stories of how parenting is both a delight and a strain. But, come on!

...

You've probably gathered this by now, but yesterday was not a good day.

Not good at all.

Bad attitudes all around (yep, me too). A constipated child (two hours of wailing and gnashing of teeth to get a "poopy" out. ...sign me up¹).

<sigh>

His mercies are new every morning. And that is a very good thing.

Seriously: If you can survive your children till they get to formal school age, homeschooling will be cake.

Cake, I tell you. No lie.²

Okay, sure, I'm sure there will be days where homeschooling is difficult. I know there will be. But posterity is kicking my posterior right now.

Homeschooling is not hard. It's the parenting that's killing me.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

¹Thankfully, my wife handled that. She's a saint.
²This is a joke. A very good joke, I might add. Very funny. To me. Since it's possible you haven't played Portal just take my word for it. Or smile and shake your head. My wife does.

12/11/2009
Bloody Knuckles
One of those important socialization phenomena that I missed until high school was a game they called Quarters. No, not the drinking game. Students at my school played the version that drew blood.

I was reminded of this less-than-sanitary pastime while hunting for a pair of socks this morning. After digging around in the hamper, I sat down on the bed.

'What?' My knuckles had started to bleed. The realization slowly hit me: In my repeated dives into the depths of the plastic clothes bin, I had scraped my knuckles raw. Serves me right for not helping fold the laundry...

Raw Knuckles

[NB: The above photo would have been more impressive if I hadn't washed my hands earlier. But unlike my fellow classmates of years gone by, I do practice certain levels of caution with biohazardous materials.]

Don't get me wrong: I really enjoyed my few years of public school. But not because of the socialization I had missed while homeschooled. If anything, I was secure enough in myself to avoid much of the madness around me.

That's not to say I was much more mature than my friends. I don't think I was. But I was confident in who I was and what I did. Perhaps overly so. But in environments where drawing blood is the social norm, my years at home prepared me to stand apart. The peer pressure of socialization phased me not at all.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

12/10/2009
Trouble Starting
The engine grinds and sputters. The windows are laced with tendrils of hoar frost. Outside the predawn has yet to penetrate the cold blanket of clouds.

"Come on," I mutter. My breath is ghostly in the half-light.

I turn the key again.

The engine begrudgingly turns over and painfully putters to a purr. The display on my dash slowly appears.

-4^°

Yikes. It's cold this morning. Silently quipping about global warming, I back out of the drive and onto the slippery street. I'm heading to Sonlight. It's time to get to work.

It's Tuesday.

***

It's Thursday now, but it was hard to get going Tuesday morning. It was cold. I felt a little groggy. There was a ton to do. Oh, and other things were rough.

Life is great today. But there are days and times when getting started feels like too much hassle. And it doesn't have to be due to cold weather or spats at home. Perhaps you're feeling tied down by your routine; my wife was Sunday night. Perhaps you've run into a financial situation that took the proverbial wind out of your sails; you know, things like the plumbing backing up. Yeah. Been there, done that. Perhaps you're an "old pro" but, for whatever reason, just feel like tossing in the towel today.

These are the times when having another person to lean on, glean from and pray with can be so helpful!

Don't forget that Sonlight has many opportunities and places for you to find people to talk, cry and pray with. Visit the Sonlight Forums for everything from a good laugh to get you started to deep soul searching that spurs you on. Swing by Sonlight's Facebook page to swap stories and share your experience. Contact us if we can be of any help.

And if you're struggling to get started with Sonlight, be sure to chat with a Sonlight Advisor. They'll be able to help you choose the right homeschool program for you. They can also offer insights into the program you are currently using.

Don't let something needlessly stall you. I know it can be hard, but with encouragement and a little help, even frozen engines get going. And you can too!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

12/09/2009
Do It! Do It Now!
<said in my best Schwarzenegger impression>

The latest giving opportunity from Sonlight is drawing to a close. The Sonlight | OneVerse Project is almost over.

So now (yes, right now) is the time to give. That way your gift can be matched.

Check out the progress we've made thus far by visiting OneVerse.org. And don't forget to give.

First you've heard about this amazing opportunity?

Well, let me catch you up really quickly: Give through Friday, December 11 and Sonlight will match your gift 100%. For every $26 OneVerse raises, one verse of the Bible will be translated into a language that has never had the Word of God in their native tongue before. So, with Sonlight's matching opportunity, that means you can translate two verses for only $26! We are praying for three full translations of the Bible. From what I can tell, we've just started translation number two.

So, again: Please join us in giving.

Thanks!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

12/08/2009
Learning Beyond School
Imagine a world where school is the only place to learn. You can't learn in your home. You gain no new skills, applicable knowledge or information at work. Church is a place for "fellowship" but teaching is nonexistent. You only learn in school.

Want to be able to do something more? Take a class. You have no other option. Even the internet is devoid of helpful suggestions or personal insights.

School: The only form of education.

Sounds like a great dystopian premise to me.

Thankfully, that is not reality. In the years since we left school we have learned a great deal. Our abilities have developed. Our knowledge base has increased. Our interests have been able to flourish. We may have taken a class here and there. But our learning has occurred elsewhere, for the most part. We have learned at home, at work, at church, with friends and even those who aren't so friendly.

Much of what we learn and use is outside of the classroom.

Film school was that way. The main point was not gleaning knowledge from my professor's presentations. Rather, we learned by doing. We made movies and learned along the way. Our professor's were the slave drivers and mentors. They taught us things, for sure, but most of what we learned was well beyond the classroom.

School is at its best when it is the catalyst for our learning.

That is why homeschooling is such a fantastic option. Home education teaches us how to learn. Learning becomes a natural part of our daily lives. And in so doing we ensure that we never fall into the trap of thinking that "school" is the only place to learn.

It's not.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

Interested in learning more about home education options? Check out Sonlight Curriculum.

12/07/2009
Work Boots and Curriculum
I spent most of today in my socks. This reminded me of my homeschool days. You don't have to wear shoes if you're doing work in the living room.

But I wasn't in my living room. I was here at Sonlight.

The weather has turned cold and snowy. My normal shoes get unpleasantly wet. So I wore my "work boots" to work today. But I didn't keep them on. It's rather uncomfortable to wear such heavy-duty footwear while editing video in a cubicle.

My Work Boots

Hence, my socks.

As I pulled on my boots I was struck by the power of having the right tools at the right time. My normal shoes are horribly ineffective in winter weather. I could certainly use a plastic bag around my foot as a cheap alternative to waterproof boots. It would do the trick. But my boots have made my life better.

I went for my lunch-time walk and my feet didn't freeze. My footing was sure. My life was easier. And I felt super cool.

Sonlight's Core programs are like my boots. You can absolutely homeschool without them. You don't need Sonlight to package everything together for you. You don't need guaranteed materials. There are other options out there; like a plastic bag in a shoe.

Sonlight offers you tools. Each Core offers a warmth of certainty if you're feeling overwhelmed. It provides a clear and solid path to walk down. A Core can make your life easier. And with all the incredible literature, every Core is super cool.

If the season of your educational needs has changed, remember that you can try--risk free--your pair of "Sonlight boots" for half a school year before deciding if they really are everything you wanted and more...

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

12/04/2009
Incomplete
It is Friday morning. You're out running an errand. You pass a little church with a marquee out front. The sign has a cute little saying. You know, something straight out of GodSpeaks.com.

Or maybe not.

Perhaps the message is more abrasive, disturbing or even downright wrong.

Ugh.

The good news is that Matt from The Church or No People just posted an interview with someone who was fed up with such signs [NB: mild language]. Joel's insights are right on the money:

The crummiest thing about the church is that we’re all still in the process of sanctification, and not yet glorified.

I found the interview to be a worthwhile read. I came away with a reminder that I'm still incomplete. I still have a long way to go.

Just like this blog.

I've been a "professional" blogger for almost a year and a half now. I'm missing elements such as meta data (whatever that is). I still haven't figured out why my header looks wrong in IE. And my current blog grade is a failing 26/100.

Incomplete.

We all are. There are opportunities for improvement and progress in every area of our lives: Blogging, friends, marriage, homeschooling...

The beautiful thing is that, much like the little church with the lame sign, we have a community around us. We don't have to go at this alone. We shouldn't. So if you're feeling particularly incomplete today, take advantage of the resources available to you. I'll list just a few.

Luke's Top Five Resources for Homeschooling with Sonlight:

Sonlight Advisors

Sonlight's Facebook page

Sonlight's Forums

Homeschool Conventions

and, of course, this blog.

We are all incomplete. But by working together we can rest on the strengths of others. We can learn from those who have gone before us. And we can share our insights as well.

I urge you: Get involved!

After five years of posting about poor church signs, Joel has recently become more involved in his church. And he says in his interview that life is awesome now.

And I'll take an awesome incomplete life over an incomplete one.

I'd love to hear your recent homeschool insights, experiences or questions/struggles if you're willing to share!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

12/03/2009
Guarantees and Testimonials
Sonlight has--to my knowledge--an unmatched guarantee in the homeschool marketplace. Buy one of Sonlight's packages. Use half of it. If you decide you don't love it, send it back. We'll refund you the cost of the program.

Incredible.

In other words: Try Sonlight. We'll cover your "trial run" if Sonlight's not for you.

But I'm interested: Did you find Sonlight's Love to Learn Guarantee helpful? Did it encourage you to try Sonlight? Or does it feel like some kind of "too good to be true" scam thingy? Did you even know Sonlight had such a guarantee?

I'm interested in your thoughts for three reasons:

I would love to get some testimonials about this.

I'm interested in your thoughts.

December 1 brought about some changes...

Don't worry: Sonlight's guarantee is still very much in effect. It's just as strong as ever. But the Federal Trade Commission has enacted some "clarifications" as to how companies--especially company bloggers such as myself--can use comments, user feedback and testimonials.

Unfortunately, for all the buzz I'm seeing about the December 1 "change," I can't find it on the FTC site. Which is more than a little frustrating. So I've been reading second-hand information.

I'd like your first-hand impression of Sonlight's guarantee. I invite your comments.

Afraid to post your comment because of the FTC?

Don't worry. They seem to care about the blog owner, not the commentors. I'm taking the risk. Not you. ...much like Sonlight's Sonlight's guarantee.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

12/02/2009
There's No Place Like 127.0.0.1

Home

I wore that shirt as we headed home yesterday.

I'm a homebody. And ever since college I've defined home as "anywhere I have my computer setup and connected to the internet." So the shirt totally applies.

I also love what I do. There was more than one occasion amidst the stress of travel and the cacophony of 8 children and 9 adults that I turned to Brittany and said, "I could be at work right now!" And I have a computer at work. And it is connected to the internet. I feel at home here.

The vacation was good. I got to "bond" more with the girls. But that was difficult as well. Bonding with children takes more patience than I often have. My conclusion: Family vacations are wonderful things. But there will be times when you wish you could just go home.

This would be the perfect time to talk about how there's no place like home for learning. This would be the place to praise homeschooling. Here is the opportunity to put home education on a pedestal. There's no place like home!

But I'm not going to.

It's entirely possible that prior to children your definition of home was "peace and quiet;" "a place to unwind after work;" "time spent with my spouse." But no more. Children decimate that. And being on vacation with two little ones just drove that home for me.

Homeschooling is hard. There are days and times when it really doesn't feel worth the trouble. Just like vacationing on the beach with 8 children under 7.

But no matter how horrible it gets, homeschooling is worth it.

Just like vacationing on the beach.

Because, really, there's no place like home.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

11/20/2009
Bad Day for Public School
I used to quip that I could write faster than I could read. And it was almost true.

I've been a fairly good typist ever since I taught myself by attempting to write a mystery novel at age 10 or so. I got to 83 pages of single-spaced text. That's when I went back to read what I had written. Horrified by my pathetic prose, I abandoned the project.

But reading blogs has forced me to learn how to skim. So my reading speed has much improved. I hope the same is true of my writing. That said...

While burning through hundreds of posts in my RSS reader this week, I saw a recurring theme: Major problems within public schools. Things like poor mental math ability, Hollywood in the classroom, and the lack of acceptance of those who are different [NB: that last post has mild profanity]. Stories like these cause me to pause. 'What's changed in the last few years? Was it like that when I was a kid?'

I am not a proponent of a "the world's getting perpetually worse" mentality. I think such a perspective ignores human history. But there are certainly shifts in culture. What is acceptable and proper ebbs and flows. So it is entirely possible that this is a low point--or a shift downward--for our nation's public schools.

If you find your students in similarly less-than-ideal educational environments, perhaps it's time to consider a home education. Yes?

Absolutely. Yes.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

P.S. I am going on vacation next week. I won't be back until a few days into December; at which time I will need to skim quickly to try to catch up with the thousands of posts I'll have missed. Have a wonderful time of thanksgiving! And I'll see you next month.

11/19/2009
When School Starts
...and other reasons to homeschool

I attended a small Christian school for kindergarten.

But I started late.

I was "held back" a year because of my September birthday. And from what I've been reading over the past week, I'm really glad my parents kept me back.

Since I had some downtime while out in California, I picked up Outliers. I've wanted to read it for a while now. Malcolm Gladwell has some pretty brilliant insights into the world. In this book, Gladwell points to--among other things--the inherent flaw in cut-off dates for school. Students who are on the young side of the early grades tend not to fare as well as those who have almost a year advantage. That's why some parents hold their children back for a year, so as to not handicap them from life. And, yes, Gladwell insists, the disadvantage does not go away with time.

I had an advantage, I guess, because when I finally started school, I was older than many of my classmates.

But then I had an even greater advantage: I got to start homeschooling.

Gladwell has his own solution to the problem. It involves starting school in three month shifts so that no student is too far behind developmentally than the others. And while I think his suggestion should be adopted in the school system, I have an even better idea: Start homeschooling.

Homeschooling overcomes just about every single potential barrier to success that Gladwell has covered thus far in his book.

In fact, while reading I jumped up from the couch and said, "Everything I read points to the benefits of homeschooling! This is crazy!"

So, for those of you already homeschooling: You're helping your children start off on the right foot toward success.

For those of you not yet homschooling, you should really consider it. Sonlight has prepared all the materials for you. Just check out our customizable complete programs. And if you need help figuring out which program will be best for you and your family, be sure to chat with a Sonlight Advisor on our website.

Homeschooling doesn't guarantee success. But from what I've been reading in Outliers, teaching your children at home provides many opportunities that make success possible.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

11/18/2009
In Loving Memory...
I was gone since Saturday morning because I was in California for my father-in-law's memorial service.

For those of you who are friends with my wife on Facebook, that isn't a big surprise. For the rest of you... that may have come out of the blue. Sorry about that. Sometimes it's hard for me to know how to give you the heads up on stuff.

That's why I didn't post Monday or Tuesday.

But back to my father-in-law. Rather than bore you with any tidbits I could piece together, I would like to share his blog with you. He started it in March and has a few updates now and again. All of them insightful and interesting.

As a blogger, I have no better way to honor him than to share his final thoughts with you. Please, visit his blog.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

11/13/2009
Sonlight's College Scholarships
College tuition costs are huge. That's why scholarships are so helpful. I was awarded an academic scholarship as well as a small sports scholarship for swimming. That money ultimately paid for almost a complete year at my university. Talk about a major blessing!

Are there college scholarship opportunities for homeschoolers?

Well, I know there's at least one! Sonlight is giving away thirteen scholarships this year. These scholarships range from $1,000 to $5,000 a year for up to four years of your college career.

You can apply for these scholarships if you have used at least five Sonlight Core programs over your homeschooling years. Access to these scholarships is just one more incredible benefit of using Sonlight as part of your homeschool journey.

Have a college bound graduate? You still have time to apply! All applications must be submitted by December 7, 2009. Click here for both Sonlight's scholarship application and the complete criteria.

Don't have a college bound student yet? You can listen to interviews with past scholarship winners on Sonlight's Speeches and Interviews page. Hearing from homeschoolers who have been so influential and successful is inspiring. Their accomplishments also underscore the fact that homeschooling really does work <smile>.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

11/12/2009
Lying for God
I first bumped into Greg early in my Sonlight blogging career because someone linked to one of his anti-homeschool posts. Interested in hearing his dissenting opinion, I was even more pleased to discover that he was a huge anti-creationist as well.

I've been happily following him ever since.

And honestly, if you can get beyond the language that slips in--and pours out in the comments--it is fascinating to browse his posts. Like the one from yesterday about a common Christian lie. You've heard the chalk story, yes?

I've seen it pop up now and again across the blogosphere. It seems that people, and we Christians are no exception, really love to hear tales about how our side "wins" in this or that situation. But the Snopes article says it well, I think.

Chalk this one up as a charming parable, one not grounded in the facts as reported. It's David and Goliath in a classroom setting, the shaking-in-his-boots student taking on the ogre of non-belief in the form of a fearsome professor.

And I think it is important to keep this parable in the back of our minds as we listen to other things. What other lies are out there that we may be in danger of spreading?

Homeschooling allows us the unique opportunity to walk through these topics with our children. May we use these opportunities well!

Now, for something lighter from Greg: A very fun video about Auto-Tune. I know I've heard the sound before, but I didn't know the history. And, come on... this video has Weird Al in it. So, go ahead: Give it a little look-see.

[NB: Obligatory notice: The video contains some pop-rapper-type video clips that contain women in typical pop-rapper-type apparel.]

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

11/11/2009
Children Learning at Home
Brittany is a young mom. She has the common frustrations, fears and failures. The kids act up. She wonders if she's having a positive impact. She gets upset (but no more than her husband). Brittany currently has two little girls who try her patience, pick their noses and get incredibly excited when the rat takes a piece of hot dog from their hands. It's a fairly typical young family.

I mean, you have a pet rat. Right? Right?

And like most young families, these girls are learning at home. They're learning how to get dressed, how to not talk with their mouths full, how to identify shapes and colors, as well as how to play well with their sister.

But the fear lingers: Are the kids learning anything?

Brittany is happy to announce that, yes, yes they are! In fact, after many... many... many admonitions to keep her mouth closed while chewing, Brittany has seen some considerable improvement in the three year old. Brittany was so excited, she told me about it on the phone today.

This is home education.

And home education works.

Children all over the world learn how to tie their shoes, scribble pictures, count, sing, recognize shapes, identify animals and plants, attach significance to dates and so much more!

...all at home.

And that is why homeschooling is such a great option. Homeschooling is merely a natural continuation of something every parent does with the children they care for.

I've said all this before. But today I'm seeing it play out in my own house.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

11/10/2009
Pulled Away

Yanked from the Blogosphere

I'm so sorry, friends! I haven't been around the blogosphere because other things have pulled me away. This means I currently have 911 unread items in my RSS reader. I have a lot to do to catch up with all of you!

Unfortunately, the rest of this month will be pretty crazy. I'll do my best to keep you posted with what's going on.

Your thoughts and prayers are most welcome!

How can you pray for us here at Sonlight? Well, we're doing a presentation tomorrow morning for a project. Unfortunately, I just started thinking about it a few days ago. So we all need wisdom--especially me--as I "take the helm" of this monstrosity. Don't get me wrong: It's totally sweet. But right now it feels a bit like Frankenstein's monster...

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

11/09/2009
Props from Two Years Ago
Tip of the Day:
Keep the things you've made just in case.

I needed a prop we used a couple years ago for something I was working on today. It was a pizza box that we had dutifully smeared with oil to make it look like it was grease-stained.

Pizza Delivery

Thankfully, we still had it. Otherwise the thing I was doing would have become an even bigger hack-job and required a lot more time.

Ah... the world of media production: Where ~~lying~~ fabricating reality is a way of life.

The only problem with keeping stuff you make is that you have to find a home for it. And space is limited. At least, it is at my house. Especially when you start covering walls with bookcases...

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

11/06/2009
It Takes Time to Get to the Future
"Rome wasn't built in a day."

I think that's how they put it. Great things may be coming, but they take time to get here.

Which is unfortunate.

I'm currently working on three major projects right now... all of them awwwh-summm! But when can I tell you about them? That's totally unknown because, well, it's going to take time. And my wife won't let me work much over 40 hours a week, so I can't exactly powerhouse through these things either.

And I want to get them right. That slows things down too.

But there is some really cool stuff in the works.

I just hope I don't have to wait until 2012 to show them to you. <smile>

Ah, the pain of being a blogger who works on things. Sometimes it would be much easier if I just reported on stuff after it was out. You know, those product reviewer types. But no. That's not me...

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

11/05/2009
Why People Hate Sonlight
One of my bloggy friends mentioned googling hate sonlight. And I thought, 'Hmm... I should write a blog post about the things that make Sonlight horrible so when people search for it, they hit my blog!' <Bwahahaha ha!>

Of course, those who have swung by my blog searching for "sonlight curriculum bad" only stuck around for 40 seconds.

So, please, before you close this tab, here are 27 Reasons NOT to Buy from Sonlight. The article contains a list of 27 things that make Sonlight a bad choice for your family. If you're looking for reasons to hate using Sonlight, 27 Reasons is the article for you.

What are the reasons I've heard? For your reading pleasure:

3 Reasons People Hate Sonlight:

I once chatted with a homeschooler--my age--who said that Sonlight was way too easy and it bored him. Not sure how that could be true, but I can't really argue with his experience. My guess is that he just didn't have a properly selected Core. If you need help choosing a Core that will best fit your family, chat with an Advisor (yes, it's free).

I've read several blog posts about how Sonlight brainwashes people and feeds them lies. Unfortunately, people on both sides of issues claim this. So Sonlight is probably more in the middle than is comfortable for some (see Reason 11).

Sonlight has way too much to do! This complaint is raised in Reason 6, so you should already know about it..

Bonus 4th Reason: And, of course, Sonlight costs money. That's because you get a hundred pounds of books and materials. And, well, that costs money. So that's not a good reason to hate Sonlight, but it is a legitimate complaint: When you buy lots of good stuff it costs money. I don't like it either.

What are some the reasons you've heard why people hate Sonlight?

Granted, I love Sonlight. But I know Sonlight's not for everyone.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

11/04/2009
Silence and Spin
Last night one of my friends mentioned that the director of Planned Parenthood had resigned and was now working for the Coalition for Life.

"Whoa! That's crazy," I said.

And a little misleading.

Turns out that it was a director of an abortion clinic in Texas.

Still... it's interesting. To me, at least.

First: Cool "win" for pro-lifers. So why haven't I seen this on the blogs? Have I just missed the ones that are talking about it?

Second: Lame "spin" that boarders on lying. Some small-time director had a change of heart. That's nice, but hardly earth-shattering. Is that why I'm not hearing about this more?

Third: Why can't I find any major news stations--or news websites--talking about this? I mean, KBTX isn't exactly nationally known... right?

So where is the spin and what is the cause of the silence?

And what do you make of this post?

How long do we have to wait before 20-20 hindsight starts to kick in? Or is that just a myth? What do we really know of history and how do we interpret it? What of people's motivations? And how do we get beyond our own biases and, as Simon and Garfunkel put it, seeing the things we want to see and disregarding the rest?

I just got the strange sensation that news reports are like textbooks. Somehow the presentation feels similar. The vignettes of solid facts that often lack emotion or, worse still, present a monochromatic world. I don't like that. That can't be the way things are.

And that's why I like the wild, emotional, conflicting world of blogs. This jumble of opinion and personal experience reminds me of the literature that made up my historical studies as a child. Granted, there are few blogs that match the literary quality of the award-winning books I experience because of Sonlight. But the human reality is similar. And I like that. What's more, I think more literary modes of presentation allow us to see more clearly what is spin and what is better left unsaid.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

11/03/2009
Education sans Academics
So much learning takes place outside of the academic setting. Here's one example that we got to participate in yesterday:

Tower Building

Motor skills, physics, color and shape recognition, socializing... naturally with just a bucket of blocks.

The Joy of Blocks

Higher! Higher!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

11/02/2009
Learning to Listen
When the girls first got here a few weeks ago, they weren't particularly interested in listening to books. When offered, they politely declined. They did, however, beg for the same story to be read to them again when it was bedtime. I suspect, however, that their motivation had more to do with the alternative than to the enjoyment of a story.

I have often read comments from parents who say that their children simply don't like to listen to stories. Several families have shared that Sonlight simply didn't work for them because their kids didn't want to listen to the books. In fact, that sometimes lasted for a year or more.

But eventually their children came around. Listening to fantastic stories is now a family favorite pass time. It may take a while, but eventually the joy of engaging in a tale together begins to take root.

It has with the girls at our house.

Listening to stories, I believe, is a skill that needs to be learned. And there's really no better way to learn how to listen than with Sonlight's curriculum. The girl's are still developing this skill. It took a week or more before they were okay with a new book. And they're still easily distracted. But the change has begun.

Has your family discovered the wonderful shared experiences that reading books together can bring?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

10/30/2009
Get It Right
I hated grades in school.

Grades were a game to be won. And I won that game by graduating Valedictorian. But as cool as it is to be able to whip out that title to try to impress people--people who are, sadly, all too often unimpressed by my title--I don't think it has much meaning. At least, it says very little about my knowledge, intelligence, insight, brilliance, work-ethic, achievements, future or even my academic success. All the Valedictorian label meant was that I had been sufficiently clever so as to satisfy my teacher's requirements.

Okay, sure, it also meant that I paid attention, completed my assignments, and "did my time" in the acceptable way.

But grades--the basis of my accolade--are simply the wrong way to measure learning. I much prefer what I did with my parents when I was using Sonlight: We did it until we got it right. Theorists call this approach "mastery" or some other impressive sounding term. But the concept is incredibly easy: Keep doing it until you've got it.

Okay, sure, this means that sometimes you've got to do the same thing over and over again... but that's life.

That's an aspect of life that I am dealing with today.

What's more, often what was right yesterday is wrong today and must be redone. Beyond that, the changes I make today will need to be undone tomorrow when what was wrong becomes wrong again. Reports must be rewritten. Web updates must be kept current. The latest manuscript must be tweaked--again--to make it acceptable. And on and on it goes.

And this isn't an exercise in futility. Getting it right, albeit frustrating, is ultimately the best practice because that is how we are successful.

Grades, even good ones, do not determine success. What matters is that you get it right.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

10/29/2009
Stuff to Read
As Sonlight people, I know you like to read. And today, I'm here to share an article written by my mom. That's right: An article by Sarita Holzmann, President of Sonlight Curriculum! I've read it, and, well, I think it's worth reading and thinking about:

Download the .pdf of my mom's article The Future of Homeschooling in America by heading over here.

I love these kinds of articles because of how they encourage us to learn from history, not merely repeat it.

I also found Dana Hanley's post on socialization to be powerful. [NB: The post includes discussion of racial slurs, so if you don't want to read them, please skip it.] And if you're up for it, I think Uppercase Woman's blog post, which Dana links to, is also very interesting.

None of these articles/posts are light or happy, but I think they are important things to think about and consider. And I always welcome your thoughts as you read these articles as well, so please feel free to come back here and share them with me!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

10/28/2009
Implementing Feedback
Yesterday I wrote about how we love getting your feedback. In fact, when you reach week 30 in your Instructor's Guide, we ask you to send us your thoughts. We want to know what you liked, what didn't work for you, of any errors you found as well as any other tidbits you'd like to share with us.

But one of my Product Development friends mentioned something crazy: We may not be able to implement your feedback for two years!

What? Is the Sonlight ship so staggering that she simply can't change course?

Sonlight Ship

Not at all!

Rather, to get next year's curriculum ready for you, we have to finish producing it before many families have even begun using the current version. For example, let's say that you just started Core K. Well, the next version of Core 1 will be available for you April 1, 2010. To get it ready in time, we need to be wrapping up on it now. But someone using Core 1 right now hasn't made it to week 30 yet.

That's one reason why it can take a while for us to implement your suggestions: We're already almost done with next year's products.

Like I said: Crazy.

At least, I thought so. That's why I shared it with you.

But we read every single feedback form we receive. We love hearing from you! And we seriously consider your insights and impressions. Just remember: You may not see the changes until the year after next. Not because we're not willing, but because while you're using this year's Core we're making next year's Core so it's ready when you are.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

10/27/2009
The Home Court Advantage
Soccer was not my forte.

Luke Shoots! He Falls

I never advanced beyond t-ball.

Basketball, football, volleyball, curling? Never go into those either. So, I think it's fair to say that sports aren't really my thing.^*

But there is something almost magical that happens when a team is playing for the home crowd. Screaming fans must naturally boost adrenaline, or something. I don't know how it works exactly. But I do often hear people talk about the home court advantage. And there's a great parallel in homeschooling. Mike, an avid runner who works in returns, pointed this out last week. I thought he made a great observation, so I decided to blog about it.

The Sonlight Moments are certainly one way of cheering on the home~~team~~schoolers around you. In fact, every time you share an encouraging word with a friend or blogger, you're cheering them on.

And every time you leave a review on any one of our product pages or on Facebook or on a homeschool review site, you're cheering Sonlight on as well.

Speaking of which: Brenda has asked for reviews of Sonlight to put on The Curriculum Choice website. So please, contact her if you'd be willing, or drop me a line and I can pass your information along to her.

Your involvement via comments, feedback, encouragement, prayer requests, discussion and more make you not only part of the Sonlight family, a player on the homeschool team, but also a cheering fan for all of us as we enjoy the opportunities we have to teach our children at home.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

^*I know, I know: I was a rather good swimmer and I did okay in 4A Cross Country. And those are absolutely sports. But team sports--which is more to the point of this post--have never been my strong suit.

10/26/2009
What Is Holiness?
Follow me here: Christine linked to Summer's post about Dr. Beck's post and that, in turn, reminded me of Matthew 5:23-24 (though, please feel free to read the whole context).

I would love to wax eloquent on how this relates to the "holiness by negation" attitude that I see often in church culture. I'd like to tease out the implications and potential misunderstandings. I wish I could formulate a great response.

But I don't have time tonight.

So, instead, I welcome you to read the three posts linked above (NB: Summer's has mild profanity in the post and f-bombs from the comments) and then browse through the comments on Dr. Beck's post. It's very interesting, I think, to read what other Christians have to say.

And as you read, ask yourself: What is holiness? And how do we get closer to it?

Because, really, don't we want our children to be better human beings? More than facts and figures, we want our kids to be better people who use whatever knowledge they gain to do good. So, sure, maybe it's lame to say that we want our kids to be "decent human beings" ...and yet... well... what do you think?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

10/23/2009
Friends
I've seen the term "emaginary friend" tossed around now and again. I'm not a huge fan of the phrase--which is odd because I'm normally all for word play and puns. But I am a huge proponent of Facebook BFFs, blog friends, WoW buddies, and any other technologically connecting opportunities for people to bless one another (yes, even texting and Twitter... even if I haven't found them particularly viable for my situation).

I was awoken at 3am this morning by one of my friends who needed to talk.

We talked.

It was good.

I love my friends, both the ones IRL and Online. And blogging has opened up the world to even more people with whom I can interact, learn from, and be blessed by.

Several things got me thinking about these electronic opportunities to touch lives, but the most powerful was something that ended up in my Other Posts of Note yesterday: Yet another fantastic post by Mary Grace (at least, I thought so).

Call me overly sentimental, emotional, sappy, or whatever, but I feel like giving you-all a great big internet hug:

<big hug>

Thanks for being my friend, and I am honored to be counted among yours.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

Disclaimer: If you do not like virtual hugs or do not want me as a friend and so would rather keep your distance, please disregard this post. <smile>

10/22/2009
New Nav
If you haven't visited Sonlight's website today, you need to. The new navigation is finally up, and it's super cool!

New Navigation

We've actually made several significant changes to the site, but they are a little more technical/specialized, so I won't go into all the details. Just know: We're working hard to make your visit to Sonlight.com a very, very nice one.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

P.S. Is that image a shameless plug for my book?

Huh? What? Would I do something like that? <smile>

10/21/2009
Disengagement
I read a fascinating--albeit a tad disturbing--blog post today about one man's experience as he lost his faith. I think the post is best summed up in his statement, "I seemingly woke up one morning and realized that my life would be no different, practically, without God."

There were a couple other posts today which also seemed to fit within this theme... but now I can't find them. Sorry.

Anyway, I got to thinking: There are certainly days when this is true of me as well. Not just in regard to the "god thing" either, but many aspects of my life. What's more, I can imagine lots of other situations where, if the conditions were right, I could abandon entire sections of my life without much practical change aside from the fact that "I would have much more time and much less stress" (5th paragraph).

What causes such a shift? Disengagement.

When I'm not living the way God has called me to, it's little wonder that His impact on my life is rather unsubstantial.

Take homeschooling as another example.

Those who spend time reading to their children, answer the endless stream of questions, talk through those "teachable moments" and engage and spur their children onward; those people know what a joy homeschooling can be. But what of the others? Those families who do no more than turn on the lesson--if that--and let their children learn via a video or computer model--never to take part in their child's education; those parents would see very little change, other than more time and less stress, if they abandoned homeschooling in favor of a public school option.

I'm not saying you should never use a virtual tutor or video lesson. I'm not saying that sending your children to public school is the same thing as abandoning them. That's not what I'm saying.

But if you abandon something and feel not ill-effects or loss, it may have more to do with your lack of engagement than the inherent value of the thing.

Think of your exercise equipment. If I owned such an apparatus, I can assure you that getting rid of it would do nothing to my life except free up some space in my house. Why? Because I'd never use it. My abs would be just as buff as they are today whether I owned an Ab-Flex-Master-Pro-HD Extreme^TM or not.

It's little wonder, then, that people who don't homeschool look at us as if we were insane. We're just adding burden and misery to our lives. Right?

Wrong.

Sure, it's not perfect. It's not even that fun sometimes. In fact, it can be down-right unpleasant. But the more we engage with it, the more we see the benefits and the beauty of it.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

10/20/2009
Sonlight Box Day 09
Today was our first official Box Day!

Granted, I was the delivery man and left the box on the front porch while the girls were still napping. But the box was there when we opened the door:

Sonlight Box

"What's on the porch?" my wife asked.

"My shoes?"

Shoes?

<cough>

Umm... no, child. Do you see the giant box that looks like it is full of wonderful things? No? Well, we'll bring it in anyway.

Bringing in the Sonlight Box

Opening the box is moderately interesting. Well, mildly interesting. But after you're told that you can't play with the scissors, all interest in the box vanishes. I'd rather go play with the lamp and my pine cone.

Opening the Sonlight Box

I'd Rather Be Playing

Fantastic.

At least we have one "reader" who is willing to hold one of the books... even if it is upside-down.

A Future Reader?

Once the toys come out, I guess I can be bothered to rejoin the group.

It's Not All Work

I must say, I was surprised by how heavy the box was, even though what we got was one of the smallest packages Sonlight offers. I couldn't even fit everything onto our decently sized coffee table. Would you look at all this stuff (2:08):

Sonlight Newcomer P3/4

Will the girls come 'round and decide that they really are interested in all these books?

Only time will tell.

Kids have a way of dashing your fantasies. After reading all the amazing Box Day Stories, I was really hoping there'd be some glee and rejoicing. There wasn't. And the weather's been rather dreary all day, so I didn't even have good lighting. That's why my pictures aren't that shiny and nice.

<sigh>

How am I supposed to be the poster-child for a product when my experience isn't very poster-worthy?

...uh-oh... I hear some cries of distress from upstairs. Time to give the wife some backup.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

10/19/2009
Multi-Change Monday
...which I hope to be able to share with you tomorrow <smile>.

First, there's a very nice--albeit, minor--update coming to Sonlight's website. Not sure quite when we'll make it "go live" tomorrow... but it's coming.

Second, I placed my second order with Sonlight today! I ordered my very own Sonlight Newcomer P3/4 program.

If you recall, I wrote about my first ordering experience over a year ago. So, a year later, what was my ordering experience like?

Checking out is still more confusing than is ideal. But I'm one of the web guys now, so I can't really try to shift the responsibility of this on anyone else <laughing>. Thankfully, we've made a few improvements, but it's still not super smooth to checkout.

Also, I had to look up the difference between the Newcomer P3/4 vs. the Core P3/4 because, well, I wanted to know what my $15 would get me. Paper... scissors... ...ooOOOoo! Colorix Silky Crayons! Okay, I'm sold. I've heard nothing but rave reviews about these things.

Everything else about buying from Sonlight was cake. And, I will admit: I love the new pop-out cart thingy we've got. So super cool!

Since I placed my order at 1pm today, right before lunch, I can't really expect to have it to take home three and a half hours later. ...but I was hoping <smile>. I guess both updates, with pictures and whatnot, will have to wait until tomorrow.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

10/16/2009
Not Lovin' It
Last night I got to do Read-Alouds for the first time (the other night the girls were too naughty, so reading was impossible). Granted, reading last night wasn't quite cuddling on the couch listening intently to a tale of wonder.

Rather, it was more like reading over a couple of talking and crying girls. Actually, that was it exactly. I was reading over a couple of talking and crying girls. They kept it up until the last couple of pages when they both quieted down and started to interact with the book.

So, naturally, we simply had to read it again <smile>.

But last night, Brittany was not loving it. She was exhausted, overwhelmed, and really not enjoying things. She said she felt cheated because other mothers loved spending time with their children. Why wasn't she?

I tried to gently remind her that there are many, many examples of people who feel overwhelmed and frustrated by their lack of a good time.

We still haven't purchased Sonlight's wonderful P3/4 program, but we are looking forward to having those added resources to help keep the little ones happily engaged. And, unlike many other aspects of life, you're guaranteed to love using Sonlight's materials.

That's right: Guranteed to love it.

Sound too good to be true?

Well, it's not. Seriously: Check it out.

Today seems to have gone better, and I'm looking forward to doing a little more of the "Sonlight method" tonight. It really is a blast reading to them. In fact, if it wasn't part of a different tagline, I'd say I was lovin' it.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

10/15/2009
Spreading the Word
I was over on Sonlight's Facebook page and the ad caught my eye:

Facebook Advertising

'I didn't know we were advertising on Facebook,' was my first thought.

'I need to grab an image of that for my blog,' was my second thought.

Yes: If you haven't become a fan of Sonlight on Facebook yet, you should. I mean, seriously! Do you see who else is a fan of Sonlight in the ad above? That's right... Luke A. Holzmann himself. If that doesn't bring in oodles of people, nothing will. <smile>

Advertising is such an odd thing. I really like good ads, but I mostly despise marketing. Not because I don't believe in helping people find things that will help them, but because most marketing I encounter isn't about that. Just listen to marketing "gurus" and you too can begin to feel sick every time you think of advertising. In fact, except for the Superbowl--where the only reasons to watch are the food at the parties and the commercials--we've trained ourselves to tune out advertising.

So what if a company suddenly stopped marketing to people?

Would we find what we need and those little things that bless our lives and are well worth the dollars we spend on them? Would we just be inundated with other messages and end up purchasing something that wasn't as good of a fit for us? How would the word be spread about something that was super important if we no longer marketed?

Word of mouth carried Sonlight for many years, but then others started to run with our idea. Suddenly it became important to remind people that Sonlight exists, is excellent, and offers your family something stupendous that others--even direct knock-offs--don't even come close to matching!

But... yuck! Doesn't that just reek of "marketing"?

Sonlight's position on marketing is that marketing is about "customer-ing" instead of making money. We want to help people who will be blessed by Sonlight to try us out. And that's why I absolutely love Sonlight's Rewards program. For the first time we can thank you for sharing your love of Sonlight with others. I know I tend to hear about the greatest things from friends. But they tend to hear it from someone else, who heard it from someone who saw an ad, an article or a blog post about it.

So: Spread the word!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

10/14/2009
Read-Alouds
Tonight will be my first ever attempt at reading aloud to children.

The Gammage Cup, Red Sails to Capri, Till We Have Faces and Brave New World... I've read all those and more to my wife. But what are Read-Alouds like for two and three year olds?

I don't think they're quite ready for C.S. Lewis.

My wife loves listening to me read. Will these little girls? Of course, the titles in Sonlight's P3/4 package are wonderful stories that I remember loving as a child, so I don't think I have much to worry about.

What have been your family's favorites to read before bed for wee ones?

And I've recently seen some discussion out there in the blogosphere about peoples' preferences for reading aloud versus listening to books on tape. Sometimes reading aloud wears me out, but if I'm really into the book I just keep going. Of course, I love listening to books on tape too... especially when I'm stuck in the car driving somewhere. There's something super fun about reading aloud and making up voices and embellishing the story with voice acting. Of course, letting someone else do that work can also be nice if I need to be doing something else.

So what's your experience? Do you like reading out loud to your kids? Would you rather listen to a book on tape? Neither--just let me zip through the book on my own!? And what are some of your family's favorites (especially in the younger years)?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

10/13/2009
When God Keeps a Door Closed
...He Sometimes Breaks a Window

That title came to mind a week ago. I thought it was clever and fun, but I wasn't so sure about the theological implications.

Joseph--you know, the kid sold into slavery by his brothers--seemed like a pretty solid example of God's redemptive power working in even violent situations. And with that, I decided the title was legitimate. God breaking windows and all.

So what door has remained closed?

Adoption. We're still waiting.

What window just broke?

After work I'm heading to the airport to pick up three girls: Brittany (my wife) and two little ones we're going to be caring for over the next two months "or so" ...meaning, there's no real end date in mind yet.

Broken Window

Bittersweet.

On the one hand, we get to love and care for two little girls. But we're only surrogates. It's very temporary.

We have the opportunity and joy of having two children. On the other hand, a family is hurting and in such need that they are sending their children away for a while. The pain is palpable.

Open door? No.

Open window? Nope.

But we get to squeeze past a few shards of glass for the time being.

And that's something... something else entirely.

But for now, I'm no longer an expectant father. I'm a surrogate.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

10/12/2009
Ending is Better Than Mending
I love Brave New World--which is part of Sonlight's Core 300 program. I know it's not for everyone. My sister couldn't stand it and my wife hated the ending.

But me?

Totally enjoy it.

One of the government slogans used to train people how to act is the phrase "Ending is better than mending." Get rid of old stuff so you can buy new stuff. This keeps people working and makes the economic system thrive. For this post, it doesn't really matter if this thinking plays out in reality or not. What rankles every one of my recycling/repairing/reusing sensibilities is that, in many cases, this is an economic reality of today.

The Deltas and Gammas of Huxley's world have been replaced by computers and machines. And now it is often cheaper to buy a new computer, or camera, or gizmo than to pay someone to take the time to figure out what went wrong, purchase the piece that needs to be replaced and fix the thing.

In fact, judging by how much I pay for recycling, it's cheaper to produce boxes, bottles and cans from raw materials than to go through the hassle of collecting the finished product from in front of my house.

And that blows my mind.^*

But I read an article today that confirms: It's often cheaper to replace than to repair. This has led to exactly what Huxley describes in his work. We are a culture of disposables. And this has profound impacts on the kinds of products we buy, what we expect of them, and how we see new brands. We're always open to the latest and greatest because we don't see much reason to stick with the old and busted.

"Tried and true" is often less important than the "latest and greatest." And with good reason: Very few things last long enough. We don't make 'em like we used to. [Aside: Even those phrases smack of social programing on par with Huxley's government.]

We must consider this reality here at Sonlight. We continue to improve our homeschool materials, but we're not going to completely change. What we have is guaranteed to let you and your family love to learn. Sonlight works, which is why we continue to use great books. But you'll get the most out of Sonlight when you keep reusing those books again and again.

And in that sense, ending is certainly not better than mending!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

^*Well, it almost makes sense when I have to fill up my car with gas again!

10/09/2009
When Experiments Fail
...or, at best, don't work quite as well as expected.

If you've experienced the joy of watching Discover & Do, you may remember the many Outtakes included at the end of the DVD. (Aside: If you have the DVD but haven't watched the Outtakes, I highly recommend them. Of course, I cut them together, so I'm a little biased <smile>) These Outtakes were moments from shooting when things didn't quite work.

Sometimes the "fail" was epic.

Like the time the seeds we were using for the experiment titled "Grow, Grow, Grow!" never grew at all. Or when the invisible ink didn't come back. Makes it a little hard to demonstrate the activity when the very foundation of the lesson falls out from under you.

Trap Door

But while these failed experiments can make you feel like you're falling through space, there are important lessons to be learned. Stuff doesn't always work out the way you would hope. You can do things wrong. Mistakes happen. And sometimes, life just doesn't go the way you expected.

And that's okay.

The important thing is to move on. Don't let yourself stay in the place of "failure". Instead, get up, try again, or move on.

That's a lesson we need to remember as adults as well: If something isn't working--even failing--don't let yourself stay there. Set it aside for a while, try it again after you've thought about why it didn't work, or move on to the next thing. There are too many great opportunities in life--and homeschooling--to let the things that aren't quite working stop us.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

10/08/2009
Fessing Up to the Feds
It's a fad right now: Posting your disclosure policy on your blog. And this fad may be driven by the Feds as they try to clamp down on those sneaky advertisers using personal testimonies on blogs as a way to lie to the peoples.

Come to think of it, I'm not sure if I ever said it in so few words, so here it goes:
I am paid to blog for Sonlight.

Yep. Blogging is one of the many things I do here at Sonlight. One of the other things I do is correct totally odd things that have long been on Sonlight's website. I happened across this little guy today:

IG YR INTR WD H

...uh-huh.

But back to disclosing: I can understand why the federal government would be concerned with this kind of thing. But it still feels odd. See, if you're not honest--and you only paint glowing, wonderful pictures of stuff--people will eventually tune you out. Consumers are pretty savvy when it comes to reviews, feedback and testimonials. We're pretty good at figuring stuff out.

If you hadn't noticed, several of my Other Posts of Note have recently had to do with the struggles and difficulties of homeschooling. The school year is still getting going, and feeling overwhelmed is commonplace. And it'd be dumb of me to not include those posts--which are encouraging in their own way--just to try to paint homeschooling in a better light.

But this new policy begs the question: How long before the Federal Trade Commission decides that they need to watch ThinkGeek reviews and IMDB ratings? Sure, this really does have to do with trade (you're trading your time blogging for a product or bonus or a couple of coppers to rub together) and personally instigated reviews do not. So, the FTC isn't likely to come play on most of your blogs. But what about Rewards links and the like? They going to clamp down on those?

Interesting stuff to think about in this world of "new" and "social" media.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

10/07/2009
Works for Me Wordless Wednesday

So Helpful! ...even though I'd never used it before

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

10/06/2009
Engrossed
Typically a word associated with reading Sonlight books, "engrossed" is also my favorite state to be in while editing. And I got to that point for a few minutes today while working on my top-secret-and-totally-awesome project.

Engrossed: captive; giving or marked by complete attention to

The sonic isolation provided by my headphones and the required focus on how a cut makes me feel definitely help keep me glued to my computer as I try to make the video come together. But it's more than that. I'm crafting a story. I'm making a bunch of disjointed pieces come together. I'm building a reality from the bits of media I've gathered.

This kind of engrossing creativity is another reason to homeschool.

Sure, we talk about the great educational opportunities we have because of homeschooling, but the homeschooling lifestyle offers us much, much more. In addition to learning together, we have time to pursue passions and interests. We can use our extra energy to learn new skills and practice old ones. We can invent, produce, create.

Homeschooling gives us more than academics. We are free to become engrossed in another form of education: Practice in creative expression.

Granted, Sonlight didn't guide me in my creativity as I grew up. I learned most of it on my own. But homeschooling with Sonlight not only inspired me with the books we read, but it also gave me the time I needed to pursue my interests outside of the world of formal education.

What kinds of things do you find your children (and even yourself) engrossed in?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

10/05/2009
A Part of History
This weekend something pinged the back of my mind again: I am living in a part of history.

See, I grew up experiencing history through Sonlight's living books. And that is absolutely fantastic. But too often I forget that my life is also taking place in history. Perhaps it's because my daily existence isn't as nice and neat as a well-written book. But whatever the reason, present history doesn't seem as... well... real as the history in Sonlight's titles.

Record high temperatures several years back where it was over 104 every day for a week while we moved our stuff into our house?

Hardly noticed. Had I blogged about it, I'm sure I could have made it much more impressive. I could craft the story, share the sweat, and make it sound horrible; you know, in the "uphill both ways through 65 feet of snow barefoot" kind of way. Only, it'd be the "hot summer moving" version.

In the past, I've heard about "record high" temperatures and thought, 'Crazy! How did they ever deal with that?' And, then you live through it and, well, it's just life.

What struck me over the weekend was hearing that one of my friends had Swine Flu. She's doing much better now, but it brought this moment of history home. This isn't just something happening out there in the world, like some dry fact of history from a textbook. This is a real, living moment of history, the way Sonlight lets us experience it.

It felt wrong, but I actually thought, 'Sweet! I know someone with Swine Flu!'

So today, don't just tell your children that they are "part of history" or that such-and-such is an "historical event"--as that never really worked for me. Instead, remind them of the people, places and things they've known, visited and done that will help them remember that their lives will one day be a part of history as well. That should give them a better appreciation for those who experienced the history they are reading about now. I hope it will also inspire them to make the most of the history they are writing with their lives.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

10/02/2009
Behind the Music
Music: A binding force that can connect souls across huge geopolitical space and wring tears from our eyes while inspiring us to do more with our lives. If you want to listen to a very interesting bit about music, check out RadioLabs on Pop Music (the great part starts around 34:15). [NB: There is mild profanity]

Me? I have no musical talent whatsoever. I mean, sure, I've played the trumpet and bass over the years, but music mostly goes way over my head.

So, what's your experience with music? We'd love to get your feedback at http://music.sonlight.com/. Please, don't leave your comments about music here on my blog (or on Facebook). I'm not saying I don't want you to comment here. But, if you have a thought about music, please leave those thoughts on the music blog. If you like the RadioLab bit, let me know here <smile>.

Thanks!

And if you missed it: A big congratulations to Maureen for winning Sonlight's free curriculum sweepstakes!

Have a great weekend, everyone. I'll see you all on Monday!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

10/01/2009
Assembly Line Education
Steve Lambert got me thinking about assembly lines today with his post about Henry Ford and the price of education. Mr. Lambert talked about how much less expensive homeschooling is compared to public school education. And it's true: You could purchase any homeschool curriculum for your children and pay far less than the amount of tax dollars poured into public schools for a single child. What's more: You get to keep the books. I've blogged about this before. So: Right on!

But here's my question:

If public education is the "assembly line" version of school and homeschooling is the "handmade" option: Why is the Ford model failing to produce cheaper/better results?

At least part of the answer is obvious: Homeschool teachers work for free and there are no added overhead costs (such as a school building).

So this isn't a fair comparison. Sure. But I think there are several areas of life that are shifting into a new existence. We see it from time to time: Newspapers fold because people get their content online for free and no longer buy ads in the papers because they can sell their stuff more effectively online for free. Encyclopedias and dictionaries are moving online and are free (Wikipedia, anyone?). People are pouring billions of hours into these online "hobbies" that--like homeschooling--offer the world something incredibly powerful and effective for free.

And you can be part of that. Blogging certainly can be. And homeschooling certainly is. Pretty cool, eh?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

09/30/2009
The Return
My wife should be home in about an hour after spending a couple weeks with her family. And I was reminded of just how hard it is to motivate yourself when there's no one else home.

I envy that aspect of your life: A house full of young-uns.

No, I don't envy the sleep deprivation, changing the sheets after an accident, naughty behavior, or any of the other problematic things that come with children. But the same is true of the things I didn't miss while Brittany was gone: I could come home whenever I wanted from work, I could chat with Jason when he got home and not worry about neglecting my wife, I could eat all the frozen wheat-free cookie dough...

But the blessings, the many, many blessings far outweigh any negatives.

Thus, as I make the drive to the airport tonight, I'll be longing for the day when we'll be driving home from the airport with our kids in the car with us...

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

09/29/2009
Are You Smarter Than A...
I happened across a post today which asked if I were smarter than a fourth-grader.

I took the short linked math test and did just fine.

<phew>

But the title got me thinking, 'What's with our obsession with being as smart as someone who should be less educated than us? What's the fascination with discovering that you've forgotten a lot of facts and figures? And what difference does it really make if we no longer recall these details?'

See, even if I couldn't answer most of the geography questions on a fourth-grade test--and that is highly likely--would that mean that I'm not as smart as a fourth-grader? Is that the definition of smart: To be able to regurgitate information on demand?

No.

And perhaps this is one reason so many people are afraid to homeschool. "I could never do that," they tell themselves. "I don't remember half of what I learned in school." And so they dismiss homeschooling simply because they couldn't locate Tanzania if given a blank globe.

While general knowledge and an accumulation of facts and figures could certainly aid you as you learn together with your students, that is not what makes one smart. In fact, given internet access, a computer could find every single one of those facts and figures and do the calculations too. No, intelligence has much more to with your ability to use what you have been given, grasp what is presented, and then move beyond that. And you... you can do that.

And you know what?

"What, Luke?"

Even if you've forgotten everything, homeschooling lets you learn it all again. And that is a beautiful thing. People tell us over and over again:

I was a _insert_subject_here_ major in college, and I was shocked at how much I learned this year!

And I'm personally looking forward to re-reading all those great books we read as a family while using Sonlight.

But homeschooling with Sonlight is much more than just reading great books. Homeschooling with Sonlight is about sparking (or rekindling) the love of learning that sticks with you for life.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

09/28/2009
The Fog of Sleep
The fog of sleep evaporated quickly as the sunlight hit his eyes.

Punchy. Just the way I like a story to open. Good thing I wrote it <smile>.

But this morning the fog of sleep clung to me like a soaked wool sweater that had been wrapped with duct tape. My alarm clock had disrupted one of my REM cycles, and that is as close to waking up "on the wrong side of the bed" as you can get. So, really, they should have phrased it "waking up in the middle of a REM cycle" ...but they didn't ask me.

To make matters worse, I didn't have a pretty face to wake up to either. And Brittany is still out of town.

For as much as I love pattern, consistency, routine, it sure gets disrupted a lot. And it's not just me. I read a post this morning from someone who had one of those days and ended up calling it quits on schooling by noon.

Thankfully, homeschooling lets us do that.

Remember, as Judy and Kelly have said often: Your schedule is a tool, not a taskmaster. And homeschooling gives you the opportunity to adjust your schedule to fit your current situation.

Next time you feel like smashing your alarm for disrupting your REM cycle, remember that it too is a tool and the fog of sleep will eventually evaporate. That's not to say a shower or cup of coffee wouldn't help it dissipate faster...

And as the fog lifts, may you have a great day learning and growing with your children!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

09/25/2009
Lessons from the Set
Prior to shooting we had spent a considerable amount of time preparing. All of that work culminated in a 71 page document. Each page had a separate scene on it so we could quickly reschedule or remove something if it wasn't working for us. This proved to be a huge time saver and made the project possible.

We had thought things through before hand so all that remained was the doing.

That is precisely what Sonlight does for you.

Every single Instructor's Guide is just like the document I created for shooting: It's a flexible schedule, notes, resource, and guide for your entire school year. Something not working for you? No problem. Move on. Got through that book faster than you expected? Great! Here's what you can do next. Want to only school four days a week instead of five? Easy, just turn the page...

Sonlight's IGs do the work for you so you get to the fun part of reading and learning with your kids.

And me? I got to spend a few days with Kelly and Judy. These ladies are two of our fantastic bunch of Sonlight Consultants: Sonlight veterans who are there to help you at your local conventions.

Kelly and Judy

Could we have completed the project without all that prep-work?

Nope.

At least, not in the time we had. It was much nicer to invest in the work before we started.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

09/24/2009
Working Late
I worked rather late tonight because... well... I'm super excited. I also needed to get a quick overview completed before the morning because that is our absolutely last opportunity to shoot for this project.

Exciting

Have a good night everyone. And I'll see you all again sometime soon. I'm a few thousand posts behind, but I'll catch up.

...someday.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

09/23/2009
Stills from Today's Shoot
We are still on schedule!

That's pretty impressive since we mostly just took the 71 pages of material we needed to cover and divided it into sections for our various days. Production is often as precise as licking your finger and guessing which way the wind is blowing <smile>.

So things are going well.

Here are a couple snapshots I grabbed from around the set after we warped for today:

A Mess of Equipment and Cords

Some Books...

Our Glamorous and Cozy Location

Ah, the life of media production.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

09/22/2009
Family Dinner
I don't remember if Dr. Sax talked about eating together as a family in his book Why Gender Matters, but even if he didn't the book is still a must read and the idea is still a good one: Eat meals together as a family. Doing so helps develop your children positively and offers another opportunity for bonding as a family.

This evening, after we finished shooting the scenes we needed for the day, I had the opportunity to go over to my folks' place and have dinner. Brittany is out of town for a while, and so I've got a lot more flexibility at the moment (which is a very good thing because I'm working a lot of hours this week).

Over dinner we were all chatting and it was fun to "catch up" on certain areas of our lives... even though I see my parents every Sunday for lunch.

So, if you haven't had a family dinner recently--even if your kids are out of the house and in their own (like me)--it can be a very encouraging and fun time. I recommend it!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

P.S. Brittany is out of town spending time with her family. Her dad is having surgery tomorrow and your thoughts and prayers are most welcome. Also, continued prayer for our project is also greatly appreciated. Thanks so much, friends!

09/21/2009
The Leap
...into the Void

I'm not going to be around much here on the blogosphere this week.

"Why," you ask?

Because of a project.

That means I'm not likely to get to emails, blog posts, Facebook or even home in time for dinner. Well, that last part isn't entirely accurate. Right now dinner time is about 10pm each night, and I should be home by then.

I'm sorry that I won't be around here much. I'll try to keep you updated on how the project is goin' and watch his color TV^*.

But I will say: Most of my projects feel like a leap into the void:

Cannonball

And this is no exception.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

^*This song is not illustrative of the kind of project I am doing.

09/18/2009
The Testing of Your Emails
There's a nice little verse in the Bible that reminds us that the testing of your faith ultimately leads to more maturity and less lacking.

But testing emails we plan to send out to large groups of people is proving to be testing my patience at the moment. Not because it's hard, but because the system isn't working. Well, it's half working, which makes me even more confused and less certain as to what I should be doing.

<grr>

I guess it's time for my technology caveat:

I do love me some technology ...when it works

Hopefully the weekend will give the system the time it needs to think about what its done and decide to shape up <smile>.

And may the tests you face ultimately lead to more maturity and less lacking in your life as well. Take a deep breath, and carry on!

<long breath in>

<hold it>

<and out...>

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

09/17/2009
Forty-Five Bucks
Lots¹ of meetings today that required more brain-power than my current glucose levels can replenish.

So instead of an incredible and insightful post on the wonders of homeschooling with Sonlight's incredibly wonderful homeschool curriculum, I'll just give you this gem I found on Sonlight's website the other day²:

$45 value for only $53.75!

Maybe this is why people get the incorrect impression that Sonlight is so expensive... <laughing>

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

¹Okay, okay, I only had two meetings.
²I fixed the issue after I took a screen shot.

09/16/2009
Is It All About Electronics?
That question came to mind a few days ago as I thought about my post on learning in a virtual world. Are we really headed to a world where analog books are replaced with digital games and sound bytes?

For as much as I love technology--and I do love me some technology--I don't think we're going to replace books.

Or, at least, we shouldn't.

Perhaps digital ink will one day take over physical ink on paper. But that's merely one more shift away from the hand written works of the first publications on papyrus and clay. The book will still exist even if it is no longer bound to paper.

So, no: The future of education should not be all about electronic games.

Excellent literature should be.

And the whole book, too. None of that Cliff's Wiki Google Notes madness for us! There is much to be said for the beauty of good writing and how that enriches our learning. And much of that benefit is lost in truncation.

Will games become part of learning?

I think there is good reason to think that they should.

But for Sonlight families, books will always play a major role in the education of our children and enjoyment of our families.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

P.S. If you haven't signed up to be part of the OneVerse project yet, you need to by tomorrow for the full benefit. Get involved now!

09/15/2009
A Project

What is Luke up to?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

09/14/2009
Recycle, Reuse, Read
I'm not exactly the go greener type.

I believe in recycling and making do with older stuff, like my ratty tennies that I wear until they fall off my feet--much to my wife's chagrin. I plant trees in my backyard and we grow squash quite successfully. But "going green" feels political, and I don't like politics. But care for this little blue ball on which we live? Save some money? Be good to others? Absolutely.

And that's why I'm so excited about one of my birthday presents from my wife: A titanium spork.

Spork

I got to use it for the first time today at lunch, and it works like a charm.

That's why I'm going to share with you how Sonlight is like my spork.

Just as I can now reuse my spork every day instead of getting out a new plastic one, every single Sonlight curriculum package is reusable with multiple children. Not only can you use Sonlight with multiple children in a single year, but you can also reuse the program years later with another child who wasn't ready for it when you first purchased it.

That's the beauty of Sonlight's Cores: You can reuse--and thereby recycle--your school materials. How do we do it?

Read.

Wonderful books, lesson plans, extra notes, a complete (yet flexible) schedule...

Perhaps it's time to trade in the plastic forks of education--worksheets--for the titanium sporks of Sonlight. And if you don't "go green" for yourself, think of the children! <smile>

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

09/11/2009
Everything I Needed to Know...
I learned in the World of Warcraft

My mom recently said something interesting about the future of education. While watching the new Star Trek film, she noticed Spock was standing in front of a large glass screen with formulas all over it. "It looked cool," she admitted, "but how is it any different from a worksheet? Are fancier/electronic worksheets all we have to look forward to? I don't think so."

I'm part of a team here at Sonlight trying to figure out what the future of education should be (and I don't think it should be more busy work). My wife and I chat about it now and again. She's really big into the virtual worlds/gaming side of life. She also has a degree in education and teaches classes in Second Life. So her thoughts are really valuable. She said to me this morning, "It's hard to see how the current educational model will ever be toppled. And can we really learn in a completely virtual world?"

"Sure," I said. "Absolutely. Just look at World of Warcraft." Those who play will consistently, and excitedly, share what they've learned about:

Geography: My best friend knows more about the continents and locations of WoW than he does our world. Of course, for huge as WoW is, it's smaller than this world.

History: One of our friends can tell you the back story of any object, character, place, or event that you encounter.

Religion/Philosophy/Politics: My friends could tell you all about the motivations for the different factions, what they believe and why, and how that is affecting the current political tensions in the world.

Math: The "stats" system in WoW (how much this cloak will protect you from an ice breathing dragon) is a complex set of variables and definitions that rival any Algebra problem I've encountered.

Reading: Comprehension skills are necessary to understand a quest objective and where you need to go.

Writing/typing: If you hope to ever get help, you must be able to clearly communicate your requests or directions to your team members.

Coordinates/maps: While not built into the game, you can easily add a coordinate grid. Plus, you must become familiar with navigating a map if you hope to get anywhere in the game.

Science: Within the professions you can learn, you will quickly discover how things interact and what is required to produce your desired result: Smelting tin, for example.

Working in Groups: While you can play the game by yourself, if you hope to accomplish major tasks you must learn to work together.

Management Skills: Leading a group or a guild requires you to practice and hone your management abilities far better, I would argue, than a seminar because this involves real people with real backgrounds, feelings, desires and ambitions.

Literature: Okay, so it's not War and Peace. Of course, I've never read War and Peace. But the quest text is often a story of loss, opportunity, revenge, need, or love.

Craft Time: The gaming community is filled with people who pour hundreds of hours into making fan art (movies, pictures, costumes, stories) and custom content (like The Sims), and WoW is no exception. It's insane, really.

Programing: You learn simple coding as you make macros that make your virtual life easier.

But what about Socialization? Yep. You have that as well. And it's "good" socialization too because you are interacting with people of all ages from all walks of life from all over the globe.

And there's more.

"So what," you ask? "That stuff doesn't matter. It's all fake."

That's true. But it's not pointless. Here is a model that makes learning fun, natural, and desirable. It inspires and engrosses. And while not for everyone, even learning fake languages like Tolkien's Elvish or Klingon are wonderful ways to expand your understanding of linguistics. And fiction, as Sonlight consistently demonstrates, is a fantastic way to learn about our world.

Does this mean Warcraft is the future of education?

Probably not. But the virtual world opens many doors in ways that move us way beyond a fancy, electronic worksheet or digital ink book.

And an online learning opportunity may soon make homeschooling a norm.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

09/10/2009
What's My Age Again?
Yesterday I mentioned that I would be turning a year older. My coworkers wanted to know how old I would be.

"28," I told them without a moment's hesitation.

"Wow, I'm just a little older than you," Bo said.

Barbara asked, "So you were born in '81?"

"No," I replied. "I was born in 1982."

"Then... how can you be 28?" They wanted to know.

"Umm..."

<cough>

The good news: They saved a year of my life yesterday.

What does that have to do with Sonlight or homeschooling?

Nothing really.^*

But if I said anything more, I think you'd forget it as you typed out a Happy Birthday comment. And I wouldn't want to distract you from wishing me a happy birthday, now would I? <laughing>

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

^*Except, perhaps, that if you take a break from math studies for more than 7 years you may loose your ability to properly sequence stuff.

09/09/2009
Teaching Other People's Children
We were part of a homeschooling co-op group for a year or two back in the day. We did arts and crafts and other things that groups of kids do. My sister created a clay penguin which caused some hubbub when it appeared on page 5 of Sonlight's 2008 catalog and people couldn't tell what it was.

Clay Penguin

Me?

I tried to make an eagle and was horribly frustrated when I couldn't pull it off using nothing more than a coat hanger and toothpicks to fashion the clay.

I've always been an overachiever with perfectionists tendencies. ...not an ideal combination for things like art.

And how do you console a child who has bitten off way more than he can chew and yet is devastated that his work of art isn't turning out anything like the picture and is in tears because the clay isn't doing what he wants?

I don't know because I was inconsolable at the time.

And while I haven't had to deal with someone else's inconsolable child yet, there have been times when I've wondered what I should do. Prime example:

We were talking about sin in Sunday School and I asked the kids to list off a few. The typical ones showed up: Lying, murder, stealing. I tried to make it a little more personal by reminding them that disobeying their parents or being mean to their sibling were also sins. After the lesson, one of the girls came up and told me she had thought of another sin and asked if she could write it down on the whiteboard. I let her, and she put down "drinking."

Okay... that's up for debate, but getting drunk is something we should avoid, so I let is stand. And if her parents have told her that drinking is a sin, I'm not going to disparage them.

But after class, another girl quietly approached me. She looked forlorn and distraught. In a quiet voice she asked, "May I erase that?"

My guess? At least one of her parents enjoys an alcoholic beverage now and again. Perhaps one of them even gets drunk. But whatever the case, this hit far too close to home. What's more: It wasn't helping anything.

I encouraged her to erase the offending item and watched with a twinge of pain as she vigorously removed the word.

I don't remember if she had tears in her eyes at the time. But I do now.

Homeschooling gives us an incredible opportunity to teach our children. But I'm also thankful for the opportunities to teach other people's kids because it reminds me of how many different backgrounds, perspectives and experiences we come from. It reminds me to be more cautious in my judgments, careful in my statements, and thankful that I will--by God's grace--have children of my own soon.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

09/08/2009
Monday on Tuesday
Sometimes after a long weekend I am reminded of Bill Cosby's skit on drinking. Unfortunately, the clip doesn't have the last bit about coming back on Monday and saying, "I'm so glad I'm back to work; I'm no good on my own."

Me? I'm just fine on my own and had a rather productive three days. But with long weekends, even without copious amounts of alcohol, the re-entry can be difficult. I think it's the build up of an extra day's worth of work that you need to cram into fewer hours.

This is a Monday on Tuesday.

So today's post is for all of you who did school yesterday despite the holiday.

And for those of you who, like me, took yesterday off: Hang in there! Friday comes on Thursday this week.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

09/04/2009
Popular Posts
The really great bloggers get hundreds of comments on every post they write. Insights, wisdom and praise gush forth from their rapt¹ audience.

I am not a really great blogger.

But every once in a while a post of mine will be flooded with responses. Yesterday's was one such post.

Just about everyone wanted to talk about the birds and bees. Which surprised me, but it shouldn't 've. Because while I know what's going on in the back of my mind when I write something, no one else does. And so my friends read my post and thought, 'Luke needs some advice on telling someone about babies!' Or, perhaps, what I wrote reminded you of something from your past that you decided to share.

Which is great.

But I actually included the birds and bees bit because I thought it was an easily recognizable situation that could introduce the idea of full disclosure. And I was thinking about full disclosure because of the next bit of information we'll be sending out about the OneVerse project.

All that to say: I was amused at how a post that was, in my mind, about something else entirely, ended up being the hottest post of the week. And along with a smile, I also got to feel like a pretty good blogger for a day despite my struggle to communicate clearly. <smile>

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

1. Now I'm confused: Is it rapt or wrapt?

09/03/2009
The Ethics of Full Disclosure
...the birds and the bees

I never asked my parents where babies came from.

Somehow, before I ever realized this was a question worth considering, I had heard something from a friend that--while utterly confusing and ultimately completely incorrect--provided the answer.

Thus, I have no history to draw upon if my children were ever to ask me. But my plan is to calmly, oh, so very calmly, explain the process as scientifically and accurately as possible (while dropping enough subtle hints as to the appropriate and most beneficial social situations in which this is recommended to make a lasting impression). But I can't give them all the details. Full disclosure is simply not possible. Nor, I think, advised.

But I like giving tons of information, especially if it's a topic I'm interested in. I love laying it all out and explaining everything. In short, short and simple answers are simply too short and simply boring.

Full disclosure is impossible, however. There's just too much information, too much knowledge, too many competing views, too many options. Couple that with a desire to encourage people to act upon what they've learned, and you end up with a rather jumbled mess.

Yesterday I read a web guru who stated, emphatically, that in order to be considered an expert you must give simplistic, emphatic answers to questions. The masses, he assured me, only want simplistic. If you're too nuanced nobody'll care. You'll never reach widespread fame if you dabble in the grays. Black and white is the secret to success.

I don't think I believe him.

Now, in the interest of full disclosure, I will tell you now that I'm not going to fully disclose anything in this post.

Rather, I'll tell you that we're planning on disclosing more about the Sonlight | OneVerse project soon.

So sign up and tell your friends!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

P.S. I realize that I didn't really mention ethics in this post. I was thinking about it so I left the title as is. Plus, it's cool. If you wanted an ethics talk, share your thoughts below and we'll get a conversation going. But this post is long as it is...

P.P.S. If you don't like my word plays, please let me know. I've been told that such things can be annoying and unhelpful, rather than fun and enjoyable. What say you?

09/02/2009
What Went Wrong Wednesday
Today, while enjoyable, was riddled and ridden with problems.

First, we found out that there was some... well... rather inappropriate content connected with one of our pages. Thankfully, that turned out to be a quick fix. But while it was there it was incredibly ironic. And funny and horrible ...all at the same time. Thank you to the customer who brought this issue to our attention!

Speaking of which, if you find something on the site that isn't quite right, please let us know by clicking on the What Bugs You? Bug on Sonlight's site to give your feedback.

Second, our web store ...er... server thingy has been acting up all day.

Then, in the middle of wresting with that--on top of our normal day-to-day activities--the power went out.

That left us standing around and chatting until our computers and phones came back online and we could get back to work. It is amazing how much we rely on computers (and therefore, electricity) these days. While we waited, I snapped a few pictures of people chatting. It's a good sign that we all get a long so well:

Some Marketing Peoples

Three Product Development Ladies

I didn't get pictures of everyone, but I thought I'd share a couple.

It looks like we've been able to resolve the issues now. Which is good. You never feel quite as productive when you're mostly just putting out fires all day.

It was a good day, just a lot of things went wrong.

Some days are just like that.

If you had such a day, I hope it all worked out by the end. And if not, may you get plenty of sleep tonight so you can tackle tomorrow with gusto!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

09/01/2009
Reading, Listening, Learning
I've mentioned this many times before: I struggled with reading growing up. In fact, I've much improved since college. And that's likely why, as I've written about before, I have a love for audio books.

My love for listening to books probably also harkens back to Sonlight's Read-Alouds which were foundational to my education.

Thus, I was very interested in Jerri Ann's post about reading to her son. I've seen similar questions on Sonlight's Facebook page as well: What if my child doesn't want to read and would rather I read out loud?

Me?

I tell 'em: Do it! Read to your children! Especially if they struggle with the mechanics of reading, as I did. There is plenty of time--even after college--to develop the skills necessary to find pleasure in reading to yourself.

Literacy is important. Being able to read is essential. But does that mean that we must love the act of letting our eyes flow over the page? Is that the important element of books? Is that the goal of learning?

No.

The power of books are the stories and the worlds they contain. And Sonlight's books, in particular, allow us to experience history in a powerful and memorable way. And listening is just as effective a way of learning as reading to yourself. And there is little better than spending time together listening to the same story that mom or dad is reading.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

P.S. We tried to fix an area of confusion on our site earlier today and probably just confused more people until we figured out what was wrong. But such is the life of web content <smile>. Had you visited select pages on Sonlight's website today you would have encountered this:

Limited Voting Quantities

Which reminds me: Don't forget to vote for the Sonlight catalog cover.

08/31/2009
Make Friends and Influence People
Remember Marie? Of course you do!

Well, we're hanging out with her again tonight. Which is super cool. We also have movie night every Saturday (so if you're ever in the Denver area on a Saturday night, let me know). Of course, Marie doesn't come to that, but others do. And that's nice.

In fact, we have people over frequently. And that's nice too.

My hope is that everyone who comes through our house feels welcome, loved and at peace. And overall, I think that's mostly the case. Our house is not a museum. Far from it. Instead, we've got the "lived-in feel." I'm guessing that feeling will become even more present once the kids get here. But even then, I want people who come by to feel loved and important to us ...even if our laundry is still piled on the couch <smile>.

I think it's much easier to influence people--in a "blessing" sense, not a "manipulate: these-aren't-the-droids-you're-looking-for" sense--if they are your friends. Enemies don't tend to like what you have to say, and those who don't know you exist don't care much. Friends make for much better conversation and sharpening.

So, I'm going home to hang out with some friends. Have you had the opportunity to do that lately? Homeschooling sure does give you the flexibility to do that.

...which is nice.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

08/28/2009
...and when necessary, use t-shirts.
[adapted title link here]

I was the poster boy for Christian t-shirts in high school. I still have them, reminding me of earlier days:

My Christian T-Shirts

But I think my thinking has shifted.

When I was in high school, I was fired up to tell people about Jesus. I left my life of homeschooling to go change my campus for Christ. I was a man on a mission. And like all good agents, I had to wear the right stuff: the hospital band thingy from summer camp that I wore until it fell off, Christian dog tags, and, of course, the Christian t-shirts.

They weren't cheesy. They were a cool way to remind people that I followed Christ.

Looking back, the shirts were cheesy. Like, not even a good Gouda, but a can of spray-on cheese.

And I was a punk.

Granted, real punks wear their hats incorrectly, their pants at their ankles, and a look on their face that says, "Just try tellin' me I care!"

In the same way, what I was wearing was intended to make an impression, take a stand, and get people to think... and I didn't care if it upset you. You needed to get upset! My t-shirts were there to remind you of the eternal significance of your choices today.

And today, t-shirts are back into the forefront of my mind (though now I wear polos).

I first came across Mrs. C's post. And then Meg's ...followed by her followup. All of this eventually made it onto JJ's blog where the comments are alive and well.

As a young man, I never considered how bothersome my garment choices could be. And, if others could wear their Bad Religion shirts, well, then I needed to represent.

The Christian t-shirt phase was an important time in my life, but I have since learned that loving others is often much more important--and effective--than simply touting stuff on your bumper sticker or t-shirt.

I've seen similar things in the world of politics and education as well.

So, again, I think my Christian punk phase was important, but I'm very glad I grew out of it.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

08/27/2009
The Sonlight | OneVerse Project
Much like last year's Rice Bag project, I believe what follows will be one of the most important things we do this year:

Sonlight's OneVerse Project

Last year, for $30 you funded a woman's education in India.

This year, for less than $30, you'll be able to fund the translation of a verse of the Bible. And here's the deal: If we raise as much as we did last year, we'll be able to translate a complete New Testament.

But that's not what my mom is praying for. She's reaching way out there and praying that we will all give enough to translate the New Testament into three new languages.

Three.

That's huge!

Learn More About The Sonlight | OneVerse Project

Would you partner with us in both praying and giving in this endeavor?

But Bible translation isn't all there is. This is, in typical Sonlight style, an educational opportunity as well. Sign up before this project begins on September 21th, and OneVerse will send you an 8-week course that covers things like the importance of the Bible and the latest in translation techniques!

So, please, click here to find out more about this project and how to register to be a part of this educational and world-changing opportunity!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

08/26/2009
...it's gonna be huge!
Remember last year's Rice Bag Project?

Well, details about the next project opportunity you have will be coming out shortly^*.

But it's not quiet ready yet (despite our best efforts today).

So... yep... that's all I got.

Big news coming soon!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

^*As in: Tomorrow... I hope.

08/25/2009
Special Offers
Remember how I gave you a link to a Rosetta Stone demo a while back? Well, the demo is still there if you haven't tried it out.

And the Rosetta Stone special discount is well under way right now! So, if you've been thinking about adding Rosetta Stone to your homeschool adventure, now's a good time to do it.

Why the sales pitch?

Because I've been mired in emails about this for much of today. <smile> So it's on my mind.

Other stuff has been bouncing around inside my head, but I haven't had the time to really put anything into words. I have a lot of impressions and fragments floating around in my noggin. Education. Ideas. Fields of study. Discussions. Learning. Opinions. ...and a host of other tidbits colliding like so many vacationers in a wave pool on a hot summer afternoon.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

08/24/2009
Funny Monday
Has it been a great start to a week for you?

Awesome!

...wait... what? No? Oh, well, it's definitely been a Monday here too. So let me share some mirth with you. A blog alert that mentioned Sonlight this morning that made me pause:

Sonlight Shows Up in Odd Places

Well, it's definitely not us. But someone is planning on using Sonlight.biz's products for some questionable activities. <smile>

There are a couple more gems in the Other Posts of Note today. Like, you know, this video.

Tiffany Blitz

In other news, voting has started for Sonlight's 2010 catalog cover. So, hop on over and rate the photos!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

08/21/2009
Have a Great Weekend!
My little brother, who features in many of Sonlight's DVDs (and is pictured below), is heading back to college tomorrow or the next day. So, we'll hopefully get to spend some time with him before he heads out again.

So, that's one of the things I hope to do this weekend.

You? Any plans?

Even if you don't have anything special or big going on, have a great weekend!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

08/20/2009
The Places Production Takes You
Today we were doing some audio corrections for the upcoming MathTactular DVD (which is not yet in that bundle because we aren't quite to the technological level of Spaceballs).

In college I read about a sound guy who found himself in all sorts of odd locations to get the sound clips he needed. Well, today, we ended up in my daughters' room trying to recreated the "audio space" of Detective Justin Time's headquarters.

Fixing Audio

We also needed to find a place to simulate the acoustic tone of a gusty snowy hill with a major freeway in the distance.

That we did in a small parking lot behind Sonlight to get away from the hum of summer bugs.

And this reminded me of a fun little activity to do, especially if today has felt harried: Take a few minutes to sit quietly somewhere. Take a pen and paper and write down every distinct sound you hear. There are many more than you'd initially think. It will give you a new appreciation for how much happens around you, and yet it's almost peaceful.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father (still)

08/19/2009
My 15 Seconds of Fame
...almost.

I was working away yesterday
Upon a thing or two.
When what should I see coming at me
But a coworker out of the blue.

"Right now, this moment, this very time
"The radio station is playing
"A bit about homeschoolers and awkwardness,
"So you should see what they're saying."

I decided to call. The busy wall
It stopped me once or twice.
Once finally through, they said "Hellu?"
I said, "Homeschooling's a blessing, not vice."

"I see. Uh-huh. That's very nice,"
The screener said back to me.
"I'll let them know, and thank you so
"For calling and talking with me."

<click>

I didn't get on the air. Instead, they talked with a woman who "had" to homeschool because of her daughter's recent surgery.

"How's it going?" the DJ asked.

"Horrible," the woman exclaimed, "I hate it!"

They also chatted with a guy who felt that his homeschool experience had been bad and he definitely wouldn't do it with his children, even though he had somehow turned out okay.

The last caller they got was very positive about her homeschool experience, but all they wanted to know was the age at which she lost her virginity... which somehow related to not being a dork and properly socialized.

Perhaps it's good I didn't get on.

Still, it's bothersome when the media end a segment on homeschooling by saying, "All right, I think we've established: If you don't want your kid to ever have relations... homeschool 'em."

Where did they come up with that?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

08/18/2009
Summer Staff Success Story
People send in success stories about Sonlight frequently. You can read some of them in the Sonlight Moments widget on the right (get the widget for your blog/site here). But we don't have too many great stories from here within Sonlight because... well... we're working^*.

But this morning in prayer, one of our recent summer staff, DeAnn, mentioned how much of a blessing it is working here. She and her husband, Brandon, will be moving in a few months, and she didn't want to start her four year old in a preschool, only to disrupt that in the move.

While preparing orders in the warehouse, Brandon turned to DeAnn and mentioned how much he loved reading many of these titles as a child. They decided to purchase from Sonlight and start homeschooling this year!

"I'm so excited that we have this opportunity," DeAnn told me.

"I'm really excited too," Brandon chimed in.

DeAnn and Brandon

Granted, they aren't sure they will continue homeschooling after this year. But for now, homeschooling is exactly what their family needs. And, who knows: Perhaps we'll read a Sonlight Moment from them in a few years <smile>.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

^*That's not to say we don't have some really excited parents here. Tim, our marketing manager, has been telling everyone how amazing his son has been doing in his first few days this year. ...perhaps I'll interview him next. <smile>

08/17/2009
Subtle Biases
I noticed one of 'em today.

I was going through my blog feeds reading the 463 posts that had piled up since Friday afternoon and adding a few posts here and there to the Other Posts of Note. If you've browsed those posts at all, you know that I include posts that make me laugh, posts that make me cry, and posts that include information that I think is, well, of note.

So when I moved on after reading The good side of WalMart without adding it, I stopped myself.

'Hold on, Luke. You thought that was interesting. You just didn't include it because you don't particularly like WalMart.'

"Now hang on," I answered back, my pride more than a little bruised, "I don't need to include any posts about WalMart on a site about homeschooling and Sonlight. I have no obligation to include the post."

'Come on, you've linked to all sorts of stuff--even things with which you disagree--because it was a different perspective or bit of data that you'd never heard. Why this?'

"Because it's not that important. Besides," I toss in for good measure, "this is my blog and I can do what I want."

'Sure,' the little voice inside me said, sure that I wasn't sure at all. 'Now jot down "Subtle Biases" because you need to blog about this.'

And I knew I was right, as infuriating as I sometimes am.

So now I wonder: What will I neglect to teach my children because of the subtle, easy to dismiss biases in my own life? After all, we can't teach our children everything. There simply isn't time. But will I withhold something that would prove helpful simply because I don't particularly like whatever it is?

This is one more reason I love Sonlight: It encourages you to look at other sides, read things that may make you uncomfortable and consider your biases. If you walk away and still hold to your position, great! But you'll know better why you do and why other people disagree.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

08/14/2009
Elihu and Marketing
I get to be involved in many of the "behind the scenes" aspects of Sonlight, like taking part in what "the powers that be" discuss. So, when I give you an "insider's view" it could be from deep behind management lines.

But sometimes, when replying to one of my dad's emails, I feel a bit like Elihu: Just some kid piping up with my ideas.

I don't know if you've ever seen one of my dad's emails, but they can be epic. I got a few my senior year of college right around finals, and I'll merely say that more pages of reading was not what I was looking for at that moment.

But I've discovered I can dish out in similar fashion.

Like this morning.

My dad wrote the second part of an email series--yes, he writes email series. Doesn't everyone?--that discusses a book he's been reading about companies that fail. And I replied, pointing out some of the areas that I think are weak in how we communicate with Sonlighters and those who should be Sonlighters.

And I want to share my thoughts with you. Why? Umm... because I think it's interesting and gives you a glimpse into some of the things we talk about. So, here's what I think we should focus on when telling people about Sonlight:

What Sonlight gives you is everything you need to stay "on the field" one more year (be it overseas on a mission field or homeschooling in your living room). The Sonlight experience is the joy of a box full of everything you need and then having your kids beg you to start learning together now. ...a joy that continues for the rest of the year and into the next.

The rest is how we get you there: Great books, fantastic IG, customer support, and a guarantee so you can find what's perfect for you and your family. And, to make the deal even sweeter, and help you even more, we've thrown in a few bonuses: 10% discounts, free shipping, and the Forums.

I believe we need to flip our marketing on its head: We've been starting from the wrong end (the icing) and working down toward the cake. We need to tell people about the cake first, and then move up toward the icing.

Well, what's your experience? What was the most helpful/encouraging/informative thing someone ever told you about Sonlight? What are the things that you've read in Sonlight's marketing materials that have made you wonder, 'What's that doing in there?'

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

08/13/2009
Silly Web Content
I've spent considerable time today wrestling with some really old content on our site. With a website as huge as Sonlight.com--with upwards of 3,000 pages or more--we sometimes don't revisit things for a while. And that is why certain "gems" remain on the site for extended periods of time. Like this one:

"The publisher designed their product to encompass the material so that Level 1 is a beginner level, Level 2 is intermediate, and so on."

Really?! A sequential numbering system? How original! I simply must have this product!

I ran into that sentence after reading "this is the only program we've tried—and we've tried a lot of them..." so I was more than a little slaphappy.

Tears.

Literally.

Rolling down my cheers. Hilarity the likes of which is seldom seen.

And if you'd like a few more funnies, as well as some really interesting articles, check out the latest posts added to my aptly named Other Posts of Note.

And now for your:

Obsequiousness: abject or cringing submissiveness

Brought to you by Global Prayer Digest

That's all I have time for at the moment. May your day be filled with mirth, joy, love and learning.

~Luke Holzmann
Web Content Guy of Sonlight.com

08/12/2009
Rosetta Stone Demo
It's been almost 11 months since I first purchased Rosetta Stone from Sonlight and blogged about it.

In that time, not much has changed in the world of Rosetta Stone. Prices have gone up and down and Sonlight continues to offer the best price out there. That's not new.

What I did figure out today--and we're working on getting this implemented across the site--is how to link you directly to the free Sonlight Rosetta Stone demo. Seriously, it's super cool. I own the program and I still found the Rosetta Stone demo incredibly exciting.

Try out the Sonlight Rosetta Stone demo now!

Isn't that encouraging?

It is for me because I struggle with languages but this makes it cake.

Here's the other really exciting bit: We're ironing out a few last details on a Rosetta Stone special. So I'm not giving you a link to buy this program yet because I want to give you a direct path to the savings.

Until then, please enjoy Sonlight's Rosetta Stone demo and share it with your friends and family. And I'm going to practice my Russian.

До свидания.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

08/11/2009
Smoke and Mirrors
I was accused of selling that today.

Now, I tend to have rather thick skin and I know my stuff well enough to not be too bothered by such comments. But still, it sticks... "like a splinter in your mind" to continue quoting the film.

Smoke and Mirrors

But I'm not interested in smoke and mirrors. There's too much of that already.

And that's the problem. The problem is not that I am purposely deceiving people with my amazing skill with smoke and mirrors, but that there is far too much of something else:

Haze and fog.

Perhaps you have been gifted with incredible clarity and can discern all truth right out--which would be super impressive if it wasn't so annoying <smile>--but if you're anything like me then you and I both see but dimly.

The haze and fog of life disrupts my ability to see everything exactly as it is. And that is why I'm still learning. Because I don't know it all, and I don't plan to either. Not that it wouldn't be nice to be omniscient...

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

08/10/2009
Compelling Learning
I loved two of my really hard Bible classes in college.

For one of them I had to read through the whole Old Testament and take notes on each chapter (things like questions I had based on the text, themes I saw developing, etc). By the end of the semester I turned in a 140 page single spaced 8pt font document. It was insane.

The first day of the other class, my professor said, "I'm going to tell you what the final will be so you can start preparing now. You will write down everything you've learned about the book of John. You will basically recreate your course notes in three hours."

I worked my tail off in those classes, and I loved them.

Other courses were far less compelling and I complained about how much work I had to do. But for some reason, I was happy to plow through these courses despite the insane amount of work.

Why?

That's what I'm trying to figure out at the moment for a "next gen" project we're working on. I've jotted down some ideas, but I'd love to hear any insights you've had from situations where you've been happy to learn the material despite the difficulty. Some of the factors that have made me happy to work were:

The hard work was just expected (no apology)

The content was good

I could tell the professors cared about me

I could go and chat with my professors if I wanted to

I felt like I could make progress

So what about you? Have you had a time when you've had to work really hard but did it happily? What caused that? What made the effort worth it?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

08/07/2009
Plenty to Fix
I was afraid that I had broken the links for the new Sonlight Rewards program. And I had.

But now they're working again (but I still haven't had a chance to make the text on the page great. Oh well. I have a project for Monday <smile>).

There is always more to do.

I've spent quite some time today writing up a response to the many comments left on this post. If you're interested in what I've been thinking about today, give it a read.

And now, unfortunately, I must leave everything as is for the weekend. I will continue fixing things on Monday.

Have a great weekend, friends!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

08/06/2009
Blurring the Line
As a professional blogger, I lead an interesting life.

No, not quite that interesting.

What I mean is that the line between my personal life and my professional life is blurring. And, in many ways, it's blurring for all of us as our information becomes more and more accessible to the Whole Wide World.

Blurring the Line

That's why I thought twice about writing my latest personal post ...and then went ahead and did it anyway. While I always try to be fair, I'm a little more "contained" on this blog.

So why am I writing about this over here on my blog about Sonlight and homeschooling?

Because one of my jobs here at Sonlight is to be a "Media Relations Specialist" and keep tabs on the crazy world of social media. And that means watch what people say about Sonlight on their blogs and help customers or give more information where possible.

Much like what I think--and hope--Macon Phillips meant in his post. And, in many ways, I totally understand the desire to "keep track of all [rumors]" because I'd like to do the same thing. It's very important to help people know the truth if they somehow have the wrong idea.

But Phillips' word choice was poor.

He wants citizens to email in "fishy" sites to an address that "flags" it for the Whitehouse? For what purpose? To what end?

If Phillips would have elaborated more on what's going to happen, I think it wouldn't be nearly as disturbing. But since he did not elaborate, and we're already heard some pretty scary things from fishy sites, he didn't help us feel better.

Also, since I get paid for what I do here at Sonlight, I am interested in how much tax money is going into this initiative. I think, much like my position, this is probably fairly important if done correctly. So, in the spirit of giving, here's what I do:

I ask people to tell me about things that they think I'd be interested to know.

If someone has misinformation about Sonlight, I try to inform them graciously.

If someone has a complaint against Sonlight, I do everything I can to make the situation right.

I have alerts that let me know when people talk about Sonlight on their blogs so I can add them to my reader and get to know them and where they're coming from.

I try to focus on the positives. Because I can say whatever I want about Sonlight, but it's the people who have actually experienced it that have the most credibility.

I leave comments open so people can talk to me if they want.

Granted, my position at Sonlight is probably significantly smaller--and of less mass appeal--than one of the hottest topics in the political world right now. But if you're opening yourself up to a barrage of emails, I hope you've got a system in place to handle them.

I know I do:

Just Kidding <smile>

~Luke Holzmann
Media Relations Specialist

08/05/2009
Spam?
Here at Sonlight we try not to spam you.

If we email you it's because we feel that you will be encouraged, blessed, or informed by the thing hitting your inbox. And sometimes, like if we discover that a book was misprinted by our supplier--doesn't that sound devious--then you need to know what we're doing to make it right.

But spam?

Ugh. I ate it once in youth group many years ago. ...once.

And it's not particularly easy to send our emails to huge numbers of people. I mean, I don't have a problem firing off something if you write to me, but the process we go through to compose, create, and convey our mass messages is much like jumping through a bunch of hoops while on fire and singing the alphabet backward ... which I can do (the backward alphabet bit, not the other part).

Right now I've got three major emails that need to go out to different groups tomorrow.

And my head is spinning.

Trust me: Spam is not something I like getting or dishing out.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

08/04/2009
The Paradox of "the Best"

Detraction: the act of discrediting or detracting from someone's reputation (especially by slander)

Brought to you by Jennifer Fulwiler

I've been reading a lot of posts about how people are homeschooling this year. And, I've included several in the Other Posts of Note as they rave about how great Sonlight is <smile>.

But with all this planning and purchasing there comes the question of, "What is the the 'right' method of homeschooling?"

Currently, the accepted wisdom is "whatever is best for you and your family." And, who's going to argue with that? Who would honestly say, "Use something that is not best for you and your family"? No one, especially since one of the many strengths of homeschooling is that you can form it to fit the needs of you and your children.

And yet, when we look at the answer, we discover that it merely begs the original question: Well, then, what is the "right" method that will be best for me and my family?

I'm reading The Paradox of Choice right now, and it's interesting (of course, so are the negative reviews). The basic premise is that we have too many options available to us today and that is actually making us less happy with our final decisions because we worry about what we might be missing.

What's more, in the section I read just last night, things are further complicated by the fact that how we make choices is not altogether wise. For instance, we'd rather hear a 16 second annoying sound that tapers off at the end than just the initial 8 seconds of annoying audio. We choose twice as as much annoyance because we judge things by how they end, rather than what it was like while we experienced it.

Of course, there can be good in this too. I think minimizing the pain and struggle of birth or adoption is probably a good thing as we consider bringing another bundle of joy into our lives <smile>.

What does this have to do with choosing a homeschool curriculum?

Merely this: Feel free to try out something else if something isn't working, but don't let it bog you down.

It feels almost wrong for me--a Sonlight promoter--to suggest that if Sonlight isn't working for you, you can try something else. But it shouldn't because we've got 27 Reasons Not to Buy Sonlight.

Of course, this cuts the other way as well: If you're not thrilled with what you have, check out Sonlight.

And if you don't know where to start, maybe, just maybe, you'd be happier if you just purchased one of Sonlight's amazing Cores and decided that it works for your family. And if it works then it's "good enough" ...no, even better than that: It's perfect for you and your family.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

08/03/2009
Sonlight Rewards!
I am so entirely, completely, ecstatically stoked about this ...as in: You have no idea how sweet I think this is:

Sonlight^® Rewards

Here's the gist:

Since Sonlight has always grown best through people telling their friends about it--as I mentioned in this post and elsewhere--we've been working on a way to make it even better for you. And now we have:

Tell your friends, family, and even complete strangers about Sonlight. When they register for a Sonlight account as use your person Rewards code, they automatically save $5 on their first purchase of $50 or more. Which is sweet.

And you?

You get a point for every dollar someone spends on his or her first order (as long as they used your code when they registered so they save the five bucks). The more points you get, the more you save on your next order. Which is sweeter.

And here's how easy this is: If you've created an account on sonlight.com... you're already set up.

It's that easy.

Which is totally sweet-awesome!

So, come on! Check out the new Sonlight Rewards program.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

07/31/2009
Sonlight's Latest
...will be revealed Monday.

Until that time, I will only give you a teaser image:

Coming Soon...

I am super excited!

Don't forget to get your pictures in before Sunday!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

07/30/2009
Ethics, God, and Debate
Read this long article and the comments that follow.

JJ

For those who don't have the time to read a long article, I'll try to sum it up:

A "religious studies" professor states that he is completely different from a theology professor because he focuses on how and why religions exist (from a social level) whereas theologians focus on defending a made up set up beliefs (from an errant view). He is thus, naturally, frustrated that the two are so often lumped together. There's also a bit about how theology leads to no knowledge but only lies because god doesn't exist...

The comments tear this article apart (for the most part), though there is a rather interesting comment that seems to agree.

I've not really had an idea of what to say about all this, but it reminded me of a debate recently held at my alma mater. Now, people can disagree that God exists, but I think Craig did a good job of showing that God does exist. And, from the articles linked at the bottom of the announcement, Craig had the better argument.

But, as Doug TenNapel points out:

Hitchens won the debate. It's not the argument of the debaters, it's the condition of the audience that wins the day. While few of Dr. Craig's arguments are dispersed through culture, even religious culture, I've been raised on most of Hitchens' arguments. Dr. Craig's arguments are true and well-reasoned by difficult to comprehend on a first hearing. Hitchens' arguments are what we'll find spoken against God on prime time television, at the water-cooler, I've even heard some of them on Animal Planet. Culture generally makes Hitchens' argument by default. And it's easier to claim the skeptic's nothing than affirm the something of God...

I find this kind of thing fascinating, and important to consider.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

P.S. There is a new Box Day Flair at the bottom of the Widgets page.

07/29/2009
Sunday, Sunday, Sunday!
I'm back!

While on my short vacation I had the opportunity to start reading and thinking about two books that have some interesting applications (implications?) for Sonlight... but since I haven't had a chance to spend too much time with them yet, I'm not going to tell you about my thoughts in this post. <Bwahahaha ha!>

Instead, I will quickly remind you that Sonlight's Photo Contest ends this Sunday!

So, if you want your beautiful pictures to have a chance of ending up in the Sonlight catalog, or on the cover like Ariana's family (she mentions it toward the bottom of the post), then you need to start snappin' and submittin' your photos!

The good news is that, because of the work we did last week, you can now upload huge .jpg images.

What are you waitin' for? Send in your Sonlight pictures now.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

P.S. And don't forget: I'd love to add your Box Day stories to the Sonlight Box Day page as well.

07/24/2009
Timelines and Timetables
Organizational skills are essential to get through huge projects like MathTacular or Discover & Do. In editing, you must keep track of hundreds of activities with many little clips and graphics and audio files which all combine to make hours of educational fun.

But sometimes my internal organization and penchant for order gets hijacked by the necessity of getting something done quickly. ...always with the hope that I will never have to go back and sort out the mess again later. Like the timeline I was building just a few hours ago:

Messy Layers on a Timeline

It's always nice to have tools that can help you keep track of everything, especially as need arises to make changes. And in homeschooling, Sonlight's IGs can be a huge help in this area. In media production... I have no such handy tool.

And just a heads up: I'm going to go visit in the in-laws for an extended weekend, so I probably won't see you all until Wednesday. We leave tonight sometime after 9pm, and your thoughts and prayers are much appreciated as we travel.

Have a great weekend, friends!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

P.S. Since I am trying not to compare my rather juvenile writing to the brilliance of others, I am happy to refer you to Billy's post about good days. It is excellent. And you'll find that post and lots of other interesting bits from the blogosphere in what I think are Other Posts of Note.

07/23/2009
A Few Fun Images
A couple evenings ago one of my friends, Marie, came by and we did a photoshoot. My best friend, Jason, is really good at photography, and we keep trying to find subjects he can practice on... and I tag along because it's fun.

We were shooting in what will be Eduard's room, and our model suggested we snap some pictures of her reading some of the children's books. Jason then came up with the brilliant idea of having her read Time for Friends. And, sure, I stayed up past midnight that evening, but I got to help my best friend practice his photography and got an awesome promotional picture for my little book:

Marie Reading Time for Friends

[By the by, Marie said the story was super cute. So... you should get a copy if you don't have one already <smile>]

In even more directly Sonlight related news, we have debugged an issue surrounding submitting large images to our Photo Contest. You can now upload .jpg images that are up to 25MB... which is huge. And we've said that you could for a long time now, but now you really can.

In attempting to fix the bug, I had to run a couple of tests. Here are the results from one of them:

Bob - The Fictional non-Homeschooling Sonlighter

And one more little thing:

If you open an image of any of Sonlight's products, you will now be greeted by this cheery little guy while your image loads:

See if you can find him--er... "it"?--floating around Sonlight's website...

Enjoy!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

07/22/2009
Gambit, Gamut and Gauntlet

Gambit: an opening remark intended to secure an advantage for the speaker (wordnetweb)

And now that you are all supremely interested and feel that I know what I'm talking about, I will shatter that myth.

Because the word I was looking for this morning was actually: Gamut-a complete extent or range.

But other than gambit, the only other word I could think of was gauntlet, which also isn't right. Though, when I came in this morning, I felt that the gamut of my experience was a gauntlet because the gambit of an email I sent yesterday was wrong.

Luke turns on his computer and discovers that the email he sent yesterday had the wrong subject line. Luke thinks to himself, 'Self, this is less than ideal. Good thing it only went to 28,000 people...'

Luke proceeds to struggle to focus for the rest of the day while everyone scrambles to figure out how to make it right.

Which is the other possible title for today's post:

D'oh! The Turning of a Big Ship

Sonlight isn't huge as far as corporations go, but we are bigger than when my mom and dad pretty much did everything back in the day. Then, if something like this had happened, my dad would write an apology and send it.

Done.

Today it's a little different. We get a bunch of feedback, have a writer synthesize that down, get it approved, tested, tweaked, coded, and finally sent...

The good part of all this is that we can be methodical, careful, get wise counsel and ultimately help more people. But it's certainly slower than if Sonlight were a one man band.

We're no longer a sailboat that can ~~tack~~--hmm... turns out it's actually "beating"--its way up a stream, but we can help many, many more people get to where they want to go.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

07/21/2009
Is It All In Your Head?
I have a sensitivity to wheat. If I eat something "wheated" then something goes wonky in my body and I suddenly have difficulty responding to negative situations appropriately. But I didn't figure this out until I was in college.

And it took a while for me to believe that wheat did, indeed, throw me off.

In fact, it wasn't until a year of not eating wheat had gone by that I could feel the shift if I had any. And there were enough times when I ate wheat without realizing it--and freaked out; only to discover that, say, Teriyaki sauce contains wheat--that I came to accept the fact that I have a sensitivity.

But before that, I was pretty sure it was just a negative placebo. An excuse. Life was just really horrible when I had an "episode"--the wheat, just a convenient scapegoat.

My distrust of my body's signals was due in large part to the fact that I know placebos work. People really do get better taking sugar tablets they believe are a wonder drug. Which, I guess, further indicates how right my mother-in-law is: We know so little about how our bodies work, there are many things the medical world just doesn't know yet. Like, what's up with wheat sensitivities.

This morning I came across this very short paragraph about educational placebos, and it got me thinking. Give it a read; I'll wait.

...

Much like my wheat sensitivity, I don't think education is a placebo. But there is something to be said for the mystery of how education works. Everything from radical unschooling to the most strict and mass-produced of public educations have lead to some wild successes as well as dismal failures.

How? Why?

<shrug>

What this does mean is that homeschooling is a fantastic option. Perhaps not a panacea, but also not a placebo. And homeschooling with Sonlight could be just what the doctor ordered...

(figuratively speaking, of course)

~Luke Holzmann
A Friend, Not A Doctor

07/20/2009
Marketing
Three posts on marketing today: one, two, three.

And me?

Well, I have a few thoughts bumping around, but nothing solid.

Amy Bayliss' post further indicated the need for me--and my best friend, Jason--to get our book out (raise your hand if you knew I was working on writing a book). Dana Hanley's post made me think of my gamer wife (who plays World of Warcraft, Sims, and FreeCol, not Barbie's Disney Musical Dress Up Shopping Pony Show III). And my dad's post contained a very interesting video link that was, well, interesting. And I'd be interested in your thoughts (especially if you have a rebuttal, which I will then ask you to send to Perry <smile>).

But all that has almost nothing to do with the rest of this post.

I'm part of Sonlight's Marketing Team. And that sometimes feels very odd to me because... well, most of the time I really dislike marketing. I've read and listened to many marketing "gurus" who spout off their "surefire ways to make a trillion dollars in your PJs from home in less than six minutes, your money back, guaranteed" with such amazing steps as:

Sit at home in your PJs

Do a ton of market research to find a product you can sell for a trillion bucks

Create said product

Find a person to buy it

Sell it to them by using things that motivate them to action (be very specific)

Reap the rewards 6 minutes later

It could just be me, but I don't resonate with that kind of thing.

I also just don't "get" the idea of getting the word out so more people will buy. I resist "hard sales" and "cold calls" and talking up your product in a "salesy" way. I hate most sales copy I read--it just feels pushy and insincere to me, in the most falsely sincere way. And I think I have very odd views of marketing in general. And even when I wrote good copy for my production company's website, I didn't get any clients. So, what am I doing here?

I'm connecting with people so I can do my best to help them.

And that is something I love doing. And that's something Sonlight is big on: Letting people know how we can help them. Not making money--though that is essential for us to keep doing what we're doing--but helping homeschool families around the world. Helping you educate your children. And I can get behind that.

I love doing it.

And if I have to post videos of an attractive young woman talking about everything Sonlight gives you in an Instructor's Guide... well, I'll do it, even if it is an obvious marketing ploy of using youth and beauty to sell the0 product <smile>. [the videos aren't very clearly marked; click on any of the little links under "Relax and enjoy homeschooling your children"]

By the by, that "attractive young woman" in the videos is Laura Lee, one of our copywriters. She is currently in the hospital giving birth to her first child. Please be praying for her and the baby.

Thanks!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

07/17/2009
Get 'er done
I haven't watched much Larry the Cable Guy, nor am I recommending that you do. But his phrase "git-r-done" (which, I think, should be written as "get 'er done"--hence this post's title) can get funnier the more times it's repeated and the later it gets.

I'm just sayin'.

But there are times when I feel like I just can't get it all done. And sometimes that's depressin'. But if I remind myself that it's okay, that I'm never going to do everything, that the fact that there is more to do is a good indication that there is still purpose to life ...well, then it's not too bad.

It's harder when you can't get everything done because you're waiting on a few elements to come together. And I am.

Waiting.

Once they get here--my kids, a few updates to Sonlight, a couple new features and tools--well, then there will be much rejoicing--yay. Until then, I need to be okay with the fact that I can't do it all, that I have to wait, and that Monday will come with renewed opportunities to work on things that we didn't get to today.

Have a great weekend!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

07/16/2009
I have never been so keyed up
[title link here]

Seriously?

No one else gets all giddy about Box Day stories?

Well, I do.

They make me so happy. And that's why I want to share them with you (and I want you to share them with me so I can share them with the world!). Toward that end, I have started another blog--for ease of updating--where I will post the Box Day stories you send to me. I already have a few up, so please send me yours!

boxday.blogspot.com

Hop on over there, get some inspiration, and then send me your Box Day story.

Please!

...oh, and commenting and letting me know how much you enjoy reading said stories is also a very acceptable course of action at this point. Thanks! <smile>

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

07/15/2009
I Can Haz Box Day Stories?
[title link here]

Okay, I'm super excited: I'm working on a new little project to highlight Sonlight Box Day stories.

But to be able to do that, I need yours.

And those of your friends.

...what?

No! Not the boxes themselves; your Box Day stories! <sheesh> People thinking I want to take away their Sonlight materials... <smile>

So, please, if you have a Box Day story, send it to me! I would love pictures and video clips too (if you have them on your blog, Photobucket or YouTube account already, just send me the link; it makes it easier for me).

Send your Box Day stories--and any applicable media/links--to: lholzmann[at]sonlight.com

Don't forget to come up with a clever title for your story if you have one. If not, I'll come up with something slightly less clever but still effective.

When I've got a few stories, I'll make this thing public.

...it's gonna be awesome <smile>.

Not sure what Box Day is? Feeling lost and a little left out? Don't fret, there are a few examples of Box Day stories in my Other Posts of Note. Speaking of which, there is an article by Rebecca LuElla Miller that I think is, well, a a post of note, so give it a read.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

07/14/2009
Insecure
'What am I, 12?'

I ask myself that every now and again.

Because I feel that way every now and again.

And I think I've been this way since I turned 13.

I'm insecure. I get bogged down. I'm immature.

Yesterday was one of those days. I struggled to write my post. And after I hit "Publish" I almost went back to add:

ETA: This is a lame post. Feel free to skip. Sorry for wasting your time.

And, as if to prove how far off my preconceptions are, I got fantastic comments that were totally encouraging.

And I read Lysa Terkeurst's latest post which reminded me that half of my insecurity stems from trying to prove that I'm better--or, at least, equal to--other bloggers. 'My thoughts matter! I'm important! Believe in me!'

How quickly I forget that I have specific gifts and talents and I need to use to bless others, not try to make myself look better. You'd think I'd remember a lesson that I first wrote about back in 2006. But no. No, I like to compare myself to every measuring stick that's taller than me. I want to hear not just that I'm "doing enough," but that I'm rocking!

And, being as narcissistic as I am, I'm guessing you're feeling the same way about some area of your life. If that is, say, homeschooling, stop comparing yourself to those who finish a Core in 6 weeks and then move on to differential calculus with their seven year old. Those kinds of tales, while impressive, are usually just depressing because then I wonder what I was doing at that age (search for "composer")...

That's why I much prefer to read stories from people who are successful but not superstars. They're encouraging because I could see myself get there with just a little more time and effort.

And you can too, it just may take a little time and effort.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

07/13/2009
Evil Prevails
They say, "Evil prevails when good men fail to act." What they ought to say is, "Evil prevails."
~Lord of War (there is language on the quotes page)

I strive to be a good man, but I rarely act.

In fact, just this weekend I chatted with my best friend about a political hot topic: Abortion. Since I read blogs of all persuasions, I was giving him some of the reasons that I've read recently that come from "the other side."

After a while he looked at me and said, "Where are you coming from with all this? You state these opposing views but you never say where you stand. What are you getting at?"

I said, "The current arguments are getting us nowhere. It's the same with homosexuality and a bunch of other issues: People just aren't discussing this because they're calling each other names. I want to find a way where we can keep talking."

"That's the difference," he replied. "The other side is coming from such a different worldview/perspective that we can't talk. And that's not going to stop me from trying to get involved at a legislative level to get our nation going in the right direction."

That was sobering to me. And the point is well taken. But...

But these are my friends, people I care for, fellow bloggers who are really smart, good people... they merely look at the world from a completely different perspective. And while I firmly believe their perspective is flawed/wrong, they're not going to see it my way, especially if I keep using phrases that point out the "evils" of their way of thinking.

And even if I did speak up, does it help?

I read a post earlier today that demonized a popular Christian figure. I left a comment that I thought was well reasoned, backed with Scripture, and gave another view. I'm not sure how it will be received, and I doubt the comment will be published. And, ever since posting my response, I've wondered: Should I have just kept my mouth shut? Am I helping anyone (especially Sonlight) by challenging people to think through their ideas?

I write such responses because I want to be active on the blogosphere, but does it help people think through things better? Is it helpful?

Presuppositions. Pet ideas. Hidden agendas. Assumptions. All of these allow bad ideas to prevail, which then, in turn, allows evil to prevail.

Even if you can come up with rock-solid logic that cuts to the heart of the issue, the heart of the issue doesn't matter. Evil still prevails.

Much like religious discrimination in our nation.

May your family continue to strive to be good, have the wisdom to know when and how to act, and may we all rest in the grace given to us while evil continues to prevail. Because, yes, evil prevails, but it doesn't win.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

07/10/2009
4 Years!
Brittany and I were married 4 years ago today.

You can see a few more pictures from our wedding on our abandoned family blog. The wedding went great! ...I just had a huge zit on my forehead that popped up that morning and the haircut I got was way, way too short. Good memories <smile>.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

P.S. In other news, we shipped two boxes to our first Sonlight Sweepstakes winner. Congratulations, Tonya! We look forward to cheering with you on your first Box Day!

07/09/2009
A Little Help from My Friends
Thank you to everyone here and on Facebook who helped me figure out that math issue yesterday. I knew that was what was wrong but I couldn't get my head around it. Y'all are the best!

And having friends who can help you figure stuff out is super important with things that are complex but can be hugely rewarding. And this post got me thinking about it even more.

Growing up I played a cheap knock-off version of Tetris--which, I've since found out, is probably okay because of the sordid legal history of the Russian game (check out the documentary my wife really liked: Tetris: From Russia with Love).

No one really had to explain the game to me. I figured it out pretty fast.

But since that time, I've started playing World of Warcraft. And, as Seth points out in his post: WoW is far more immersive than Tetris (though, I would add, both can be equally addicting <smile>). In fact, it really helps to have someone who knows the game sit down with you when you start playing WoW. They can explain everything, show you how it works, and get you pointed in the right direction as you set out on your first quest to clear the forest of unwanted pests that are ruining the lives of the locals.

And that's probably one of the many reasons Blizzard includes a 10-Day Free Trial account with every copy of the game.

Tetris vs. WoW

The same is true of Sonlight. Unlike some other programs, it really helps to have someone sit down with you and talk you through Sonlight the first time (or two). Many people come to Sonlight because a friend showed them how it works and got excited about starting their own journey.

If you want to know more about Sonlight but don't have a friend who will "show you the ropes" by sitting down with you and showing you how it works, then contact one of the Sonlight Curriculum Advisors who can answer your questions and get you started.

Want to help some noobs get started in the world of Sonlight? Want to get some coin for passing on your love of Sonlight to others? Then become a Sonlight Affiliate, and let us reward you for giving a little help to us and your friends.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

07/08/2009
Updates, Outtakes, and Odd Dates
First, some really cool news on the Sonlight website front:

1. We now have a new Cart at Sonlight.com. Hop on over there and look in the upper right corner of the window. There's an awesome "View Cart" button that pops out from the side. How cool is that?

Pretty cool.

2. We've extended our free Live Chat hours! That means that you can get help from a Customer Relations representative until 7pm Mountain Time. How cool is that? Well, to loosely borrow from the kid in The Incredibles:

That is totally wicked!

On to MathTacular:

"What percent of ½ is an eighth?" Easy, but just in case you're a little rusty, I'll break it out for you:

x * ½ = ⅛ (divide both sides by ½)
x = ⅛/½ (solve division of fractions by flipping and multiplying^*)
x = ⅛ * 2/1 -> x = ¼ -> x = 0.25 (multiply by 100 to get a %)
x = 25%

But then we turned it into a word problem:
"What percentage of half the income of the farm (which is how much is used to pay wages) is paid to one of the eight farm hands?"

Working out the numbers we naturally get 25% again... but wait, there are 8 guys, so how could any of them get ¼ of the money?

...umm...

cipherin'

No matter how I worked it, I couldn't get it to make sense. I ended up with things like:

x% = 1/400% workers
$1 * $8 = ⅛
and my personal favorite: x% * ½y = ⅛

But if I stuck with just the numbers, I got 25% every time.

I know it has something to do with how we're saying the problem, but I can't figure it out. And I don't often get this stumped. I mean, especially when I understand the math--I can solve the numbers in a flash--but for some reason the moment I add in the units the whole thing falls apart.

And I'm still stumped.

But I know the moment someone shows me where I've got it wrong everything will be clear. At the moment, however, I have killed math. Math is dead.

Speaking of fun numbers and death, today, for a moment, it was 04:05:06 07/08/09... which, I'm pretty sure, will not happen again for another hundred years in 2109. At which point, I will likely be dead.

Dave

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

^*Proof: Solve for ⅛/½
We can multiply both the top and the bottom by 1 and the answer will remain the same: ⅛/½ * 1/1 = ⅛/½. But any number over itself is still just 1.

So, we can have 2/2 = 1

Multiply both the top and the bottom by that
⅛/½ * 2/2 -> (⅛ * 2)/(½ *2) -> (⅛ * 2)/1 and that is just:
⅛ * 2

07/07/2009
Fried
I had an idea this morning about something I could write about that wasn't the MathTacular shoot.

But I have since forgotten what it was.

Perhaps this is due, in part, to the fact that I am fried.

Fried

It is also due to the fact that I did not scribble myself a note of what it was that I needed to remember. And that is always a problem because I don't remember things too well in my old age <smile>.

Actually, it probably has less to do with my deteriorating mind and more to do with all the stuff that's rattling around in it. These jumbled thoughts tend to cause me to become completely confused. Like, this morning, when I wrote a note about the "Primate" email... that was actually a "Private" email.

And just now I read something that had to do with feedback not Facebook.

...I think it's time for me to go home...

If you're fried today, may you get the rest you need tonight so tomorrow is incredibly productive and full of joy.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

P.S. Thankfully, I was alert enough to catch the misused "costed" on set today, which immediately caused me to think of similar words, like caustic and accosted...

07/06/2009
Foam and Furtherance
Sometimes to move forward you must go back.

Almost sounds like a fortune cookie.

Every once in a while we have to re-watch a clip we just shot to try to sort out what we want to change. Much of what we do is ad-lib based off what we've agreed is the best way to teach something. We discuss, and then Justin stands up and says it. And then we have to cut and try again, tweaking his words here and there. Unfortunately, sometimes we'll forget what it is we wanted to change and so we rewind the tape and watch it again.

Amber Taking Notes on a Scene We Just Shot

On the technical side of things, I have to remember to record some "post roll" before rewinding. I do this by placing my hand over the lens and recording about 10 seconds. If I don't do that, we can have a break in "time code"--the numbers that keep track of how far into the tape we've recorded and are used by the computer when capturing--or we accidentally record over something we've already shot.

Guess how many times I did that before I learned my lesson?

Yeah.

In other news, we did a fun little thing on camera that ended up with overflowing foam. It turned out beautifully. You can tell because we were all laughing once I stopped the camera.

Foam

So even if you feel like you're taking a few steps back today, may you press on to even greater heights! ...especially if there's a controlled mess along the way. <smile>

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

07/02/2009
Impending Wave
This morning I had the very distinct feeling that, even though nothing was pressing at the moment--in fact, I was literally between projects and so had "nothing" to do--there was a giant wave building behind me. ...almost as if I would be over my head and drowning when it broke.

Impending Wave of Doom

The good news is that the wave never crashed.

Which is nice because it's going to be a three day weekend, and I'm glad I don't have to think about what I didn't get to today. Instead, a few hours later I turned around on set and saw this:

Toga

Good stuff.

Have a great Fourth, and I'll see you all on Monday.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

07/01/2009
Exploding Lights
We got onto set and were ready to get going, so I flipped on the lights.

There was a slight "pop" and the light was dead.

So I went to work replacing the bulb.

Changing the Bulb

[NB: If you didn't watch the short clip there, the rest of this post won't make much sense...]

It turns out that it wasn't the bulb. I think it may have been the light's fuse, but I haven't had a chance to try changing that yet. Instead, I just got out another light and we kept going.

Setting Up Another Light taken by Justin (his foot is in frame)

Now, why is it that bulbs can explode if you handle them with your greasy fingers? I wasn't totally sure, and I'm still not. But after reading over this post, I think I have an answer that makes sense (please, someone correct me if I'm wrong here):

The grease heats up at a different rate than the rest of the bulb, thereby creating a difference in how much the glass expands compared to that which is around it. This causes tension which can break the bulb since the glass is brittle. And, because the bulbs are manufactured with a vacuum, the sudden intake of air makes the popping noise.

Look at that: Science at work on the set of a math DVD. I love how learning more lets us see how things are intertwined and connected.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

06/30/2009
Producing Props and a Winner
There are times when we're about to shoot a scene and we suddenly realize: It would be awesome if we had _insert something useful here_.

It's usually some prop or visual aid. Sometimes it's a very important bit of data that we need to include.

Like: Units.

We ran into that today:

Amber Cutting Out Magnets

The fun part is that we have been working together for so long now that Amber is acutely aware of some of the technical issues of filming, which is why she suggested we re-shoot the clip. I decided it was perfect example of how we work and left it <smile>.

And, by the by, we have a winner of the Sonlight sweepstakes! Find out who won...

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

06/29/2009
Multiplying Decimals
As we move along into ever more complex lessons, it gets more and more difficult to just sit down and teach a concept. And so we discuss, at great length, how we should teach these ideas.

Today it was multiplying decimals.

Amber, Justin, and I all come at math from vastly different perspectives. This helps us as we hash out our ideas. I'll say something like, "I've always hated the 'just count up the place values and move it over that many' mentality. We need to explain why you do that."

To which Justin will reply, "But that's just the way it is. We need to teach them the rule first so they will remember it."

Amber will jump in with, "Decimals are really tenths, so we should start there..."

And around and around the three of us go. But this is really helpful because that means we're addressing at least three different views of math in our lessons and hopefully clear up any confusion that one particular view of math would create.

Unfortunately, we can confuse ourselves from time to time. That's why I've started writing up notes and solving problems on a scratchpad. I've never really had to do that for our videos before:

Multiplying Decimals Notes

It's one thing to present an idea and, if the concept doesn't stick, change your approach and try a different method. But we don't have that luxury on these DVDs. Instead, we must consider all the possible objections and confusing bits and address them in a single scene.

And so far, with the three of us working together, that has worked out beautifully. It's a good thing.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

06/26/2009
Shooting Ratios
No, we haven't done the segment on Ratios for this DVD yet. That's still to come. But here is a real world example of ratios in action: Shooting Ratios--the ratio between how much film you use per minute of final product.

The last number I heard for Hollywood was an average of 20:1. They shoot twenty minutes of film per one minute in a movie.

This of course varies greatly between films. For instance, in the battle of Helm's Deep in The Two Towers, they shot hundreds--if not thousands--of hours of footage for that one 30 minute scene. In other films they will get a scene in one take and move on.

In think, over the years, we've averaged around a 5:1 shooting ratio.

For this latest MathTacular project we just finished our second hour of tape. I'm just guessing at the moment, but I think we're closer to a 12:1 ratio at this point.

Why?

I'm not totally sure, but my guess is that it boils down to:

We're still getting back into our groove

We have to teach and explain more

The concepts are harder and so require more hashing out on our end

And morale has been low or we're just tired

It's been a long first week. Hopefully we can recharge over the weekend and tackle this again on Monday with a renewed gusto.

May you have a very restful and joyful weekend.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

06/25/2009
LCM War!
So, you're sitting there, thinking to yourself, 'Self, I need to teach people all over the world about Least Common Multiples. I know that means the smallest multiple that two different numbers share... but how do I explain that?'

And while you're thinking this, you suddenly wonder, 'Hmm... how do you actively solve for a Least Common Multiple without the guessing/know your times tables method?'

Further research leads you here which clearly tells you to:

Factor each of the numbers into primes. Then for each different prime number in all of the factorizations, do the following...

Count the number of times each prime number appears in each of the factorizations.

For each prime number, take the largest of these counts.

Write down that prime number as many times as you counted for it in step 2.

The least common multiple is the product of all the prime numbers written down.

...

'Self,' you say to yourself, 'this is insane.'

And so you start your day of filming.

Least Common Multiples

All in all, we did very well today. Some good stuff.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

06/24/2009
Free Curriculum and Little Things
On Tuesday, June 30th, we will announce the winner of a year's worth of curriculum!

In the mean time, check out a short video where Bo explains how we will choose the winner:

Sonlight's Free Curriculum Winner Selection Process

If you missed out on the first opportunity, we will have another drawing for first time catalog requesters to win a complete Newcomer Package of their choice. Find out more about the sweepstakes here and tell your friends!

In other news: I felt crazy overwhelmed today. Tons of little things running around, waving their many arms and crying out, "ME! ME! Help me, Luke! Help meeeeee!"

It's the Little Things

Sometimes, I'll admit, I'd rather squish the little things than deal with them.

I'm just sayin'.

How was your day?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

06/23/2009
We're Ready to Roll!

Initial Impressions

Getting the first shot is always really difficult. In fact, one of my fellow classmates in college made a documentary on getting the first shot. He took footage on a set while they set up for, I think, around eight hours before they finally moved to the second shot they needed.

What?!

Yeah. That's filmmaking. And I realized, after the fact, that I was a little brief yesterday. We were able to solve quite a few problems, such as: Getting the lights to no longer reflect in the whiteboard or off the books on the bookcase, position the table properly, and generally reduce Justin's reflection on the whiteboard.

And this morning, we had another issue to resolve:

Ironing the Lab Coat

The "oh no" you hear from Amber at the end there... that was the iron staining the coat.

Yeah. Filmmaking.

Once we got going, and Justin got his "groove" back, things went quite well. Some very funny stuff... which is good. We know others are going to like the DVD when we're rolling with laughter while we make it.

And one of the things that I find funny is that somehow Justin's face tends to end up perfectly behind the "white balance" icon on my screen.

White Balance Face

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

06/22/2009
"Shooting" Day 1
I grabbing this clip this morning, and I hope to bring you similar little moments as we progress:

A Glimpse of the MathTacular Set

So how much progress did we make today?

Umm...

Well, we never actually started rolling tape.

But we did get everything setup so we should be able to start rolling tomorrow. Justin was double-booked with another meeting, so we couldn't actually get going. Tomorrow, friends! Tomorrow!

...Lord willing...

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

06/19/2009
"Solve that again, Sam."
With apologies to Casablanca, which, turns out, deserves more apologies...

We get web corrections from customers as they find things that aren't right on our site. It is often my job to then go make the needed change. Of course, sometimes we get corrections for things that aren't wrong, but it can take a while to sort all that out.

For instance, today I was alerted to the fact that one of our Placement Tests had the wrong answer to a math problem and the vendor's site has the correct answers. I went looking for an updated copy of the test on the vendor's site, only to realize that we merely linked to it... so "our" document and the vendor's document is one and the same. This led me on a search for where the customer could have found a different document. Coming up with nothing, I went back to the original problem and checked the math myself.

If my calculations are correct--and let's hope that they are--then the answer key is right.

As confusing as such things can be, I do learn new details about our site, get to brush up on my math skills, and try to figure out what someone is talking about. So the next time your child asks, "When would I ever need to know this, mom?" Tell them: When you're double checking the answer for a textbook on a website of the organization that employs you.

That should end all complaints. <ha!>

Don't forget to phone your father and hug your hubby this weekend.

Happy Father's Day to all of you fathers and those of you working on becoming one.

~Luke Holzmann
Expectant Father

06/18/2009
Monday, Monday
For those of you wondering--if any of you are--why I'm still blogging every day and such, when I specifically said that I'm not going to have as much time for the blogosphere for a while. Well, that day is coming.

Monday.

And there is much to do between now and then.

But Monday I will begin blogging about our experiences making the next MathTacular. And, unless I find more time, that may be the majority of what I'm going to be talking about for a while starting next week.

Again, if you read or write anything you think I'd be interested in or would like me to comment on, please drop me an email or leave me a comment. I'm still very much dedicated to you here, but I just won't have the time to read the hundreds of posts in my reader as I have been.

So, Monday we start shooting. Your thoughts and prayers then are very much appreciated. We've done this many times before, but each one presents new challenges and situations we've never encountered before.

Just like the rest of life! <smile>

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

06/17/2009
One Year Anniversary
No, no, not my wedding anniversary (though that's coming up in a few weeks and I'll let you know then): My first year as a full time employee here at Sonlight.

But I've worked here on and off for, oh, at least a decade now.

And I was a "beta tester" before that <smile>.

So, for the first time, I got a card, a candy bar, and a gift card. How cool is that?

Pretty cool.

Happy Anniversary!

Other than that, today has been a couple long meetings and lots of little things that kept interrupting. And that can make it feel less productive than it's been. And if you've had a day like that, remember: You really have done a lot. And, even if you haven't, that's okay. There's grace and flexibility for that.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

06/16/2009
The Archer and Control
I took Archery in college.

It was the only class that I had with Brittany.

One of the first things we learned was that how they shoot in the movies is all wrong. Instead of gripping tightly to the bow as you release, you actually leave your hand open with the bow resting between your thumb and forefinger. When you release the arrow, the bow falls forward and hangs from a little rope that goes around your wrist. This keeps you from accidentally jarring the bow as the arrow leaves your hands so it flies more true.

In other words: Archery is all about keeping your hands open, your body relaxed, as you point the arrow where it should go. Doing so actually makes the arrow fly straighter and more accurately toward the target.

And I've come to believe that as parents our job is to be like archers. Whether you have a full quiver or only one prized arrow, the practice is the same. Our job is to determine what God has gifted our children to do, point them in that direction, prepare them for flight, and then release them. And the best way to do this is to relax, keep our hands open, but get as much oomph as possible behind them.

Given all that, I was a little surprised at the comment that my good friend Mrs. C alerted me to. It's part of a much longer conversation about educational authority, poor reasoning, and sensationalistic talk. I really hope the reasoning in my response is solid, but the original quote stated:

Homeschool advocacy has a built-in flaw that hurts us imo. We love the heady philosophy of education choice and education freedom [but we] wind up making every issue about the parent’s rights and the parent’s values....

Real education freedom is for the learner and that means no ruling authority, not merely exchanging one ruling authority for another.

...It’s not real education freedom when church, state or even the parent-teacher controls what the child learns, knows and believes.

That means there’s a lot about homeschooling that isn’t real education freedom then. I happened upon the Sonlight commercial curriculum site today for the first time, where I found a list of pros and cons for homeschooling. Guess what the number one "pro" reason was? CONTROL.

As I tried to express--and fear I didn't do very well: Control is a loaded word in this context. The "control" Sonlight promotes is much more in line with archery; control that helps the arrow find its target.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

06/15/2009
Changes in Social Media
For those who don't know, Facebook now lets you use a username to identify yourself rather than facebook.com/people/some-random-dude/8972754553141592653. The problem is, I don't know if I should be luke.holzmann, or lukeholzmann, or luke-holzmann, or luke_holzmann, or just "luke" (wait, someone already took that).

Thankfully, that choice wasn't so hard for Sonlight. That's right, Sonlight's Facebook page is now facebook.com/sonlight. How cool is that?

Pretty cool.

As the "Media Relations Specialist" here at Sonlight, part of my job is to keep up on the changes in the social media tools. Facebook's update was one of those changes. Thankfully, I remembered that I needed to update it at midnight--some 14 hours after I was supposed to--and "sonlight" was still available.

If you hear about any major changes in the social media world, I'd love to know. Feel free to tell me about what you hear either here, in an email, or over on Facebook.

Oh, and be sure to let your friends know that they can become a fan of Sonlight on Facebook, write up reviews and post pictures too. And you can read these blog posts there as well (Hello, Facebook friends!).

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

06/12/2009
Translation Is Hard
Algebra isn't hard. You've been doing it from the beginning. So why is it that math is so difficult for some students?

I firmly believe it's because they haven't learned the language of math. Even babies know that if you put one teddy bear next to another teddy bear, close the door and open it again, there should be two teddy bears there. The difficulty is teaching a child that it can also be expressed in the language of math as 1+1=2.

1+1=2

Does the image above look like an equation to you? No, because it's not. But it could be if we translated it into one, or made it a word problem: How many bears are in the picture above? Show all work.

All of math is the same way, you just keep learning more and more vocabulary as you progress. Addition means "put them together/find the total." Factor means "break them into smaller numbers with division." The problem is that we can forget our vocabulary (much like I've forgotten almost all the Spanish I learned in high school). ∃ π ∀ {1:3} are all just as foreign as + - x ÷ to a new student.

So really, when you're teaching a student math, you're teaching them a language. You're training them to read this foreign script. You're conveying the meaning behind the symbols and sounds. And that is why I find we teach the same concept over and over again in the MathTacular DVDs: We teaching them that writing the equation this way ultimately means the same thing as the other.

1 + 1 = ?
2(1 + x) = 4

Bob saw Jill.
Jill's beautiful features were all Bob could think about as he attempted to soak up every aspect of this moment.

Same meaning... one just has more depth.

Math is easy. Learning the language can be tough. And, unfortunately, I still struggle with English sometimes too. Clever and cleaver are far too similar.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

06/11/2009
The Many Hats
We all wear a lot of hats. Granted, there may not be 500 that ultimately threaten our lives, but sometimes it can feel like they do.

Wearing this many hats may be easy for you if you're one of those super amazing multi-tasker types. Change a diaper, fold laundry, cook a meal, teach math, mow the lawn, pay bills, drive someone to soccer practice, plant a garden, and maintain a cheery disposition all the same time? You've got it.

Me? Not so much.

I'm a one-at-a-time kind of guy.

That's not to say I can't stop in the middle of something at any moment and do something else entirely. But I have to do them one at a time (I can't even listen to music while reading). So today, one by one, I fixed some typos on the web, added some new content, talked over a few marketing ideas, discussed how our navigation system could be improved--and why it hasn't been yet, worked on explaining the order of operations in an Algebraic equation, briefly explained DVD copyright law, hashed out some design ideas for a new purchasing work flow, read about how well the Forum changes have been going (everyone seems to be very happy, which is great news!), after I read a couple hundred blog posts this morning.

My days are normally a tad more focused than that, so my head's spinning a little right now.

All that to say: I salute you! And today, I empathize with your many jobs. Continue to wear those many hats with joy, and may you have the grace you need to keep your head on when you can't take them all off.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

P.S. Just a reminder: As usual, some good stuff in the Other Posts of Note, like Mary Grace's latest which--as her posts often do--brought tears to my eyes.

06/10/2009
Iron Sharpening Iron
One of the many things I love about blogging is how posts can help hone my thinking. As one wise guy called it: iron sharpening iron. I am consistently impressed with your insights and wisdom. You bloggers are just so great!

The most recent example is brief exchange I had with Ann on her blog, starting with this post and ending in the comments of this one. She took an idea that has been lightly tugging at the back of my mind for a while and gave it clarity. I think she is right on.

And, because I'm out here on the blogosphere, I get to read these gems.

<contented sigh>

It's good here.

Want a little more good stuff? Check out this post--NB: mild expletive--that does a fantastic job of describing the nostalgia we have for school and how that is quickly overshadowed by the joys of homeschooling.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

06/09/2009
Can We Shoot There?
Mass Media Law. Not only is it a class you take on your way to a degree in Motion Picture Production, but it's also something you have to consider when you make media.

Unfortunately, there are tons of lawyers who do nothing but tweak with mass media law, so it's a little difficult for someone like me to keep up. And some laws are just plain crazy, like many of the ones surrounding "intellectual property" rights.

When you go on vacation and you wander through a museum and snap some pictures, do you ever think, "Can I do this?" No, you probably don't because the only signs say that you can't use a flash--implying photos a totally cool.

When hiking through the forest filming your children running down the path, do you ever wonder, "What permit do I need for this?" No. Because, somehow, media law doesn't apply to you because you're an individual and you'll, at most, post it to YouTube (which has amazingly dodged many intellectual property issues. Guess that's what happens when you're backed by Google's money and lawyers).

But me, when I walk through a museum or forest, I do think about those kinds of things. Because I deal with those questions from time to time.

Like today.

What kind of permission do you need to shoot an educational clip in a national forest? Well, it looks like you need something like this.

Fun.

We may end up in my back yard again <smile>.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

06/08/2009
Thinking Caps
Normally, we mean "a hat to help us better think" when we talk about thinking caps.

But all too often, I find that something in my assumptions or preconceptions limits my ability to really consider an idea. And thus, my thinking is capped by how much I'm willing to consider another perspective. So, no matter what hat I'm wearing, I find that a "thinking proof" cap is clamped down around me.

Thinking Cap

I think that's what my dad is referring to in his latest post on the biblical nature of "randomness". It appears that some thinkers have gotten themselves stuck on particular words and missed the actual ideas. In trying to debunk evolution, they have capped their thinking at "God's design" and never got any further. At the same time, as my dad points out, "the Christian evolutionary community" needs to consider some ideas they've never gotten to either.

Granted, our own biases will always blind us and we can't get ourselves to see more clearly by simply wanting it to be so. But, by truly listening to those who disagree with us, we have the opportunity to remove the thinking cap. And that's why I love homeschooling: Despite the labels of "brainwashing," we have the unique opportunity to explore the various sides of a debate. We can tackle tough issues with our families as they arise and our children are ready for them. And while we will never escape our assumptions, we can safely look at challenges to our presuppositions and consider...

So, are you ready for another discussion of something "biblical"? It's a video on "biblical marriage"--though, I would argue, is more an excellent summary of "biblical methods of procuring a wife" than "marriage" per se ...hence why it completely falls apart at the end. It's supposed to be funny. For some, it will be. For you, I'm guessing less so.

And it is not suitable for children.

But it is interesting and, I think, provides an excellent opportunity to shed your thinking cap and consider the ideas. If nothing else, it will challenge your biblical knowledge [smile].

Okay, you've been warned. Ready? Jump in. The water's not too hot yet. If you can't get beyond your own thinking cap--not sure I did--can you spot her assumptions that are limiting her thinking (besides the one I gave you for free)?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

06/05/2009
A Moment to Confess
I have a confession to make: I don't read the Sonlight Moments very often.

'Sonlight Moments? What's he talking about?'

Exactly.

Allow me to direct your attention to my sidebars on the right there. --->

I have all your beautiful faces first because, honestly, without you swinging by every now and then, this blog would be completely pointless. Next to you, I have some buttons that have something to do with some crazy technology, but mostly I just like the color <smile>.

But now look directly under there: Other Posts of Note--which I talk about frequently because other people blog about such great stuff--and the Sonlight Moments widget (which you can add to your blog/site as well).

Sonlight Moments are great stories people send in about their adventures in homeschooling with Sonlight. We read one every Wednesday to the whole company when we gather for large group prayer. I always cheer really loudly when asked, "Who wants to hear a Sonlight Moment?"

But hypocrite that I am, I don't go out and read them on my own blog. What's worse, I was the one who got them to make me the Sonlight Moments Widget in the first place.

So, today, I decided it was time to change. And I read a few.

And I smiled.

I enjoyed myself.

And I was encouraged that homeschooling--especially homeschooling with Sonlight--works.

It is now my plan to take two minutes every day and just read a couple of these inspiring little stories. I hope you will join me, especially when you're not feeling like everything is going exactly as you would like.

Homeschooling works. And these are stories that prove it.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

06/04/2009
A Fraction Squared
One of the beauties of creating educational materials is that you get to relearn everything. And you get to learn it better than you did when you learned it the first time because this time you have to teach it.

So, sure, we all know--if we reach back in our minds far enough--that (1/2)² = 1/4 ...right? One half squared equals a quarter because the exponent is applied to both the numerator and the denominator.

But why? And how would you show that? I mean, when you square, say, a half meter to make a box it doesn't really feel right that it would only be a quarter of a meter squared inside.

My brain started hurting. We'd been thinking these kinds of things through for many hours already, and I was fried. So were Justin and Amber.

This was crazy.

Why couldn't I figure it out? I mean, I did well in math back in the day but I was suck on cubing a half meter into a box that would only be 1/8th meter cubed in size and couldn't, for the life of me figure out how to tell someone that was true.

Then Amber held up a quick sketch, and everything was okay.

We could do this.

Children would be safe trusting us to teach them math. We've got their backs and will be able to demonstrate why a fraction to an exponent is the way it is:

(1/2)²=1/4

And I had one of those light bulb/a-ha! moments myself.

Homeschooling: It's a beautiful thing.

...so is trying to wrap your head around the square root algorithm <smile>.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

06/03/2009
MathTacular... again!
Well, if you haven't watched the MathTacular3 Trailer recently--oh, it's also on YouTube--you really should. It's really good. And only 50 seconds long. And I made it. And stuff. So, please, check it out. <smile>

Why am I telling you about this?

Well, because we're gearing up to do another one.

Another one.

This means two things:

I'm not going to have as much time for the blogosphere for a while, and

I'm going to be posting about our adventures while making this thing

Today we had a meeting and discussed our plan of attack and started talking over some of the fun madness we're going to bring you. Nothing particularly exciting about a meeting, so there's nothing really to blog about in that regard.

However, at some point very soon--not sure when--I'm not going to have time to go through my blog feed every day (for the next couple of months while we shoot). So, when that day comes, I would love it if you-all would alert me to the posts you think I should read. Please feel free to email me any links that you think would be particularly interesting/important to Sonlight/me... or any of yours you want to make sure I read (because, I will!).

In September, after principal photography is done, I'll be back to reading your posts every day. If I can somehow fit it into my schedule to go through my feed between when we start and when we end, I will, but I'm not holding my breath... there's a ton to do.

So, sorry, friends, but duty calls. And this is an excellent opportunity to remind you that you can email me from the little graphic link on the right there. ...timely, considering recent events, I say <smile>.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

06/02/2009
Digging
More digging through what's happening on the Forums today.

Please let me know if I can be of any help, or answer any questions, or look something up for you.

Unfortunately, because of all the other things I've been researching and writing to people personally about, I don't have anything to say here except: This is a lot of work and your prayers, support, and insights are very, very welcome.

Thank you!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

06/01/2009
The Tangled Nets We Weave
I wanted to draw an image for you, but I don't has what it takes to do that. So, instead, imagine a bunch of dominoes toppling over into the distance so that it eventually looks like a tangled net.

I know, very M.C. Escher of me.

Through my wanderings around the blogosphere today, I was alerted to the fact that something was going down on the Forums. Curious, I started poking around. Now, I moderate my own little part of the Sonlight Student Forums, but I catch only snippets here and there from the "real" Forums.

It turns out that people were committing "infractions" on the Forums by not adhering to the guidelines. Once they had racked up enough "infraction points" (or whatever those are called) they were suspended for a few days. Unfortunately, one of the ways to get an infraction point is to bring up a post deleted for not adhering to the Forum guidelines (this was initially implemented to protect the original poster). Unfortunately, we homeschooler-types are a curious bunch, and so people started asking about why things were being deleted, which meant their posts were deleted, and that led to more questions, and...

Hence, the dominoes turning into a web.

Dominoes - I am no Escher

As an insider trying to look at things from outside the company--and really focus on the user experience--I can see why this whole situation is so frustrating and out of hand. Because, it many ways, it is. That's why that particular part of the Forums where everything was imploding has been shut down. The tourniquet had to be applied. The bleeding stopped.

But now, those who are involved in helping the Forums run are taking this time to reevaluate how we do things so this kind of thing doesn't happen in the future.

Wounds are never a pretty thing, but I am very thankful for the people who are doing their best to graciously stitch things back together. The scars will still exist, and I wouldn't be surprised if some people decided they didn't want to hang around those areas of our Forums in the future, but I am consistently impressed with everyone--both those who work for Sonlight and those who use the resources--who makes the effort to make things right.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

One of the cool things about my position is that I'm good friends with both those who are inside the company and you on "the outside" ...so please feel free to email me if you want me to do a little more digging for you about a particular issue. I may not be able to get you a satisfactory answer--sometimes there isn't one--but I love opportunities to help people get more information and insight.

05/28/2009
Grover, CO
Yesterday we went for a drive.

Driving

We went to Grover, CO so Brittany and her sister Laurel could visit the area where their grandmother was born.

Laurel and Brittany

We drove past miles--150 miles--of beautiful Colorado countryside until we arrived at Grover.

Colorado

Grover's Water Tower

We first stopped at the Sligo cemetery where Brittany and Laurel's great-great grandfather was buried. We had brunch there, listening to the wind and the birds.

Cemetery

The Davis Family Headstone

After that, we got a private tour of the Grover Museum. It was a fun little building with tons of paraphernalia from days gone by. I was happy that my homeschooling paid off by correctly naming a scythe and a bed warmer--though this one was a solid block of stone.

Museum

We did a little more sight-seeing and then drove home.

One of the Sights of Grover

Unfortunately, being trapped in a car for many hours can be a tad tedious--even with Adventures in Odyssey. Thankfully, the girls amused themselves.

Driving

So, there you have it. One of the life-long learning adventures of three grown up homeschooled kids.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

05/26/2009
RSS and Firefox
...in plain English.

So, Friday I posted about how Internet Explorer has been giving Blogger some issues. And I've long be aware of the header image issue of this blog in IE (and I have not had time to try to figure out how to fix that yet).

If you'd rather not experience these issues, I suggested you get Firefox and start reading my blog via RSS. One of my friends asked that I explain these newfangled contraptions, and so I shall.

Firefox is a free web browser--much like Internet Explorer--only much, much nicer. Firefox works great, but it also lets you use AddOns like Adblock Plus--which makes it so you never have to see web banner ads ever again--and NoScript--which automatically turns off scripts from sites so you are more secure (don't worry, it's really easy to turn them back on for sites like YouTube when you want to watch a video).

In other words: Firefox replaces IE when you want to go somewhere on the web. If you need further proof, just watch this video. And then, go download Firefox. Or Google's Chrome, which is another option I really like.

RSS is a way of getting information, much like email subscriptions. The good part about RSS? You control it. You don't have to wait for someone else to subscribe or unsubscribe you.

Normally, while browsing the web and reading blogs, you have to open each page one by one. Maybe you have a Blog Bookmark folder that's filling up. Maybe you just remember your favorite URLs (like, SonlightBlog.com). RSS readers let you go to one place and then it brings you all the new content from your favorite sites. It's much faster because it's only loading the content and not each page.

I use Google Reader because I log into my Google Account first thing every day. But my wife uses an RSS reader built into Firefox. So find one that works for you.

Basically, you go to a site you like and then either click on a subscribe button, or copy the URL (like http://feeds.sonlight.com) and paste it into the "Add New Subscription" box in your RSS reader. You will now get all the new content in your RSS reader. From there you can click on the post title you want to comment on and it will take you to the site. You can also unsubscribe really easily.

As a blogger who reads the posts of hundreds of blogs every day, I couldn't do my job without my RSS reader, and Firefox makes it much, much nicer. If you haven't tried it yet, please do. And if you have any questions, feel free to ask!

I want your experience visiting blogs--especially this one--to be enjoyable. And if you need to get start using all these new gadgets to have a better experience, I'm all for it!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

P.S. I'll be back Thursday and then off again on Friday. So see you in a couple of days.

05/22/2009
Gifts: Brown Paper Bag Edition
A few days ago, I came up my walk and discovered a large paper bag on my stoop with my name on it. It wasn't on fire, which is a good sign, and I figured it was a present from one of my neighbors.

The night before, at 3:45am, I was alerted to the fact that some boys where moving trashcans around. Namely, my trashcans. They were bored, and so in an act of hoodlumary and teenage rebellion, they decided to take my trashcans and put them on someone else's drive. So I, dressed in nothing more than yellow shorts, went outside to confront them. My reasoning was that, as the many cultures who went to war naked discovered: it's much scarier to be confronted with a madman in the buff.

They moved my trashcan back.

And the next day I had a bag with a note of apology and a six-pack by my front door. A kind and thoughtful gesture, though I can't stand the taste of alcohol, so cream soda would have been more fun for me.

Gifts

Also in the photo above is a gift we got from some of the kids we teach for Sunday School--since we're going on Summer Break. It is a paint can filled with s'more supplies and a very cute poem. My dad asked me to blog about it because we all need a little encouragement and some ideas of how we can bless those who serve us. And he's right. I'm terrible about giving thank you gifts, but they sure are great to receive.

And one last gift, this from the code demons of the blogoverse:

Blog Fail

It only happens in IE. It goes away if you clear your cache. It comes back if you refresh my blog.

Thank you to all my readers using Firefox, RSS, or some other tool that continues to display my blog content day after day. I will be working on this issue more next week.

Speaking of next week: I have to take some time off, so I won't be around as much next week. Sorry, friends.

Have a great Memorial Day!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

05/21/2009
I'm a Superhero, a Hunter, a Human
Mary Grace got me thinking: I like having my superhero cape askew.

My Cape

I like getting excited about things like business cards. I'm okay with the fact that a small piece of paper with a little ink makes me feel more legitimate. And I enjoy sharing these small moments of my life with you.

On the other hand, I'm an introvert by nature in the sense that I feel drained when I'm around tons of people, I don't mingle well at parties, and I keep my conversations one-on-one. But I don't mind public speaking and I like having people over to my house for a relaxed get-together. And that's part of this online community that I'm sad we don't do more of: Hang out IRL instead of on our various URLs.

So, until I can practice the ancient custom of hospitality and have you over, we have to settle for this online friendship. And so, I'd like you meet someone:

Ektharian

He's my "Main"--my original, main character--in World of Warcraft. WoW is another place where I find community, friends, and people with whom I can interact. I've met a student living in Iraq, a 14-year old struggling with her worth, and several Christians who have been incredibly encouraging. And there's something about running around as a Night Elf Hunter that lets other people open up to you. You can, in some sense, be more transparent and open with people when you're not face to face.

You can also lie, so that's the other side of this.

May you--the real, human, soul, you--find the support you need both in the real world and here. And if I can ever be of assistance, please let me know.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

05/20/2009
Hobnobbing
Great points from everyone on yesterday's post. Thanks for chiming in!

Tonight I'm going to a social media socializing event thingy. ...I don't actually know what's going on at this shindig, but I'm bringing my new business cards <huge grin>.

Business Card

But before I go, I feel like I must point you to one of today's Other Posts of Note: If you have not yet read Mary Grace's Bee Still post, you should. It made me cry.

It's that good.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

05/19/2009
"Where Could He Be?"
Luke Skywalker was, of course, referring to C-3PO. But I have commandeered the quote in reference to myself. Because this is my blog, so I can do that kind of thing. Watch me.

For the two of you who may have noticed that I didn't blog yesterday--and the one who took it a step further and actually wondered, 'Why hasn't Luke posted anything today?'--here is the answer: I'm sick.

I left work at 1:30 yesterday and went right to bed. I didn't get up until 8 this morning; I had a meeting at Sonlight I needed to attend, so I had to get up. I'm still not feeling great, so your prayers are welcome.

I even had a plan for what I was going to write about yesterday, but I didn't get around to it because I was trying to get better by sleeping. And it's hard to write blog posts that others can read while you're asleep.

I was going to comment on this video. Sonlight is very aware of the fact that 99% of church giving stays in the US, and only a very small part of what goes overseas is used to reach unreached peoples. Most of it goes to the "sexy" things like relief work. That's why my parents have made a conscious effort to give to bring the good news of Christ to people who have never had the opportunity to hear it before.

What bothers me about this video--and other things like it--is that I find the comparisons unfair. Sure, it may cost a lot less to feed Sudanese children than American children, but that's because the cost of living is so high here. It really costs a ton to live in the US. And, yes, if I drove an SUV, had a gym membership, and owned a time-share, this video may speak to me more. But I don't.

On the other hand, I do give to my local church, support missions efforts, and am thrilled to participate in Sonlight's giving opportunities like the Rice Bag Project--the one coming up this year is even more exciting... in my opinion.

Yes, true religion is looking after widows and orphans. But the more I hear about the nations who refuse money and are doing better because of it, I have to wonder if just giving money is the answer. As I mentioned above: It's "sexier" and easier to feel good about, but is it really helping? Is it really looking after widows and orphans to pour money into those countries?

My guess is that it's much more of a "teach a man to fish" kind of thing.

Thoughts?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

05/15/2009
Friday Funnies and Other Stuff
I love encouraging new bloggers--especially kids, just starting out in their writing. However, sometimes what they post is just way too stinkin' cute to not share. And in this particular case, it was a typo that left me smiling. This is from a new, 10-year old blogger:

My Interests: sinning

I know typos are a common occurrence, but sometimes they're just classicly wrong <smile>.

There is a great post on the subject of human-chimp DNA similarities which made me smile for two reasons: First, because it's funny. And second, because it finally gives me some information I've wondered about for a while. Definitely worth a the read.

Ken

Puerile: adolescent; displaying or suggesting a lack of maturity
Sophistry: a deliberately invalid argument displaying ingenuity in reasoning in the hope of deceiving someone

Brought to you by Michael Egnor

Have a great weekend, and I'll see you Monday!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

P.S. And one more post I think you should read, though I felt like I couldn't link to it directly in my Other Posts of Note because of the title.

05/14/2009
The Cynic, the Saint, and the Manager
Mr. Deity: "Fully God and fully human, that's how you do the whole 'sinless life' thing."

Jesus: "Well, that hardly seems fair."

I've gotta say: I love the wide variety of blogs I read. In fact, if you just poke through my Other Posts of Note, you can find stuff from a wide variety of perspectives. I mean, just today I've got some John Piper, Evolutionary Morality,and even a little Doug Phillips--to say nothing of the funny stuff I bump into. My hope is that this keeps me sharp and smiling.

So, what should we make of Mr. Deity's inability to make things fair/logical? Well, let's work through it, shall we?

1. Three days (well, 36 hours). Prophecies. This has pinged the back of my mind now and again: Three days? Really? I think the scholarly response would point to how prophecies work, their vantage point of history (with a compressed future), and the fact that it really was the third day. But, in the end, I haven't run into any Jewish teachers who discredit the resurrection account based on this issue, so I think we're cool with this as the three day period.

2. What Jesus gets from this. "Full partner." and 3. Why God can't do it Himself. "I'm not chicken." These points play off the difficulty of the Trinity: God, three Persons, One God. That's a pretty easy one to pick on--as Clint Eastwood does--but if you accept that Jesus and "Mr. Deity" are one, both of these issues disappear.

4. Can't You just forgive? Sin. This is another thing I've thought about, especially in light of Greek mythology. Who has power: The gods or the Fates? So why does God need blood for forgiveness? Who is He bound to? Reading all of Hebrews 9 sheds a little light on the subject, but Hebrews isn't an easy book to understand. It seems that God demands it Himself. Why? I don't really know.

5. Fully God/fully human. We're damned anyway. This goes back to the Fall, where we were set up well and decided to trade it in to become like God. And as humorous as it may be to see Mr. Deity gloat over our destruction, that's not how God is. Instead, He has provided a way for us to get back to Him, despite our demonstrations of human defiance.

6. Created way beneath God. Expected to live up to His standards or be damned. Again, this is a severely distorted view of God. He used to walk with us and connect with us. And then He did it again. His standards are not hard to keep, until we decide to rebel against them.

In the end, all of these points come from the cynical point of view--which is why it can be funny. But cynicism is hardly good discourse. And while I am hardly a Saint, I am one of the saints, and I thought I should point out that there are perfectly legitimate answers to these questions.

And I've learned something by watching Sonlight's general manager: It's easy to be cynical, to declare that you are not "duped" by this or that, and it is really hard to give an answer that will satisfy the cynic. But the great managers, like Wayne, can take such complaints and sometimes offer insights and words of wisdom that cut to the center of the issue.

Because cynicism is rarely--if ever--about really addressing a question. It's about making your point sting so you feel better about your position. I've been there. But seeing really great people respond with gracious, well-reasoned responses that point out the flaws in cynic's thinking has inspired me to try to do the same.

Try is certainly the operative word here. But I am trying.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

05/13/2009
Say It to My Face
I've muttered things under my breath before.

In fact, I think I did that just yesterday.

And this morning, I responded to one of my dad's posts and, after submitting my comment, I began to wonder: Should I have said what I did in the way that I did? I think what I said is accurate, fair, and insightful--like most of what I write <cough>--but would I say it Swanson's face? Would I post such a comment on his blog--assuming he ever enabled comments?

Probably not.

Similarly, how I talk to Amber or Justin about our MathTacular projects is very different from what I would say to my mom. Does that mean that I'm lying to either party? Am I disingenuous?

I don't think so.

I am, however, hopefully responding in such a way that makes sense to my audience. I'm attempting to speak to them in a way they understand. My words change, not because my message is different, but because my audience is. Blogging, however, makes this much harder because anyone can come across my words. That's scary.

And when we are critiquing the ideas of another, how do we apply Psalm 19:14? I want my words and thoughts to be pleasing to God, and part of that is watching my doctrine which often means working through what appear to be errors in others' ideas.

Hmm... now I wish more than ever that Swanson would post his ideas and allow people to comment. Then I could say these things to his face, and I think it be helpful. As it is now, I fear that my words are not as gracious or uplifting as they should be. But I don't know, Jesus wasn't particularly mild when it came to urging for correction...

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

05/12/2009
The Empty Marketplace
My best friend said something that's been nagging me for a while now. We were discussing various positions and opinions on a couple of our pet topics, and I said something about how people didn't really think about their positions. That's when he said:

All through college, everyone kept talking about this "marketplace of ideas" as if people actually had thoughts and could defend them. I haven't seen that, have you? People have opinions, but there isn't the general sense of true thought and give and take of concepts.

Shocked, I realized that was my experience as well. The "marketplace of ideas" is oddly empty.

The Empty Marketplace

Oh, sure, it is possible to bump into a fellow traveler now and again, but there's no Forum or Areopagus where you'll always find a group of thinkers discussing the latest ideas in the general public. You can find such places online, like the Sonlight Forums, where small groups of people will get together and discuss all sorts of things. But I have yet to find a true "marketplace of ideas."

So, I found it interesting that someone would criticize homeschoolers for not participating in the market of ideas, "especially when it comes to biological science."

Thankfully, Dana Hanley gave an excellent response. She pointed out, and I think rightly, that public schools do not have a market of ideas. Rather, children are taught to a test and little else.

What fascinates and bothers me is that we don't seem to have grown out of this. To this day, I see very little discussion and mostly just name calling the likes of which you'd find on a typical playground. May we, as adults engaged in the world of lifelong learning, set up our booths so those looking for good ideas will find us when they wander down the empty aisles marketplace of ideas.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

05/11/2009
Bullied?
I stumbled across the following quote today, and I liked it, so I'm sharing it with you:

All half-decent parents home-educate their children, in effect, until children learn to educate themselves.

I also read an interesting article about HR 1966, based on some comments by Sebastian which alerted me to its existence.

Here's what I perceive as the dilemma: No one thinks bullying is a good thing--much like hate crimes or other maladies--but in our effort to eradicate them we create much bigger problems. In both of these instances, free speech is eliminated under the ~~guise~~ hope of stopping evil.

And so we take a few more steps toward the world portrayed in V for Vendetta: A world where we give up our liberties for "safety." ...which reminds me of that quote: They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.

My guess is that all half-decent people don't partake in hate crimes or cyberbullying, and legislation isn't going to stop the real instances of it happening. And, really, what have the "zero-tolerance" policies of our local schools done to end violence and bullying in the real world, where it is easier to monitor?

May our children learn to be gracious, kind, and loving in a world that is quickly clamping down around them. And may we have the wisdom to know how best to speak in a world that is slowly trying to censor us.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

05/08/2009
Moms, Pics, and Beams
Happy Mother's Day!

Speaking of Mother's Day, we sent out an email to almost 105 thousand people yesterday (and it took many, many hours to do so). If you didn't get that email, but want the Mother's Day wishes, you can get it via RSS on our Sonlight Feeds page. Just click on the "Sonlight Special Offers" link near the top and add it to your reader.

You can also get the Beam there too.

And Ariana is absolutely right: I broke a cardinal rule of blogging by not posting a picture of my haircut. To make up for it, I had Bo snap one of me looking penitent:

Haircut

Unfortunately, I don't have my nice camera here, so we had to use one around the office. And I didn't get a before and after. Sorry!

Happy Mother's Day, moms! Have a great weekend.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

05/07/2009
"compensation at least a midget while"
Remember this post where someone just threw together a bunch of hot keywords into an almost unintelligible post?

Well, I found an even better one this morning: Check this madness out. Something took a legitimate blog post and added random words to it. More than that, they took my comment (at the bottom of the post) and made me sound incredibly eloquent:

I’m so eager you own broach tools that spur in compensation you and your species, and that Sonlight was deal of that in compensation at least a midget while [smile].

Yeah.

I never imagined--when I first started blogging--that it would come to this. But I guess that's just one of the prices you have pay when you're famous: People twist your words.

---
In other information, they obtained my of hair in order to cut off on the night yesterday. My woman which cuts off far by around 3 quarrels and I observes by very small person which wild.*
---

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

P.S. While not quite as painful as bamboo, getting a sliver of carrot under your fingernail is not pleasant. Who knew making smoothies could be so dangerous?

^*Originally: In other news, I got my hair cut last night. My wife chopped off about three inches and I look much less like a wild man.

05/06/2009
Winsome Ambassadors
[title link here]

I read a post today that brought up the oft shared experience of waiters and waitresses around our nation: Christians are terrible tippers. On top of that, we can often be "demanding, complaining, and down right annoying" right after we finish saying grace, and then "leave a small tip with a track on how to become a believer."

Ironic.

Sad.

May we always be generous with our blessings, beginning with our physical stuff and time, and then sharing our hope and joy. This is certainly an area I'm growing in. And this morning in Large Group Prayer, my mom shared with the company about how we came to give to the organizations that we do.

I now purposely leave large tips when I go to a restaurant. I try to be friendly and courteous. I want to be a winsome ambassador in how I act and how I give.

And may your children see your good works as well.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

P.S. Heather's post is one of the many that I find every day and include in the "Other Posts of Note" section on this blog. I think these posts are encouraging, thought-provoking, and often very funny. Enjoy!

05/05/2009
The IG: Schedule, Notes, and Love
Yesterday I mentioned our Instructor's Guides. And it turns out that our IGs are super important.

We've been asking for feedback from customers about how much they've enjoyed using Sonlight. So far the results are stellar: Homeschool families love being Sonlighters.

Which is awesome.

What's even more telling, however, is that there is over a 10 point difference between the satisfaction level of those who use our IGs and those who don't. Those who get the whole "Sonlight experience" with an IG--the schedule, notes, answer keys, activities--absolutely love using Sonlight. That's because Sonlight is so much more than a very large pile of books. It's an entire package.

Those who forgo the Instructor's Guide and only buy books and materials from us tend to be highly satisfied, but not nearly as much. With our current data it looks like they rate us 13 points lower than their friends who purchase an IG.

The message is clear: One of many incredible aspects of Sonlight is the Instructor's Guide. You just don't experience Sonlight without it.

We want families to be thrilled with their homeschool journey, and so we're trying to get the word out: You will have a better time if you get the completely Sonlight experience with an IG.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

05/04/2009
Packages, Programs, and Products
Sonlight's homeschool experience is based on Core programs. These packages include History, Geography, and Literature (as well as Bible in the upper grades). To this you can add other subject options that fit your family: Math, Spelling...

Here's what I learned today: Sometimes customers swing by our site and want to purchase just our History... and they are so excited that they buy it without even reading the description of the package which alerts them to the fact that it's just a package of books and you need the Instructor's Guide for it to be a complete history program... and if you're going to shell out the money for that, a Core would be a great option for you!

They totally don't see any of that.

The same is true for our Literature packages as well.

So, lesson learned. Now we're working on making that clearer. And, honestly, I was super confused for a couple hours while I tried to sort all of this out. Thankfully, I work with great people who very patiently talked me through the steps and everything that goes into this. And, hopefully, I'll be able to do the same for you now too <smile>.

But it's going to take a little time. There's so much to be done.

And if you come across anything that is confusing to you, please let us know. I can't fix everything instantly--wish I could--but I'm always looking for ways to make it even easier to use Sonlight and our site. Thanks!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

05/01/2009
Friday: Flux and Feeds
Bo, my intrepid buddy in the web department here, needed an invalid item for testing purposes. So we created one:

Flux Capacitor

We try to keep things light and fun around here as we work through rigorous tests, bug fixes, and error corrections.

And I finally got a pet project of mine going. I'm working on making it possible to subscribe to Sonlight's major email content via RSS. That way you can have everything in your RSS reader instead of your inbox.

Awesome?

Oh, yes.

So, please, check out the Sonlight Feeds page. Remember, this is still really early--beta, if you will--so there may be some issues. Please let me know if you have any, or if you think of anything I can do to make it even better. More options are coming soon, but for now you can "click on Ms. Sarita's newsletter" and get it via RSS.

Until Monday!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

04/30/2009
On Being Objective
A subjective ramble
In my travels around the blogosphere this morning, I ran into a comment by "bob" about objective thinking. He states that "it is absolutely imperative that today’s children be exposed to as many different ideas as possible so they can again- learn how to be objective members of society," among other things.

"bob" is not alone in this thinking.

And, honestly, who of us would say, "Oh, please, may my children be subjective in their thinking so as to avoid all objective thought!"?

I see that hand.

Ignoring the person waving their hand in the third row, none of us want our thoughts to be purely subjective. We want to be based in reality, in truth, in how things really are. But can we get to pure objective thought merely by bombarding ourselves with every idea that is out there? Is mere exposure going to get us anywhere?

Nope.

I once talked with a guy who said he was very interested in religion now that he had taken a religious studies course at his college.

"Oh?" I asked. "What'd you like about it?"

"It was amazing to see how all religions are exactly the same," he replied. "Every religion teaches basically the same thing and there aren't any real differences between them. Isn't that incredible?"

Incredible may have been exactly the word to use. I tried to get more out of him, but he had been exposed to an "objective" position from a professor who had been exposed to the sun too long, or had spent so much time exposed to all the religious ideas in the world he could only look at them at a primitive surface level.

Just like we must not cling to the Bible as the only source of information in the world, we must not throw ourselves into the universe and scream: Teach me!

I don't think we can ever be free from our prejudices/presuppositions. But if we admit our bias to ourselves and then consider the other side, I think we have the highest chance of arriving at an understanding of reality.

Which brings me back to two quotes my dad shared with me back in the day:

The problem with an open mind is that all your brains fall out.

The purpose of an open mind is to close it again on something solid.

&nbsp~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

04/29/2009
Name Dropping
This post isn't really about name dropping as much as it is about "title dropping"--which isn't an official term.

Hence the title.

Just like it's lame to say, "Well, I was talking to Luke Holzmann the other day and he said..." to try to impress your friends that you've been to a blog as famous as this one <cough> ... so is it uncool to drop titles: "These people are nuts. They also homeschool."

But such is the way of the media. Just give this little article a read.

boremetotears
It's right up there with: Homeschooled child dies at home! Homeschooled child is awkward! Homeschoolers are terrorists! Homeschooled child raised by wolves only to meet attractive girl from city, abandons family in favor of others of his kind!

<sigh>

It's annoying.

Of course, the media do a lot of name dropping as well. So this isn't very surprising. In fact, just last week, I was talking with Chuck Norris about this very subject...

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

P.S. If you feel up to it: Help boremetotears win an iPod Touch. I agree: It would be funny. And the video he links to is quite well done. I was impressed.

04/28/2009
That Quiet Place
One of the film books I own--which, while funny, doesn't exactly set you up to be a good filmmaker--suggests that you hide your camera's user manual in the bathroom. That way, if you ever get stuck and can't figure out how to do something, excuse yourself to the potty and figure it out.

I just visited el baño because I couldn't think of anything to write about.

I'm back now.

And I'm writing.

To borrow a quote from Eugene Meltsner, "I do some of my best work there." And that's proven to be the case for me. Though, when I was younger, I did most of my thinking on our trampoline. I highly recommend them. Highly. Probably because there was never too much blood involved. But that's the trampoline, not the bathroom.

The restroom is a great place because it is typically just you--doing your thing. You can, for the most part, shut out everything else and regroup. Much like a frantic filmmaker trying to figure out how to set the f-stop on his camera.

Granted, I've read enough posts from mothers who can't even escape from their children to take care of personal business, and so perhaps I'm just naive and don't know what it's really like to have kids. In any case, where do you go to get your thinking done and gather yourself?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

04/27/2009
The Power of Stories
Sonlight's curriculum is based around stories. Fantastic literature. Wonderful books. Incredible tales.

On the flip side, I've seen several instances where people are calling us to return to the Bible--and the Bible only. One example would be the Boundless commenter who said:

why do you bother giving away books that keep poeple from concentrating on the only book that they need to read to answer every single problem they have: the Bible? [errors in original]

Jason

I think the Ted Slater does a good job of responding to this particular accusation. And while that individual went overboard, others are beating a similar drum.

On Friday, I read a post by Daniel Abbey about hip pastors who miss the point in their message: Scripture. He's not alone in his complaint. I know families who now refuse to attend church because they can't find a pastor who preaches "enough" from the Bible. And my dad just blogged about a particularly pathetic message we endured this Sunday. And I remember some illustrations but have forgotten the point as well. So, in that sense, Dan's right.

On the other hand, Dan goes on to ask: Why not just preach the Word of God?

Why try to spice up Sunday mornings with fleshly gimmicks and theatrical eye candy? [We don't need] clever devices or secular technique in reaching the lost and edifying believers. ...I can’t tell you how much I loathe the idea that we need some sort of program or technique to grab people’s attention.

My answer: The Bible shows us why we use these "gimmicks."

Jesus constantly uses stories deeply rooted in the culture and surrounding in which He was speaking. His messages were directly tied to parties going on, the locale, and the other events that had just happened. While, yes, we must not get so caught up in looking trendy and cool, there is nothing wrong with engaging our culture with the culture. In fact, Paul is very famous for using Athenian lore to preach the Gospel.

As we consider our options for teaching our children and raising them to be ambassadors for Christ in this world, I think great literature of all kinds--including the Bible--provide the best foundation.

But I think it is unwise, and counter to what we see in Scripture, to push for a new kind of sola scriptura that restricts our teaching aids to the Bible and a handful of "approved" Christian authors.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

04/24/2009
New Stuff!
I shared earlier this week that two changes were coming to the Sonlight website. And they are now live!

The first is that I've dramatically improved our IG Links page. Granted, I haven't had a chance to update all the links for this year's IGs yet, but the interface is way faster and cleaner.

And that's exciting.

The second change is that you can now do your returns online! In the past, you had to fill out forms and print them off and include them with your box when you sent it back to us.

No more!

The returns are now integrated with your account so you can do all the "paperwork" online and then simply send the items that aren't perfect for your family back.

There's one more super exciting change that I've been working on this week that I'll be sure to tell you about the moment it's up. Here's a little hint to let you mull over for the weekend: Mrs. C mentioned it ...I think <smile>.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

04/23/2009
Quo Vadis?
Certainly a fun flick. The book has many more graphic depictions of debauchery, and is probably not suitable for children.

But the story is good.

Quo vadis? It's an important question: "Where are you going?"

I have the opportunity to sit in on sessions where "the powers that be" discuss the future of Sonlight. And it's fascinating. First, it becomes very clear that vision casting is hard to do. Second, it's exciting to consider the possibilities. And, third, it is humbling to be reminded just how much everyone here cares about you, the one who is actually homeschooling your children.

Please know that we pray for you as we meet to discuss our next steps. We are all deeply committed to blessing you and helping you teach your children the way you wish you'd been taught <smile>.

I know I appreciate your prayers for us as well. We need wisdom and guidance as we consider the options and the suggestions of how we can serve you better.

Thank you for being a part of the Sonlight family; or, at the very least, for your encouragement and friendship.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

04/22/2009
Spreading Good News
I know I've seen Godspell, but I don't remember it. I do recall a moment where the Jesus character appears in a fountain and then vanishes... I think.

Not exactly vivid memories.

Gospel.

Good News.

Don't we have good news to share with others? You can homeschool your children and find joy in it! There is more to this life than the here and now! There are a ton of great books just waiting for you to read! It's possible to have children in the comfort of your own home! Sonlight is the best homeschool curriculum in the world! <cough>

All cool stuff.

I got thinking about this because of what looks to be a great series that Robin has started on her blog. She mentions the analogy of telling people that their house is on fire, and that there is a similar urgency in our message as well.

And that's true.

But, as I thought about it, the fire analogy doesn't work for people who don't agree with us (no matter what the subject matter). Spreading this kind of good news is like trying to convince your neighbor that he needs to stop using his microwave because it is killing him and his family.

"But I like my microwave," your neighbor replies. "And I'm happy with it. And everyone else is using their microwaves just fine. I think you're a kook and just trying to disrupt my good life. Besides, there are plenty of medical studies that show your view to be wrong."

Similar responses arise when you try to share the good news of Christianity, homeschooling, home birthing, eating organic foods, going "off-grid", exercising, etc. It's good news--often, very good news with significant ramifications--but if people think you're a nut, your urgency just makes you look all the more batty.

So what do we do? One option would be to make a '70s movie with people vanishing from fountains--or some other more culturally applicable work.

But other than that, I think the best promotion is a life that has been positively changed by whatever it is. Sharing your story--your testimony--of how wonderful home birthing, homeschooling, eating healthy, Christianity, or whatever other bit of good news you have is the most powerful tool I can think of.

And that's one of the many reasons I absolutely love the Sonlight Moments forum. And that's one of the many reasons I pushed to make it so everyone can read it.

If you haven't glanced at the Sonlight Moments widget on the right there or visited the forum lately, I highly recommend it.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

04/21/2009
Sharing Suspense
There are two really cool changes to Sonlight.com that are in review right now and will go live shortly. I spent a considerable amount of time on one of them today.

But I can't show you because it's not on the site yet.

Do you ever experience something like that? Your student has been working really hard on something and it's almost done... but not quite enough to show the world. Your son/daughter has been running/swimming faster than ever before... but there hasn't been a meet to get an official time yet. You're getting toward the end of your favorite book... but there's still a couple chapters to go.

In some ways, having to wait makes it even more exciting than if I could just blurt it out. And that was much of the fun surrounding the catalog release.

Sometimes I feel like I need to keep you in suspense because I have to wait to share.

I had never realized that I feel an equal amount of excitement waiting to reveal something that others haven't seen yet. And I think I'm getting a glimpse into my wife's strong desire to tell me what she bought me for my birthday or Christmas.

Never understood that before today.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

04/20/2009
The Cliff and the Tightrope
I still struggle with "media" as a plural, at least when it comes to saying things like "media are bad." <shudder> Almost like nails on a chalkboard...

Only worse.

"The media are evil." That's fine. But just saying "media are" without a definite article is painful. Almost like watching some "reporting" that's going on out there...

Only worse.

Again and again and again today, I kept seeing posts about how the media are skewing reality in favor of their own agenda. The most interesting--though highly biased in the other direction--video was this one which makes some pretty powerful claims. It's well worth the eight and a half minutes. I'll be here when you get back...

...here's the problem: Sure, some Leftist reporter did a shoddy job and should probably be fired or go back to school and learn how to report again, but isn't the other side in danger of falling off the tightrope the other way--at the very least?

"No," the reply will come. "No, see, we're not on a tightrope; we're next to a cliff, and they went over the cliff. We're on solid ground, even if we move farther Right."

Tightrope or Cliff?

...hmm...

I'm guessing the guys who made this eight and half minute video would say something rather similar.

It's at least something to consider.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

Foment: agitate; try to stir up public opinion

Brought to you by Elisheva Hannah Levin

04/17/2009
Get Smart(er)
I read a great response today to the question: What do I do when my kids know more than me?

I agree with Lee's thoughts. And I love the way that homeschooling encourages everyone to learn more. Love it!

But there's another part of the homeschool mentality that comes out of this: Life long learning, not just for kids but also for us adults. Homeschooling can rekindle a wonder about the world and a desire to understand it more. So there's much more than just a "I'll look that up and get back to you" attitude. We can be excited about learning, and so dive into a subject, not just find the answer and get out.

My dad blogged about Sonlight's Life Long Learners forum today as well. I haven't really spent any time there, but it looks like they get into some pretty tough subjects.

And we shouldn't shy away from them.

Granted, we need to pick our battles and choose what we will expend our efforts pursuing--and sometimes there are more important things to tend to than ethical debates, apologetics, or the latest scientific philosophy; naturally, we can't do everything.

But I love being a part of a community that is dedicated to seeking the truth and getting smarter.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

P.S. If you want to read what others have been thinking about/experiencing, be sure to check out the Other Posts of Note.

04/16/2009
Recapitulate and Respond
I love words, and every once in a while one will pop into my head and I'll have to look it up again. For example: Recapitulate.

Fitting, seeing as how I want to continue (finish?) the discussion (rant?) I started yesterday.

I left off suggesting that we can't just "live and let live" because others would die (physically, metaphorically, spiritually, etc). But since people hold strongly to opposing views, what's to be done? Both sides often feel like the other is "The Enemy" and that truth resides on this side of the line. But as rational, intelligent, educated, and truly caring people, I think there are two things we can/should/must do:

1. Find the real enemy. While filming MathTacular, we said hunger is the enemy. The problem is not that Luke suggested we move a light. He's not trying to sabotage the shoot. No, we're just hungry and it's time to take a break.

As Christians we should have an even greater insight. And, no, it's not that Obama is the Antichrist. Rather, we know who the Enemy is. We know what he does, how he works, and know how to put him down.

Or, we should.

The problem--for me, at least--is that I often operate as a functional atheist. No wonder we have trouble recognizing the Enemy.

...that reminds me, for some reason, of one of my all-time favorite blog posts. If you haven't read it yet: Do so.

2. Consider your epistemology. How do you determine what is true/right/accurate? And the variance between these answers is what allows us to be ideologically 180° from each other.

If we could openly and accurately acknowledge our epistemological views, I think things would start to become much clearer. The step after that, the next impossible step, is to hash out where we are intellectually inconsistent. That would, I think, bring much more consensus in the world.

The difficulty of both of these steps often leaves me to throw up my hands. I can't do it. We can't get there.

And that, I propose, is why we find we can't do anything.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

P.S. Of course, when I'm not functioning as an atheist, I realize that I can at least pray.

04/15/2009
The Enemy
Labeling someone else--or a group of "someone elses"--as "The Enemy" is a very powerful tactic. It makes things black and white, cut and dried, and a point of fact.

And as a matter of fact, others are very, very wrong at times.

But they see themselves as absolutely right, and you as very, very wrong. And we know this is true. For example, the best villains always have a very compelling reason for doing what they are doing. They, while we recognize their error, firmly believe they doing the right thing.

So how do two people (or groups) who are ideologically 180° from each other get anywhere? This is, I think, the fundamental question that--until answered--leaves us with things like opposing political parties and varying religious views (or lackthereof). This reality is one of the primary reasons we can't just "live and let live"... because, in many cases, doing so would be detrimental to others whom we care about. For instance: Pro-choicers believe that letting Pro-lifers have their way will end up killing women and has little to do with babies. Pro-lifers, on the other hand, believe that letting Pro-choicers have their way kills babies and has little to do with women. That's radically different and there is very little room for "common ground" here.

Another example of "The Enemy" mindset that I saw again and again today was The Department of Homeland Security's latest "report" that labels "those that [reject] federal authority in favor of state or local authority" as, at the very least, potential terrorists (bottom of Page 2 of 9).

Katie
Karen

I couldn't find a link to the .pdf from the Department of Homeland Security's site, but I did find this note. So, perhaps those "rightwing extremists" are over-reacting a tad to what is not much more than a very poor choice of words... perhaps.

This "Enemy" mentality has been brewing in various areas of the homeschool movement as well.

So what should we--as rational, intelligent, educated, truly caring people--do in these kinds of situations? Broadly labeling everyone of the other side as "The Enemy"--as the DHS appears to have inadvertently done--is not the way to go.

But what is? Because, as rational, intelligent, educated, and truly caring people, we can't do nothing.

Can we?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

04/14/2009
Feeling Overwhelmed?
I was.

And then I read this post this morning.

Ah, yes. A few deep breaths later and I was ready to take on my day. No longer was I the overburdened pack mule of all broken things in this world. No! I can take a minute, refocus, and continue on with proper perspective and direction.

Pack Mule

If you are feeling like you can't do it all, find freedom in knowing that you don't have to.

And for those of you who can do it all ...well... umm... keep it up.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

04/13/2009
The '70s
My wife and I have one tradition for Easter thus far:

We listen to this song on the way to church:

Easter Song: 2nd Chapter of Acts

...which, if you listen to more of the album, reminds you of Bohemian Rhapsody ...because it was recorded in the same era: The mid '70s. Which is big for me because I grew up listening to Larry Norman and not much else musically. In fact, it was Free at Last that finally moved me on.

Needless to say, I wasn't exactly "cool" when it came to my musical choices.

I'm still not. (sweetest tune evah; though the video isn't exactly tasteful)

If I had been in public school, would my musical taste be more refined/mature/informed? Perhaps, though I caught on pretty quickly in high school. And since graduating from college, I've noticed that the radio loops the same songs every couple of hours, so, "I don't dig the radio / I hate what the charts pick..."

1970's music is a minor example of how being at home allowed my dad to influence me. Would I ever have been interested in Harry Chapin or Cat Stevens if I hadn't been home?

Probably not.

The music I like--even old music--is a small reminder of the tremendous opportunities that homeschooling gives us as parents to be involved in the lives of our children.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

04/10/2009
Good Friday
Well, friends, I've had a pretty good Friday thus far. I hope you have as well.

We just launched a new Widgets, Banners and Badges page on our site. You can go there to get things that show your support of Sonlight... which is cool.

There isn't much there yet, but I hope to start putting more up there soon.

And that's that.

May your Easter service be wonderful ...even if it is one of two times you attend church a year. And if you don't celebrate Easter at all, have a great time on Sunday anyway <smile>.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

04/09/2009
Keep Those Kids Home!
I came across a blog post today about why preschools are not a good idea. Seems that putting children in an environment devoid of their parents--or at least a relative or dedicated care giver--for many hours a day negatively impacts their socialization and classroom skills.

That's right. The the original article says that "the more time kids spent in non-maternal care during the first 4.5 years of life, the more behavioral problems they developed." (emphasis in original text)

The next logical question--to me, at least--is: If this is true for those under the age of 5, why is it magically different at age 6 or 16?

This post and the original article present extremely powerful reasons to at least consider homeschooling. It presents several very good reasons why homeschooling allows for a better growth environment.

What blows my mind is that this article was written in 2006.

And, really, my own parents can attest to behavioral issues caused by "peer socialization." My older sister had a dramatic improvement when she came home after several years at a private Christian school. And a family at our church pulled their son out of school because he was getting far too disruptive and it doing much better now.

Homeschooling: It's better for your children.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

04/08/2009
Questionable Content
A couple weeks ago, I was challenged by Jennifer to look into the negative stereotypes of Native Americans presented in some of Sonlight's titles. I promised to back to her and hope to continue the conversation here. But this post applies to many other aspects of questionable content, so please keep reading.

Sonlight's IGs
Part of what makes Sonlight's curriculum so amazing are the Instructor's Guides (or IGs). Every IG is full of notes and questions to help round out the texts; primarily because every author is writing from a particular bias or viewpoint, and those could easily be wrong or hurt someone. Sonlight, thus, includes a lot of background information so students (and their parents) can get a clearer picture of what is really going on.

And while I couldn't find a particular article on stereotypes of Native Americans in my brief search of one of the IGs, I saw many notes about what was happening at that point in history that shows false negative stereotypes as errant.

One customer said just yesterday:

Sonlight carries a lot of books that cover sensitive topics. They have been especially careful to alert parents anytime their children will come into contact with such material. This gives parents a chance to proactively have a conversation with their children about the issue presented to make sure the child understands the topic and looks at it through the lens of a Biblical worldview. (full post here)

So Sonlight tries to balance out negative/incorrect ideas in our IGs. If you are not using the IG with your books, you're not getting the full Sonlight experience.

On the other hand, we know there is always room for improvement. If you come across a section of a book that you think should be dealt with more fully, please let us know. We are always welcome your input and insights. Jennifer, I would be very interested in your thoughts especially.

Consider Your Perspective
Another post I came across today warned people that Sonlight's science program "is extremely creationist/young earth based." I find that moderately amusing because there are many others who feel that Sonlight promotes Evolution and Old Earth thinking far too much.

Who's right?

In many ways, it all depends on your perspective.

I think, objectively--especially when you consider the titles we carry along with the notes in our IGs--it's fairly clear that Sonlight does promote a creationist/Young Earth view... with some notes about the other topics to round things out.

Granted, we can all get so myopically focused that we don't see where we have gone wrong. That's why it's so great to be surrounded by a large community that can help set us right. And that's why your feedback is so valuable to us. We never want to hurt people, but when we do please help us set it right.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

04/07/2009
New Badges Coming!
One of the many things that changed as of April 1 is the Sonlight logo. I like the new rendition, but now we have to go through and update everything that has the old image on it.

Everything.

And that's going to take some time.

I wanted to link to something I've been working on today, but it has yet to be approved... so maybe tomorrow.

I did, however, across a Word of the Day:

Screed: a long discourse or harangue

Brought to you by Summer

That's all I've got. Sorry.

Your website feedback has been great, but I've only been able to address a few of the issues thus far. We're working on it, and greatly appreciate your insights.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

04/06/2009
Imaginary Numbers
Quick: What is an imaginary number?

Oh, sure, you could cheat and use Wikipedia, or--even better--Simple Wikipedia. But do you recall the definition of an imaginary number from your Algebra class (or, at least, Calvin and Hobbes)?

An imaginary number is the square root of a negative number (which, since a negative number times a negative number is always positive, is impossible). But imaginary numbers are very helpful when you're solving for an equation and you find you need to get the square root of both sides of an equation and one of them happens to be negative:

Solve for x:
x² = -72

If you're still reading, I guess you either find math fascinating--as I do--or you trust me to get to some kind of point worth suffering through the horror of math. Or, you've been skimming and not really paying attention.

If you're no longer reading, I'm glad you at least stopped by. <smile>

I must admit that I still get a little woozy and sick to my stomach when someone asks me how many purple beads are in the pile if 3/4 of them are red, 25% of the rest are black, 14 are white, and x orange beads were given to Bobby last Saturday when Susie took 1/18 of the total for a lemonade stand where she sells a glass of juice from concentrate for $4.13, and ice is another 7% if you want it on Thursdays.

Cherish has a very interesting post on our aversion to math which is often linked to school teachers.
[Edit: Sorry, I forgot to add my "mild profanity" disclaimer.]

I'm not sure if my dad helped give me an interest in math by insisting that he show why 34-17=17; I certainly didn't appreciate it at the time because I just wanted the answer. But his patient--and infuriating--demonstrations of how math really makes sense have helped me.

I hope I can do the same for my children with a few less tears.

Hmm... I guess today was a Math Monday.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

04/03/2009
Long Week Ending
It's been a long week, and there is still much to be done, but I'm calling it quits for today.

We are very thankful that GoLive went so smoothly and will continue to iron out the few remaining issues next week. As always, if you have any suggestions or ideas on how we can improve your experience on the website, please let us know.

Until Monday, be blessed, friends!

...er... wait... I want you to be blessed after that too...

Have a weekend full of blessings, friends, and I will see you all on Monday!

Much better.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

04/02/2009
Internet Friends
First, a couple funny images:

I read blogs via Google Reader, and use hotkeys to get through the posts faster. But sometimes my fingers hit the wrong keys and I start typing instead. This is what I looked up to see this morning:

NOM link here

And, for as smooth as everything went yesterday, there were a few minutes where Sonlight's homepage looked like this:

10am MST April 1, 2009

Now that we've had our giggles, time to move on to the second--and real--point of this post:

I read yesterday that online communities must be small because "[t]rue community only thrives when the members deeply care for one another." There are many other fascinating points, and so I suggest you read the whole thing.

It got me thinking, though. Granted, I'm not close to all the bloggers I read, but I'd like to think that I have already established very close connection to at least a couple of my "bloggy friends." And considering I attended the wedding of a friend I met via World of Warcraft, and more and more people are meeting their soulmate online, I think this online community has brought us to a very real dimension of connection... even if it isn't IRL.

The Sonlight Forums are a prime example of a rather large online community. And maybe this community thrives on the deep care each member has for homeschooling rather than each other. And so like many other clubs and gatherings, an online community is built around focus, purpose, or interest.

Churches come to mind.

As much as I should deeply care about all of my brothers and sisters in Christ, there's no way I could. But I still gather with them every week in church. And we have community. I have a much closer community with my small groups and friends, but there is community with the other members of my church.

Or, perhaps, I'm just a child of this digital age, and so can't remember the "good old days" when people really did have communities.

So, what do you think, friends?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

04/01/2009
Transformation
Well, just as a reminder, this blog looked like this yesterday:

Old Blog Template

I think it's better now--even if the yellow is a tad intense <smile> ...okay, be honest: is it too much in your opinion?

Speaking of "too much," Google announced CADIE today. And if you haven't checked out her blog yet, you really should. I'm one of her thousands of friends!

CADIE's Friend

You still can't order anything from Sonlight yet--as of 3:19pm MST--but we're working hard on getting the system up and running again. Last I heard, we're still on target for 5pm MST.

As for me, I need to head home and start preparing for a party.

Happy GoLive, April 1, 2009!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

03/31/2009
GoLive
Sonlight's web store will be going down at about midnight (MST) tonight.

We hope to get it back up and running around 5pm (MST) April 1.

The website's look and feel will change around 9am (MST) tomorrow morning.

This blog will also look nice and shiny tomorrow.

I'm really excited.

But I don't have time to write anything today because I've been busy with prepping for our GoLive in the morning.

So get your last good look at this--admittedly--ugly layout, and be prepared for the new hotness of the morning.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

03/30/2009
The Classroom of Life
Again and again blog posts pop up that suggest public schools need to "stick to the basics" of reading, writing and arithmetic and not waste so much time on other things that have little or nothing to do with education. These kinds of posts tend to make it into my Other Posts of Note.

And today I came across a post about students taught to Twitter in school. It sounds like it's part of a "social media 101" course, or something.

My thought is this: Perhaps educators have realized that life makes for a great classroom and there is much to be learned in this great wide world of daily living, and so they must get involved in helping their students grow in all aspects of life.

Which would be great if they could get through the lessons they are supposed to be teaching in four hours a day so they could spend the rest of the time experiencing the joy of life-long learning with their students.

But they can't.

So in trying to help kids succeed in all areas of life, they end up with only 36% of their students proficient in the basics (like my local public school).

In trying to teach kids to tweet, they fail to teach children to write.

Thankfully, as a homeschooler, you have the opportunity to get through your "required" lessons quickly, and if you want to turn your child's blog and Twitter account into "Social Media 101" for credit... you can.

Homeschooling: Making the most of the classroom of life.

Sounds like a nice tagline.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

03/27/2009
SEO and Content
As one of the "web guys" here at Sonlight, I have to keep an eye on Search Engine Optimization (SEO). We want people to be able to find our site if they search for "homeschool curriculum" and "curriculum packages" and "Christian homeschooling" ... you get the picture. And so, we try to make sure our pages contain those words so Googlebot can help others find our incredible homeschool materials and support.

Aside: yes, Sonlight's curriculum is really, really good. Sonlight is not for everyone, sure, but if it is a fit for you and your family, it is the best. Not that I'm biased or anything <smile>.

I also try to keep an eye on what others are saying about Sonlight out here on the intertubes. And I keep running into these sites that seem to have taken SEO to a whole new level of insanity. For example, I came across the following blog post today:

Sonlight Curriculum Vendor of total homeschool package

Looks potentially useful. What does it have to say? Near as I can tell, the first bit is about Sonlight, and the rest is not. And even the bit about Sonlight is almost unintelligible:

NotesResources are ranked within each topic the first listed is the useful and the last the least useful, in my opinion. Also offers lots of info on and resources for homeschooling. Catalog downloadable updates for users

Huh?

I poked around the site a little more and discovered that many of the posts appear to be nothing more than textual vomit--that was for you, Melonie <smile>--trying to pass for SEO.

If you find that I ever start doing something that works for machines but is meaningless to you, please ask me to stop.

Thank you.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

03/26/2009
The Blizzard of '09
Well, this is what it looks like out my window at the moment... and getting worse by the minute:

Snow on My Car

There was no snow falling when I got here at 6:45 this morning.

That's the beauty of Colorado.

And that's why we're probably going to be closing Sonlight for the day.

I was going to blog about this article, but I can't find the words (especially since they'll be pushing me out the door soon <smile>). The article makes me sad because it comes across so nasty to some and is such an important message to others. It's as if I get a glimpse of the communication problems on both ends, but I can't figure out a way to make it better.

Heather Paulsen

If you have an insights or ideas, I'd love to hear them. I just don't feel that I would be able to communicate effectively about this topic. Your words of wisdom are welcome!

And if you're in the midst of inclement weather, may you and your family be safe!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

03/25/2009
Anti-Typical Male
Cars, sports, pain... not really my thing.

But I do like drying flowers, writing poetry, and talking.

And that's why I've long said that I'm rather "anti-typical male."

So it amused me that many of today's Other Posts of Note have to do with very "boy" things; things like funny Google searches and dead rodents. And while I find the very "boyish" nature of the posts funny, I can't exactly relate on a personal level.

I'm not saying that there aren't gender differences. There are. It's just that some things don't quite apply to every boy or girl within the stereotypes.

Speaking of "guy things," my dad has started a series that I'm following with much interest.

I think you might find his posts interesting as well.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

03/24/2009
Stereotypes and Changes
Stereotypes abound.

They are a fact of life, and, in some ways, vital to our ability to function. Without stereotypes we would be forced to experience everything as brand new, completely unique, and utterly foreign. Every encounter would be a jumble of questions and discovery that would leave us exhausted at the end of the day.

"Will that two-year-old speak to me as an informed adult, or in gibberish?"

"Does the girl ringing up my purchase want a hug, or should I just smile?"

"Does that kid on the skateboard with piercings all over want to be engaged in a conversation about Calculus, or should I keep things 'chill' instead?"

Granted, the child may be eloquent, the girl may actually like hugs, and the skater boy may be very adept at Calculus. In fact, there's even a wildly popular TV show based around building up stereotypes and then taking them apart.

And so, while very useful--and the foundation of quite a bit of comedy--stereotypes aren't always accurate or helpful.

There are many of these less than ideal stereotypes surrounding homeschoolers... and Christians... and as a Christian who was homeschooled and then went off to a Christian University, sometimes I wonder how many of those stereotypes are closer to reality than would be ideal. And how much of a positive impact do I have on others, especially since I know my own foibles and failures all too well? How much real, positive change has my life had because of who I am, what I believe, and what I've been through?

Today I read about a book that seems to provide some interesting insight into the Christian side of things (sorry, it's not really about homeschooling at all). This book is written by a young man raised in a liberal secular home who decided to spend a semester at Liberty University. The review is fascinating enough, but I'm guessing the book will really open our eyes.

Rosslyn Elliott

May all of us--Christian, atheist, homeschooled, public school teacher, or otherwise--learn that we may be wrong about our assumptions and our stereotypes may be off. And may we all embody the good aspects of our particular groups' stereotypes in a way that inspires love and good-will.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

03/23/2009
The Toothpaste Box
Last night was a big night: We finished off one tube of toothpaste and started on another one. ...which my wife promptly squeezed from the center of the tube.

Not that I'm bitter or anything.

The fact that she clearly refuses to correctly use the toothpaste tube doesn't cause that much marital strife.

Really.

Proper Toothpaste Usage

...where was I?

Ah yes.

As I walked to the recycle bin to dispose of the box in an environmentally friendly way, I felt a rather strong desire to keep the box just in case. 'Just think of all the things you could do with that box,' my inner child said to me.

'Like what?' I queried.

My inner child couldn't think of anything precisely, and so the box went into the recycle bin. But as I walked back toward the bathroom--where my wife was mutilating the shiny new tube of paste--I realized that something had just died a little more within me: The belief that raw materials are worth something simply because of the potential they contain; raw materials wait for our creativity to bring them to life and give them purpose.

I still get giddy about a 1'x2' bit of 1/4" flooring rubber, but I no longer keep Mac & Cheese boxes to turn them into burning buildings for a video (unfortunately, my mom caught me heading out the door armed with paper, a box, and matches before I was able to create that scene). I think I've lost something about creative thinking and natural wonder, and I hope I get it back when I'm finally a dad. I remember all the time I had as a homeschooled child that let me create cell phones from plywood and used cap gun caps, rocket ships from bicycle pumps, and castles from toilet paper tubes. A shoe box used to be the perfect foundation for... well... something.

And I've lost much of that, but I think I will need to get it back. For now, I must live vicariously through all of you. What ~~crazy~~ creative things have your children recently done with the "junk"/"treasures" around your house lately?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

03/20/2009
Blog Redesign
I've started looking into what changes I'm going to make to this blog come April 1.

Time to bury myself in the madness that is Blogger code <smile>.

Have a great weekend everyone!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

P.S. On a personal note: Kyrgyz officials met last night (Friday, for them) to present a proposal for what they are going to do with adoptions. There are, last I heard, 65 families--we are one of them--matched with kids waiting for Kyrgyzstan to start the paperwork flowing so the children can be brought home. Your thoughts and prayers are much appreciated.

03/19/2009
Lost and Confused?
I sometimes find myself lost and confused--and inexplicably unable to communicate effectively; almost as if everything I said was a garbled mess of incoherent mutterings.

It's rather frustrating.

Clear communication is essential to interact with and help people. And for as much effort we put into making sonlight.com helpful and easy to use... sometimes we fail to do so.

It's rather frustrating ...both for us and you.

So if you've spent any time poking around Sonlight's site the past year, I would love any feedback you have as to what you loved and what confused you like a garbled mess of incoherent mutterings. If you got lost or frustrated at any time, I want to know what you think would make that page less confusing.

The new web design goes live April 1--in conjunction with the release of our new catalog--so you have until then to get me as many ideas as you can. (And, really, if you ever have any ideas on how we can make Sonlight better, we want to know!)

Please, make a comment here or send me an email (link on the right there) and give me:

The URL of the page that tripped you up
(e.g. /RM32.html)

What gave you trouble
(e.g. "I couldn't use the green nav bar to get anywhere!")

And if possible: How you would like to see it fixed
(e.g. "Let me click on the grade bar to go to another grade.")

I think the new site design is going to rock--and I can't wait to show you some of the stuff I'm doing--but with your help, I can make it even better!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

P.S. I know, I know; I'm putting you to work. I don't want to be a burden, but your ideas are invaluable to me!

03/18/2009
The Cakewalk
I've never participated in a cakewalk. Something that easy just didn't appeal to me--and now, with my wheat sensitivity, a cake wouldn't do me much good anyway. Instead, at the carnival I would make my way to the maze.

In fact, I'm rarely one to take the easy path. I'd rather do something exciting, challenging, and, hopefully, meaningful... even if it isn't a cakewalk.

Homeschooling is rarely easy--so I'm told... as a kid it was great!--there are challenges and confusing parts. Sometimes it feels like you're in a maze. But in the end, it is incredibly rewarding both for you--so I'm told--and your students.

If you feel lost in the middle of the homeschooling maze, don't fret. There are many blogs that offer encouragement and tips, and I try to link you to many of them in the Other Posts of Note. The Sonlight Forums are another great place to find support and encouragement. Also, don't forget about the Sonlight Curriculum Advisors--these are homeschooling moms who have "been there, done that," and can help you find exactly what you need for your homeschooling journey.

And I'm always here to help in any way I can.

So here's to the exciting journey that is homeschooling. The reward is great, but it's not likely to come in the form of a cake.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

03/17/2009
St. Patty's Day Gift
I confess: I didn't wear any green today.

Totally spaced it.

But, to make it up to you, I have some crazy good news:

We got copies of the 2009 Sonlight Catalog today!

Patty's Day Sonlight Catalog Video

That means that you can expect to see them in the next few weeks because they are in the mail system now. That's right: Catalogs are going out right now. In the mail system. Today.

The less than exciting news is that the mail system can be slow--since we aren't rushing--so you still have to wait.

But they are coming.

They are!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

03/16/2009
I Agree
...don't you think I agree? I agree!

Today I read a post about how we cannot agree to disagree because of 1 Corinthians 1:10. And I thought that was fascinating, especially since there is rather a lot of division within the "Body of Christ" as it is... Sonlight in the middle of it all from time to time.

But how can I say, "I disagree that we must all agree"? <smile>

To say that we must all agree, I would imply that everyone must agree... with me; that I have, somehow, arrived at the singular, all-inclusive Truth. But I don't like that because

It shuts down all discussion, argument, or further study. Any research or contemplation that does not match my conclusion is antagonistic against me and, at best, merely ungodly.
It makes it impossible to graciously concede a point. If I'm right and someone demonstrates that I am wrong, then they are inexplicably wrong and I must stick my head in the sand and refuse to acknowledge their point.
It elevates me--or, at minimum, my beliefs--to the highest position of "unquestionable truth" ... which can quickly lead to tyranny and reeks of pride (of which I have all too much personal experience <smile>).

Thus, I see nothing wrong with passionately arguing your position.

I think it is healthy to question and allow others to question you.

I think it is good to look at the other side of things.

And while, yes, it is not good to have division, I think the call is to not be divided over matters of disagreement. As the passage goes on to say: Following Christ is what is important, not whose teachings you gravitate toward. Those should not divide us.

So, I think that we can be united and of the same mind, even if we disagree on the age of the earth, the best way to interact with others, the best color for carpeting, or whether drums or skirts above the knee are acceptable.

One of my friends who grew up a Muslim once told me that it was hard for him at first to be in church where everyone prayed to God while standing up. 'How disrespectful,' he thought. 'We must pray in humility, with our faces to the ground.'

Talking with him demonstrated just how much we can learn from one another--those with whom we disagree--and is a great picture of what my wife has said: I think the true Church is a conglomeration of all the different denominations that each reflect a different aspect of God.

This is not to say there isn't absolute truth. There is. But, for now, I think it is important that we all grow in humility and remain free to disagree so we can all, hopefully, get ever closer to that Truth.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

P.S. The following article fascinated me. I didn't include it with the Other Posts of Note because there is strong language (including an f-bomb). If you can handle that, I think it is well worth reading and thinking about. Read it here.

03/13/2009
One Thousand Fans
We are, as of the moment of writing this, 93 fans shy of 1,000 on Facebook.

Way cool!

I want to do something fun for the first thousand Sonlight fans, but I haven't had time to figure anything out yet. And I haven't had time to think of anything profound to say today either.

So, I'm copping out. If you haven't already, I'd love it if you'd become a fan of Sonlight on Facebook.

I'd also like to be your friend <smile>.

And I wouldn't mind if you supported my blog(s) either.

<laughing>

Please feel no obligation to do any of that. I just so love having lots of friends <smile>.

And please let me know if your blog is on Facebook, and I'll be happy to become a fan of it.

Thanks so much. Have a fantastic weekend, and I'll see you all on Monday... when I'll hopefully have come up with something interesting to write about <smile>.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

03/12/2009
Sonlight Easter Egg
Bouncing around Sonlight's site today, I ran across a very amusing Easter egg. It's not exactly intentional, but I think it's fun. So, before I get around to fixing it, I'd like to share it with you.

But you are going to have to hunt around a little for it--I can't make it too easy or it'd be no fun <smile>

It is in one of the articles on this page.

Huge websites allow for this kind of situation; some things are missed in an update and can lead to some interesting hold-overs from a previous era.

Happy hunting!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

P.S. Okay, okay. I know you're busy, so to make it easier: the Easter egg is within this article.

03/11/2009
I'm Helpless Without You!
I'm helpless without you, Comments!

Truly: It throws me when someone has comments disabled on their blog.

I read something interesting, and like the "Media Relations Specialist" that I am, I want to say something back. But every once in a while I run into a post that has no comforting and enabling "Post a Comment" button.

And that confuses me.

As a blogger, I love comments.

I also like leaving comments--but only when I feel like I have something to say; I do my best not to textually vomit on a post.

So, I'm adding this to my list of blogging pet peeves: Let me comment!

Thank you.

That is all.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

P.S. If you read this blog and you think I may not be reading yours, please send me a link to your blog. I'd love to add you to my RSS reader. You can leave a comment here or email me. I want to get to know you!

03/10/2009
Safety is Job 1
Anyone remember the Ska fad?

If so, did you ever listen to the Five Iron Frenzy "Quantity is Job 1" album? It was amusing to me because, despite the title, there were only about six songs listed on the back cover. Inside, something like nine tracks were listed. But the album actually has 17 tracks.

Goofy humor. Good stuff.

But not all goofy things make for good stuff.

Jerri-Ann just started a series on recess. I'm interested in where she's taking it--and getting her perspective--but if her source is right and tag is being outlawed during recess, we've really hit a recession there too ...a slowly waning opportunity of physical activity and exercise.

It seems that we're moving more and more toward a "legislation must care for me" type mindset. Gone are the days of personal responsibility and learning to act appropriately. "Socialization" no longer means "to learn how to act appropriately in society," but rather "to conform to society's dictates." These are the days of confining rules that bind us to a system.

And I know there are some good reasons for it. For example, I don't really let the 4th and 5h graders I teach for Sunday School go play outside. There have been too many fights that have started and, even if they are minor scuffles, I can't have that happening when I also have to watch 20 other kids. So I have sympathy for the system.

...on the other hand, I wouldn't be surprised if the system itself is largely to blame. As a teacher, I don't have any course of action to take when a child acts up. Not that we should go back to the days of smacking children with rulers... but my hands are completely tied when it comes to punishing bad behavior--especially things like violent outbursts against other students.

Thus, my observations are as follows:

Children need to be allowed to "get their wiggles out"
...for boys, especially, this means some moderately dangerous options

Bad behavior must be dealt with
...especially when it is against other children

Homeschooling provides the best opportunities for both of these conditions to be met

Homeschooling allows children to develop holistically and wholesomely, even when safety is job 1. What's more, real socialization can truly take place.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

03/09/2009
Bachen' It Up
My wife is with her family this week for her grandmother's memorial service. That leaves me and my best friend from college to "bach' it" this week.

So far so good. We haven't starved as of yet, and the house is still in order. ...of course, we're computer types so it's not like we're prone to make a huge mess anyway... unless it's spilled popcorn while watching TV episodes online.

Even though we're still in the first days of being without Brittany, I have already gained a new respect and growing empathy for you single mothers, wives of service men, and those of you with husbands who travel a lot. Granted, your experience is naturally different from mine, but I'm starting to get a glimpse of it.

The one part of this that I'm missing is my kids. I know it's hard to care for them by yourself, but there's something lonely about coming home without your family there (even if your best friend is basically family... it's still not quite the same).

So, for you mothers--and fathers--out there who have to carry on without your significant other, this post is for you.

I wish I had some insight or encouragement for you, but I don't know enough. Just know that I'm experiencing a tiny fraction of your life. I'd be happy to pray for you this week. Feel free to comment or shoot me an email.

For the rest of you, be blessed this week as you spend time with your family!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

P.S. I ran across the following code on Sonlight's site today:

<a href="/guarantee.html" title="faq return instructions">Return Policy</a>

Thought it was funny. Anyone else find it as funny as I do? Or am I too web nerdy?

03/06/2009
Hi-Rez 2009 Catalog Image!
Yesterday I posted this screen-grab from some leaked footage:

Un-enhanced Image

After a bunch of processing, here is the "enhanced" version of the image. Sadly, for as great as my "enhancing program" is, it still doesn't seem to be as good as the ones they have on TV (how odd). So, sorry for the blurry bits. But, overall, you've got to admit: That's some pretty impressive extrapolating <smile>.

Enhanced Catalog Image Click or Full View

Please enjoy poring over that.

If you get bored and are starved for more content, don't forget to check out all of the amazing, entertaining, and thought-provoking Posts of Note. There's a bunch of them this week.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

03/05/2009
I Don't Like Ads
Okay, the title is a little misleading.

I really like a couple ads. For example, the one for Honda, or Emerald Nuts, or Taco Bell.

Those are funny. And, honestly, I don't care what they're trying to sell me... because that's not the point. The point is to be enjoyable and re-watchable.

I went to a Social Media Seminar today, and one of the points was that a lot of people don't find businesses via the Yellowpages or on TV anymore. In fact, I've heard that more and more people are abandoning television in favor of the internet and things like Facebook.

And that got me thinking: This move to the internet and social media is changing how we do marketing. But I bet that the invention of the remote control was the first event to really shift how we make ads.

My guess--and it's just a guess--is that before the remote commercials were all about the product: Informative, persuasive, and working hard at a sell. Once the remote was invented and it was extremely easy to switch away, commercials became mini-movies, telling us a story that we wanted to watch over and over again. And those are the kinds of ads I like, and even link to on my blog <smile>.

Just a small thought I had today.

Oh, and tomorrow, I will release an enhanced still from the video I liked to a few days ago.

Un-enhanced Image

I'm going to give my computer at least 16 more hours and try to get an even better image, and then I'll post the results.

...stay tuned...

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

03/04/2009
Catalog Proofs!
The catalog proofs arrived today.

Here's some of the team looking them over:

Catalog Proofs

They look amazing--though I haven't had any time too really look at them yet.

And sometimes, just sometimes, Tim gets a little over-excited:

Check that out!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

03/03/2009
Pesky Problems
There are always things that need attention in this life: bills, plumbing problems, the yard/garden, meals, skinned knees, phone calls, school plans, extracurricular activities, etc. And you have to figure out how to juggle and take care of them.

But every once in a while something comes up that you just don't want to--or can't--deal with at the moment. And so it goes into a pile. And if you're anything like me, you may have lost the form to renew the registration for your car.

...every year for as long as you can remember.

What I realized today is that with some problems it's better to just go with the duct tape fix. We simply can't do everything, fix everything, or make everything perfect.

We must pick our battles.

And some of them are better left un-fought.

I'm not saying that we should become lazy. But I am saying that there are times when it simply isn't worth it to keep thinking about dealing with something.

Which brings us to the quote: Don't put off until tomorrow what you can put off indefinitely. If you can delete that email, toss that scrap of paper, give up on that project for a while... do it. Eliminate the clutter.

Eliminate Clutter

This can easily apply to your homeschool studies. Sonlight has always given you permission to not do everything. If, at a later time, you feel like you can give it another "go," fine. But for now, just let it go ...or find something that will help do the work for you, like the Discover & Do DVDs I helped make <smile>.

So what are you going to let go today?

I'll go first: I left an image on the site with just a note, rather than set up, shoot, photoshop, and upload a new one.

I also deleted a bunch of emails.

Your turn.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

03/02/2009
Milk Choice
The title sounds almost like Milk Toast... which I've never had. How is it? (Please comment if you have an opinion on the subject <smile>)

The title could also refer to a couple hot topics these days, such as homosexuality in the media or public breastfeeding. As much as those are very important topics, to be sure, today's post is about something else entirely: The government and public education.

I read a rather interesting offhand comment today: "The school requires you buy tickets for milk."

Huh?

I think I've heard of this kind of thing before, but it just struck me as odd today. Perhaps it's not as indicative of a "the government will save you" mentality as it seems, but it sure feels that way right now. Almost as if someone, somewhere said, "Milk is good for kids. We can't force them to drink it at home, but we can make them buy it and drink it here in school. Let's pass some legislation for that."

It's just weird to me.

I also read a repost of a story Spunky wrote about the beauty of having choices. It's a fun little tale that is thought provoking. On the other hand, it's an analogy and so isn't perfect. But her point remains....

I am very thankful for the freedom we still have to homeschool our children and choose whether to buy milk for them or not. And I am not against public education, but if you haven't considered homeschooling yet I think you should.

I don't really have anything else to say about this at the moment; just these few loosely related thoughts.

By the by, there are many, many Other Posts of Note today... if you're looking for more content.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

02/27/2009
Top Secret, Ultra-Exciting, Leaked Paparazzi Footage
You would not believe what I found on the interwebs today: Top secret, ultra-exciting, leaked paparazzi footage of Sonlight's 2009 catalog ...over a month before the release date!

It's just a proof copy of the catalog, but I still can't believe someone got this footage out of the building <snicker>. How cool is that?

Want to get in on the firestorm of discussion that is sure to erupt because of this? Of course you do! So hop on over to the forums and pitch in your two cents... after you comment here first, of course <smile>.

In other news, Bo added a new feature to our package pages that I suggested. Naturally, I'm pretty excited.

Can you guess what we changed?

Okay, that's all for today. Just a few fun--or, at least, I think they're fun--things for you to view over the weekend.

See you all on Monday!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

02/26/2009
Tutorial: Affiliate Links
I love making tutorials.

Today I was able to create a new Affiliate linking tutorial. So, yesterday's post is now basically obsolete. And now you have less of an excuse if you haven't already become a Sonlight Affiliate <smile>.

Other news?

...well, you'll have to come back for that tomorrow <smile>.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

02/25/2009
Possessive, Passive, Gerunds, and Affilate Links
Sonlight's website has a bunch of pages. There's just a lot you can learn about Sonlight. But sometimes this huge amount of content makes it hard for us to catch all the problems.

Take today, for instance: Are the Sonlight IGs Instructor Guides, Instructors Guides, Instructor's Guides, or Instructors' Guides?

After talking it over with Laura Lee, one of the writers here at Sonlight, I learned that currently the official phrase is "Sonlight^® Instructor's Guides."

Oh.

<cough>

The IG page has now been updated from "Sonlight's Instructor Guides" to reflect this change in possessive case.
...but that sentence is passive voice. And that's not good writing. ...but "writing" is a gerund, which should also be avoided, thus requiring a rewrite:

I have updated the IG page. No other corrections in what I have written are required.

There is still much work for me to do. Today, while looking into building an Affiliate link, I ran across the Affiliate Links Guidelines page. As I looked at the sample HTML, I realized that some of it is wrong.

So, I added that to my list of things to improve.

The good news is that this is life: A constant opportunity to improve. Sometimes it's little things, like broken web links; other times it's big things, like character issues.

May you see real growth in your life--and in the lives of those closest to you--today.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

02/24/2009
This World is Mad
I've been saying that this world is mad quite a lot lately. Perhaps that has less to do with the state of the world and more to do with the fact that I get stuck on certain phrases, but that's not entirely the point.

This morning I read a post that featured a picture of two smiling girls who were carrying posters that said things like, "God Hates America." And that just threw me for a loop. Smiling. Apparently genuinely happy. Declaring God's intense hatred toward us.

Huh?

After a very brief Google search [read: I didn't have to leave page 1], I came to the conclusion that Westboro Baptist Church is actively setting fire to bridges.

Burning Bridges

And they seem to be burning the bridge on both sides: I don't think they're acting very Christ-like.

In fact, Rob Bell makes some good points about how it doesn't seem to be working. If you're not so much into Rob, perhaps you'll find Yancey a bit more compelling.

...

On the other hand, how do we build toward those who focus on passages like Malachi 1:2-3?

Back in high school I was rather... pushy... in how I talked with others about my beliefs. I was vocal. I cared. I really wanted people to see the truth. And one day I started to say something and a girl near me said, "Stop it, Luke. I don't want to hear it. Just stop."

That was probably the first time I had to consider the option of keeping quiet.

And perhaps this all comes down to a question that I mentioned yesterday: Who cares more about your soul: The person who lets you come to your own conclusions, or the one who says, "Turn or burn"? And who thinks they are more effective?

Smiling girls. Bullhorns. Bridges.

That's a recipe for madness if I've ever seen one.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

02/23/2009
Fundamental Worldview
"Worldview" is one of those words that was tossed around in Bible college as if by sheer frequency of use it would gain more meaning. The major problem in discussing worldviews at Biola was that we all came from basically the same one. How do we get a clear picture of a the Buddhist mindset as a group of Christian kids in a Bible class?

I have had the tremendous benefit of a dad who, when everyone is in agreement, takes the opposite side just to make sure all the pieces fit together. And so I was raised on a good dose of questions like

What does it matter that the Bible is inerrant if we can't interpret it perfectly?
Who cares more about your soul: The missionary that lets you come to your own conclusions, or the militant person who says, "Accept my god or I chop off your head"?
And these kinds of questions continue to today.

In fact, I've heard that during some Bible studies people have asked my dad, "Are you even a Christian?" They can't fathom how anyone who follows Christ could ask the kinds of questions he presents.

But we need to be willing to confront such questions. Granted, not everyone is as interested in everything as my dad is. And there are subjects that we must simply throw up our hands and say, "I don't know. Perhaps someone smarter than me will figure it out in the future."

We can't know everything; we must pick our battles. Knowing this, we still must never cover our ears and run away from the questions and the views of others. We must consider them, think about them, and respond.

We will be of no benefit to others if we try to shut them out.

But how do we talk to one another if we come from radically different worldviews? The very foundations of existence are different. Some examples (and, please, feel free to correct my misrepresentations where they occur <smile>):

Liberals believe government is the power that can help us. Libertarians believe the government does nothing but harm us.

Fundamentalists believe the world is set against us. Atheists believe the world is merely where we exist.

Public schoolers believe that socialization is connection with friends and peers. Homeschoolers believe socialization is connection with family and friends.

...politics, religion, education... three big cans of worms. And why?

Different worldviews.

I am so glad for my education with Sonlight that began to prepare me for my encounters with worldviews that differ from mine. To this day, I still enjoy talking with people with whom I disagree because it is my hope that I will learn to see things from their perspective and so better communicate my own. But every once in a while, there comes a point where the gap between us is so large that bridge building takes significant amounts of work.

May you always take the time to build bridges to those around you and never be the one to burn them.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

02/20/2009
The Importance of Your Past
I'm here at my Alma Mater: Biola.

They are trying to recruit me to become the Alumni Chapter Leader for the Denver area. And while we're here, we're spending time with Brittany's family. So, two birds; one stone; good stuff.

I was recently on campus right before Christmas, so not much has changed in these few months. But it's still interesting to be back where I went to college and met my wife. It's fun to walk the campus again. It's good to reminisce and talk about the future.

Biola shaped who I am today. I learned many lessons--more from the people I was surrounded with than the classes themselves. And that's because education has a lot to do with the environment and the people supporting you. The material you study is very important, yes, but even public school teachers know that parental involvement is commonly the key to a student's success. In college, that role is often filled by classmates, friends, and faculty. And that is why where you go to school is such a big decision that dramatically influences the person you become.

As I walked the campus today, my thoughts went back to my early years of education. If the environment and support I found at Biola was so important to my formation, how much more were those early years at home?

Where better to find the support and love you need to thrive in those pivotal early years than in the home?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

02/19/2009
Gotta Fly!
Sorry, friends. My plane to California takes off in two and a half hours and I still need to get to the airport.

Gotta fly!

[A pun! Shocking!]

Why am I suddenly going to California?

Any guesses? (And, no, sadly, it has nothing to do with my adoption... sorry).

I hope to have a chance to catch up on all the blogs I didn't get to today, and fill you in with more details tomorrow.

Hope your Thursday has been less crazy that mine <smile>.

Peace!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

02/18/2009
The Borg Cube is Moving
Every once in a while a major force requires that we change or assimilate to continue to function. Equate such things--children, moving, switching jobs, homeschooling--to the Borg.

If you try to fight, you will be crushed.

"Resistance is futile."

Tomorrow, I will move my cube. Unfortunately, my cube isn't nearly as cool as the one in Star Trek, but it is where I work. And to do my work even better, I have to move. It's a good thing, but it will take a lot of work and adjustment.

Has homeschooling--or some other aspect of your life--begun to feel like a force threatening to assimilate you into oblivion? Are you feeling like you're losing yourself in the day-to-day tasks of life?

Or are you concerned about a change that is about to happen? A new job? Another child? An unfamiliar subject (e.g. calculus)?

If so, take heart! These are opportunities for you to move forward, gain new skills, and find joy in ways you have never experience before. Granted, it may be hard, require self-sacrifice, and be completely unpleasant at times.

In some cases, resistance is futile--and not even a good thing to do. In other situtations, we must stand up and beat back the overwhelming flood that is threatening us, our children, and perhaps, even humanity itself.

And here some people thought I was just moving to another part of the office.

May you have victory in the mundane areas of your life as well.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

02/17/2009
Prospective Perspective
Every day at 8:30am MST, we here at Sonlight have the opportunity to get together in small groups and pray. It isn't mandatory, but it is encouraged.

We pray for each other--like the headache I had this morning which seems to have finally decided to move on.

We pray for families who submit prayer requests or I notice out on the blogosphere.

And we pray for various people groups around the world. We use the Global Prayer Digest as a tool to help us learn about and pray for others. You can download the .pdfs for free if you want to try it out with your family.

Praying for others is a great way to help yourself grow. Even if you aren't religious at all, gaining a broader world perspective through prayer digests is a great thing. It helps us think beyond ourselves and consider the issues plaguing our earth. Sonlight carries a nice "coffee table" type book--though it's not hardbound--that offers an introduction to many unevangelized countries and peoples of the world. It's another tool you could use to help gain a more global perspective.

What fascinates me--but I'm rather odd--is that some people are disgusted by the idea of praying for unreached people groups. I can understand that praying for another's salvation can seem horribly self-righteous if you do not see a need for man's redemption. If you fit into this category, please take the positives from this post: Learn about others and think about what you can do to make the world a better place.

But what if you go beyond merely feeling insulted for these people, and, instead, you think I'm rather a fool for praying? What if you've come to the conclusion that God is imaginary? There's a site dedicated to this very idea. I encourage everyone--especially you praying Christians out there--to at least give this guy two minutes and twenty seconds of your time and consider the first of his 10 questions for Christians.

I find it interesting, and I hope you do as well. ...but I've already admitted to being a little strange in this regard <smile>.

How would you respond?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

P.S. If you have a few seconds to see something cool, check out the newly redesigned MathTacular.com. It's sweet!

02/16/2009
Science, Bias, and Presuppositions
Again and again the themes of science, bias, and presupppositions kept cropping up all across the blogosphere today.

Across the Blogosphere (...I didn't even like that movie)

So, I have to talk about.

The first post was Mike Brotherton's rant against homeschooling. Well, not homeschooling, but the problems with "religious indoctrination" when it comes to science. Basically, he doesn't like "science fairs" where all exhibits should include a Scripture reference and relate all areas of science to the Creator of the universe. This is intellectually dishonest, and has very little to do with science, especially since the list of suggested topics contains a bunch of "why" questions... something which science can't answer. In short, we're starting with a presupposition and working toward it.

Then I hit a fascinating, and rather pointed, post by Stephen Douglas about Why Creationists are Creationists. He states that Creationists have a beef with Evolutionary Theory not on the grounds of science, but rather on the basis of their theological beliefs about the nature of the Genesis account.

Other people were talking about this as well, so I feel the need to jump in.

1. It's true: In the cited cases these are not science questions and have nothing to do with the scientific method.

2. From my observation, however, much of the study of evolution has been done largely apart from the scientific method as well: We simply can't 1. Use our experience to 2. Form a conjecture whereby we can 3. Deduce a prediction and then 4. Test--Wikipedia--when it comes to forming new species. Instead, we have to rely on other observations, ideas, and thought-experiments. We look through what we currently have and try to figure out why that may be the case.

3. While there is compelling research which is producing very interesting cases for an evolutionary origin of the many species we have around us--some of which is not questioned by anyone; like, the many variations of dogs we have--I'm fairly confident there are actual scientific reasons to distrust the hypotheses of full-blown evolutionism.

4. It is true that Creationists come at these questions with a strong bias, but I think there is true scientific inquiry in some cases. On the other hand, Evolutionists come at these questions with their own strong bias, but they too engage in true scientific inquiry.

We simply can't escape our presuppositions. They are the basis--the bias--from which we operate. I've been reading my dad's blog with much interest as he wrestles with some of the evidence that is out there. It has been very informative and I have been looking into things on my own a little as well. And in my findings I came across a guy who said that the fossil record is constantly revealing the "missing links" between the species.

My wife, an archeology minor in college, rolled her eyes. "That's ridiculous," she said. "The only reason they are finding that kind of thing is because that's the only thing that you can get a grant for. I'd have to see actual evidence, and not just hear about it from someone who wants to find that kind of thing. The field of archeology simply isn't that cut and dry. There is no motivation to find variations within a species, only to find new species because that's what makes the headlines."

This post is already way too long, but I think my point is this: Our presuppositions dictate our biases. We have them, but we should allow them to be challenged. The problem I see is that many people write off the other side as either willfully ignorant--I've heard "f-ing retards" more than once--or evil and mislead--I've seen the equivalent of "godless heathen" more than once as well. From what I've seen, there is yet little truly convincing science on either side.

Though, despite that bias, I'm willing to hear the evidence, and I'll try to keep my brain engaged when you start presenting your ideas.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

02/13/2009
Natural Born Learners
(What better title for a Valentine's Day post than an allusion to a film about murdering psychopaths, right? [NB: I have not seen the aforementioned film])

How about some love?

Some homeschooling love, that is!

Dave, the brilliant artist who did the artwork for the covers of the MathTacular series, sent me a link to bornlearning.org. I haven't had time to really delve into the content of the site, but it looks like a great promotion for homeschooling.

...but it's not.

At least, it's not aware that it's a site dedicated to homeschooling. Instead, it seems to believe that it is about preparing children for school; in their words, they're trying to "boost school readiness."

It would be incredibly amusing, if it weren't so sad, that people so often miss the link between caring for your newborn and growing children and homeschooling. I want to shout: IT'S THE SAME THING!

Teaching your children to read is little different than teaching them to walk. Helping your daughter learn to eat with utensils is very similar to teaching her handwriting. Getting your son to know when to say "Geese" instead of "Gooses" is much like teaching him to spell. And if your child learned 2+2 while still at home, you've started teaching Algebra^*. And so, this site dedicated to "early learning" is demonstrating how easy, possible, and enjoyable it is to teach your children at home, at the park, and on the go.

That's a lesson homeschooling parents all over the world have learned.

I just wish that educational theorists would learn this lesson as well. It amazes me that despite having an entire section dedicated to the importance of connection in learning, the good people at bornlearning.org do not connect the dots and realize that homeschooling is one of the best ways to make that happen.

So...

Here's to Homeschooling!

Happy Valentine's Day. Have a great weekend full of love and affection for your friends and family.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

^*2+2=? is an Algebraic equation. You are solving for an unknown. It's just that in this case, the unknown is a ? instead of an x.

02/12/2009
Like a Kid in a Clicking Store
...I know, it should be candy store, but that doesn't have much relevance for the web. So, in typical Luke fashion, I forced a pun into a colloquialism based on a cultural allusion.

I'm sick. I know. But you are free to remind me of that fact <smile>.

First up: A brand new forum to find out about the conventions Sonlight will be attending this year. If you like walking convention floors and want to meet up with some Sonlight folks, here's your source for details.

In other news, Jerri-Ann linked to a post where a woman chats about homeschooling and why she doesn't. She labeled it a "debate," so I, naturally, added my thoughts. I thought my points were solid, and I took the time to write them, so I'm sharing them with you. I'd be very interested in your thoughts on the matter.

Now for the thing that has be totally excited, much like a kid in a candy store, only it's me on the web: We're testing a new feature on Sonlight's Newcomer 1 page. I've been pushing for this thing for a while, and it's cool to see us begin to test it. What is this super-cool, totally awesome, terribly exciting new feature?

Customer action shots--at least, that's what ThinkGeek calls 'em.

Candy Store

Sadly, we are split testing this feature, so you may not see it when you click over. If that happens, there is something you can do...

[<shh> don't tell them I told you this: If you clear your computer's cookies it may give you the picture bar when you refresh the page... granted, that will also kill my ability to track how effective this blog has been, but it's a sacrifice I'm willing to make for you, my close friends and confidants.]

That's all the link-love I have at the moment. But I'm also out of time.

Gotta run before the peoples find out I told you about that the cookie thing. Maybe I can convince them I was talking about sweets; you know, what with the candy theme of this post and all...

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

02/11/2009
Feeding the Problem
I tried to add an RSS feed of Sonlight's latest News and Announcements to this blog today, but something wasn't working. In fact, it still isn't working.

So I poked around online. Nothing. I searched the Blogger help forum. Still nothing. I even posted a plea for help. Yep--nothing.

I've been stymied by a system over which I have no control, and I have no idea what goes on in the background that could be causing the problem.

And it's really frustrating when that happens.

Granted, learning to let go of control is an important life lesson. Learning to adapt when something refuses to work is another vital skill. But in cases like these, that's not really what's at stake. In this instance, the danger is that I may just give up. There's nothing I can do, and so I must wait for someone else to do something. And that is a very dangerous lesson to learn; it promotes apathy and discourages creative problem solving.

...almost like the bureaucracy of educational systems. There are many aspects of public education--not to mention most other government-driven aspects of life--over which we have very little control. Buying into these systems promotes the idea that we must wait for the government--or other entity of authority--to come save us if something goes wrong. It stifles personal responsibility. In many cases, we end up with no control over what is happening, and have no way of truly finding the source of the problem.

Homeschooling, while potentially messier--like me piecing together code for an RSS widget--offers control and a hands-on approach to any issues that may arise.

May you find ways to overcome the obstacles you encounter today, even if you have to get your hands dirty. And if you're like me, and waiting on "the powers that be," may the red tape be cut, and the issue resolved satisfactorily. Remember: If you are not satisfied with the results, there are other options.

...but you may have to start doing something yourself.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

02/10/2009
Badges, Trademarks, the States... Oh My!
So, I totally recently told you to go hog wild with badges for Sonlight. Well, I just got out of a meeting where I was informed of a very special caveat to this whole thing, and that has to do with our Registered Trademarks (remember when I mentioned those a while back?).

Since I'm not clever enough to figure this all out, I'm getting some help from our lawyers on how to make this great for everyone. If I understand it right, if we don't make a few changes to the badges out there, we could lose control of our trademarks and nefarious people could take it for nefarious purposes. So, the message for today is:

Proceed with Caution

When I know more, I'll let you all know. This isn't fun for me because I love link love from all y'all, and I don't want to stifle that in any way. I'm your biggest fan of your being a fan of Sonlight--believe you me.

So that's got me a little bummed at the moment.

I need something to cheer me up. But what?

Oh, I know!

How about I see just how bad at geography I really am!
That's bound to make me feel chipper again!

Take the States test now! It actually is pretty fun to see just how completely lost I am without Google Maps...

Shannon

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

02/09/2009
41,000 and Meetup 2010
I pushed a button and sent an email to over 41,000 people today.

It was my first time doing something like that, and I was more than a little stressed. If you got the "Your Sonlight newsletter: A shot of homeschool mom adrenaline" in your inbox and everything worked on the technical side of things, let me know. If it didn't work at all, I don't want to know.

Okay, I do.

But I don't.

So be gentle.

Thanks.

*****

With the newsletter we have officially announced the 2010 Sonlight Meetup which will take place here in Colorado July 2-4th, 2010. That's right: You can come see Sonlight, hang out with other Sonlighters and meet me. How cool is that?

Pretty stinkin' cool, if you ask me.

Which you didn't, directly, but you're reading my blog, so it's almost like you did; at least, enough to make me feel like I am warranted sharing my opinion on this matter with you, my faithful readers--even if you aren't yet a faithful reader and have just stumbled upon this blog and are thinking to yourself, 'Self, what is up with this madman?'

In short: Come to the 2010 Meetup. And, at the very least, go check out the super cool "Event" I just put up on Sonlight's Facebook page.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

02/06/2009
Flexing the Flexible
When I flex, my arm goes from rather bony--both in width and color--to not quite so bony--in width, though the color remains the same deathly white <smile>.

It goes without saying: I don't flex to impress people.

But I do work on a "flex schedule." This means that I can work extra long Monday-Thursday and then take off early on Fridays (that's why my posts tend to come a few hours early on days like today... if anyone noticed).

Wish your life was more like mine (bony arms and all)?

Well, Sonlight extends this kind of flexibility to you with a 4-day option in the Instructor's Guides. For most subjects you have the option to make your Fridays even more relaxed than mine without having to rethink anything (you do, however, have to turn your IG pages over to the 4-day schedule printed on the back).

I helped put together some instruction videos on how to assemble your IG if you're at all interested.

They're from a couple years ago, but they give you a visual reference for what I'm talking about. ...on the subject of the 4-day schedule, not my bony arms or taking off early on Friday. Just to be clear <smile>.

So, even if you do a normal day of homeschooling on Fridays, may you have a great rest of the day, a wonderful weekend, and I'll see you all on Monday!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

02/05/2009
Affiliates, Badges, Widgets and Other Things
Over the past couple of days we've been chatting--in the comments here--about getting some cool badges and graphic links for your blogs pointing back to Sonlight.

Well, it turns out that Kristy has had some Sonlight badges available for over a year. Too good to be true? Not at all. Go grab her homemade Sonlight badges now! And if you want to put together your own badges, by all means, do it!

But what if you want an official Sonlight badge? More than that, what if you want to potentially make ~~tons of migs and megs of memories~~ a few coppers? Too good to be true? Almost. But you can sign up and become a Sonlight affiliate and potentially get paid for sharing your Sonlight love. And that's cool!

Sonlight Affiliates

Now you're probably sitting there thinking, 'Luke, you obviously don't know me, man. I don't want to use no stinkin' pictures on my blog. I'm a text only kind of person. None of them fancy jpegs for me! You don't care about my wants.'

Not true at all! In fact, there is a way to spread the joy of homeschooling with all of your friends through personal heartwarming stories from homeschooling parents from around the world. And it's as easy as pushing a button or selecting copy/paste. Too good to be true? Sort of. You need to have a Blogger blog or know how to add an HTML/Java widget to your blog. Look over on the right there...
Yes, right here ----->

Find the Sonlight Moments Widget. If you're on Blogger, click the button. If not, follow the link to the HTML code and paste that into a widget on your own blog.

Wait, there's more! I know you. You're the kind of person who doesn't have time for blogs now that you've discovered Facebook. And so you don't think this post applies to you.

But you're mistaken. That's right: You can become a Fan of Sonlight with a simple click of your mouse. Too good to be true? Nope. Find out how easy it is to become a Fan of Sonlight.

Want more? I totally missed you? Rather not support Sonlight at all? In fact, you loathe Sonlight to your very core?

Tell me about it. There's a cool option to email me. And the comments section is always open (though I won't guarantee that your comment will stay if you spout bile at me <smile>).

And if you're somehow not yet my friend on Facebook, and you don't object too strongly, please add me. I always love more friends <smile>.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

02/04/2009
"Promise Me You'll Eat My Legs"
Mary Grace wrote about the lifeboat value game. I found a slightly less weighted version of the "game" here. The basic premise: How do you choose who lives and who dies if forced to make that choice?

And this "game" is played in public middle schools.

A similar type question was posed in The Dark Knight--for those of you who are fans of that movie: Two ferries, one with women and children, the other with hardened criminals and guards; both have a detonator to the other boat. If neither of them pushes the button, they both blow up at midnight. The clock is ticking.

Mary Grace ties this to our dying society, and I think she makes some excellent points.

Bottom line: We've got to consider our worldview when we think about today's issues.

And today I ran into the opposite worldview on this whole "nurses offering to pray for patients" thing [NB: He drops a couple f-bombs in his post]. In fact, this issue is seen as a much wider political movement aimed at allowing all sorts of crazy things.

Greg

I can see why people would be bothered by medical professionals proselytizing their loved ones on their death bed. I even get the argument of: They wouldn't want me to offer to pray to Satan for them, would they? But offered in true humility, I think prayer is a very good thing.

This post feels really disjointed, and I think that's because I feel all these ideas are connected but I can't synthesize them down to a cohesive point. But if we hope to progress as a society, we must look to love one another, stand up against evil, and offer to give our seat in the lifeboat to someone else. And maybe that's it: The issues in all these instances is pride and misplaced loyalty/focus... because, honestly, who doesn't want to be cared for, who doesn't want to be respected, who doesn't want society to thrive?

I think what we often forget is that, sometimes, we have to offer to get out of boat to make that possible.

And that's a lesson you'll be able to work on much more effectively at home.

With that, I'm getting out of the boat.

Actually, I'm just going home for the evening.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

P.S. Bonus points to the person who knows where the title comes from... since my movie quote was so well accepted yesterday. And, yes, it does apply to today's post <smile>.

02/03/2009
"Run for it, Marty!"
I love that moment in Back to the Future when Doc Brown says, "They found me. I don't know how, but they found me!" Cracks me up [NB: This movie has some language in it, and the quotes page reflects this fact].

And every once in a while someone asks me, "How did you find my blog?"

My answer is typically: I'm not sure. I read a lot of blogs, so maybe I was linked to you. Or perhaps you showed up in my Google Alerts for Sonlight or homeschooling.

So far no one has responded with: Who are you? Big Brother?^*

But that day can't be far off. ...especially since I use Twitter search to see what people are saying about Sonlight there. And sometimes I even respond. I imagine it's quite frightening. You type out a pithy 140 character statement about your homeschooling experience and suddenly this "Luke_Holzmann" guy has responded. Who is he? Why he is watching you? What's going on?

This fear keeps me from replying at times.

Like today:

I started preschool at age 4. I used Sonlight, but I recommend the cheap route: READ and use workbooks http://tinyurl.com/d774ne

I held back, even though I wanted to say: Amazon is not cheaper! We've tested that theory.

<sigh>

I know, I know: If you take the time to scrounge around for used copies--especially of a whole Core--you can make out like a bandit. And I'm thrilled for families who can now experience the joy of Sonlight because of opportunities like these. It just bugs me when people claim we're "expensive" when our packages are cheaper than trying to get the books from other retailers.

But I keep my mouth shut--only sharing my feelings with you, my trusted comrades--and bind my time. The day will come when
I will rule the world! <Bwa hahaha ha!>

...did I just say that out loud?

Come to think of it, perhaps you'd better run for it, Marty!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

^*Though people do come back and ask about my connection to Sonlight. "I am the Media Relations Specialist and my parents founded the company."
Nepotism, friends, I haz it.

...that last part is mostly in jest, but I do feel the pressure of that stereotype.

02/02/2009
Tekel and Other Writing on Walls
"You have been ... found wanting." ~ Daniel 5:27

If I ever see the phrase "Mene, Mene, Tekel, Parsin" scratched into a public bathroom stall's wall, I will laugh. It would be just ironic enough to tickle my funny bone. But there are other times when people express a similar sentiment that isn't nearly so funny. Like the times people say, "You're not man enough to [insert important and manly ability here]." That isn't nice at all.

Of course, the majority of my readers are moms, so that example is not as personally applicable. Let me think.

...Oh! How about:

"You're not old enough to come with us!"

Shortly thereafter you will likely have a sobbing younger sibling to console.

Well, my dad has been lancing a boil of this nature recently on his blog. The claim he has been dealing with is that "Sonlight isn't Christian enough to be counted among the Christian Home Educators of Colorado."

And the overwhelming response?

"I'm so glad Sonlight isn't 'Christian' enough to be part of this group."

It all depends on whose scale you are using. If you are found wanting by someone with whom you disagree, that's not really a big deal. That would be the equivalent of caring about the judgment of the kid sitting in the bathroom stall and defacing public property. On the other hand, if you are found wanting by a group of well-respected people who have a lot of clout when it comes to your future... that's another thing entirely. If the finger of God wrote that, we'd better pay attention.

And so this issue revolves around the question of "What is Christian enough?" Clearly for some people in the homeschooling world, you must have a "metaphysic" that deluges everything you do with an overtly "Christian" message. And I would say that is writing on the other wall. Sonlight isn't like that--check out reasons 15 and 21, for example.

I wouldn't want to be part of a company that is truly found wanting. And while there is always room for improvement, Sonlight Curriculum is still the best^* Christian home education supplier both in Colorado and the world. We're not for everyone, but that's okay.

Sorry, I'm really close to this subject and I felt I needed to toss in my two cents.

I hope tomorrow I don't come in to a bunch of emails and comments telling me how much this post has been found wanting. <smile> Until then!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

^* Just because I'm biased does not mean I'm wrong <smile>.

01/30/2009
...and Now I Have No Time
"Three hundred lives of men I walk this earth and now I have no time."

~Gandalf the White

Okay, so it's more like: "40 hours of work this week, so now I have no time." <smile>

I've been accumulating links this week, so instead of sharing any new deep thoughts of my own I will merely link to other content:

There is now a free online audio Bible available (which is pretty cool, but requires Real Player... <ugh>)

Michele

In other news, the Center for Disease Control set up their very own MySpace page. I wonder how many of my tax dollars went into building that? They currently have 705 friends, which is fairly impressive, but I can't imagine it was worth the money.

Karen

And finally, today's

Kerfuffle: a commotion, esp. one caused by conflicting views

Brought to you by Catherine

...which actually has a lot to do with what my dad has been blogging about recently.

Oh, and I forgot to tell you all about my latest Heart of the Matter article. If you haven't read it, I always like comments over there too <smile>.

Have a great weekend and I'll see you all on Monday!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

01/29/2009
Rinse and Repeat
Ever have those days where you're just doing your thing over and over again, like life is on the "spin cycle" and there's not much more to it than that?

For me: That was today.

Not that I mind repetition much--[aside: my fingers tend to forget that the "ti" in that word is repeated]--but shouldn't life be more? Where's the excitement, the awe? Isn't there more than this?

Even more odd is the fact that I did a wide variety of things today, to the point of almost being overwhelmed. But they still felt like they were part of the overall "spinning" of life. For me it was web corrections, HTML adjustment, email management and... web corrections, HTML...

<spin> <spin> <spin>

...all while watching the clock do it's own spinning, reminding me of my limited time. Based on the blogs I've read, this is how laundry, meal preparation, and diapers are (and I'm probably missing a whole host of other things). I wish I had a brilliant insight, or super encouraging message.

But I don't.

I'm in the same boat.

The same sinking ship.

The same spinning washer [please mentally insert applicable Calvin and Hobbes comic strip].

Sometimes the phrase "tomorrow is another day," isn't that hopeful. On the other hand, the curse of "May your life be interesting" isn't exactly ideal either. And perhaps that's why the teacher said: A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work.

May you find satisfaction in your work, whatever line of work that may be. And if it has to do with your own kids, I'm a little jealous <smile>. Not that I don't find satisfaction in my own job, but that I'm getting antsy about this whole "expectant father" thing....

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

01/28/2009
Smoke, Mirrors, and Photoshop
I worked on some of the web content for Sonlight.com today. I fixed a mislabeled product--one of the math textbook and workbook bundles was listed as just the workbook... and has been for five months--what!?

If you're anything like me, you don't really think about the people behind the websites you browse.

You mean, someone has to make that happen?

It still surprises me even though I've built my fair share of sites. I still live under the impression that the pages I visit are created by perfect machines that don't make mistakes.

Well, I'm not a machine. And I'm far from perfect. But I am pretty good at fixing mistakes if I know what's wrong.

Example: We now offer the 2009 edition of the World Book Encyclopedia DVD for Mac.

World Book 2009

I needed to find a new image for the 2009 edition. World Book's site only had a very small version of the new cover. So, using my "mad Photoshop skills" I went in and fixed it myself. Now when you visit the Sonlight page you are greeted with the 2009 edition image courtesy of yours truly.

We do our best to make Sonlight's site perfect, but we're a bunch of humans over here. I once put out a plea for your feedback on the website, assuring you that the web guys see your comments. I'm now one of those "web guys" and I'll be taking care of some of those issues (if they're easy, like typos <smile>). So, please, if you see something wrong: Let me know!

But remember: Sonlight.com, like every other site, is not much more than smoke, mirrors, and Photoshop holding a little bit of HTML, CSS, and Java together. My hope is that despite the fragile nature of the web, you will find more than enough support, encouragement, and resources for your homeschooling journey. And if there is a way I can help make it even more effective, I want to know.

Even if the website is a virtual space, we're really humans on this side of the modem. And we're here to help you.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

01/27/2009
Rocks and Sand
I'm pretty sure you've heard the Rocks and Sand priorities talk.

Rocks and Sand Priorities

Quick refresher: If you put in the sand first, you can't get all the rocks in. But you can get everything into the jar if you start with the big rocks and then shake the sand in to fill the gaps. Point being: Start with the big priorities and you can make time for everything.

And if you're a motivational speaker, that's nice.

But if you live in the real world, the analogy isn't all that great. See, we have more than enough to do. Everything does not fit perfectly into the jars of our lives. And, yes, the principle holds true and we must start with the big things, but the fact remains: Some days have too many rocks and the sand is just annoying.

That's how today has felt. To make matters worse, the grains of sand had to be dealt with, and that took away time from some of the larger rocks I wanted to move.

Thankfully, there's always tomorrow.

I've been using a lot of "mom-isms" recently, so I'll add another, "There's always more to do." In other words: You'll never be "done" with everything. So when you're out of time and need to move on, do so.

And so I shall.

See you all tomorrow!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

01/26/2009
Whatever Works
Bob complains to Joe, "I'm switching to Blog Pad Xan Press because I'm so fed up with eJournal 404."

"Whatever works," Joe replies with a shrug.

"Whatever works."

What an interesting phrase. Who would, in response to someone's cry for vindication in their choice to change, say, "Eh, stick with what doesn't work"?

No one. At least, no one without ulterior motives.

So, yes, as a reasonable person, I suggest you do "whatever works" for you and your family--especially in the homeschool arena (since this is a homeschool blog and all <smile>). The only caveat I would include would be to make sure you have a good idea of what it means for something to "work" before you pitch it for something else.

One of the good ways to decide if what you are doing is working or not is to set some goals. If you're not hitting those goals, it's likely time for a change.

But there are also pitfalls to pitching things that "don't work." I read a great story about answered prayer today which is very encouraging. It's great when prayer "works," yes?

But what happens when prayer "doesn't work"? We get dejected, disappointed, angry, and perhaps give up on that for something else. After all, we should stick with whatever works, right? Who would fault me for giving up on God after He let me down? Who could tell me, "No, Luke, stick with what's not working"?

Sometimes what appears to be not working still is. The analogy that just popped into my head is my alarm clock. It still works even though it is silent all but ten seconds of the day. It's doing something in the background, even if I have no idea what that is and it does nothing to help me now.

And so, as you consider your homeschooling options, and the extra-curricular opportunities you may have, be careful that you don't stop something that doesn't appear to be working when it actually is.

Because who would want you to stop something that's working?

Not me.

And probably not Bob or Joe either.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

01/23/2009
Studious and Observant
Pop quiz: What did I change on this blog yesterday?

...besides the post and the new Other Posts of Note.

Did you notice?

If you use an RSS reader, you are mostly off the hook--you're still docked half a point for not coming by to comment. ...Wait... eh... that post wasn't that worthy of comments, so you're only docked a quarter point <smile>. Moving on...

I like to fancy myself as observant.

Yet when we were on car trips my younger sister would always be the one to say, "Oh, look! A deer!"

I would peer out the window and see nothing but rocks and trees. My mother would say, "How very observant, Jonelle!" And I, being the very supportive older brother that I am, would sulk.

Then there are those "How good of a detective are you?" pictures. You know, those ones with a bunch of stuff strewn around a room. They let you look at it for a whole minute and then you have to turn it over and answer questions like:

Were the drapes polka dotted or striped?
How much change was on the desk?
When did the old man leave the room?
What were the exact words of the six page essay next to the computer?

Yep. Failed those too.

Using my incredible powers of deduction: I'm not very observant. Oh well, I have other skills, and I am so glad that my parents encouraged me in those and still do to this day. Everyone has different strengths and weaknesses. Instead of using those against each other, we should encourage these different bents and abilities to build one another up.

That's why one of my pet peeves is "boys vs. girls" events. Boys and girls are different. We don't need to drive a wedge further between the genders. Rather, we should start teaching children early on how to bless each other with these differences.

So what did I change?

Email

I added a button so you can email me (right click and select "Copy Email Address" if needed).

It has come to my attention that sometimes my words are less than perfect and you may take issue with how I turn a phrase or something I talk about. Most of you feel comfortable enough to leave a comment, but if you aren't, please email me. I do not want anyone to feel hurt, or belittled, or offended, or... anything negative, and not have a way to let me know.

Please, please email me if I have bothered you and you don't want to leave a comment. I want to make it right. And if my first six responses don't satisfy you, send me another. I don't want to be on your "bad list" because we didn't work something out.

Thank you.

Again, I'm not very observant, so it's taken me a while to realize I needed to add this option. And I apologize.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

01/22/2009
Bogged Down Blogging
I have been able to take on some new responsibilities here at Sonlight. I'm now involved with fixing the website and running some of the emails (such as the Beam). These systems can be really confusing--and rather finicky too--so after a few hours of wrestling today, I still can't get the emails to work.

And that's frustrating.

Granted, there is a learning curve to things. And sometimes that curve is rather steep.

Every once in a while something completely bogs me down.

...like trying to get the system to include the {firstname} string in an email greeting.

It's those little things that just don't seem to be clicking that bring everything to a halt; things like figuring out dinner plans, finding the motivation to mow the lawn, and getting to bed on time. Homeschooling adds another layer of complexity where things can get gummed up: clashing learning styles, stubborn children, or elements of your curriculum that just aren't working.

Those days are killer.

My mom would always tell me not to allow myself to get bogged down.

Such an admonition rarely helped. Instead, I would just sit there and beat my head--mostly metaphorically--against the assignment. I wouldn't take a break as she suggested. No. I needed to figure this out. I needed to get it done.

The best practice when you're bogged down is, not surprisingly, to take a break for a bit. After awhile, come back and reevaluate the situation and your options. Perhaps it's time to try a new math program (I switched when I hit Algebra because the program I was using bored me to the point of apathy). Maybe you need to switch to another level of reading (to find something your children really enjoy). Perhaps this book just isn't right for your family (there are many more books out there <smile>).

And homeschooling is flexible enough to let you just stop for a day and sit in the grass, play in the snow, or experience the beauty of watching your children mature. There's no need to stay stuck in the bog of frustration.

Instead, treasure that time. Consider it a blessing that you have the opportunity to get bogged down and do something positive instead.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

01/21/2009
Choose Your Words Carefully
Today was filled with reminders that how we phrase things is extremely important.

It started with the significant backlash I've seen against Rev. Lowery's racial remarks at the end his benediction during the inauguration.

Then I saw a fun example of how meaning changes when you move a word within a sentence.

After that, I read my dad's post about CHEC banning Sonlight from their convention.

And finally I had to respond to a person on my blog whom I had unintentionally offended. In fact, over the past week, I've been told by a couple people that a few of my word choices were potentially offensive or easily misinterpreted. Sometimes I fix those errors, and sometimes I leave them and plan to apologize if someone is bothered.

The two quick reminders from this that I am still learning:

1. Be careful how you phrase things.
2. Be ready to apologize when you are misunderstood.

That's what I've been thinking about today. I hope I am growing in this area as well.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

01/20/2009
Inaugurated Eschatology
...and transworld depravity.

As our next President begins his first term today, I am brought back to my college Bible classes. One of those "two dollar phrases" we learned was Inaugurated Eschatology: The Kingdom of God is here, but not yet. It has started to impact the world, but it has not been completely realized.

The other phrase was "transworld depravity"--the idea that every possible world would eventually succumb to evil--which has very little to do with today's topic.

"Transubstantiation" is also a fun one to throw around. ...moving on:

Has history been made today? Has the world changed?

Yes... and no. Each day is a new day; another opportunity to grow, learn, and impact others for good. On the other hand, the sun also rises. Yes, there has been change. And the change is distinct from other days. But every day brings about change. And yet the world is somewhat constant.

Which is why there will still be problems tomorrow when I get up.

And there will still be problem four years from now. Some issues may have been cleared up, and others will likely have been added. And even though President Obama is no messiah, he does share a commonality with Christ: He has been inaugurated and so he has begun his role.

But the world still has pain and suffering. Problems abound. And I will admit to more than a little frustration with the state of our depraved world of which I am a part. It really bothers me that I am not perfect--more because of the grief it causes me than any remorse I have at my condition, which further signifies my depravity <smile>--and I struggle to deal with the imperfect people in my life. Why can't it just all be better? Why hasn't the world been completely changed for good?

Because we're still in process. I am. You are. And so are your ~~monsters~~ ~~angels~~ children. We have yet to become who we are supposed to be.

And so, as you consider the historical inauguration today, remember that tomorrow has equal opportunity to bring about change for the future as you interact with those around you, whether they are exhibiting signs of transworld depravity or an inaugurated eschatology.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

01/19/2009
Anti-Inflamatory

Ibuprofen shamelessly traced from Wikipedia

When I was in Cross Country way back in my high school days, I had shin splints. After my races I would pop a few ibuprofen to reduce swelling and keep the pain at bay^*. Unfortunately, since digital cameras weren't really ubiquitous back those olden days, I don't have a picture of my huge Costco bottle of ibuprofen I had stashed away in my bag. But I had one. It was large.

So it was rather surprising to hear about a 13-year old girl who was strip searched for allegedly carrying the stuff.

Mrs. Sprinkles

[Assumes his best magician's voice] "I will now attempt to connect this story with today's holiday."

[Audience gasps in anticipation]

There are problems in this crazy world. And to make these issues right we can either work to correct them peacefully or we can resort to more... physical approaches. Martin Luther King, Jr. worked to bring about change in the area of civil rights via non-violent means. But this didn't mean that people weren't angry with him.

Not by a long shot.

We can learn a lot from this great man who brought about much needed change for the better. But much like my shin splints, these problems don't go away quickly. And yet, often, the least inflammatory methods of resolving issues are best.

Having a girl remove her clothes under the suspicion of carrying prescription drugs isn't exactly anti-inflammatory.

I would not want to draw a parallel between the problems of racism and the drug trade in our nation--as they are very different social ills and have very different impacts--yet, I wonder, what Dr. King would suggest as the more appropriate means to dealing with substances in a "zero tolerance" environment. Because, yes, if you are in a culture that has explicitly stated that any drug--even ibuprofen--will not be tolerated at all, then something must be done when these drugs turn up.

May we all gain a more gracious, yet firm and shrewd, approach to the social ills around us. May we take a cue from the courage of Dr. King who stood up for what was right, despite the threats to his life. And may we find a better, and anti-inflammatory, way of dealing with illicit substances.

...for many of us here, that way is through homeschooling where ibuprofen can be handed out like so much dependence inducing candy.

[The sound of scattered applause quickly fades as the handkerchief slips from the sleeve]

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

^*Turns out that "at bay" technically means cornered (forced to face attackers), and seems to have since developed into the idiomatic phrase meaning to keep away. I had no idea.

01/16/2009
Terrorists
People complain that V for Vendetta glorifies terrorists, promotes anarchy, and touts violence as the solution to the world's problems.

Munich cautions against using retaliation as a means to get justice.

And today I got to thinking back on American history.

In coming to the Americas "we" didn't exactly treat the Native Americans very well. In fact, many of the things "we" did were downright evil. And yet, for the most part, we let those things slide in favor of where we are today. Let's not rock the boat. And since no viable solution seems to exist, we acknowledge the wrongdoing but decide we can't really do anything more.

Then we start getting pushed around by "our" king, and decide we would rather have a say in our taxes and laws. So "we" rebel, employ some guerrilla tactics for a while, do a few public demonstrations, and eventually make enough of a nuisance of ourselves--and kill enough people--that "we" gain "our" freedom.

[Aside: I will now dispense with the "we"s and "our"s. I just wanted to make it clear that I realize that we weren't alive then, so the "we"s are much more in the informal Royal We sense... which, in reality, makes no sense, but I'm doing my best here, people.

If you are lost, please ignore this aside. I'm just reveling in the cleverness of me <smile>]

After that, some upstarts in the lower regions start making a stink about taxes and other stuff, and the upper regions start taking an interest in productivity, manpower, and the unwritten rules of our nation. This leads to war, death, and destruction.

Eventually something happens and a couple tall buildings come down, killing friends, family members, and doing a tremendous amount of harm.

And so I ask:

1. Who are the terrorists?
"V for Vendetta" points out: One man's terrorist is another's freedom fighter.

2. What are "proper warfare" tactics?
History seems to imply: Whatever was used by the winning side to win.

Which brings us to the quote that goes something like:
He who wins writes the history.

So what's with this horribly simplified--and quite possibly errant--synopsis of American history? Well, today I came across this and this after reading my feed from here (the blog of which I am no longer able to read, so if you're the author, I'd love to be on your "approved reader list" again). There are also several heated threads on the Sonlight Forums discussing the Israeli/Palestinian conflict.

I've read the threads and considered the comments. I've also heard bits and pieces from "the media." But the only personal experience I have in this area is with a friend of mine who recently visited Israel. He brought me back this shirt:

Free Palestine

He said he couldn't believe how poorly the Palestinians were treated and, he admitted, he wasn't too fond of the Israelis he encountered. From the descriptions he gave me of how things were over there, I was happy to wear to the shirt and support people who were mistreated.

At the same time, I realize that terrorists groups are very real in that part of the world. I know Israel has been picked on for a long, long time. I "get" the hatred, especially since I've spent time with a couple guys from my church who had a hard time learning to get along because one is a Jewish background believer and the other is a Muslim background believer. They know the tension and issues first hand.

So, what do we make of all this?

I don't know. And so far, I have yet to talk to someone who really does. But as I look back on history, the world is only black and white if you listen to the history written by the victorious. When those powers are no longer in charge, history tends to be less glowing in their favor.

Just a few musings from my trip around the world via the blogosphere.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

01/15/2009
Learn It and You'll Use It
My mother always told me that I would use everything I learn.

She probably said this when I was complaining about some subject that I wasn't entirely enjoying. I'm just sayin'.

But despite my protests, this has proven to be true. While interning with Toshiba, I was put in charge of rebuilding a training course in Spanish. Why? Because I had studied Spanish and so I "spoke" the language better than anyone else in the office... including my two ethnically Latino coworkers who only spoke English. I found it annoyingly ironic then.

I find it fascinating now.

Psychology tells us that we must "use it or lose it." And there is evidence that supports this on a biological level. But there is another law that seems to be at work--a law my mother knew way back in my early years of homeschooling: Learn it and you'll use it.

To this day, if forced to speak Spanish, I can't do much more than ask directions to a bathroom. Worse still, I have about a fifty-fifty shot at understanding the response. But even with my rather pathetic foreign language skills, I was able to complete a translation project in a language I hadn't touched in over four years.

In another example: I took a single drafting course in High School. I still use that knowledge to sketch diagrams now and again.

Beast's Castle: Jr. Year of High School

And today I added another aspect to my job description: Web content management for Sonlight.com. They're starting me off small with fixing typos and moving articles around. But eventually I'll start writing and posting content on Sonlight's site (and then fixing my typos after that <smile>).

When did I learn HTML and the other skills I need for this? On my own. In college. For fun.

And so once again, I learned something that had nothing to do with my major, my goals, or my interests but is now a nascent ability that has brought me to where I am today.

The same is true of you and your children. May this encourage you when you are wrestling with a subject that just isn't "clicking." May this inspire you as you consider your opportunities to study various subjects. And may this free you to enjoy the wonder and awe of life.

...because no matter what you learn, you'll end up using it somewhere.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

Nascent: emerging; just coming into existence

Brought to you by Mrs. Sprinkles

01/14/2009
What's Better Than a Wii?
I got this in a forward a week ago:

My two youngest have watched the Mathtacular DVDs 1 and 2 over and over. Well, the new 3rd edition came out so I immediately ordered it as they are wonderful supplements to any math curriculum. Christmas came and the children received a Wii from Grandma and Grandpa but what do my two youngest enjoy most and actually choose to do over the Wii - watch Justin!!!!

Fantastic! I'm glad that my children are more interested in MathTacular than the "amusement box."

THANK YOU.

Heidi F.

I must admit that every time I hear things like this I find them hard to believe. It floors me that I have been involved in producing content that is the "favorite movie" of kids all around the world. "My" DVD can bring more joy than Nintendo?

Several years ago, right out of film school, I planned to produce movies that would impact viewers worldwide. Toward this end I started my own production company. I still have the website, but it has never gone anywhere. And so after a year of struggling to find clients I gave up.

That started me producing media almost exclusively for Sonlight. Sure, I was making educational videos, but my dream had died. Everything I had worked toward had fallen through.

Today, for the first time, I finally put two and two together:
I've produced media that have impacted children worldwide.

So, in a sense, my dream came true--yes, I know, I'm dense because I didn't realize this sooner. But my dream didn't come true in the way I expected at all. The same is true, I believe, of our adoption journey: We expected to get pregnant, but didn't. Now we are on a path to another way for that dream to come true.

It hasn't been easy. It isn't easy now.

But it's good.

So what's better than a Wii?

Well, the MathTacular DVDs are one of those things.

But more than that: The profoundly odd way that life so often turns so that tragedy becomes a dream come true.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

01/13/2009
Do You Know How Much Gender Matters?
I blog about Sonlight here.

Not surprising since that's what this blog is all about.

But if there's one other topic that I've blogged or commented about more than all the others it is the book Why Gender Matters by Dr. Sax. Sometimes it gets so bad that I feel like a poster boy for Dr. Sax's work. Not that I feel bad about that.

My wife's mom sent us a copy because she thought it was interesting, so we started reading it.

And we almost couldn't put it down.

Page after page of information that we had never heard about innate differences between boys and girls. And we had both had excellent psychology classes, Brittany was an education major, and I consider myself fairly well informed. But this book completely blew us away.

Just a few "teasers":

Boys have a different makeup of photoreceptor cells than girls. Boys have fewer cones in favor of more rods. This means that girls are better at seeing color and texture, but boys are better at detecting motion. It makes sense, then, why girls use lots of colors and paint objects (people and flowers), whereas boys tend to be monochromatic and draw actions (like a rocket smashing into the earth).

Boys don't hear as well as girls. This makes it hard for boys sitting the back of a classroom taught by a woman. And it also means that girls can feel like a male teacher is constantly yelling at them.

Speaking of teachers: Girls see connection with a teacher as a status symbol--a good thing. Boys, on the other hand, see asking a teacher for help as a bad thing. Thus, when a girl asks her male physics teacher for help on the second day of class, he assumes she already spent ten hours beating her head against the assignment (as he would have done in school), and incorrectly conclude that she isn't capable of handling the topic.

Mothers also misunderstand that for boys doing something dangerous is a good thing. The mother, looking back on her own childhood, recalls that her friends thought doing dangerous things was foolish, and tells her son the same. Little does she realize that her son wants to ride his bike off the roof because it is dangerous... something his sister would never do.

...that kind of thing.

On every single page.

After reading Why Gender Matters, I have come to the strong belief that if you interact with children at all, this should be required reading. If this book isn't on your reading list for 2009--and you have yet to read it--you need to.

If you don't feel like it's worth buying yet, get it from the library (and scold them if they don't have it on hand, unless it's checked out <smile>). After you've read the first two chapters or so, you'll be back to buy it.

Seriously: Why Gender Matters is that good. That's why Sonlight started carrying it--on my recommendation <beams with pride>.

Don't just take my word for it, see what others are saying.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

01/12/2009
The Difference of a Day
The blogosphere has included a fair number of posts about 24 in the recent days. I've only seen the first season, but I actually got to edit the pilot episode as an exercise while in film school. In other words, I don't know all that much about Jack Bauer. I do know that he's saved the world a few times in a couple twenty-four hour periods.

Which is great.

But my life isn't like that at all.

Granted, I don't work for the CTU and my name isn't Jack--which means I'm not a doctor either. So, maybe that's what's holding me back from greatness. I mean, it's been a long time since a Luke did anything super important--like bring balance to the universe.

No, my life is rather mundane. I have a pretty wife, but she doesn't work for the CIA. I don't have kids as they are currently in Kyrgyzstan. We have a pet rat, but, doesn't everybody?

In fact, most days are predictable and devoid of much more than bad weather to mix things up. I'm glad for that, in many ways. I like routine and consistency. Sure, I want a bit more--like kids--to be part of my life, but I don't need to be diffusing bombs with computer viruses, performing blood transfusions with sea urchin spikes, or saving my daughter from a cougar.

But I do want my life to be meaningful and important. And I find myself thinking that if I was just in this or that "place in life"--then, then I would be important. Then I could make a difference.

The problem is that such thinking can distract me from focusing on what I should be doing, and working on the aspects of my life that do make a difference. Nothing huge, but important. How I treat my friends, how I talk with my wife, how I go about my work... all of those things have huge implications for my life and the lives of those around me.

Every day.

So, whether you're changing diapers, pushing papers, or waiting on a government agency, don't forget:

Even Jack Bauer has to sleep sometimes.

And often the greatest heroes go unsung every single day.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

01/09/2009
Words for Today
I'm adding a new feature to my blog: A Word of the Day!

As I come across words with which I am unfamiliar I will post them here. So, this will certainly not be every day--as I have some semblance of a vocabulary--but I've run across enough blogs with words that are either new to me or had slipped from my usage. This is my attempt to continue my life-long education.

Miasma: an unwholesome atmosphere; unhealthy vapors

Brought to you by Angela

Yes, I shamelessly used Sonlight's logo, but I needed an image of a book and it works very well. At least, I think so <smile>.

Now, I know that I just wrote about how we must be wary of statistics and reports. On the other hand, we shouldn't ignore them either. And it is at least interesting--if nothing else--that studies show that daycare may not be good for kids. In fact, the more time young children spend away from their mothers, the more likely they are to exhibit agression and disobedience... potentially.

Jess

If this turns out to be a verifiable fact, it wouldn't surprise me. I can think of many reasons why being put into a system is less than beneficial for a child's development. In fact, my dad loves telling about the time a librarian commented on how homeschoolers were vastly different from public schooled children. Instead of shuffling up to the desk and stating, "I need some help," homeschooled children would frequently wait until she was done with her task, look her in the eye and say, "Would you help me, please?"

Granted, I know children--even of homeschoolers--aren't always that perfect. There is plenty of evidence of this out here on the blogosphere. And so if it turns out that further studies prove there isn't a big difference in the miasma surrounding kids at home vs. those in group care options, I'll be okay with that. But my guess is that, at minimum, the amount of positive time parents spend with their children does dramatically influence their behavioral norms.

So whether you homeschool or not, be sure to spend some time with your children today.

And if you're of the praying persuasion, I would appreciate any prayers for our children still stuck in Kyrgyzstan... as we can't currently spend time with them.

If you're more of the thinking type, I welcome your thoughts as well <smile>.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

01/08/2009
Phthalates
It's amazing to me how we learn about things. I mean, "bailout" wasn't part of my vocabulary until recently. And it appears that another word will soon be added to my growing internal dictionary...

Ever heard of a phthalate before?

Well, there are currently 14 posts in my reader that talk about them.

Why? Because of the CPSIA--which is currently sparking a wildfire of rants and questions from people all over the nation wondering how we will be affected by this rather vague and poorly constructed law.

I have not had time--nor do I think I ever will--to actually read this law and all the commentary on the subject. But it sure has other people worried, and confused. For example:

Here's the latest news that still has people scratching their heads.

What does this mean for Sonlight?

What does it mean for homeschoolers everywhere?

How do we test for phthalates anyway?

I don't have answers, but I'm keeping my eyes and ears open. I definitely don't want to be broadsided by this in a month.

The one bit of good news is that someone far smarter and more versed in the law is checking into it here at Sonlight. I don't know what I'll be able to pass on, but if I hear anything that is postable, I'll be sure to keep you all informed.

Until then, it may be time to start teaching your children about phthalates and remind them not to eat paint chips that haven't been tested under the CPSIA regulations.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

01/07/2009
"Time Isn't Fair"
Today started off bad and didn't get better.

I'm not exactly depressed or upset, but things just haven't been good. Even so, I've keep my smile most of the time.

We'll see if I cry tonight.

I had a ~~fight~~ discussion with Brittany this morning, which took time out of my morning routine. This made me "late" for work [read: I came in at 7:30 instead of 6:30], and started things off on a less than pleasant note. Toward the end of our conversation, as I was heading out the door, I asked, "Why does time fly when I don't have any?"

"Because time isn't fair," my wise wife replied.

I noted that fact and tucked it away for a blog post later.

Two hours later, during our large group meeting, we got news that shattered morale. Not fun, but not public information either. Sorry.

We've long known that life isn't fair. That's one of those lessons that we learn early on but only apply toward things working against us. We rarely remember or notice when life has been unjust in our favor.

We've also known that time is a sneaky creature as well: He never waits for us and he moves more quickly when we're enjoying ourselves. He also runs away when we could really use him. Yet I had never heard, until this morning, that time itself is unfair.

Many research claims aren't exactly fair either. My mom sent me a link to an article that says homeschoolers do better academically than their public schooled peers, suggesting that I remind parents "that homeschooling works." And homeschooling absolutely does work.

Homeschooling is great!

But I've read very fascinating articles that point out that such statistics are horribly skewed. Milton Gaither points out that if we

control for variables like family income, race, and parent educational attainment level when making comparisons with the general population ...homeschoolers usually come out looking more average on things like standardized tests and college matriculation.

Mr. Gaither further responds to the report linked in the article above by saying:

What [Mr. Ray] ought to be saying and what other journalists and pundits who use his studies ought to be saying is not that homeschoolers outperform public schoolers. They ought to be saying that some middle-class, white, two-parent, conservative Protestant homeschoolers who volunteered for a research study that was pitched to them as a great opportunity to show off homeschooler success to the public, score in the 80th percentile or above on standardized tests.

So, yes, my mom is absolutely right: Homeschooling works. It works at least as well as any other educational system available.

Is it statistically 30% better than average?

That has, as far as I know, yet to be empirically demonstrated.

But time isn't playing fair again, and I must leave this post for now. Just remember: Just because someone has data or some other "proof," they may not be playing fair either. The difficulty is getting to the truth, since none of us are completely fair.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

01/06/2009
Connotations, Definitions, and Inferences
Words have different connotations, which can cause miscommunication. For instance, if I were to say, "Would you leave a comment on my blog, please," that could be taken as a genuine cry for help or as a mean/whiny demand for attention. (Please feel no need to express which you think I tend to employ <smile>)

Words often have different primary definitions for people as well. For example, if I say, "It's time for bed!" I think, 'Hurray, we get to go to sleep,' but Brittany thinks, 'He's rushing off to leave me laying awake and alone all night.'

It's a significant area of tension in our relationship.

But even knowing of these different approaches to words, sometimes I'm still thrown off when I read other blogs. Today, while catching up on Pamela's blog, I read the following:

I don't have all the books we need [for this semester of school]. I do have the curriculum and all the teacher things, but not the books.

I re-read the sentence because there had to be a typo. How in the world can you have "curriculum" and your required teaching tools and not have books?

And then it hit me: Some people define "curriculum" in a completely different way than I do.

Shocking. I know. But for me, with my Sonlight background, "curriculum" is a pile of books. Sure, curriculum also includes the science kits and the Instructor's Guides, but Sonlight's curriculum is books.

And this is the first time that I've been able to understand why places like Ambleside bother me so much: They claim to be "free curriculum" without giving you anything more than a schedule and a booklist. "That's not curriculum!" I retort.

Yet, for some people, it is. That's their definition. The connotation of curriculum for many families is the method/approach/system they will use as they educate their children. And I can see that. In fact, saying that we're a "Sonlight family" means exactly that. So it's really not that Ambleside provides great schedules and resources for so many families that gets under my skin. That's not it at all. Rather, it's the inference that can be drawn when you read about "free curriculum" that bugs me.

See, if you can get "free curriculum" at this site or you can pay for your curriculum at this site... why would you pay for curriculum at all? That inference bothers me because that's comparing apples to oranges (to borrow the colloquialism). One is an outline with recommended resources, the other is a package of books and materials. The inference is all wrong.

If we were comparing, say, Office to Open Office... well, then we could make such an inference: They are very, very similar--just one is open source and free and the other is not.

I guess I don't really have anything else to say about this. I just made a connection that I hadn't quite been able to put into words before now. Thanks for reading.

The vocabulary lesson is now over. The words we learned today are:

Connotation
Definition
Inference
Colloquialism
and, um... linebacker

"You know, education at its finest."

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

01/05/2009
"Random" Stuff
It amuses me when people say something and then add that it was "totally random."

Umm, no. Your brain made very specific jumps--even if you didn't follow them--to get you from wherever we were a moment ago to the where we are now. It may appear random to those who didn't follow all those jumps, but it was anything but.

In fact, one of my wife's favorite Pinky and the Brain episodes explores this very idea.

Where was I?

Oh yes: This post may appear random but is, in fact, a bunch of smaller bits that were too disjointed to fit into a cohesive post... hence: "Random."

-----
The latest winner of the Digital Flatline contest has been determined. This contest was for Sonlight students to create six icons with the theme of Christmas. You can see all the entrees here, but the winner was Meredith:

Congratulations, Meredith!

-----
I'm thrilled with the response I've had from my post on Friday. What fun!

-----
I love hearing about homeschool dads who discover the joy of reading with their kids. I must admit that sometimes I'm rather grumpy about reading to Brittany because reading can make me really tired. But whenever I'm reading a great book, I'm reminded of the joy of reading aloud to others. It is a blast!

-----
I'm pretty sure I signed my tithe check 1/4/08 yesterday.

Oops.

-----
Nevil was so excited about getting to his food last night that he ran down my arm and fell off. In the process he ripped off half my arm trying to stay on. I have a rather nasty scrape, the origin of which I could not figure out this morning.

Ouch

-----
That's it for the moment. I don't have much time to write today. Sorry. But there is plenty of material to read in my Other Posts of Note, in case you forgot that was there <smile>.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

01/02/2009
Cost Effective: Public School or Sonlight?
Which method of education is more cost-effective: Sonlight or your local Public School?

Which is less expensive?

Well, we all know Sonlight is a rather high-priced option in the homeschooling world, it's true. That is due to the many great books that come in every package, and we do our best to make the price tag worthwhile beyond the great resources by offering world class support and fantastic guarantees. Even so, Sonlight is one of the most expensive homeschool curriculum options. I quickly poked around and found that the Sonlight Newcomer 5s are the most expensive packages Sonlight offers at around $1,200.

If you have more than one child, your cost will be split between them making it much more viable for larger families. Plus, you're building an incredible library and all those other benefits Sonlight users rave about.

The fact remains: $1,200 for a year's worth of curriculum from Sonlight.

So how much does your local public school spend per child?

I did a quick search and found that in 2006 public schools spent over $9,100 per student.

Almost eight times as much as Sonlight's most expensive package today.

Eight.

Then I read an article that suggests that, realistically, the number should be closer to $25,000 per child.

Over twenty times as much.

And yet we hear, over and over again, that the public educational system doesn't have enough money; we need to increase our educational budget; our teachers are underpaid; our schools aren't given enough resources to properly educate our children. If any of those are true, I want to know where the money is going.

When I was in high school I had to buy some of my books. And the texts offered by the school were worn out and I certainly didn't get to keep them. So what did I get for all that money?

Does "socialization" really cost that much?

The system is deeply flawed somewhere.

I'd really like someone to fix it.

Here's the post that got me thinking about this today. Be sure to watch the video if you've got five minutes and then, perhaps, do some research about your local school system's budget.

It certainly is eye-opening.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

P.S. If you're interested, my latest article is up on Heart of the Matter as well.

01/01/2009
Happy New Year!
From our peeps to yours.

Justin and Me

Winged Helm, Crown, Pirate Hat, Mars Rover, Feather Cap, Box, Crown

What's with the hats? Learn more on Brittany's blog.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

12/31/2008
Social Control
Okay, friends: Time for a test. Fear not, this is only a test. If this were the real deal my hope would be that you wouldn't even notice and would mindlessly participate. But, for this one time only, I'm going let you retain your conscious control over your will and ask you to do something for me.

Click It! please

Oh, I see how it is.

You prefer those ubiquitous "text links," do you? Well, since I'm such a nice guy, please feel free to click here instead.

If you clicked both, that's okay.

Not ideal, but okay.

No, really, don't worry. You didn't exactly destroy my test. I mean, I'm not totally sure how bad it would be if you did, but it's okay. I mean, it's my test and everything, so if it breaks down it's not your fault... exactly.

What? You're one of those people who wants to know what's going on before you do anything, are you?

Perhaps you're one of those really web savvy peoples who noticed that the url for those link is "http://www.sonlight.com/am.php?081231test" and you're suspicious of me. 'Where is he taking me?' you wonder. 'Is it one of those virus thingies?'

No, this is just a little test thing for a tracking system Sonlight uses to see how effective our writing is. In other words: The "man" is coming after me and I have to prove myself a worthy opponent, and I need your help! By clicking on the click here links you are enabling me to test my use of link codes which lab rats and typewriter equipped monkeys will tabulate, the results of which will determine if I need to be replaced by said monkeys and lab rats.

And you don't want to start reading posts by a monkey, do you?

I don't.

So, please, for the love of my blogging, click here. The link should open a new window/tab and you'll be able to come right back.

Thank you.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

...wait, you didn't click all of those, did you!? <smile>

P.S. For those looking for a practical application for this inane post... umm... I've got nothing, and I hope you leave a comment with some brilliant connection to the real world.

12/30/2008
Battlestar and Education
After watching another cool episode of Battlestar^* with Jason last night, we got to talking about social ills and the solutions to them. Granted, our conversation drifted everywhere from the shortcomings of extreme Libertarianism to frustration due to the modern job market. But one of the questions raised by the show was that of class distinctions in the workforce. Due to the fleet's situation, people were being forced into certain classes and job opportunities from which there was no real hope of breaking free for the next generation.

The class distinction naturally existed in this fictitious world--and, to a lesser degree, in ours as well--and so we are left with the question of what can be done about these discrepancies. Our society certainly balks at the idea of ridged social strata, but how do we keep classes open?

Why, with education, of course.

"Education," however, is a tricky thing. Learning is a profoundly individual experience and the goals, aspirations, and focus varies greatly for each organization and person. The moment you move beyond the three basics--reading, writing, and arithmetic--people get into serious disagreement.

And then there's the question of means: How do we provide adequate education for everyone? Homeschooling is not, sadly, for everyone. Every public option suffers from a class hierarchy of its own, and in many cases is far from ideal. And private, "free market" based options are not accessible to those seeking to break out of the lowest classes.

Philanthropy is certainly one very powerful tool, as demonstrated by the wonderful success of the Rice Bag project which will transform the lives of well over 7,000 women (as well as their families) in India.

I don't really have any complete answers to these issues. And that's probably why I enjoy shows like Battlestar Galactica: They create a world that allows us to explore the more foundational aspects of our lives and consider how, perhaps, we should live differently.

May your educational endeavors--no matter what they are--bring you and your children to where you should be.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

*NB: Battlestar Galactica has quite a bit of content that is not suitable for children and may be outside the bounds of propriety for your family.

12/29/2008
Mental Fixations
Announcement: My wife is starting up her own blog to try to get some more routine into her life. I'd love it if you popped over there and gave her some encouragement as she gets going <smile>.
Thanks!

-----

I don't know about you, but sometimes I'm going along in my day thinking about the wonderful topics I could post about and then suddenly my mind gets stuck on some topic and I just can't shake it.

That just happened to me.

Take a minute and think about this music video (if you didn't on Friday).

I had no idea this song is actually a "Christmas standard" ... I'm so ignorant.

And while I can see this song/video as an anti-war bit, I found the (perceived?/implied?/assumed?/intended?) message to be rather negative toward Christianity. Especially with a quote supposedly from Gandhi: An eye for an eye will make us all blind.

But as I watched the video I felt a certain... exuberance and sorrow. Christmas--God coming to dwell among us to later sacrifice Himself for us--is the only solution to the problems so graphically recorded in the video. So for me, any kind of "just choose not to fight" ideologies that may have been intended by the filmmaker are shown to be futile. Christ is the only solution to these problems, and just because peace may be something we want, that does not mean that we can simply have it by wanting it. Evil continues, even--especially?--if we stand back.

And the quote is horribly wrong. We would only all be blind if we allowed evil men to poke out everyone's eye and only then decided to exact justice. And that's often why we fight wars: With the hope of eradicating injustice (or at least tipping it in our favor). I don't go around poking people's eyes out, so assuming nobody came to do it to me, I, at least, could be king in the land of the blind. I think the point of the quote is closer to the heart of another quote: If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. But that is not the entirety of wisdom surrounding how to respond to evil.

War is a gruesome thing. People are evil.

We can't stop that simply by wishing everyone a merry Christmas, even if your name is John Lennon.

But Christmas is a reminder of what ultimately will end war... right after a last great big one.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

12/26/2008
The Quiet After the Storm
I've been rather alone here at Sonlight today.

Alone in the Cube Maze

Most people took the day off to extend their holiday and recuperate from the madness, so I think there's only two other people in this quarter of the building.

It's relatively quiet.

Email has also been rather devoid of chatter.

And that's not a bad thing at all.

I'm still not on top of everything again, but I no longer feel like I'm drowning in missed information and a sea of deadlines. This holiday season has been filled with travel and time with family. This has meant that I haven't been in the office as much as my routine personality would prefer.

I don't mind working on the road on borrowed computers, but there's something about working in my familiar environments on my own machines that I miss terribly when I'm away.

"Home is where my computer is plugged in and turned on."

I've said that often.

So whether you're still on a break, recovering from an eggnog overdose, cleaning up the dishes from last night, back to work, or doing school today... may you find rest and peace. May you also get done with everything you need to do before the weekend, even if that is three more naps.

Taking a break is a good thing.

Stopping by to say, "Hi," to a friend trapped in a maze of cubicles is nice too <smile>.

See you all on Monday!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

P.S. I'd be interested in your thoughts on this if you've got five minutes to watch a video and jot down your two cents.

12/25/2008
Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

From our family to yours.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

12/24/2008
Family Portrait
We just had our picture taken with the whole family.

We did it last year too, and I think they turned out nice--despite little ones who don't understand the concept of looking at a camera or smiling. Today, with two babies, was little different.

And even though I can't find all the links now, I know others have blogged about the experience that is a family photo. I certainly remember the days when I was younger and we had to stand for what felt like hours in unnatural clothes and smile. Smile because "we're a happy family, dangit!" And I know I've seen a few "this is what my kids looked like right before we snapped this perfect picture" comparisons out there.

And isn't that how life so often is? We're not really trying to lie about our lives, we're just trying to make ourselves presentable.

But there are things about all of us--unless you're one of those annoying perfect people--that really are less than ideal. And even in my very close, happy, love-being-together family, there's some drama now and again.

This reminds me of the "Family Portrait" song by Pink. I am so thankful that I have such a loving and close family, but I know there are many people who don't have such a thing; where holidays are terrible experiences fully of pain, anger, or reminders of loss.

May we all reach out with love to one another, both in our families and out, so that the next time we take a picture our smiles are even more genuine whether we're in an itchy turtleneck or not.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

12/23/2008
Educate, Not Indoctrinate
Sorry this post is so late today.

Throughout this busy/packed day, I have been thinking about a few ideas and beliefs that I do no agree with. The problem is that I don't have a particularly good way of disagreeing.

See, these purported truths are part of these people's internal... "doctrines"--personal beliefs?--that are founded on little more than the fact that others whom they trust have told them the idea is true.

And how do we challenge such a thing?

How should we?

With education.

And I don't mean: Let's educate them with the opposite bias.

That's for the "scientific" community, the religious cults, and totalitarian governments. That is not where we, as seekers of reality and truth, begin when we approach topics with which we disagree or find implausible.

Rather, we seek out as much information as possible. We try to see all sides. We ask for the best arguments, the most informed reasoning, and the clearest explanations. In essence we look for the truth by asking questions and trying to learn.

Because what is true should eventually surface.

And that is why Sonlight has long held a focus on trying to educate, not indoctrinate.

Not that doctrine, or a belief held because they are considered true by trustworthy people, is a bad thing. But doctrine should be accepted with a constant eye on the detractors. What do those who hold differently say?

They may never come up with anything convincing themselves, but the more educated we are about the arguments, the firmer we can be in our beliefs.

And that's one of the many reasons why Sonlight continues to encourage questions. You can read more about these kinds of thoughts in reasons 11, 12, and 15 in Sonlight's reasons not to buy from Sonlight.

I do my best to ask questions, especially when I disagree with someone, and not just write them off as stupid, deluded, or an &*$!@%# retard... all of which I have heard very "intelligent" people use as reasons for another's dissension.

May you be more winsome and wise in your rebuttals and remarks.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

12/22/2008
Sleep, Stories, and Memory
My wife finds all sorts of interesting podcasts. One that is particularly fascinating (and educational) is RadioLab. This podcast/show covers questions like Why did the War of Worlds Work? and topics like the birth of the modern zoo. They are very fascinating, but sometimes cover topics that may not be appropriate for younger ears.

One of the most fascinating episodes is on sleep. I'm going to recommend you listen to it instead of tell you all about it. But at the end of the show they begin to speculate why our dreams are so vivid, so linear, so... story-like. One of the professors speculates that, for whatever reason, we remember, learn, and process things better if they are in a story form... even in our sleep.

Stories--not just ideas, facts, figures, or even concepts--stick in our minds, help us remember, and allow us to learn.

It is little wonder then why the arguably greatest teacher of all time used stories to teach His lessons, and didn't just tell us the bullet points we needed to remember.

The same is true of the lessons of Dr. Seuss, which I've heard most people can recall even in college.

Sonlight has utilized a literature-based approach to education from the very beginning. In fact, there are several articles on Sonlight's site about why literature is a great way to learn. And now, Radiolab gives us another reason to be confident in this educational model.

May all your proteins be properly folded. (Give it a listen to learn more.)

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

12/19/2008
I Joined the 21st Century!
I'm a "Social Media Specialist" so I've been up on Blogging, Facebook, Twitter and many other things for a long while now. I'm also a media guy, so I'm up on HDV, P2, and h.264 compression as well. I also have some "state of the art" computer and camera technology.

[Aside: I'm setting myself up here. Just nod and assume I know what I'm talking about.]

But despite all of my technical knowledge and media prowess, I've been behind the times.

I've never owned a beeper, mp3 player, or a cellphone.

What? No mp3 player? No cellphone? What's next? You going to tell me that you never had a swatch either?

No. I've never been particularly cool, hip, or with it.

But today... today I have joined the 21st century.

Yep, I am now the proud owner of a ~~slap bracelet~~ cell phone! My wife has long had one as part of her family's family plan, and they just son-in-law'd me in. Pretty cool.

But just like every other famous celebrity, I have to be careful with my number, so I won't be posting it here (plus, I don't want to go over the plan's minutes; nothing like making the in-laws unhappy). But if you ever get a phone call from a California area code, it might just be me.

...but probably not. I'm going to be rather busy chatting with all my adoring friends who love me for my fame and fortune... since I'm cool now too.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

P.S. Actually, the real lesson is this: Don't bother getting something just because others are. There is no need to jump on the latest in technology or homeschooling option if what you have/are doing now is working.

My wife wants me to be more accessible in case of an emergency, so I'm happy to have a cell now. But that's it. I know peer pressure is a powerful force, even in the homeschool community; don't give in unless you have need.

12/18/2008
Bermuda Nonplussed
Vocab of the Day:
Nonplussed: definition here.
courtesy of Angela

I almost spilled the beans on some exciting news. Thankfully, I was notified that I shouldn't post about it until next month. <phew> That could have been less than ideal. Well, more like "premature," but still... it sounds more impressive if related to the end of the world rather than "leaked" information.

Today we had some downtime, so we watched a show on the Discovery channel about the Bermuda Triangle. In the show they demonstrated that a large release of methane could produce a bubble of water that could sink a ship. Also, if the atmosphere composition is made up of as little as %1 methane it can cause a combustion engine to stall out and more methane can seriously tweak with a plane's instruments and lift.

All fascinating stuff.

But rather than telling me all about it in ten minutes--as they easily could have--they spent an hour (42 minutes + commercials).

And that got me thinking about education philosophies and attention spans. I hear a lot of complaints that kids don't have long enough attention spans due to television. But if your programing is intentionally designed to keep people watching for an hour--irregardless of content--then kids are trained not to have short attention spans but to expect redundant information. In fact, I was surprised how little real information was dispensed each segment.

And that got me wondering if classroom education has been informed by this.

How much information is really shared each class period?

It does vary by class, but I've sat in plenty of classes and seminars where the teacher/presenter was more interested in passing time than passing on beneficial information. Honestly, I've been nonplussed by some educator's lack of interest in educating their charges.

May your homeschooling experience be nothing like that.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

12/17/2008
Anonymity, Celebrity and "The Future"
I read an interesting article over on Get In, Hang On. Go ahead--give it a read.

...

Back?

What's interesting is that I started out my life online paranoid as the next guy. I had pseudonyms for my alter egos. I didn't post images, even sketches I had drawn. I tried to encrypt everything. And I turned off my modem at night.

...okay, all that is a tad of an exaggeration. I had pseudonym. Image hosting wasn't exactly viable. Encryption wasn't even a word yet. And we paid for the internet by the minute. But that's not the point.

The point is: I have since changed.

I used to worry about my identity being stolen. I was concerned that people would "find me" ...or something. But now I blog for a living. I spend quite a bit of time each day creating content so people will get to know my name. I post pictures of myself. I write articles and posts detailing my personal issues and struggles. I even give away my Social Security number and bank account information. ...not really.

What has changed in my mind? Why don't I worry about Facebook?

1. I do my best to be wise about what I post, but more than that, I do my best to live in such a way so as to be acceptable. So, since I don't go to parties and get drunk or shoot up, I have nothing to hide there. What things that others may hide I write about, and so "coming clean" makes it possible for me to talk about the subjects openly without fear of people smearing my reputation. I already threw it out there for the wolves to devour.

2. Everyone (especially employers) need to realize that there are many aspects of a person and their life. If they can't separate those and only address these issues when one area negatively bleeds into the other, they won't be as successful as they could be.

3. I'm actively trying to become a celebrity, of sorts. I want to be a "trusted voice" in the media and homeschooling communities. I don't mind being a public figure. I don't mind people knowing who I am or what I'm up to. ...that tune may change when paparazzi start snapping pictures of me cuddling my kids, but until that day...

I'd love to be your friend on Facebook.

And if something shifts in the future, I may be the first to go. But that will give you plenty of warning so you can get a new identity and run for the hills.

~Luke Holzmann
Celebrity, Star, Prolific Blogger

12/16/2008
Mercy, Adoption, and Christmas
As I mentioned yesterday, we visited Brittany's grandmother today. She's 97 and now in a state of decline. Just a few years ago she was a spunky character who "took care of the elderly" at her church... people who were twenty years younger than she.

On the way over, Brittany asked if I was okay. "You've never really dealt with this before, right? I don't know how this is going to affect you."

I tend to let things roll off me, so I don't get tweaked too frequently. But I was reminded today: I'm not into mercy ministry type things. I scored a 2 in mercy when I took a "Spiritual Aptitude" test several years ago. Mercy is a "growth area" for me.

Which is rather odd then, in a way, that I'm working on adopting. I'm not doing it because of a broken heart for the poor children without a home. I'm not doing it because of some emotional tug when I see dirty faces of children with tears in their eyes. I'm not doing it because it's looking after orphans.

I mean, those are all perfectly good things, but those don't resonate with me. I'm pursuing adoption because I expected to have kids, didn't, and so felt that adoption was where we should go. And the more we've explored it, the more we love the idea.

But am I going to be ready for three grieving children who don't speak my language... especially with my less than merciful bent?

Probably not. But there is grace for that as well.

And I'm guessing I may end up over on the brand new Adoptive Parents forum (part of the very useful Sonlight forums). In fact, I've got a question already, and will post it when I get a minute.

But for now, I need to go get ready for a little in-law Christmas gift extravaganza tonight ...where we will celebrate, in an informal and indirect way, God's great mercy He demonstrated to us when He offer to adopt us as sons and daughters.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

12/15/2008
3am, -3 and Falling
I got up at 3am this morning to get ready for our trip. Our plane was set to take off and 6:15, and the roads were likely to be slick on the way to the airport.

The car had some trouble getting started. After the dash finally illuminated, I understood why: It was -3° out. (This temperature decreased to a chilly -16°F out at DIA... record lows, from what I've been told.) My first thought was, "Ah, what an excellent introduction to negative numbers for kids!" But I read a post about the situation in Kyrgyzstan and, well, it's a tad disheartening.

We ended up missing our connecting flight because three of the four crew members were late to our 6:15 flight. ...really late. Thankfully we were able to get on another flight that only put us back two hours.

Only.

Even so, we made it in plenty of time for Brittany's little sister's senior art show. It was odd to walk the campus of our Alma Mater and see how things have change and what has not. This is where we met and fell in love, and yet it's a different place. I must be getting old because the college students seem so young.

And we started talking about how things--such as technology--have changed: There was no YouTube, JumpDrives didn't exist, and Instant Messaging was all the rage. DVDs were still coming onto the scene. Cell phones were not ubiquitous.

It wasn't even four years ago and yet... and yet it was so long ago.

It would be even longer if we had kids.

Nostalgia kicks in--a sweet sorrow of something we have lost; "The good old college days" before we were hit with adult responsibility; the lifestyle of spending time with people; and my stomach even knotted a bit as the pressure of finals saturated me once again.

And just as the cold kept creeping across the landscape this morning, so the cold of age drifts over me. But I'm not really all that old, no matter what feelings hanging around my peers of yesteryear inspires.

So today was all about feeling old. Tomorrow, I suspect, I may feel young as we go and visit Brittany's grandmother.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

12/12/2008
Coupons and Gift Cards
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If you love Sonlight (and who doesn't? <cough>), I'm guessing you want to share the love with friends and family. Right?

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But you're asking yourself, 'Self, I want to share the love I have of Sonlight with my friends and family; it's true. But how? How can I give them the gift of Sonlight?'

Thankfully you're reading my blog because I'm going to tell you how: With a Sonlight Gift Certificate available in a wide range of values for everyone from Daddy Warbucks to Tiny Tim.

But wait! There's more.

For every $100 of Gift Certificates you purchase by December 31, you will also get a $5 digital coupon for even more Sonlight stuff.

A message from Tiny Tim

In other news: Brittany and I will be heading out to visit her folks next week. I'm going to do my best to keep up with all of your blogs while out there, but it's going to be a busy time doing things with her family. So if I don't get back to you right away, just assume I'm drinking non-spiked eggnog and playing Parcheesi with the in-laws.

I hope to keep blogging, but it may be a spotty week.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

12/11/2008
The Son of Man and Worldschooling
When Christ walked this earth He deliberately took on a rather obscure title. Instead of referring to Himself as the Son of God, the Messiah, the Son of David... He chose: Son of Man.

Why?

Well, the other titles had too much political baggage attached to them. The people of His day had expectations for the One to come, and Christ wasn't about to meet any of those. In fact, He was going to do much the opposite. So to help initiate this painful reality, He took on a different title. A title that had little meaning which He could then define for His followers.

Thirty second Biblical background to get us all on the same page. Any questions?

Good. Moving on.

Earlier this week I saw a post about "worldschooling" which I thought was fascinating. Here is another instance where a title--in this case: "homeschooling" and, in particular, "unschooling"--has developed rather unfortunate political baggage. So to counter this idea, Eli Gerzon has adopted his own title which he can help define.

What has really interested me is how broad this idea can get. I know it typically refers to "unschoolers" but as I read more about it, the more I felt at home with the concept. I'm a "worldschooler" now, and I was one while using Sonlight too. In fact, Sonlight is very much a "worldschooling" curriculum--oxymoron?--because of the global focus of its materials.

But then I came across a Worldschooler Facebook group with the following:

-School: "Do what you're told."
-Homeschool: "Do what you're told... by your mom."
-Unschool: "Do what you want."
-Worldschool: "Do whatchu gotta do..."

Interesting. There is certainly a lot of negative connotations with the more "traditional" approaches to education (including homeschooling). And while I agree with many of the more global aspects of worldschooling, I find the highly individualistic/self-focused bents odd and not exactly in line with my thinking.

But that's okay because, as Dana Hanley has so brilliantly pointed out, I'm part of the homeschool community, not a homeschool movement. I can disagree with them but feel no threat "because their actions do not define who I am, or what it means for me to be a homeschooler."

"Homeschooler" may be a loaded term, and so choosing another title may be useful, but who we are does not change just because of a new title. The titles are in place to help others understand us. We define the title, we are not defined by others' perceptions of it; and if we can grow into a community, all the better.

And really, that's a lot like what the Son of Man came to do.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

12/10/2008
In a Snap
I can't whistle.

Well, technically, I can... in the sense that I am capable of pushing air through my lips to create a sound. But reality dictates that I can't because the sound is a flat, off-pitch noise that is almost as deadly as Vogon Poetry.

I'm just sayin'.

So, I don't whistle at attractive girls--mostly because I hear it makes them uncomfortable and thus isn't the best practice for blessing them, but also because I just can't figure out how to get that up-down pitch shift thingy.

I also don't whistle while I work. I just can't.

But I can snap... with both my middle and ring fingers. And every once in a while I can get things done in a snap.

More often than not, however, things take me a lot longer than I would like. For instance, we shot another little informational video today. I was hoping that it would take us two hours. It ended up taking three and a half hours to shoot a video that will likely be less than two minutes in length (and the lighting turned out lousy too <pout>).

Lousy Lighting

But that's just how film goes.

That's how life goes too.

How many times have you beat your head against something while ~~screaming~~ thinking: This shouldn't be this hard/take this long!

Never? Oh.

Well, I have.

But what I need to remember is that things just take time. Work takes time. Practice takes time. Kids need time to learn lessons, to mature and treat one another kindly, to get their work done. And as much as we may wish we could snap our fingers and make things better, we can't.

We can't change ourselves that way either.

So if you're struggling with something that just isn't snapping into place in your life, just remember: I can't whistle.

It'll make you feel better.

Besides, even if things look rather bleak now, you could always try to fix it in post:

Less Lousy Lighting

Hmm... nope, I'm going to need more time to fix that problem. Ugh.

I can't whistle or light a set!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

12/09/2008
Did You Figure It Out?
I was sitting at lunch today when I heard from across the kitchen, "Commodore Perry is in the house."

I smiled. 'Ah, the quirky culture of Sonlight.'

Picking up on the theme, a coworker shared about our Core A (which was fairly quickly renamed considering even the SCCs couldn't keep the Cores all straight that year <smile>). The people in the warehouse called it "Core F" because of the title: Fiction, Fairy Tales, and Fun for Little Learners. In fact, one of the guys wasn't even aware of the real title and so called it "Core F" in a meeting, which caused his coworkers to bust into guffaws.

But the cultural bit from this post's title comes from my good friend Mike--who works a cube over. Mike will often walk by and ask, "Did you figure it out?"

I tend to reply with something befitting my current situation, ranging from: "No, I haven't even started thinking about it yet," to, "Yep, fixed it yesterday."

Laura Lee, who is in the spot between us, finally asked us about it.

Toward the Kitchen

Well, Mike's question is much like: "How you doin'?" It's rhetorical. The fact that I choose to answer it honestly and with much detail is an indication of my own quirks.

Now whenever I launch into a lengthy description of my latest quandary, Laura Lee laughs along with us because, honestly, no one is ever going to "figure it out." There's always something that needs tweaking, changing, or reconsidering. And that's why Sonlight is constantly working to update our materials and make things clearer (even if sometimes we don't quite do that... as typified by our ill-labeled "Core A"). But even in the ever changing landscape of life, some things remain consistent, or at least a part of our experience.

Our quirks and fond memories are that way.

Here's an experience that came out of our house last night, courtesy of "The Joy of Cooking" page 504:

...braaains....

So, did you figure it out?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

12/08/2008
Children, Convents, Criminals, and Company
First, a disclaimer: I don't have daughters yet. I wish I did, but they're still stuck in Kyrgyzstan at the moment. So, I can't speak from personal experience. On the other hand, I have sisters, many close female friends, and several girls with whom I have traveled internationally^*, so I do have a very protective bent.

Now, on to the topic at hand:

I read a post about a recent experience that determined why one woman's daughter will not be biking alone ever again.

Now, yes, the world is a scary place with much potential for evil, and we must look to protect our children. But is the answer to hide away in a convent? Do we withdraw to places away from criminals and let the world "go where it will" without us?

No.

And I'm not saying that was the point of the original post either. But facetious as the comments may have been, I think the ideal is a reality for many Christians in their daily lives: Rather than deal with the issue, we suggest that we remove it. And that's not without Biblical backing. And in some cases, that's not a bad idea at all.

But the solution to sin should not, I propose, be about making it impossible to do so. Rather, we should focus on changing life to be so we focus on the good instead.

Here's my experience of a girl going out alone: Instead of telling the girl in Paris that she should not go running at night, I insisted on going with her. That way she was no longer in as grave a danger and we could build a friendship. Positives.

And this is why some people find accountability groups/partners so powerful: They have a companion with them to help keep them safe. And this is the importance of community as well: We need people who are looking out for us and keeping us from doing something foolish on our own. And that, I think, is why I have consistently had bad experiences with "accountability groups": They are about seeing how I've been doing at avoiding something, rather than looking out for me and walking with me through the dark alleys.

In short, an accountability group is like a weekly "safety meeting" for girls who can talk about how many times they've been approached by guys that week. "Well, I was only approached by two guys this week," the cute little blond girl says. "Oh, that's good," exclaims the redhead, "I had three guys whistle at me."

That's retroactive and hardly helpful.

I want people who will go with me out into the world and keep me safe simply by walking beside me because they love me. And, honestly, I think that's the point of the post: Don't go biking alone.

If that is our model, there's rarely a need for the convent.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

^*Oh yeah, that sounds really wholesome, doesn't it?

Well, it was every time.

I've been on mission trips and a leadership training group thingy. I don't go bopping around the world with bimbos. Just in case people were scandalized <smile>.

12/05/2008
Blues and Blessings
While reading another blog, I saw the cover of a new Baby Blues compilation book. It took me a moment, and then I laughed. Check out the cover for a grin. ...or not, if you're not as twisted as I am <smile>.

Now I don't have baby blues at the moment. I have waiting blues while we exercise our "patience" muscles in this whole adoption thing. And I also tend to have money blues.

Let me give you a prime example of my misery.

We recently went to Costco armed with several coupons, including one for $3 off a pair of women's lounge pants. I was getting tired of not having any PJ bottoms to use because Brittany kept taking them, so this could be a pretty good deal. And it was.

We got two pairs.

Brittany loves them and said, "These are the most comfortable pants I've ever had in my whole life." Sounds good to me. So, where's the misery in this?

Well, even on sale they cost more than 25 cents, and I started to feel guilty. I mean, we're in a recession for cryin' out loud! How can I be shelling out money like this, especially now that we're in the season for spending money on others (which was also hitting my bank)?

Oh, woe is me!

Even the knowledge that this was coming out of our Party Tithe didn't console me. And then, to make things worse, Brittany suggested we get some fries from Carl's.

Ahhhh!!!

I read blogs every day about people barely scraping by. How in the world was I supposed to feel good about having money to spend... especially money that I can spend without guilt? How could I not help but feel guilty about that!?

And then this morning, I read this post by Kim. In it she talks about her realization that she should choose to be thankful for things she has. And she says it far better than I, so go give it a read.

But the bit grabbed me when she was listing the things she can be thankful for was "money to meet all our needs (& a WHOLE lot extra!)"

And it smacked me right in the middle of my thick skull:
I should be thankful for the "WHOLE lot extra!" I have, rather than bemoaning the burden and giving in to guilt. I mean, how foolish can you get?

Pretty foolish, it seems.

Who else takes a blessing and turns it into a curse?

In light of this, I've resolved to be thankful for the opportunity to buy my wife comfortable lounge pants.

I'm also thankful for the wild success of the Sonlight Rice Bag Project! What an incredible blessing. Now women in India will be able to read the Bible ...and any graffiti around them <smile> (though I didn't see much when I had the opportunity to visit India).

So, any blessings in your life right now that you need to be thankful for?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

P.S. I also choose to be retroactively thankful for the very tasty fries I ate at Carl's with my wife.

12/04/2008
Q, Bond, and Ebert
I have much respect of Roger Ebert and the few reviews of his I have read have been well done. Granted, I tend to stick to the more scathing comments over on Rotten Tomatoes instead of listening to professional critics... because I'm like that.

Ebert even agrees with me about Bond's latest movie, which is a good sign--even if he never mentions me by name. That's probably because he doesn't know who I am because he probably only reads Rotten Tomatoes and doesn't bother with IMDb, even though we could be buds there. <cough cough>

But this post isn't about Bond.

It's about Ben.

More specifically: About Ben's movie and Roger's response.

I had the opportunity to see Expelled in the theaters before reading anything about it--other than a few people who were, perhaps, a tad too excited that it was coming <smile>. During the film I noticed that Ben, or the editor, was rather brutal to Dawkins from a filmic standpoint. But the quotes and the people they had seemed bright, albeit snarky, and the points I thought were well made.

But today I came across Ebert's rant about Ben's flick.

Greg

Whoa.

It appears that this little project has created quite the uproar.

After an initial brush I see the real complaints as such:

1. Intelligent Design people are dumb because
2. Over 99% of scientists know ID is wrong.
3. The eugenics movement and Hitler are not tied to evolution because
4. Evolutionary scientists don't ascribe to Hitler.
5. Ben's a flippin' liar and scum.

As I think back to the movie, I would say that:

1. The point was that ID has some valid things to consider, and main stream media and scientists simply reject it as "dumb"--or "boring" if you watch the flick. Thus, this complaint seems to reinforce Ben's point, and not critique his film at all.
2. Appeal to majority. Who taught these guy's logic?
3. I'm no historian, but people I trust (appeal to authority <smile>) say that Ben's point has merit. And from what I can tell, this holds water.
4. The point is not what evolutionary scientists think, but rather to what this line of thought can lead.
5. It does sound like Ben may have been less than honest--which is terrible--and he may be scum--I don't know--but attack on personality and name calling are, I have observed, the primary weapons used when people can't use logic, reasoning, or actual argumentation.

But herein lies the problem: If Ben is playing dirty and his opponents are playing dirty... how do we know what's true?

What about the new research that has to do with the similarities in DNA which leads to an argument much like the one for the Q document?

This certainly is a hot topic which is convoluted by people's biases and emotions on both sides. And I'm glad that Kevin pointed this out in response to Roger.

I wish Q had given Bond a gadget that helped him arrive at truth.

Until such a marvel appears in the real world, feel free to read the snark surrounding Ben on Rotten Tomatoes and consider...

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

12/03/2008
The Electronic Red Pen
As I've mentioned before, my dad is a ~~brutal~~ good editor and really helped my writing. So, my father was--and still is^*--my writing coach.

But what if you don't have access to a professional writer? Are your children destined to be less than amazing at writing?

No.

Not at all. In fact, as one of my high school English teachers observed: Who taught Shakespeare to write? How can someone teach another to be the best writer in the world?

So, I'm confident your kids are safe. In fact, if they develop a love for writing (as I have) they can go far.

But for those who want to get a little more assistance, to have a few more resources and access to editors when it comes time to grade papers, I'm thrilled to announce that Sonlight has worked out an option... and a pretty exciting one at that.

Introducing Sonlight's partnership with WriteAtHome. Here are the things that I think are really cool about this opportunity:

The writing coaches have the Sonlight IG your student is using. They know exactly where your student is coming from and are familiar with the assignment. The submission isn't just a random paper they are reading.
You can pay per paper. No need to sign up for a "plan" or subscription.
You can help your child deal with the "red pen" and not wield it yourself.

Aside: I'm guessing being your child's champion and not their torturer would be desirable to some parents. I, on the other hand, often enjoy the process of pointing out mistakes and helping people work through them. Of course, I can be a rather sick person at times <smile>.

I just heard about this new opportunity and it sounds pretty cool.

A writing coach is certainly not essential to your child's education, but it is another tool at your disposal. If you'd like a writing coach for your student, you may want to check out Sonlight's new connection with WriteAtHome.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

*My dad has helped me with many of my more intense Heart of the Matter posts. These last two I wrote at the last minute, so he didn't get a chance go catch all my errors. Even so, if you'd like to read my latest, I'd appreciate it <smile>.

12/02/2008
I'm Famous!
First: Melonie is a genius: We were on vacation in Hawaii--Maui, to be precise.

Maui

Congratulations, Melonie. You win!

...I have no prize other than that public accolade.

Now, on to business.

Show business, that is.

Yes, after months of waiting, I have finally become famous. That's right; for my efforts in the production of MathTacular, I am now an official Editor and Cinematographer. IMDb now recognizes my existence.

I have arrived.

I'll add images soon.

I must say, it is cool to have the projects I've been involved with out there on the interwebs. And considering IMDb is one of the major movie sites out there, I'm as tickled as pink pleased punch.

That's the big news for me today.

How's your life been?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

12/01/2008
I'm Back from...
Guess where.

Here are a select group of photos from my trip, deliberately sneaky and misleading <mischievous grin>.

The First Photo I Took

Pilgrim's Progress - It was cold.

Dave on Horseback

Cows

My Dad

The Fam

My Wife with Nephew - Petting a Mule.

Helicopter

Fun in the Rain

So, please post your guesses (and if you know from other sites, please refrain from "guessing" because... that's cheating and not guessing).

In other news: This post is short because I've got a lot of catching up to do and "miles to go before I sleep."

But while reading through the 1000+ posts I was behind, I glanced at my progress at one point this morning and saw:

The Mark of the Blog

I thought it was amusing. If you don't have a twisted sense of humor like me, I'm sorry. I mean no offense.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

11/27/2008
Happy Thanksgiving!
For those who don't know--which should be almost all of you--I've been blogging from my vacation location. That means I'm working from an unfamiliar computer on a sketchy internet connection. My hope is to, on Monday, post some pictures and let you all guess where I've been <smile>

If you know somehow, please don't tell.

I've been kicking around ideas for today's post, but nothing is really sticking. So, I'm just going to call it a night (after a long day today) and wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving!

I'm sorry I haven't been able to keep up with your posts this week, and now I'm going to fall even further behind. Our busy schedule, which had a 3am morning, coupled with the spotty net connection has made my RSS reader less than perfect. Sorry. I'm still here. I still care. And I will return next week.

Until then, enjoy the tryptophan and a break... assuming your breaks are restful <smile>.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

11/25/2008
Moonwalks and Mechanics
There's a reason people go into such strict training for space: It's a different experience and it takes a while to get adjusted. I learned about this the first time I ever tried to use a snorkel.

I've been a competitive swimmer since I was nine. I loved baths as a kid. I know my way around water. But one day while at practice for college swimming, my coach handed me a snorkel. This plastic tube was supposed to allow me to focus on my stroke and shoulder rotation because I didn't have to think about turning my head to breathe. It was some newfangled way for coaches to look at your stroke.

Well, I knew how these things worked, so I plopped the mouthpiece between my teeth and stuck my face under the water and took a couple of strokes.

At that point it was time to breathe.

I couldn't.

My face was under water and my lungs refused to let me breathe in. It was a very odd sensation. My brain was telling me to breathe and I wasn't. I couldn't. The mechanics of breathing were off--my face was underwater, which, as any rational person knows, is a bad place to be breathing.

Now, I don't know what it's like to be in space, but if it's anything like snorkeling--or scuba diving, as my more recent experience demonstrated even more vividly--then I would guess that the first moonwalk was difficult. I wouldn't be surprised if the focus was entirely on the mechanics of walking on the moon, and not so much about how totally amazing it was to be, you know, walking on the moon.

When my scuba instructor told me that going underwater was a little "crazy" because of the bubbles everywhere, the sounds, the equipment and everything else, I smiled. 'Oh come now,' I thought. 'I've experienced the "crazy" of snorkeling. I'm ready for this.'

And then I went underwater and thought, 'Oh my! But this is crazy!'

I spent almost the entire hour feeling the craziness of the situation. I didn't focus on the fish, the sharks, the turtles, or even the octopus. I was too worried about breathing, keeping water out of my goggles, and finding a more "weightless" state.

I wonder if the first years of homeschooling are like that?

I wonder how many families are so caught up in the mechanics of homeschooling the first year or so that they can't enjoy the wonder, joy, and experience of the incredible adventure they are on.

If other families are like me, may I suggest you relax, even if you feel like you shouldn't be breathing underwater.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

11/24/2008
Poetry
While in the car at 4am yesterday morning--we were headed to watch the sunrise--my family got to chatting about Haiku. We even wrote one. Check out our early morning creation:

Good morning.
It is dark outside.
We're driving.

Bad Haiku
Holzmanns 11/23/08

Since one of my nephews was in the car, I thought it was a good "teaching moment"--or, at least, an opportunity to show off <smile>--and so I explained how in English our poetry revolves around rhyme/meter, how Haiku revolves around specific syllable use, and how Hebrew poetry involves repetition of letters at the beginning of each line. For instance, English poetry repeats sounds:

The sun is shining in the morn, A

As if the world was new, just born. A

We see the sky, all blue and clear. B

The waves are close; they feel so near. B

But in Hebrew, the "AA.. BB..." scheme is literal:

A Again I see the silky sun

A As it shines down on me.

B Beneath the waves

B Blue fish swim.

My dad, who had been listening, suddenly remarked, "After all these years of studying English, I just learned something: Poetry is writing using specific constraints to make it artistic."

That was a much better explanation than what I got in Junior Year's Honors English: Poetry is whatever is not prose.

My dad went on to comment that using such a definition would make even the chiastic structure a form of poetry. And that makes sense, even if no one has officially labeled it so. And so, I'll label it officially:

The chiastic structure is a form of poetry.

In honor of today's ceremony, I would like to share a poem with you:

Poetry is words A

Which follow rules B

And sometimes patterns. C

The ciastic pattern C

Uses rules B

To make a poem. A

May you enjoy poetry, of all forms, today.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

11/21/2008
Musical Chairs
Background: I've been having a rather... "lively" discussion with my friend Cherish--and I hope I don't say anything stupid so she'll still be my friend after this (I love you, Cherish!).

You can read the posts and my comments here and here.

This is my second attempt at a response. My first post was crazy long and still hadn't addressed all the issues.

-------

A Story: So I'm in Kindergarten and we're playing musical chairs. Corrie, the cute little blond girl is the odd one out, and no matter how hard she tries, she just can't get a seat. Between one of the musical sets, Timothy comes over to me and says, "You should give up your chair so Corrie can have a chance sitting down."

I protest, "But I've been playing fairly and doing well. I'm not going to give up my chair for her."

But then Mrs. Donaldson comes over and says, "Now Luke, you've got a very nice sweater and Corrie does not. You need to give up your seat so she isn't disenfranchised. And you needn't worry: You've got a sweater."

I don't know what the word "disenfranchised" means, but I can't really argue with the teacher.

The game continues until Brandon wins. But in the next round Lisa rolls her ankle when Timothy bumps into her so she's going to be moving slowly. Mrs. Donaldson gives me a look.

What!? Corrie was bad enough, but Lisa is my arch nemesis. She picks on me on the playground and makes my young life miserable. But Mrs. Donaldson didn't see Timothy bump into Lisa, so he's not going to be held responsible.

It sit out another game. "But I've got a sweater." Whatever that has to do with this.

The next round starts and Mrs. Donaldson steps out of the classroom. When the music stops, Douglas actually shoves Corrie out of her chair to get a spot. Mrs. Donaldson returns to see Corrie sitting on the ground, sobbing.

"What happened?" the teacher asks.

"Douglas pushed Corrie out of her seat," I say.

"Did not," the guilty party replies.

Mrs. Donaldson looks at Corrie and the other children. "Did he?"

No one says anything.

"Well, Luke," Mrs. Donaldson finally says, "why don't you sit out this game too. You've got your sweater and it's the nice thing to do."

I started homeschooling the next year.

-------

Conclusion: That was a work of historical fiction, but in good old Sonlight fashion, I figured a story would be more powerful than a logical discourse.

Now, if you haven't already, please read the posts and my comments here and here. And then tell me what you think.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

11/20/2008
Get to it!
I have a confession to make:

I have yet to submit my contribution to the Sonlight Rice Bag Project.

And I need to get on that because, as of starting this post, there are less than 39 hours left for me to get my donation matched. [I was totally going to find a clock to count down, but that proved difficult. I'm dedicated, sure... but a man's got his limits.] This thing ends on Friday, November 21st, 2008.

If you're still meaning to make your donation--like me--you can Give on Mission India's site. Just be sure to include "Sonlight Rice Bag Project" in the comments section.

So, I'm going to borrow from Vault* and suggest you: Get to it!

That's the pressing news from Sonlight.

What? You want more content? Have you read the Other Posts of Note?

I didn't think so...

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

I would link to Vault's site, but... well... it may not be entirely within the bounds of propriety. I mean, that commercial was probably cutting it and that video didn't feature lithe young women in "beach" apparel.

I'm just sayin'.

11/19/2008
Reading, Writing and Uh-rithmetic
Okay, I saw the same thing posted on three blogs today, so this is a hot item on the blogosphere. That being the case, I felt compelled to weigh in.

How many more metaphors can I mix there? Sales, planets and wrestling...

Weighing in on a Blogosphere Hot Item

[Aside: I crack myself up.]

I saw the article on Dawn's blog first.

'Interesting,' I thought.

Then is showed up again on JoAnn's blog and again on Judy's blog as well.

'Fine, I'll read the article.'

But all three links are now dead. It appears that the Examiner changed the url (sneaky, sneaky). Thankfully, yours truly is here to save the day. You can read the article here--unless they change the link again <smile>.

Please go give Dawn, JoAnn, and Judy a visit. My take on this will be, well, different from all of theirs (why would I say what's already been said?).

First, I'm actually surprised at the lack of really good examples. I mean, these are pretty funny, but not as good as these (my personal favorite is about Cyrus McCormick). Perhaps we study less mangle-able topics in college. But I'd be interested in a study that actually shows a decline in the quality of writing. It sounds to me that Mr. Watson has been collecting these "gems" for years, and my fear is that as his file filled he started to assume that the frequency was increasing.

Second, one of the comments I read pointed out that many of the errors are malapropisms. Which is true. There are also many atrociously misspelled words. And these problems could both be attributed to a heavy reliance on spellcheck. And while I wouldn't mind improving my spelling ability, I have become a very proficient user of spellcheck and a digital dictionary.

Third, reading could certainly help... assuming we are reading material of a slightly higher caliber than, say, "Time for Friends" (not that "Time for Friends" isn't an excellent bit of children's literature). We need books that challenge us and introduce us to vocabulary beyond our vernacular, not just the latest Twilight Potter's Shack.

Forth, for me, the most troubling part of the article is that you can ask the students what they mean, "and they can’t tell you verbally, either." And from the comments I've read, that is bothersome to others as well. Even so, I remember being completely confused as my dad "bled" over yet another of my tear-stained papers.

"It made sense when I wrote it," I would lament. And my statement had made sense. The problem was that once my dad explained how incoherent my sentence was, I was stuck. I could think of no better way of expressing myself. And, really, that's an area I'm still growing in as a writer; how do you communicate clearly this or that idea?

Yes, reading great literature will help build a vocabulary and give a foundation for excellent writing.

Yes, practice gives opportunity to improve one's writing.

Yes, it would not surprise me if the educational system's focus on the testable side of English has lead to a decline in the functional/intelligible aspect.

And, yes, apathy is not helping.

But we need so much more than "hard work" if we are to improve our writing. We need people who can help us think through our logic, our expression, as well as our typos and malapropisms.

And who has more opportunity to do that than homeschooling parents?

Here's a little anecdote as I bring this long essay to a close*:

In one of my college Mass Communication classes, I was told that the professor was really strict about papers. So I paid special attention at the beginning of the semester as he went over what he expected in our papers.

"You must," he informed us, "have proper punctuation and spelling."

...

That's it? When have we ever been allowed to use improper punctuation or spelling in papers?

I got an A on every paper in that class. And as much as it pains me to admit, I attribute my success to my dad's red pen and interrogations. So, if I'm ever reading the writing of one of my children and they explain some aspect of "uh-rithmetic" to me, I'll smile and bleed on their paper.

Like father, like son.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

*I tend to say "antidote" much to the frustration of my friends. I wonder how many times that malaprop has slipped through?

11/18/2008
"Mild" Profanities?
Two and a half months ago I wrote a post where I mentioned a blog I thought was funny due to "mild profanity" and ever since then it's bugged me. In fact, even when I typed the words way back then I knew I would have to revisit the concept. And the day has come.

What makes today the day?

First, I haven't run into anything more pressing to blog about.

Second, Shannon * wrote a great post on the subject. (You can read it here if you missed it in my "Other Posts of Note" ...which you all read all the time, right? <wink>).

My first thought is: What makes a profanity "mild" and what difference does that make? I mean, this goes back to the whole "a sin is a sin" issue, right? But before I can answer my own question, I have to answer a more basic question: What is a profanity, and why is it wrong to use them?

Thankfully, Shannon's husband has already told us that the "thing about bad words isn’t so much the word itself, it’s the motive and heart behind it." With that being the case, even euphemisms can be a problem. And I completely agree: The intent, more than content, determines the morality of something.

But content does matter. That's why some words in our culture are plain old profanities while others are "mild." That is culturally defined, which is why in Europe people say "bum" for the derriere, because they find "butt" offensive; the same is true of households as well: what is okay to say depends on the home.

And, yes, a "sin is a sin," but different sins have different consequences. So while it is equally sinful to hate your brother as to kill him, the consequences of murder are far more tangible and irreversible. So, a mild profanity has less of a negative impact than something more venomous.

I believe that there are three factors to determining the morality of something, and I've given you two: Intent and Content.

You'll have to wait for the third: Response. It couldn't get it to fit well in this post.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

*After much sleuthing, I think her name is Shannon.

But I just gotta say this: Not giving me at least a pseudonym drives me crazy! It's a pet peeve of mine. I hate having to refer to people with: "Why, yes, I-Am-a-Mother-of-Two-and-Own-a-Dog, I agree."

For cryin' out loud! If'n you're paranoid, at least use Elle G or something.

And maybe it's just me, but LAH doesn't cut it either. I guess my brain can't make enough of a distinction between GW and CM to be an effective nomenclature.

Rant over.

Forgive me, Woman-Wanting-What-the-Word-Welcomes; I love you dearly, but please give me something more personable to use in reference to you.

Thank you.

Your Friend and Blogger,
~Luke

11/17/2008
Preconceptions and Perceptions
I have an affinity for tech support humor; I love the tales of woe as two people attempt to solve a problem over the phone. One of my favorites involves a woman whose printer was not printing yellow.

Every color but yellow.

Tech support helped her clean the heads, print test pages, replace the ink cartridge, and finally suggested she get a replacement. That's when the woman asked, "Do you think it would help if didn't use yellow paper?"

...

Brittany may have had a moment like that.

Remember her blue hands? Well, her hands turned a little blue yesterday ...but then so did her fingernails and shirt.

"Luke, I think it may be my new jeans," she admitted sheepishly.

Ah, yes. That would explain it. Which is good. And that also makes sense why the doctor had no clue what was happening. But it still doesn't explain the heart issues.

And Brittany realized that if her heart hadn't been acting up recently, she probably would have figured out the dye thing a lot sooner. But because she had a preconceived notion of heart problems she perceived her problem as circulatory.

Thus, our perception of reality is closely linked to our presuppositions about what is happening.

That's why companies have to be so careful about what they say and do: People can easily misconstrue what you're doing based on their own ideas.

Today, at Sonlight, the topic revolved around "bargain" sites that sell Sonlight books for "less." These site owners use Sonlight's credibility to sell books for themselves.

But what to do?

Sonlight could easily be perceived as the bullies of the market who try to weasel every dollar out of people's pockets when compared to these "great deals." But Sonlight continues to put resources and thought into developing stellar curriculum, offering fantastic support, and building up a recognizable name. Sarita and her team carefully select each book, schedule it with helpful notes, and then package everything together with support and a guarantee like no other. And yet "bargain" sites use all of that to make a few bucks.

The other side of this, of course, is that Sonlight's name gets out there on the internet via these sites. But what happens when people start believing that "Sonlight" is just a bunch of books with a schedule? Then customers stop purchasing from Sonlight which develops, supports, and guarantees your homeschool experience.

And that's the real cost: Customers end up getting much less and the company that did the work to make it possible for you to enjoy this journey also suffers loss.

And then who will you call with your genuine support and curriculum questions?

Just a few musings from a guy who finds support incredibly useful, even if he should have realized the yellow paper issue himself.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

11/14/2008
This I Know
...for the Bible tells me so. [link here]

I had a friend in high school who told me that she didn't read her Bible because it "whispers to me."

Upon further inquiry, she assured me that her Bible audibly gave her directions to do bad things.

Umm...

I didn't have a way to respond to that.

I still don't.

That little anecdotal bit was to demonstrate that I've heard a wide variety of Biblical claims, ranging from the thought-provoking to the implausible. And never were such issues more infuriating than while writing papers in Bible college. I had commentaries tell me that such and such a verse obviously said thus and such. Then the next commentary would assure me that the exact same verse said the opposite.

[Aside: Maybe that only happens when you try to write papers on "women in ministry" and "predestination vs. free will" because you're bored with all the easy topics. <smile>]

So now I'm rather wary when people claim the Bible says something. I do my best to consider the passage, the context, the rest of Scripture, as well as my own experience with the world and God when formulating an opinion.

I got on this train of thought today because of some responses I've been working on to various questions and posts. Questions surrounding easy topics like ecclesial form, origins of sin, and the definition of a "Christian filmmaker."

What resources do you use/trust to help you and your children wrestle through what we know the Bible tells us is so?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

11/13/2008
Learning Opportunities
The Rice Bag Project is coming to a close. Please donate to Mission India by November 21, 2008. We are so grateful for your generous gifts! But as Mission India has stated:

Please do not send your loose change to us. The Rice Bags are yours to keep!

Let the following be a learning opportunity:

Expensive Rice Bag

This super sweet family mailed Sonlight their contribution. It cost over eight dollars to ship and ended up on my desk today.

I love you and your enthusiasm, but I guess I didn't communicate very clearly.

Sorry.

So now, for everyone else: PLEASE DON'T SEND THE BAG!

Instead of paying needless postage, use that $8 to help support an Indian woman's education. Click here to make a matched donation to Mission India. Be sure to mention this is for the "Sonlight Rice Bag Project" to make sure your donation is matched!

Thank you <smile>.

Update on Brittany

When I got home last night, my wife met me at the door. "The doctor wants me to get there early so I can get an EKG before she sees me."

Brittany also wanted me to be in the room while she got the EKG. "It's a learning opportunity," she said. The EKG came out normal, which was a little disappointing because that meant it didn't tell us anything.

The doctor was checking Brittany's pulse when her heart skipped a beat, so she no longer had to wonder if we were making it up <smile>. But, as I feared, she said she didn't know what was going on. "The heart just sometimes does that kind of thing," she told us.

But all is not lost. They'll be hooking Brittany up with a heart monitor for a while to see if they can figure out anything else. So, that will happen in a few days.

"Could I get a copy of that EKG?" I asked. The doctor gave me an odd look. "I'm a blogger," I added hastily, "and I like writing about what's been going on."

She smiled and handed me the paper.

Homeschool bloggers: We ask for odd stuff.

Brittany's EKG Readout

All in the name of learning opportunities <smile>.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

11/12/2008
Updates and Fixes
I've had a few people ask me how my wife is doing. I haven't been able to give any updates because we haven't had any. The problem wasn't consistent enough to take her to the doctor, and I really didn't want to shell out the money if the doctor was just going to look at her and say, "Without more information, I can't really help."

Well, I got a call a few hours ago. It was Brittany and she said that her hands were turning a little blue.

Again, I channeled my inner doctor and came to the conclusion: That doesn't sound good.

So, after work I'm taking her to see the doctor. I'll try to remember to give you an update tomorrow, but if it's nothing exciting I may forget.

I'm just sayin'.

Put all that on the back burner for a second, and take a look at this:

Recognize This Guy?

I know I often forget or don't bother to give updates or feedback because I don't realize I can, don't feel like I have time, or wonder if anyone cares.

Well, I just got out of a web meeting where I shared eight suggestions for making the purchasing system on Sonlight.com easier to navigate and understand.

Will my suggestions all get implemented? Well, certainly not right away because the web guys have more to do than just hop on whatever crazy idea I've come up with (shocking, I know). But they were very grateful for the feedback.

"That's very useful," Bo¹ said. "So often we fix something and say, 'There, we fixed it,' and don't even think about the usability."

So, please, please let the web guys know if you find something problematic or unclear on Sonlight.com. They really appreciate getting feedback from users.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

P.S. The graphic is the "something bugs you" bug from Sonlight.com. Keep an eye out for him next time you're on the site <smile>. I think he's fantastic!

¹Bo has played such parts as the circuit painter, Mugsy, and he'll be showing up again as Tex Return in MathTacular4!

11/11/2008
Jobs, Vocations, and Work
I picked up a phrase from my mom that I enjoy oft repeating. Whenever lunch is over, or I need to get back to working on something, I say, "Well, it's back to the salt mines."

Hilarious. ...at least, I think it is <smile>.

And I was reminded of slaving away in salt mines today while listening to Amy Bayliss talk on the first ever Heartbeat Live. If you missed it, there will be another next week so check it out. But you did miss a good talk and the first ever show that was sponsored by Sonlight and hosted by yours truly.

You can stop crying now if you missed me. The loss is great, but not that great.

Where was I before I got off on the topic of me? Oh yes...

Amy made the point that while money is important, it's much better to pursue a job in something you love. Money should not be the driving force. You will be much happier, more relaxed, and feel more alive if you are doing what you should be doing, not just slaving away in the salt mines to make ends meet.

The quote that I have long loved that goes along with this is: "Find a job you love and never work a day in your life."

Granted, there are days when doing anything will feel like the salt mines, but you should love what you are doing. And that, I'm told, is the difference between a "job" and a "vocation." A job is something you do to pay the bills. A vocation is something you do because you love it, and it happens to pay the bills too.

You should love your homeschooling experience as well. Now, I'm not a proponent of switching homeschooling methods all the time, but if you're not loving your homeschooling experience overall, you may want to reconsider the tools you're using and the way you are using them.

This is why even though Sonlight strives to offer the absolute best of the best materials, there are still sometimes options. Take math as an example: Some kids thrive on the repetitive nature of problem worksheets, others can only focus if they have something to touch, while other kids are fine as long as there is some color and application.

Would you like some help in thinking these options through?

I haven't plugged these in a while, and I'm thrilled to remind you about the Forums and the SCAs. Both of these are fantastic resources from homeschooling moms who have found a vocation--or hobby--in helping others.

And I love that.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

11/10/2008
My Strength is My Weakness
I absolutely love Mary Grace. She cracks me up and writes rave reviews for Sonlight (even when I don't send her a free MathTacular DVD). Her posts often find their way into my "Other Posts of Note" and she has made me tear up at least once. Not to mention her incredible skillz with the iMovie.

With that as an introduction, here's Mary Grace on Strengths and Weaknesses. Well worth the read (including the comments).

Back?

I decided my comments warranted a post of their own. A post on this blog, since they'd be my thoughts, not a post on hers because my thoughts aren't that insightful <smile>.

What if one of the greatest strengths of homeschooling is also its greatest weakness?

That wouldn't surprise me at all. In fact, I think the world operates in this: Whatever could be our greatest asset to others also has the potential to be the most destructive force in our lives. It's the whole deal of "the bigger it is, the harder it falls."

In other words, the creativity, inventiveness and customization of homeschooling has, in this instance, failed to produce a desirable employee.

This also does not surprise me. But I'm going to spin it a slightly different way:

The public school system tends to produce people who are good for the workforce (this goes back, I'm told, all the way to the institution of bells that mimic the factory). Public education is designed to make good employees, not to inspire entrepreneurs or business owners. So the fact that a system, such as homeschooling, caters to a child's bent makes them dissatisfied with another's system and more prone to doing what they feel is best. This is a very good thing when it comes to innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship.

In fact, I would say that Mary Grace's brother-in-law is right:

...you're setting your children up for a lifetime of frustration when they realize that college, workplaces, etc., don't follow those same, "have it your way" rules.

But, I would add, that can be a very, very good thing!

So even here, the potential of a "strict"/inflexible system is for both good and bad. It comes back to what you want for your children, and who they are. And that is what parenting is all about.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

11/07/2008
Taco Bell and FREE Stuff
Sadly, I can not offer you free Taco Bell. If I could, I would, because I do love me some Taco Bell. However, in my blog browsing today, I learned that if I went to Mexico again it is possible to get a #3 south of the border.

Moving on...

I love useful free stuff. I use many useful free programs. I have no problems with quality free stuff. I'm all for it. In fact, I've got several lists of such programs.

But it boggles my mind how people rave about the "free curriculum" that is out there on the web. And it bothers me when they claim that these resources are a free alternative to Sonlight.

I don't have a problem with the "alternative to Sonlight" part. There are many other companies out there that are reasonable alternatives to Sonlight (but, I maintain, Sonlight is the best <smile>).

I have a problem when people claim that something is a "free" alternative, when, in reality, it isn't free at all. I'm not going to point any browser fingers, but I've visited several "free curriculum" sites that are nothing more than a book list and perhaps a schedule.

What? That's not free. You still have to buy the books! In fact, it's likely more expensive than Sonlight and does not come with the support or guarantee that Sonlight offers. Yet people keep proclaiming it as a free alternative.

<shakes head>

I am the king of Open Source software. I love getting freebies. But because I'm so into really free options, it bugs me when people talk about "free" stuff that isn't free in the least.

It may be time for Sonlight to do another cost comparison, but Judy did one a few years ago with some pretty impressive results. Find out more on the Price and Shopping Comparision page.

And if you're looking for a free alternative to a program you're using, just ask. I may be able to shoot you a link to a completely legitimate, absolutely viable option <smile>.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

11/06/2008
Palpitations, Murmurs, and Goo
Palpitations
Brittany asked me to listen to her heart last night because it was skipping beats on a fairly consistent basis.

That doesn't sound good.

Dr. Luke

Because it was late, Brittany had to self-diagnose with the internet as her only tool. She discovered that the cause could be anything from "low blood sugar" to "something serious."

Hmm... informative.

With that wide of a potential cause base I would appreciate your prayers for her. And if prayer isn't your thing, I am thankful for your thoughts as well. And if you're not into thinking, well, I'll take...

Murmurs
Isn't that cool word?

Mur-mur.

As I've thought about that word, I'm not sure I've heard too many people murmur in the recent past. And, I guess the word popped into my head because sometimes corporate prayer sounds like murmurs and sometimes hearts have murmurs, and I guess my brain put those two together.

Goo
Now to the slimy substance of this post: Goo.

I was up late last night playing a really fun physics game with Jason.

Physics? Fun?

I hear ya. I took a physics lab in high school too. I remember how my grade depended on how close the marble landed to the bulls eye after calculating the trajectory and assuming that air resistance was negligible.

I feel your pain.

But, seriously, you need to check out "World of Goo". You can download the free trial which includes several really fun levels of physics learnin' via goo balls. It's kinda like Lemmings, only far better and more dependent on physics.

Seriously: Download the Goo Demo Now!

And if you're looking for another, potentially educational game, check out one by the FTC. It looks like an interesting concept with potentially damaging purposes.

Jerri Ann

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

11/05/2008
Master of the Blogosphere
My good friend Mike came up to me this morning and asked, "What would a master of the blogosphere write about on a morning such as this?"

Not being a master of the blogosphere, I merely shrugged.

Truth be told, having gone to bed early I was unaware of which aspect of history was made last night. After getting the low down from Mike, a few clever--but ultimately unpostable--titles sprung to mind. I almost kept them to myself.

Almost.

Because I'm like that.

In other news, my latest Heart of the Matter article is up.

And speaking of Heart of the Matter, they are starting a cool, weekly live talk thingy called Heartbeat Live. It's free and you just have to register once to attend every week.

Sweet, huh?

Yeah. So, go Sign Up Now. It looks like they're going to pull from their virtual conference talent pool again and are on the lookout for new blood.

I'm currently trying to convince my mom to speak there in the near future.

...which, by the by, if you haven't read her most recent post, I strongly suggest you do--it's a good one.

So what would a master of the blogosphere write about today?

I still don't know, but I'm guessing such a man would include lots of links to stuff and ramble a bit. And then, to finish it off, he'd probably include his name and title...

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

11/04/2008
104. Oh, wait...
I woke up sick today.

I felt terrible, so eventually I went home and slept.

A lot.

Eventually I got up and ate dinner to try to give my body something to use as ammo.

Chicken Soup

My wife took my temperature because I was pretty sure I had a slight fever.

"You're at 104°," she said.

"Whoa! That's hot. I don't feel that bad. ...are you sure it wasn't 100.4°?"

"...oh, yeah, that was it."

So, I've got a slight fever, which is part of why I feel so crummy.

Even so, I did my civic duty and took everyone out to get free ice cream at Ben & Jerry's (hat tip: The Happy Housewife).

Brittany, Jason, Luke

Early to bed tonight. I need to be healthy enough to go into work again tomorrow. Stuff needs doing. Of course, there are a lot of ill people at Sonlight, which is probably where I got this bug.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

11/03/2008
Lighter Week
Good grief, last week was heavy around these here blog parts, wasn't it?

Sorry about that. I guess I had a few weights on my mind.

I'll try to be lighter this week.

So I'll kick off the week with some (moderately educational*) fun: Should you be allowed to vote?

Gina

You Should Be Allowed to Vote

You got 11/15 questions correct.
Generally speaking, you're very well informed.

If you vote this election, you'll know exactly who (and what) you'll be voting for.
You're likely to have strong opinions, and you have the facts to back them up.

Should You Be Allowed to Vote?

Good thing they gave me permission because I already voted (but I plan to post the picture tomorrow, so as not to confuse folks. Don't want anyone thinking that I'm a "vote early, vote often" kind a guy <smile>).

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

*Or perhaps convicting that we should be more educated and need to do some more research <smile>.

10/31/2008
Rice, Stings, and Leia
Two weeks ago I got stung by a bee while weeding my lawn. It hurt, but we got some baking soda paste on it pretty quickly and that helped.

But by Sunday morning my hand was swelling.

I started popping Diphenhydramine pills like they were candy ...candy I was only allowed to eat two of every six hours.

It helped the redness, but not the swelling.

So, I started my own RICE project (Rest, Ice, Compress, Elevate). The ice helped the redness get redder, but did nothing for the swelling.

Am I allergic to bees? Am I going to need to start carrying around an epinephrine pen?

We had to go to the doctor anyway, so I asked her about it. She glanced at my hand, took note of the fact that the swelling was slowly creeping across my hand, pointed out that it was also heading up my arm and told me that the bee had given me an infection. "You were stung by a dirty bee," she quipped.

So now I'm popping these instead:

Cephalexin

Speaking of Rice [bag] Projects:
Due to a "coincidental" set of events, my mom was interviewed on the radio.

I was graciously given the opportunity to share that segment with you, so if you'd like to listen to it you can find it at the above link or on Sonlight's site. It's less than 5 minutes in length.

In other news, we're having a typical Holzmann party at our house tonight: Come whenever, bring whatever, do whatever. We're low key, but we love hosting parties and people seem to like to come. But we haven't figured out what we're going to "be" tonight. Last year I was a very white Frozone.

But Kelli reminded me of the time that Brittany and I were Han Solo and Princess Leia. So, to commemorate, here's a picture:

Luke and Brittany as Harrison and Carrie

Have a wonderful, blessed, and safe weekend with your friends and family. See you all on Monday!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

10/30/2008
What Is Truth?
[title link here]

This is not a political post. The politics are merely here for illustrative purposes.

Not a political post.

Capice?

Good.

So, yesterday I bumped into a video that I thought was noteworthy (guess where it ended up? ...you got it!).

The video is a fairly straight-forward explanation of why it's a good idea to vote Yes on Proposition 8.

But then I read a post by one of my friends about why you should vote No on Proposition 8. Please at least browse through it.

[NB: Highly cut down, but my friend said that was okay]

Mike and I got married on June 28th. We want to remain married on November 5th. And without your help, we won’t.

8 has nothing to do with education

Did you see that ad with the little girl talking to her mom about what they taught her about marriage in school? Total fabrication and fear-mongering. Do you remember being taught anything about marriage in school? I remember eating paste and learning my multiplication tables. But that’s the story they’re trying to sell. Fortunately, the state superintendent of schools and every teacher’s group you can think of came out very strongly against this inflammatory untruth.

If the backers of this proposition were worried about education, they should have sponsored a ballot initiative about education, rather than trying to strip away rights from thousands of California families.

8 has nothing to do with taxes or religious freedom

One of their early ads implied that churches would lose their tax-exempt status if they refused to perform same-sex marriages. Think about that for a moment. Are Catholic churches required to perform Jewish weddings? Would you go to a Mormon temple for a Indian wedding? No. You would not. Churches have always and will always be able to choose whom they wish to marry, thanks to the First Amendment. (You know, that one before the awesome “right to bear arms” one.)

“Activist judges” are the new “terrorists.”

You’ve seen ads arguing that the Supreme Court ignored the will of the people by ignoring Prop 22, which was passed in 2000 with the exact same wording. But consider that nearly every major civil rights issue in our history has come as a court decision. In fact, it was the California Supreme Court that overturned the ban on inter-racial marriage, almost twenty years before Loving v. Virginia. Few reasonable Americans would argue that blacks, Latinos and women should have waited patiently until the majority of voters felt comfortable giving them rights.

Vote No on 8, because “domestic partnership” is not the same thing

You’ll hear, “Couldn’t they just settle for civil unions?” Or, “California already has domestic partnership.” So let me set you straight on these terms. They’re meant to be comfortable replacements for the word “marriage.” But they’re not the same thing. If they were, Bristol Palin would be getting civil unioned. The word marriage matters. If it didn’t, they wouldn’t have spent $40 million putting this ballot issue together.

The other fundamental problem is that separate-but-equal has never worked out that well, historically or now. For example, before we got married, Mike and I were domestic partners. It’s supposed to give us all the same rights as marriage, but in practice, it’s basically roommates with hospital visitation privileges. Companies can happily ignore our joint status. Mike and I get challenged on the paternity of our daughter. It sucks. So what’s meant to be a parallel system inevitably becomes a second-class system.

What would you do if the government tried to take your marriage away?

The Yes side seems to cheerfully ignore that we’re not talking about a hypothetical right to get married. Eleven thousand couples have gotten legally married in California since the court’s decision came down. What happens to those people? There’s no clear answer. If that sounds scary, it is. So Vote No on 8.

Odd, he's saying the opposite of just about everything on the little video.

How can that be?

I doubt my friend is totally ignorant. Of course, I don't think the makers of the video are either. So, how can we have two conflicting sets of facts?

The tendency, for me, is to write off one of the sides as just plain, flat-out wrong. So we're certain that:

Education is being affected.
Churches aren't likely to be affected, but no one is sure.
...but Civil Rights?
Marriage is important, even to homosexuals...
...who are real people with real marriages.

I can't just write that off.

So how do we get to the truth of this matter?

My solution would be to take each of these arguments to the ridiculous extreme, but that really won't help me answer my friend. See, he's married, and he's also pretty smart and could easily respond to several of my attempts of making his side look ridiculous.

I'm a black and white kind of guy, but we live in a world that is far from perfect so black and white doesn't work.

And I think it was last night that I finally actually heard the other side.

Not that I'm going to even try to discuss this with my friend, but if he ever asked me, what should I say?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Friend, Expectant Father

P.S. Sorry. I hate writing long posts like that, but there was too much information to do otherwise. Thanks for taking the time to read.

10/29/2008
Just Because We Want It
...doesn't mean we want it.

There are loaded statements just as there are loaded questions. For instance, it is unfair to ask, "Have you stopped beating your wife?" In fact, the answer may be:

Mu taken from Wikipedia

But with loaded statements, sometimes it's harder to have a good answer like a single, cool-looking Japanese character. Two posts got me thinking about this today, one by Jessica and the other by Karen.

The first loaded statement is "you should give back to the community." Is anyone mean enough to say, "Oh no, I don't want to give back." But who readily gives back? Well, those of us who like to share what we've learned. But, as Jessica points out, you can't give back something that you earned--that's just simple, charitable giving... not "giving back."

Along the same lines, Karen (Spunky) points out that no one doesn't want children everywhere to have a "decent education." The problem arises when people fail to define what a "decent education" is. As it stands, that phrase means very different things to people. Until we decide on a clear definition of that statement, I don't think anyone should agree that we should push for everyone to get a "decent" education.

So, like loaded questions, loaded statements would disappear with more clarification, definition, and quick discussion. Otherwise people are likely to say, "We want that," but then wonder why they didn't get what they wanted when it comes about.

If you're looking for a fun extra topic to start introducing, fallacies could be a fun one. Your students will certainly need that knowledge in the future.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

10/28/2008
Communists, Unity, and
...an even keel.

The Sonlight Forums are down for maintenance for a couple of days. And from what I've heard, that may be a good thing.

Sonlight Forums Maintenance

See, in case you hadn't realized it, it's time for some campaignin' in these here good ol' United States. And, for some reason, people get all fired up this time of leap year*.

And when you get people fired up, they sometimes say stuff that isn't, well, calm, cool, or collected. And if you have a moderated community, sometimes the loving thing to do is censor those who won't do so themselves.

But this can lead to upset people. One of the Sonlight customer support representatives told me today, "It's not every day that I hear people say that Sonlight is a communist company."

With all that in mind, let's turn to Sussane's post about unity. Her post is mostly about denominationalism** and how that leads to a refusal even to pray together. And I agree: That's not good.

But...

[and you knew that was coming because, otherwise, it would merely be another "post of note"]

...there is something powerful in all these denominations. Denominations allow people to experience God in a way that is more meaningful to them. And just like the various cultures worldwide that worship God in their culturally appropriate way, so denominations within the US allow each of us to worship God in a way that is suitable to our culture. I don't get much out of liturgy, but I know my "flavor" of worship isn't for everyone.

So, I'm against denominationalism--the tendency to think that you're right and everyone else is wrong to the point of rejection of people--just as I am against flame wars in politics. But I'm very happy for denominations--the opportunity to work within the framework that makes the most sense to you--just as I am happy that we have more than one political party. ...of course, I wish we had a few more viable options for those <smile>.

I do pray and long for unity, but we won't get there by "making everyone the same." Communism doesn't work. And I'm glad I'm not involved with a communist company, even if we do ask people to play nice.

Flame Wars

Are you playing nice, even if you don't agree with others (especially members of the Body)? I hope I am, while maintaining a meaningful stand for what is good, right, and true.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

*The good news is that we have an extra day of campaigning to do! ...wait... is that good?

**Though, from my many chats with Mormon missionaries, I wouldn't list Mormonism as a Christian denomination. And when my missionary friends object, I clarify "oxthordox Christian" because, at some point, we get to disagreeing on the majors.

10/27/2008
Two Sides of the Precipice
Title:
Tricia

I'm a bad blogger.

I also question my abilities as a filmmaker after seeing Mary Grace's video. Grr!

...where was I? Oh, right:

I'm a bad blogger because I saw an image today on a person's blog, and I can't remember who it was now and I didn't write it down. So, I'm sorry, person.

The image on someone's sidebar was of a gun with the caption: Would it bother us more if they used guns? abort73.com

Point well taken.

How would people respond if, for a partial birth abortion, the doctor pulled out an HK USP Compact 9mm [NB: Link contains mild profanity] and shot the fetus through the mass of cells students would be inclined to label "the head" on an anatomy lab?

*****

But what of the other side?

Images/presentations/sound-bytes are an artwork all their own and can highly affect how we approach a topic. So what have the Pro-Choicers come up with? How about the slogan:

77% of anti-abortion leaders are men. 100% of them will never be pregnant. It's your body. It's your decision. found here

Two Sides

And so we stand on a precipice: Basic human rights--the freedom to live--in question.

For the pro-choicers it's a question of being allowed to live your life, the freedom to do as you please without [ignorant] others imposing their beliefs on you.

For pro-lifers it's a question of being allowed to have a shot at life at all, without murders snuffing you out.

This is not the place--nor do I want to become such--to debate the merit or lack thereof of either side. This post is aimed at reminding us, to the point of being acutely aware, of how far we polarize each other when we step off the cliff: Murderer. Tyrant. Sinner. Slaver.

The whole debate turns on the question: Is a fetus a child?

If a fetus is a child, then, yes, it would be like pulling a gun on a baby.

If a fetus is not a child, then, yes, those men are simply trying to hold women down... or worse.

Until we agree, neither side is going to convince the other, and pictures like the ones above will only push the other side off their precipice while preaching to our choir.

Is that what we want to do?

Is that what we should do?

...but what else can we do, considering this is a question of life or death (potentially for women and children)?

~Luke Holzmann
~~Filmmaker,~~ Writer, Expectant Father

10/24/2008
Meet Luke Video Meme
Heart of the Matter is hosting another Meme, this time encouraging people to upload a video introducing themselves to others.

So here is mine:

HotM Meme: Meet Luke Video - YouTube

HD Version

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

10/23/2008
It's Late...
After missing three days from the blogosphere I'll have close to 600 posts to catch up on tomorrow, among other things.

Whew. It's gonna be insane!

But for tonight, I'm tired so I'm going to take a break from posting. Well, I'm posting, and I'll make a point, but I'm still going to take it easy.

So, my point: Sometimes it's best to just take it easy. This applies to work, your homeschooling, even housework and such. It's okay to relax. Life's too short to be obsessed with the trivial things and too long to worry about them.

See you all in the morning!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

P.S. If you feel the need for some real stuff, check out the Other Posts of Note. I've managed to stick a couple new ones in there. Doing what I can <smile>.

10/22/2008
Expectations and Snow
While driving home from my second all-day-for-three-days meeting I noticed a few tiny flakes of snow swirling around. This was the first snow of the year (as far as I know), so that was pretty cool.

But I was wearing a short-sleeved polo.

This Shirt

And while there was a chill in the air when I got in my car, it wasn't that cold. How cold was it?

I looked down to my dashboard with a super-handy outside temperature reading, and it told me how cold it was outside: 45°.

45° and snowing.

Odd, but kind of fun.

That got me thinking: Often in life we run into these oddities--perhaps even more frequently while homeschooling--and we should embrace them as opportunities to wonder. Certainly they can be a chance to research, such as why it would snow when the temperature is thirteen degrees above freezing. But they also allow for us to merely experience wonder in a joy/surprise/awe sense of the word.

So, next time you and your children experience something like snow when it's 45°... stop and enjoy it because homeschooling gives you that opportunity.

If you need it in a tagline: Stop and watch the snowflakes.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

10/21/2008
The Winner and...
...me.

I didn't win the recently ended Wallpaper Graphics Contest over on the Digital Flatline forum. That's okay, I really wasn't going to let myself win since it was "you know, for kids."

So, congratulations (inspirĀtional)!

The winning entry was:

Psalms

You can peruse* the other entries on the Official Contest Page--exciting sounding, eh? I know!

In other news, I'll be posting late for the next few days because I'm in an all-day-for-three-days meeting. Good stuff that we're talking about, but that means I don't get to spend time on the blogosphere. I'll catch up with you all on Friday... I hope.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

*I just found out that "peruse" actually means "to look at and study intently" and not, as I believed, to "glance over briefly." And I thought I was well educated. Guess Junior Honors English wasn't that great. They should take back my SAT score <smile>.

10/20/2008
Assumptions and Appearance
Stereotypes exist.

And that's not a bad thing. Stereotypes allow us to quickly categorize the world, have a rough understanding of something, and know how we should interact in a particular situation. Without stereotypes we would have to rediscover social graces for each and every person, situation, or experience we have.

At the same time, stereotypes aren't a perfect picture of others. Our assumptions can be very wrong. And that is why people often urge us to not judge each other based on our appearance.

That's fair. But not judging by appearance carries a lot of dangers. There's a quote from the movie "Crash" that I found particularly fascinating: Two young African Americans are walking down a mildly busy street at night. One of them remarks to the other about how everyone seemed to be scared of them. "But why," he asks, "are we not afraid of them?"

"Because we're the only ones packing heat?" The other ventures.

"Exactly." And with that, they pull out their guns and steal another character's car.

If you dress like a hoodlum, you should not be surprised that people assume that you are. Just like the movies of old: If you're wearing black and a mask, you're the bad guy.

Similarly, if your garments match those of the homeschool stereotype, don't be surprised if people look at you like you're from Planet Homeschool. You are, and you're promoting it. The stereotype exists for a reason.

On the other hand, it's not totally accurate, which is why we often have people say, "You homeschool? But you seem so normal."

What got me on this train of thought?

I got an email from Jenny about an article in the Wall Street Journal. She also posted about the article on her blog. The article talks about how churches pay "mystery worshipers" to pose as first time guests and then write up reports about what was good, what was bad, and what was ugly--everything from how stocked the toilet paper was to the quality of the exegesis.

Jenny--hello, friend!--points out, with some disdain, that churches are dumping money into this kind of thing. She also takes issue with the guy who has a "cover story" [read: lie] just in case someone asks him what he's up to. But that's a topic for another day.

The fact that churches (the business entity) spends money on "market research" like this raises a question: How important is our appearance?

I know there are believers who feel that there shouldn't even be a church "entity" or building. On the other end of the spectrum, we have people who split their church over the color of the new carpeting.

For me, I guess I look at it from the perspective of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs:

Luke's Hierarchy of Needs

For a church to exist, it first needs believers who will gather. Then it needs a place to do so (be it a home, a field, a cave). After that, small groups and areas of involvement are needed so people can feel like they are an integral part of the congregation and can expand the reach of the ministry. And once you have all those things in place, then people can start to complain about burnt out light bulbs and the temperature of the room.

And, yes, it may be petty and not nearly as important as, say, what a newly founded church in India is struggling with, but...

...wait, scratch that.

Doesn't Maslow's Hierarchy tell us that, for those at the upper levels, those things are what's important?

In other words: Our appearance in the Western American church is super important.

Should it be?

I guess that depends on who you are trying to reach. But when was the last time you were happy to sit in a service that was freezing or burning hot? How well could you focus?

Even so, I do agree with Jenny: It would be nice if people got a servant's heart and a desire to love others so churches wouldn't have to pay someone to come tell them that they aren't. But, I don't know about your church, but for mine there are the few who do everything, and most everyone else merely shows up for the service, not to be of service.

So as you look at your appearance: How important is it?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

Sorry this was so long. Too many ideas spoil the post.

10/17/2008
They Just Want Your Money
Many thoughts buzzing
All around inside my head.
Will try to make sense.

Bad Haiku
Luke 10/17/08

I've heard the following sentiment multiple times recently: The church just wants my money, so I don't go anymore. They're a business, not about relationship or life change.

I once heard a speaker at camp say: In that case, you should not go to a baseball game, or buy a car, or spend money on food because all they want is your money.

But, yes, the church as an institution is a non-profit organization--a business. Sonlight is a for-profit organization--a business. The same is true of Zondervan, Fireproof, and even Mission India... they all want your money.

The operable word here, then, is just. Is money the only thing that the church is about? Is that the only thing that Sonlight, or your local bookstore, is about? How about Amazon? Your bank? The government?

I can assure you that all of those entities want your money (some will take it, regardless). But what do they do with that money? I don't know what Amazon does with it, but I know what Sonlight does with much of the money. The same is true of your church: You should be able to see what they are spending the money on. As a non-profit, they are required to have open books.

But even if your church, as an entity, only wanted your money, is that wrong? Is church, the institution, why we attend on Sundays?

No.

We visit the church, the entity's building, so we can participate in church, the gathering of believers. And we participate in church, the gathering, so that we, as a church, can bond, grow, and minister. If your ministry (the third definition of church) was only about money, you have a problem. If the church gathering is only about money, you have a problem. But if the entity that makes the other two possible is only about money, I don't think that's wrong. ...because, honestly, the entity is about making the other two possible through the money.

Which brings us to the clincher:

You.

I'm currently growing in the area of giving, and I have a long way to go, but I hope to one day be as generous as my parents.

Why do you want money? It's certainly not just to have it. And if you aren't using the resources you have--be it money, talents, or connections--are you really about life change and relationships? Because the only way that church (the ministry) is going to be about those things if you, a member of the church (gathering), make it so.

Sobering thoughts.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

10/16/2008
Love 'em Both
I love to read glowing responses to Sonlight. I try to include them in the "Other Posts of Note" section. And that makes sense: I'm a Sonlight blogger, a Sonlight kid, and soon to be--I hope--a Sonlight dad.

But I love the negative posts about Sonlight too.

Well, I don't really love them. In fact, it's hard to hear someone berate the company or one of the products. But I love what I get to do. My job, which I really enjoy, is to chat with those disgruntled folks and find out what went wrong, what they didn't like, and do what I can to make the situation right or, at least, better. I get to help people, and I love helping people.

Granted, if you look back through the history of "Other Posts of Note"--and you should because there is some great stuff there--you won't find me linking to the person who complained about the quality of the binding on one of the Sonlight titles. I don't instantly share that someone says our materials are evil. I don't include the post where the person complained about our shoddy offerings in this or that subject.

But I do, from time to time, post the followup.

I don't want to link you to a post where someone has merely complained. I am, however, thrilled when I am able to link to a post where people have complained, I have been able to address their concerns--in however minimal a way--and they feel that they have at least been heard and supported. In fact, in many cases, their issue remains, but I have, hopefully, been able to take their feedback to improve Sonlight and encouraged them to continue on in the homeschooling journey (even if it isn't with Sonlight).

I love those kinds of posts.

And I got to thinking about it today because I had one of both kinds--included with the "Other Posts of Note" <smile>:

Mary Grace's positive and Suji's negative ...okay, it's really a rave review of how great I am <cough cough>. You think I'd link to someone calling me names? <grin>

I write about Sonlight's desire to help homeschooling families often, but that's because I think it is so important--and so much a part of who I am and what I do. I know that Sonlight isn't perfect, and so I welcome feedback on how we can make it better. And I'm glad that people are happy with me when I do.

It's one of the great perks of the job.

I just wish I didn't have so many typos. I even proofread most of my comments! <grr>

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

10/15/2008
Remembering and Pondering
Today is the annual Sonlight "Refresher," so I have to get ready to film it in a moment. The "Refresher" is a time when we get together and hear the story of Sonlight and get reminded of what we are all about: Helping families (especially missionaries) by making it easier and more enjoyable for them to homeschool their children. ...of course, I film the refresher every year and we have yet to do anything with the footage. Maybe someday posterity will want to see it. Or perhaps, sometime in the future, I'll get to make something cool to post here.

<switching gears>

I'm not feeling very ponderous today--though Brittany's mom once said that she was, much to the amusement of her family--even so, my mind has been pondering a few things. Most recently, and notably, a post by Cherish.

I've come to enjoy Cherish's posts, as well as her personality and ways of looking at things... not to mention her physics lessons. <smile>

Her post, which I strongly suggest you read instead of relying on my truncated version, is in response to a call to pray and fast for the stop of abortion. Her argument is basically thus:

[This is] in no way even a small step toward a real solution. ...they're doing absolutely nothing of practical value that will in actuality reduce the problem. ...It's a scam. It's snake oil. It deprives people who may have a sincere and earnest desire to do some good of the opportunity to... do something which could truly be useful.

Ouch.

And, by and large, I agree with her.

Granted, I do believe in the importance of prayer both for our own edification--which she acknowledges--as well as the world change it can bring about. So, I'm not knocking the prayer and fasting. That is super important. But her point remains searingly (and searchingly) true: Faith without works is dead.

In fact, read all of James 2.

If these people are merely praying and doing nothing more--like loving and caring for these girls, offering help and support--there is little value to praying and fasting, because, as James 2 points out: Are you even really acting out in faith if you aren't also actively doing something to help the problem in the real world?

So, yes, Cherish, you've just giving an excellent example of the truth of Scripture <smile>. Right on.

On the other hand, that doesn't mean we shouldn't be praying as well. We simply should be doing both. Which reminds me of another passage...

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

10/14/2008
Loving and Accepting
I firmly believe that, as people, we need to be loving. We need to do that. The world is just not a good place when people stop loving others.

I don't think I'd get many complaints about that.

But I'm not so sure that it's a good idea to be accepting. Loving? Yes. Accepting? No.

Huh? Isn't that the same thing?

Nope. Not at all.

Loving means, roughly, to want what is best for others, to care about them, to treat them well, and to encourage them to live the best possible life and provide what you can to make that happen. Accepting, on the hand, means that you merely tolerate the follies of others, you allow them to do whatever they like, and you generally disregard them except to smile wanly at them from time to time. If you try to accept everyone you eventually come to the point where you have to agree with the self-refuting ideal of "not tolerating intolerance." We simply cannot maintain a rational existence and work toward acceptance of everyone.

The opposite is true of love. If we truly love others, we can function very well as a society, despite being completely "intolerant" of other views. If we truly loved the religious nuts who berate us for our sin, we would be able to smile at them, disagree with them, and treat them well anyway.

The same is true of homosexuals, pro-choicers, fallen pastors/priests, rapists, and hypocrites like me. Love them, but please, please realize the importance of disagreeing with them. But as you disagree and refuse to accept their stance, please remember to love them.

I've been slowly collecting posts on this topic, and I think this distinction will correct and inform every single one of these posts (all of them fascinating reads... just please keep this post in mind):

Exclusively Inclusive

Alasandra

Problems with legalized same-sex marriage
WE impose our beliefs?
Homosexuality in Culture

You see a woman being raped

Deb

Remember: Until we learn to love people they have a legitimate complaint against us when we come down of them for their beliefs (be it for completely pagan or truly "holy" perspectives). By the same token, we can never truly accept all people--it's impossible.

So strive so as to live with love toward all, and acceptance of only what is right.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

10/13/2008
Day 1 in Brittany's Kitchen
Happy to be at Home has a weekly series of "Day 1 in So-and-So's Kitchen." Now, I know my way around a kitchen, but I don't cook. My wife Brittany, however, does. And last night was just way too good to not share.

This will not become a regular thing--I don't imagine--but I may get her to reveal a few more "secrets" she has tucked away in her apron.

And if you weren't aware, I'm Gluten-Free, so these recipes will be too.

So, without further ado:
Brittany's "I Think I'm in Heaven" Waffles
(Adapted from "Gluten-Free Quick & Easy" by Carol Fenster, Ph.D)

One "I Think I'm in Heaven" Waffle to whet your appetite

First, you need to mix up some Gluten-Free Waffle Mix:

1 1/2c Sorghum Flour
3 1/2c Potato Starch
3 c Cornstarch
1 c Sugar
4 T Baking Powder
4 t Baking Soda
2 t Salt
2 t Xanthan Gum

Makes about 4 batches of waffles. Store mix in the freezer.

Now you can move on to the "I Think I'm in Heaven" Waffles

2 c Waffle Mix
4 T Butter
2 Eggs
1 t Vanilla Extract
1/2 c Milk (add more if batter is too thick)
2 t Lemon Juice

Throw in a bowl and mix until smooth, adding lemon juice last. Coat waffle iron with cooking spray or brush with melted butter, pour on waffle batter, cook. They cook fast.
Top with your favorite waffle topping (sliced strawberries and whipped cream.... yum) and enjoy!

The name is my (Brittany's) contribution. In the book they are just listed as "Waffles."

Makes about 8 waffles on an 8" round waffle maker. Extra waffles can be frozen.
Not that you'll have any <smile>.

Unfortunately, our waffle iron was a tad dirty from our last--failed--attempt at making waffles. So, in the spirit of a "Wordless Works for Me Wednesday on Monday" post, I'll share with you our super-effective way of cleaning off the waffle iron... and it got the whole family involved (something I hear is good to do):

Nevil: Doing His Part

After we'd washed the waffle iron, I stepped up to the plate... literally.

Luke: Doing His Part

So there you have it. Enjoy!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

10/10/2008
I'm an Evil Man
...I'm also into cats.*

We left the house at 6:30 this morning to go get fingerprinted for the FBI so we can move forward with this adoption process. That gave us an hour to get to our appointment.

And then we hit traffic. At 6:35.

What?

For the next twenty minutes we slowly inched our way forward. It was like driving on the 5. I kept telling my wife that I left California for a reason.

It would be cool to be able to tell you all that I kept my cool. I mean, we only had an appointment for the three of us--my best friend had to get printed too, and he had work to get to--and if we missed this appointment it would be two weeks before we could try again. And I hate driving. And the trip was supposed to take 35-45 minutes as it was, so this 20 minute parking lot was cutting it close. And I tend to get lost if I haven't been to a place before, so I needed the extra time that was quickly ticking away.

I didn't keep my cool.

I lost it.

This adoption stuff is killer. Brittany's stressed out too, and that only adds to my stress. It ain't pretty. And it wasn't pretty in the car.

And the three car pileup that had blocked three lanes of traffic wasn't pretty either. But by then, I didn't care. Whoever had caused that accident had also interfered with my adoption, and the lives of the hundreds of other people stuck in traffic that morning as well, not to mention any fatalities. People were in my way, and there are few things in life as annoying as people who are in my way.

To make it worse, all these people were potentially pushing back my adoption date even further. Get between me and my kids? I'm not going to be happy with you.

And I wasn't happy.

When I finally got to work my blood pressure was up, and and my feathers were ruffled. And then I read Judy's post...

[insert you reading her post now]

I wish I was there. I do.

But I'm not. Not by a long shot.

We made it to the appointment on time, we got through everything really quickly, and I'm pretty sure my friend got to work in plenty of time. So, to add salt to the wound: It all worked out beautifully. Everything was great, except my attitude.

Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. ...because I'm an evil man.

I wish I could be a perfect husband, friend, and father, but I'm not.

The "salt" stings, but I've heard that salt helps wounds heal. And perhaps that's why God so often blesses us despite our severe lack of faith--to heal our mistrust, to teach us that He is trustworthy.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

*So obscure no one gets it. That's fine.
You'll get used to my apparently disjointed comments as well.
Or you'll roll your eyes like my wife <smile>.
If you're dying to know, Google the phrase.
You are responsible for what you watch.

10/09/2008
Life is so Daily
Do you ever get the feeling like your life is on a "rinse/repeat" cycle? You know, that nagging feeling like you did this whole "life" thing yesterday and will get up and do it again tomorrow?

I get that feeling from time to time as I make my way down the dark hall to the shower in the morning. In fact, I get that feeling sometimes when I lie down at night.
[Aside: Oh my. I had to look that up again: "Lie" means to "speak with the purpose of deception" or to "assume a horizontal position." "Lay," on the other hand, means "to put something down {in a horizontal position}" or to "be in a horizontal position." ...no wonder I'm confused. English can be crazy.]

I'm not the first person to feel this way. I think the author of Ecclesiastes felt that way too--you know, the whole, "everything is meaningless" mantra. And with this comes the realization that your past successes don't matter a lick if you mess up the present.

For instance: It doesn't matter that you haven't lost your temper for the past week if you lose it now.

There's a quote that fits perfectly with this, but I was unable to find a proper citation, "The problem with the Christian life is that it's so daily."

That's the problem with the homeschooler's life too.

So, what's the solution? How do we deal with the monotony and repetition of life?

Here are a few ideas, but please share yours as well:

1. Enjoy the change. As mundane as life can seem, change is all around us. Our kids get older, the seasons shift (unless you're in California <smile>), and "markers" come and go, such as birthdays, holidays and major events.

2. Accept the newness of each day. Even if you're not religious, the fact remains: His mercies are new every morning. That statement has more practical application for those of faith, but just as our past successes don't matter as much as our present choices, the same is true of our shortcomings. The fact that the past holds less significance than the present makes every moment an opportunity for life to get better.

3. Mix it up. I'm a creature of habit. I love sticking to a schedule so my brain doesn't have to think too much. I just automatically do the same thing... which is why, when driving, my wife has to remind me to keep going straight if I normally turn at an intersection. I get on autopilot. But if you're feeling like you've ended up in the doldrums, shake things up. If that means running off to the park or picking up ice cream, go for it.

So, yes, life is daily. And, sure, we could get discouraged by that fact, or we could see it as an opportunity.

Have you seen the movie Groundhog Day? If every day was the same you could spend it learning to toss cards into a hat, or you could see how much good you could do.

May I encourage you to do the latter.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

10/08/2008
Instant Answers
I don't text.

I don't even own a cellphone. I'm either at work or at home, and I am almost always sitting in front of a computer connected to the internet. So, I don't need a cellphone or texting. And I'm way too cheap to pay for either.

However, a few people have cell phones and a couple of them like to text.
[Aside: It's odd to me how some nouns become verbs--e.g. "I blog on my blog," or "I text."]
One of these texting fiends is my brother. He has a cellphone, but most of the time it is a portable, nine button instant messaging system. And other than his friends, the thing he texts most often is "Cha Cha" (242-242). You text in a question, any question, and a few minutes later some college kid who wants to make twenty cents has googled [verb] the answer for you.

It's free to use (if texting is free for you).

And this kind of thing is becoming popular. I read today that Google will do a price check for you (text: 466453). Pretty cool, I guess. People are eating this kind of thing up.

In fact, you could try out 27563 (ASKME) and compare it to Cha Cha. There are other options if you want to pay money for the service.

Madness.

But useful.

Let me give you a perfect example: If you were to whip out your little phone and type something like: 9(44)(666) (444)(7777) (555)(88)(55)(33) (44)(666)(555)(9999)62(66)(66)?

You might get back:

luke holzmann
filmmaker writer expectant father

Because, you know, texting doesn't allow for proper capitalization or punctuation. See how easy that was?

On the other hand, if you're looking for well thought-out, and properly typed, answers to a Sonlight homeschooling question you think the world should know, you can ask our Sonlight expert over on her Homeschool Q & A blog. I'm helping her work out some kinks in the system still, but I think it's functional. I'm sure she'd love it if you dropped by.

P.S. My latest Heart of the Matter article is up. If you haven't yet, I encourage you to give it a read.

10/07/2008
Bob's Your Uncle
[Title link here]

I don't have an Uncle Bob.

Though I do have an Uncle Scott, Pete, Dave, Ken, and Martin, so "Bob" would fit right in. And really, this post has nothing to do with uncles or extended relatives at all, so I'm going to drop the topic entirely. But we will come back to the idea of "Bob" in a moment. But first...

I ran across a very interesting post by Christine on Welcome to My Brain.net that fits in nicely--at least, in my mind--with yesterday's post. Give it a little read and watch the embeded video. Or don't, if you're sick of the topic... no skin off my nose. Though I found it interesting... the video and post, not the skin on my nose.

Okay, on with this post.

If you have never been introduced to Weird Al Yankovic, allow me to do so: Readers, meet Al. Al, meet my readers*.

Not only is Weird Al incredibly funny, cleaver, and talented, but he's also educational. Ever wished there was a way to get kids interested in Bob Dylan and Palindromes at the same time? That's what I thought. Thankfully, Weird Al has made a song just for you:

BoB

Learn stuff and have fun doing so--the epitome of education. Find something you enjoy and imparts knowledge in a way that is practical and beneficial, and Bob's your uncle.

Oh, speaking of finding such things (fun, knowledge imparting, practical and beneficial), Sonlight has recently added a sweet new feature to your online shopping experience: a Wish List! Go ahead, check it out.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

*I know, I know: some of you read this blog but don't Follow it. And that's okay. Really. I'm fine with that. I don't really mind... much. I'm just sad that I can't easily link to you so my good friend Al can get to know all you fine folks. <tear>

10/06/2008
Never Trust Your Brain
I try to keep an eye out for great blog topics throughout my day. The problem is that I will think of something and say to myself, "Self, that is a great idea you just had. Hold onto that for me." And then I go about my work.

When it comes time to blog, I turn to myself and ask, "What was that great idea I had earlier?"

And my self will answer, "Huh?"

That seriously just happened.

Thankfully I have a slew of Other Posts of Note to draw upon in time of need.

I came upon a great article about the current mortgage problems that points to an unlikely--or not, depending on your view--source: God.

Well, not really. More accurately: It's people's misuse of theology that has likely helped lead us to where we are today.

Lyn Hallewell

The article is really interesting. For instance, I had not heard that the "Prosperity Gospel" can actually lead people to start living a more fiscally responsible life. That definitely brings to mind the concept of the Lord working in mysterious ways.

But just as I need to learn not to trust my brain to remember important details, I'm finding I need to learn to let God deal with things His way. My brain just can't handle it.

I once heard a guy give his testimony saying that what convinced him that Christianity was true was a book about Bible Codes.

What?

So even if God decides to use cracked pots like us, I feel like the above article should give us pause. We need to carefully watch our doctrine. But at the same time, I guess the other lesson I'm learning is that there is grace enough for people who don't quite "get it" either.

...in the end, I'm just feeling a little torn in my brain: We must be careful, but God gives us grace anyway.

Wisdom, please.

Thoughts?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

10/03/2008
From Me to Pea
I often wake up with the realization that I was just in REM and dreaming. I've become used to the sudden shift from dreams to reality, and it doesn't bother me much--except I'm usually rather groggy because of the interrupted cycle.

I'm sure this is super fascinating to you all.

Point being: I don't tend to remember my dreams much, but when I woke up this morning it was so good I just had to share it:

My crazy dream--that involved getting lost in the wilderness, trespassing, the characters from Lost, a large cathedral, and a flying boat--culminated in everyone turning into Veggie Tales characters and singing a nice upbeat closing song reminiscent of "Following the Leader" ...the last line of which was:

......we always should have known:
There are always more flight paths
Than roads could ever go.

A bit too much WoW? Perhaps.

But it is true: You can go far more places flying around than you can following a path. ...which is the popularity of flying mounts. <cough ahem>

I don't have time to discuss dreams much more today, but Jess has an interesting discussion about the topic on her blog.

Have a great weekend everyone! I'll see you all on Monday!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

If you can handle a mild profanity, I found this particular xkcd comic applicable. If you'd rather avoid profanities, please don't click on the link. Thanks!

10/02/2008
Sunday Sundaes
Sonlight has an "unabashedly biblical, evangelical Christian base" (see #19). And I, without trepidation, freely admit that I am a Christian to anyone who asks.

But, on the internet, I tend to not mention my faith in Christ as often. Is it because I am "ashamed of the Gospel"? (Romans 1:16)

No.

But sometimes this whole "Christian" label thing goes nuts.

Bananas.

Perhaps with some vanilla ice cream, chocolate syrup and cheery as well. The religious sundae, often proudly displayed on Sundays.

Why did we, as a subculture, feel the need to create GodTube, so we could change the tagline from "Broadcast Yourself™" to "Broadcast Him*"?

This kind of thing makes my skin itch.

Oh, I used to be there. I wore the all the cheap Christian knockoff shirts (that still cost a pretty penny). I was going to influence culture by demonstrating how "hip" I was, but with the extra-cool Christian twist.

HisSpace

But I was deceived. There is no way you can influence culture by merely repackaging it as "Christian." Not going to work. So, please, nobody start making "Strong Good" emails--unless you're trying to be purely farcical.

We Christians are an odd bunch of bananas, are we not? Add in the whole "homeschool" thing, and we can come across as really, really out there.

But this is what's odd: When I meet homeschoolers, chat with them, read their blogs, and discuss things, they really are very nice, "normal" people. They are no more out of whack than any of the public schooled atheists I know. Which, I think, is a good thing.

Are we really called to be "counter-cultural"? I don't think so. It was probably the biography of William Carey that first introduced me to this idea. He changed how he looked so he could better relate to the people around him. That whole "all things to all men" deal.

I think there's a phase in a Christian's life where the Christian fads are appealing. And that's okay. But at some point in time, I think that we should become more like Christ and hang out with the sinners where they are, rather than with the Sunday Sundae group.

I certainly have my own toppings that people may not want on their ice cream, but I do my best to enjoy it so much that others decide to give it a try. I think people seeing me enjoy my sundae will be more effective than merely proclaiming the superiority of my concoction.

How about you?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

*It looks like they have since changed their tagline.
And, yes, I have an account.

10/01/2008
Post Pwnd
Tiff
for the title inspiration

I'm a geek with a penchant for puns, so when I saw an opportunity to use the "word" pwnd in a blog title... well, I couldn't resist. Besides, this is a blog about learning, and I'm hoping I was the first to introduce at least one of my three readers to to term.

Fess up now, please. You hadn't heard of something "pwnd" before, had you?

In other word news, it's official: "homeschool" is the proper way to write the word describing what we do.

And one more "linky" bit of news: If you're thinking about getting involved in the Rice Bag Project but have been wondering how/where/when you can donate and have your gift matched, you can read all about on the, aptly named, How to donate to the Sonlight Rice Bag Project page.

Doesn't get much better than that.

What? You want a real post now?

pwnd

Sorry, it got pwnd by all the links above.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

P.S. They say the best way to learn a new word is to use it several times right after you hear it. I have given you a head start on that.

09/30/2008
Lying to the Childrens
Today, while I was editing the next podcast in the lineup--coming soon!--I heard Jill say of some fun math activities: "...kids don't even know it. They don't even know it's math. It's great."

This is a common sentiment from homeschoolers, especially Sonlighters--or maybe that's just selection bias talking <shrug>. I've heard stories over and over again about kids saying, "That was school?! It was way too much fun to be school."

These kids don't even realize that what they are doing is a secret plot to get them to learn something.

Lying to the children.

We should be ashamed.

But before I get sent to my room without dessert, you need to know that I wasn't the one who lied.

It's the idea of "school" that has twisted the minds of our young people. It is the institution of school, and the media surrounding it, that has lied to our students. Even we have been subjected to this lie. And the lie is this:

Learning must be boring.

Learning is pain

Nothing could be further from the truth. Learning is a blast! And homeschooled kids know it. Schools lie to children and tell them that to learn is to suffer, or at least a struggle.

To be fair, there are many teachers who do their best to make their lessons fun, engaging, meaningful and a joy. I'm not talking about them. I'm talking about the educational system that perpetrates the lie that learning is an arduous task.

It's not always easy, but learning is always a joy.

School isn't.

So please allow your kids to remain blissfully ignorant that what they are doing has educational merit. Let them slowly learn that learning is fun, and then perhaps, just perhaps, they'll think that school is fun as well.

At least, at home with Sonlight it is <smile>.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

09/29/2008
Ordering from Sonlight
...my first impressions.

I have been involved with Sonlight to some extent or another since my mom started it back in '90. Granted, my involvement is has been off and on over the years, but I am now at a completely different level: I am a customer!

Not only that, I'm a genuine, card-totin' "Classic Member" of the Sonlight community.

<oooo... ahhhh...>

You're all jealous, I can tell.

I placed my order on Friday, and, as per my request, they just walked it over to my cube, so their delivery system is fantastic! I felt that having them ship it to my house wasn't very efficient, since I'm driving there after I finish this post.

No, we don't have our kids yet, but in preparation for getting them, we decided we needed to learn Russian, and quick. So we now own Rosetta Stone Russian 1&2.

Our First Sonlight Order!

My experience:

I popped onto the website and did a search for "Russian," and quickly found what I was looking for. Cool!

But I remembered an email about a special offer for Rosetta Stone, and I couldn't find any indication of the deal on the product page. My wife told me I should call Customer Support.

Great idea! Especially since I'm going to be blogging about the experience... might as well go the whole way.

So I called, and was left waiting for about five minutes. The music loop was a little short, so that got a tad annoying. (Did I mention this is a complete review of my experience? <smile>)

"Thank you for calling Sonlight, this is Lindsey, may I have your name please?"

"Hi, Lindsey. This is Luke Holzmann, and I actually have a real question."

I know who Lindsey is, and she, I think, knows who I am, but we work on opposite sides of building and haven't been formally introduced. So, this is about as close to a "stranger" as I was going to get. Had it been, say, Karla, I may have had a biased customer support moment. All the better for you that it was Lindsey. This was a real call.

I explained my confusion, and she did some poking around to answer my question.

Sonlight does have great customer service!

This brought me to the checkout process.

Oh my. This was nasty. I had to actually look around to find the "Let Me Buy This Stuff, Please!" button. It wasn't where I expected it, and was buried under a mountain of text.

Next was a "Coupon Codes" page, almost as confusing--again, with too much text. But being the computer savvy guy that I am, I managed. I can't let thousands of homeschool moms beat me! If they can do it, so can I!

Everything else was a snap.

And, like I said, I have my order now.

Awesome.

Thus far, I am very happy customer of Sonlight.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

P.S. I met with one of the web guys this morning, and he now has my feedback for making the checkout process cleaner. I do love being able to test this stuff so I can offer suggestions to make it even better.

But, I'm not the only one who can provide feedback. Sonlight welcomes your feedback as well!

09/26/2008
By the Bye, You Learn Stuff Reading
I've picked up many colloquialisms over the years, and it is often humorous when people say what they hear, even if it doesn't make sense. For example, I once overheard someone say that something was happening "for all intensive purposes*."

That made me smile. Those purposes sure do get intense at times.

Of course, I can merely smile because I've had my fair share of misquotes.

I have long loved the phrase "by the by." It feels far more proper/pompous to say, "I'm a pompous person, by the by," instead of "by the way." "By the by" also seems to require a British accent--which I can't do--which just makes the whole thing even better.

Last night, my wife finally convinced me to start reading "Perelandra" out loud to her. Within a few pages, C.S. Lewis has penned "by the bye."

<wha?>

So, I looked it up. It seems that "by the bye" is the older way of writing "by the by." Which is odd, by the bye, because shouldn't there be some sort of meaning attached to these words that would render one nonsensical?

Apparently not.

No wonder English is so confusing.

So there you have it. I learned something new... sort of. I guess it isn't exactly "new," per se, more that I learned something more.

Also, turns out that bears don't hibernate. Wasn't aware of that.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

*Should be: "...for all intents and purposes": As in, this happened because someone purposed and intended that it should.

09/25/2008
Some Love for My Peeps
I read tons of blog posts every day.

Well, technically not "tons" because a post doesn't exactly have a mass, so let me begin again...

I read over a hundred blog posts a day; a least 400 on Monday because of the weekend. And while browsing all these posts, I typically read some real gems. These I quickly include in the "Other Posts of Note" section of this blog.

Now, some of you have RSS readers, and some of you don't look at the sidebars on blogs, and if you're like me, you do and you don't (RSS/sidebars... respectively). For all of you who are like me, may I encourage you to check out these noted other posts. I note them for the simple reason that I enjoyed them and think you may find them enjoyable/important as well.

I know a few of my readers have already started to take advantage of this opportunity. But I would like to highlight something for everyone--it's the little "Read More" link at the bottom of the "Other Posts of Note."

Read More

Sometimes there are so many great posts in a single day that they don't all fit.

Today was one of those days.

So, please click on the "Read More" link, and enjoy the great, fun, thought-provoking, or otherwise noteworthy posts I have come across in my trekking around the blogosphere.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

09/24/2008
Punctuation
its national punctuation day today and so im refusing to punctuate this first bit

in fact if u think about the # of truncated wrds & phrases ppl use 2 talk about stuff im not sure punctuation is rlly all that important in the long run right up there with ee cummings and whatnot bc ppl can still read this kind of writing and r getting better at it every day txting their peeps

kwim

Is proper punctuation important? Absolutely. But not because people can't read without it, but because punctuation makes it easier to read. These little marks indicate emotion, inflection, breaths, asides, voices, pauses, and breaks (among other things).

Much like spelling.

Msot tpyos do not elimunate teh legabilaty of a sentance. But they certainly cold.

Similarly, the difference between a question mark and an exclamation point must not be overlooked, as I will demonstrate with this Colorado appropriate example:

Go Broncos!
Go Broncos?
Go Broncos!?!!

So, for today, encourage your kids--whether they are IMing, texting, twittering, or otherwise--to plz try 2 typo right today. ...and then do it again tomorrow.

And I've only eluded to grammer. <smile>

Angela
and Greg

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

As much as it pains me to include so many mangled elements of the English language in this post, they are all intentional. And hopefully funny as well.

09/23/2008
Envelopes
My thumb is raw, my fingers rough,
My throat is dry, my voice is gruff,
My legs are sore, as is my back,
My feet still swell, but we're on track.
~Luke 9/23/08

I spent today in the warehouse stuffing maps into envelopes, addressing them and adding postage. We needed to get out somewhere around 2,000 today.

No one really knew how many.

Here's a small sampling of our work:

Envelopes

So, that's what I did today: Helped continue the legacy of great customer service and support that Sonlight works very hard to provide. I don't know how much the envelopes cost, or how much everyone gets paid for those many hours, but each postage sticker was $2.87... that's a lot of money to make sure the maps people have for their Sonlight experience are correct.

Making things right.

That's something I am very proud to be a part of.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

09/22/2008
Perfect or Putrid
Something struck me as odd today: We, as homeschoolers, end up on either side of a huge spectrum in people's minds, but never in the middle.

I read a post where Spunky (aka Karen Braun) points out that we must shake the urge to compare ourselves with other "perfect" homeschoolers. Spectrum side right: Homeschoolers are perfect.

Then I read a post from Dana Hanley refuting the implied claim that homeschooled children are untaught and destined to be criminals. Spectrum side left: Homeschoolers are putrid.

But hang on... either we're perfect parents or raising hoodlums?

Putrid or Perfect

That feel weird to anyone else?

But now I realize that this kind of dichotomy is rather rampant. Most "hot button" topics are discussed this way: Politics, religion, education, finances, government, etc. No wonder I get so confused at times. Are proponents of one side so blind that they can't see the potential pitfalls or growth areas? Are the detractors so ignorant that they refuse to see the good?

Perhaps.

Or maybe it's just easier to talk and write in generalities. Maybe it's more effective/fun/scathing to write in absolutes and hyperbole.

Maybe not as many people actually cleave to these extremes as us writers like to put down in black and white. Because, for me as a homeschooled Christian with political views of my own, while I may write and talk in such a way as to perhaps overstate my position, I'm actually fairly reasonable at times.

May we carefully consider how we talk and write and discuss issues and topics, especially around children. May we teach them to be even more even handed and level headed than we have been. And perhaps then, inflammatory rhetoric in the future will be seen as what it is: A lot of hot air someone is trying to vent, and damaging assumptions will be ignored.

Thoughts?

In other news, I have now added a "Share This" button at the bottom of my posts. If you're one of those really "with it" people--I am not, so don't worry if you aren't either--please feel free to Digg, Stumble or otherwise share the posts of mine that you like. I'm always on the lookout for more people who may find this blog interesting as well.

Thanks!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

09/18/2008
Sonlight Socials
No, I'm not talking about the Big Fat Meetup 2010.

I'm talking about the Sonlight web presence. I came away from this morning's seminar with several things I need to implement, but I'm out of time for the week. So, coming Monday, I hope to start integrating some more stuff and making everything even better here--and there--for Sonlight's social media stuff.

Have a great weekend. I'll catch up on all your blogs on Monday too. But I gotta get out of here before I get in trouble <smile>.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

09/18/2008
The Three Rs
Registered Trademarks, Reviews and Research.

If you're super astute, or have too much time on your hands so that you spend your days looking at every pixel on this blog, you may have noticed that I've recently added a few Registered Trademark--®--symbols to the sidebar. It turns out that we're supposed to note that our product (Sonlight^&reg) is a registered trademark more often.

So, since I'm trying to do my part as an official Sonlight blogger, I've added them. But don't worry: I know this is a blog and I'm not going to start slapping that symbol everywhere on this blog.

Really. I'm not.

®

In other news, I just had my first "Review" as a Sonlight employee. Yep, until recently, I wasn't a full-time employee, so I didn't get none of them fancy re-views.

Turns out I'm doing an okay job--I have yet to make anyone really angry in the blogosphere. So: so far, so good. If you think I'm doing an okay job, be sure to let me know in the comments. That way, if I ever get in trouble I can tell my superiors: Well, all two of my readers think I'm great! <smile>

...to which, of course, they would reply: You're supposed to have more than two readers, Luke.

Ouch. Can't argue with that hypothetical exchange.

I've also been looking into other Social Media/Networking tools. I'm still working out the kinks for applying them to this blog, but I hope to implement them soon. I even get to go to a special seminar thingy tomorrow. I'm pretty excited!

Talk at y'all tomorrow. Please feel free to talk back.

I listen.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

09/17/2008
Out to Lunch
Once a month we have lunch as a company. I'm currently munching on a few chips from one such event today.

I've always enjoyed lunch. Even way back when I was "testing" Sonlight I had a lunch sack--which I never used, since lunch was is in the kitchen--that said, "My favorite subject is Lunch." That really wasn't even true, but I thought it was hilarious.

I'm like that.

I'm also Commutative Man, for those wondering. Here's another glimpse of my fantastic acting abilities and costume design. Yes, I own blue spandex. Yes, I've worn them in public with a red speedo over them.

MathTacular2 Trailer

Back to the topic of food--if you can still stomach the subject after that visual of me:

While filming the MathTacular series, Amber--our director, producer, and Justin's perpetual friend... not to mention pictured above--would often say, "Hunger is the enemy." Any time things started to get a little tense of set, we'd stop and have a bite instead of biting each other.

Food is one of those things that can really bring people together. I mean, if you're ever in the jungles of Onomatopoeia and you hear a twig Snap, what could be more comforting than the less-than-stealthy bushman offering you a grub?

Okay, bad example.

The point remains: If school or something else isn't going so well, perhaps it's time to take a few minutes for a snack.

We had it scheduled at our house. "Tea Time" was at 10:00 and 3:00 every day. I'm not sure how much it helped, since I was a blissfully ignorant child, but I'm guessing things went a little smoother because of it.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

09/16/2008
MathTacular Trailers!
Announcing the brand new MathTacular3 Trailer!

MathTacular3 Trailer

[I have asked YouTube to change the graphic so it's no longer Justin's bum, but that can take awhile, so bear with me <smile>]

I'd love to hear your comments. Feel free to click over and rate the video on YouTube as well. And if you didn't notice, I added a link to the Sonlight YouTube Channel on the sidebar, just in case you ever want to see what other promotional videos I've put up there.

You can also find the MathTacular Trailer from a few years back on the YouTube page, but I'll also include it here so it's easier to find.

MathTacular Trailer

Enjoy!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

P.S. MathTacular2?

Yes... well, it's coming.
Sometimes I do things a little backward.

09/15/2008
The Almost Trailer
...

Er... I was going to post my latest handiwork for all to see, but... it needs more work.

Not too surprising, considering I started thinking about cutting a MathTacular3 trailer 90 minutes ago. But my quick cut didn't quite cut it.

Don't get me wrong: Everyone thought it was adorable, but now I need to go back and beef it up for those who may watch the video who aren't already "in the know." I know, it's hard to believe, but some people on the internet are not familiar with Justin or MathTacular.

Shocking, for sure.

So, it's back to the drawing board tomorrow.

Or, more accurately, back to script writing in the morning.

But for now, it's time to go home.

I hope to get an approved trailer up tomorrow.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

09/12/2008
Cliches and Epistemology
As a writer interested in improving, I have subscribed to Daphne Gray-Grant's free Power Writing newsletter. Her tips have been helpful and fun to read. However, I often have to fight the urge to keep my self expression instead of adopting these improvements.

Her latest tip suggests that we drop cliches, but that got my brain turning.

Since blogs are less formal, we like colloquialisms, cliches, catch-phrases and contractions. (Some of us also approve of alliterations and acronyms, kwim?)
While I write to promote Sonlight and get the word out about this great product, I'm not exactly in marketing. I'm here to build friendships, to show myself honest and trustworthy, and learn what makes other homeschoolers tick. So, if I'm not crystal clear and to the point in my ramblings... that's almost good. It shows that I'm a person, not a corporation trying to sell something. I'm not. I'm here to let people know about Sonlight, my experience with it, and to find ways to make it even better for families everywhere.
There's something about a well-placed cliche that makes me smirk. And I do like to smirk.

All that to say: You may see some cliches crop up here and there on this blog. Sorry, Daphne.

My, my, but this post is getting long. I'll try to rapidly bring this to a close:

Another topic that fascinates me is that of Epistemology: how we know what we know. I bumped into a article today about carbon dating (you know, the whole Carbon 14/12C/13C thing... okay, me either). I followed the article's logic fairly well, but by the end I was pretty much lost. And I think the problem was that the author started to rely generalizations and stereotypes--another form of cliche--rather than reason, logic or good argumentation.

The same seems to be true of politics.

And a lot of religious discussion.

So, I'm going to agree with Daphne here: Let's cut the cliches. At least, for the most part.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

09/11/2008
Thanks!
A huge "Thank You!" to all of you who wished me a happy birthday yesterday. I appreciate you taking the time to comment. It made my day.

And I totally asked for all the "You rock"s; hope nobody minded too much. <sheepish grin> For all my bravado, I still have significant need of encouragement. So, thanks for indulging me.

And while I'm thanking people, I feel like I should give a big thanks to the men and women who have served to help others after 9/11 and continue to fight for our freedoms.

I remember hearing about the "bombing" of the Two Towers while walking across my sunny college campus. It was almost two and a half years after Columbine, and I was jaded. The events of 9/11 were all anyone talked about for weeks, just like the shooting that happened a few miles from my school. Several kids from my youth group attended Columbine. So, the towers collapsing wasn't nearly as close to home.

I am grateful for the many people who gave of their lives on this day 7 years ago and in the following aftermath.

But another issue weighs on my heart today: I think of those who have recently lost children. My heart breaks for those families. I wish I had words, but I don't. These rather disjointed thoughts remind me of the passage in Romans 12:15 where we are told to rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.

That can be very hard to do, especially when we have those around us on opposite sides of the spectrum. But we get to practice this all the time in the blogosphere and when we pray for each other.

So, again, thanks for all well-wishes on my birthday. It really made my day. And today I am praying for those who have lost loved ones... especially those who have recently lost a child.

I'm praying for you.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

09/10/2008
Follow Me
As a daily blogger I have found a distressing reality. Well, maybe not exactly distressing--more like: bothersome.

Some days I struggle to find something meaningful to say.

Other days, I have a bunch of topics to talk about.

And I can't spread them out because this is a blog and the topics tend to relate to a day, are only interesting right now, and while I could certainly think about some of these things tomorrow, tomorrow is a new day and there may be something more applicable then.

Or not.

Thus, my current quandary.

I can't even decide which topic to mention first.

Today's my birthday. Woo-hoo! And if you want to give me something--and I know you do--you could become a "Follower" of my blog(s). Can't find the cool little graphic on the side? You can use this link to follow this blog.

Followers

Nice. Just tackled two topics in one. Sneaky, sneaky.

I guess I'll shelve the other topics for tomorrow--if I need them--and will simply mention the third topic: My latest article is posted over at Heart of the Matter Online. This one was the hardest for me to write yet. I wrote four drafts before I had something. It wasn't pretty, and I don't even know if I'm communicating clearly and well. But I am really, really passionate about this topic.

So, I'll wait and see how the comments turn out (I haven't had a "You ROCK, Luke!" yet... sad times) and I'll see about perhaps clarifying or expanding the article here.

But for now, I'd love to hear your thoughts on my article, and would be thrilled if you gave the new Follower feature on Blogger a try with my blog(s).

Good enough.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

09/09/2008
A Grain of Rice
Sonlight carries a cute little book titled "A Grain of Rice" in which a humble farmer asks to marry the Emperor's daughter. The Emperor refuses, so the man asks for a single grain of rice. Insulted that the man has gone from his daughter's hand to a grain of rice, the Emperor insists he ask for more. So the man asks that he be given a single grain of rice, and that that number be doubled each day for a hundred days ...with fantastic results. A very enjoyable read.

But as great an introduction to exponential growth as that book may be, I'm here to tell you about a different opportunity: The Sonlight Rice Bag Project.

You can download the introductory letter that was sent out to Sonlight customers here. And while we sent this letter only to Sonlight customers--since those are the only names and addresses we have--you are free to join in, even if you aren't a Sonlight customer. So sign up and tell all your friends!

We may not be able to provide an exponential growth of funds over the next hundred days to provide literacy classes for India women, but with your help, we can raise $200,000 for literacy classes in India. I could go on and reiterate what has already been written, but they've said it better than I could. So, check it out. Get involved. And invite others to partner with us in changing lives in India forever.

Get the Sonlight Rice Bag Letter here.

Find out more here.

One last note: After you have collected change, please feel free to cash it in for a check or contribute to Mission India online.

[NB: Be sure to let them know that this is part of the Sonlight Rice Bag Project so that Sonlight can double your contribution.]

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

09/08/2008
Maps and MathTacular3
MathTacular3 is officially here and available!

We don't have a boxed set yet of MathTacular, MathTacular2 and MathTacular3 because we're waiting for MathTacular4... which could be a long, long while yet. I'm working on it, but there's a lot to do.

Do you want to buy MathTacular3 right now? I can understand why you'd want to--I mean, it's only the biggest video to come out since MathTacular2 <smirk>--but if you're subscribed to the Sonlight Special Offers, you may want to wait a few days.

Not promising anything.

Just suggesting you check your inbox now and again.

If you're not on the special offers list, you should just click over and buy it now. And if you don't have the other DVDs in the series, you should get them too.

Like now.

Okay, enough of that. It's just really exciting to see a DVD out that we've spent the past couple of years putting together.

In other news, I spent some time today putting the new and improved World Markable Maps into envelopes. There were some problems with the old ones, but these new ones look great. I'm not privy to all the details of how that all worked out, but I am excited to see Sonlight putting the effort into making it right.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

09/05/2008
May the Words of My Mouth
...and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in Your sight [Psalm 19:14].

I like to think about things.

That trait has been with me since a very early age. In fact, there was a time in Jr. High where I had already thought about every topic that was brought up around me. I felt pretty smug about that, but I think I was pretty smug about a lot of things in my early years.

And today.

But as I've gotten older, I have found that I don't have concrete nor concise thoughts on a great many subjects. And I think about quite a few more that I don't think others are necessarily comfortable discussing. And this poses a problem for me as a blogger in the homeschooling world: How do I write things that aren't going to bother people unnecessarily? How do I link to things?

This came up today because I read a post that I found very interesting. So I felt like I should share it considering it really was another "post of note." But now it is staring at me in the "Other Posts of Note" section on my sidebar there, and I wonder, How will people respond when they see an article titled In Defense Of Halloween on this blog?

I mean, sure, I didn't write the thing, nor did I make any comment as to how right or wrong I thought it was, but by sharing it from this blog, someone could easily get upset. So then I think that I should probably comment on why I shared it, but then I also think, Come on, people need to grow up. If they don't want to read it, don't read it. I'm not making you. But then I immediately realize how immature of a response that is. Why so defensive? Probably because I'm anticipating an attack.

And so my head turns.

I don't have this problem on my personal blog (as much). There I talk about what I'm thinking about no matter what the content matter. But here--and in everything else I produce for Sonlight--I am held to another standard. I have to play to the strictest sensibility of propriety... within reason.

But I've been allowed to be myself, find my own voice, and speak truthfully on this blog. This is not a place for Sonlight marketing and polishing. This is me, Luke Holzmann, talking about my thoughts on Sonlight and homeschooling.

But my thoughts will reflect on Sonlight, whether we are in agreement or not.

And that is a burden I've known is there, but am feeling more acutely today. I have recently not linked to posts that I thought were interesting (or funny) due to mild profanity and potentially questionable photographs (of children, no less).

[Pardon me while I smirk. Okay, I'm back.]

After letting this mull around in the back of my mind, I have come to a thought, a prayer, a hope that I do my best live out in my writing. It is a cry that I quoted at the start of this post:

May the words of my posts and the links from this blog be acceptable in Your sight, oh Lord, my rock and my Redeemer.

Now I'm very interested in your thoughts.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

09/04/2008
Boys Will Be
...hyper. Energetic. Active. Squirmy.

Or so I've been told.

I was actually a very mellow kid, at least from my recollection of calmly doing my studies. (You'd have to ask my mom how she remembers me to get a more balanced perspective.) But even if I was an enthusiastically creative young man growing up, I don't think I ever had a real problem with sitting still.

A Photo of Me Doing School sort of...
But this is hardly the case for everyone. In fact, Nan got me thinking about this today after reading her post over at "The Well Drained Mind." It's long as far as posts go, but a great example of creativity in dealing with the extreme excess of exuberant energy embodied in the events exhibited everyday by the less sedate among us.

The post once again reminded me of a fantastic chapter in "Why Gender Matters" where Dr. Sax talks about how all-boy classrooms can accommodate the kind of kinetic energy many boys have. Sax describes an all-boy classroom where the teacher allows his students to position themselves however they like during the lessons and reading. So, while one boy slowly spins in a circle, another is flopped on the floor, while another sits calmly in his seat. Had this been a mixed classroom, Sax points out, this would have been terribly distracting for the girls, but actually helps the boys focus.

And looking back on my own experience in homeschooling, we were allowed to sit wherever we wanted during school. And I've seen plenty of photos in the Sonlight catalog that show this works for both boys and girls. We also played with Legos while my mom read to us. It was sometimes a little loud when we were digging through the bucket for a 2x4 thick red piece, but it worked well. The more artistic of my siblings sometimes doodled too.

All that to say: Even if you and I may not have an over-abundant amount of energy at our disposal, I think it is far better to let those who do expend it rather than try to force them to contain it.

And now, for your viewing pleasure, whether you were, or have, a hyperactive student:

Hyperactivity - Mark Lowry
~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

09/03/2008
Javascript Widgets: A Bust
-----

A teaser: Coming Real Soon!

Apologies to Mission Impossible

-----
I found out today that if you're using a free WordPress blog you are unable to include javascript widgets... meaning, it's impossible to add the "Sonlight Moments" widget to your WordPress blog. That's disappointing to me.

[Hat Tip: Megan]

Web gurus I know laud the praises of WordPress... if you own server space and can host the thing yourself. I've had people tell me that I should move my blogs to WordPress, where I will have more control and permanence. But after bumping into this issue today, I'm very happy I'm with Blogger.

Of course, I've noticed that Blogger has lately been more finicky and less reliable than I would like. So, I don't know. I'm certainly not moving any time real soon--unless something crazy goes down--but I do like to know what options are out there.

So, two comment options today:

1. Guess what is now in Sonlight's warehouse and will be available soon.

2. Tell me about the blogging tools you use and what you like about them. Then I'll be able to add your blog to my list of daily reads (if you aren't already in my Google Reader).

Friends, Readers, Bloggers: Lend me your comments!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

09/02/2008
Blogs from Blog Day
After looking over the blogs that were submitted for Sonlight's Blog Day extravaganza, I decided I couldn't possibly leave two blogs out, so everyone will get listed here. But, to keep things interesting, I'll make sure I include 10 blogs in the list... doubling the requisite five blogs from the official rules. So here they are:

1. A new blog: "Homeschooling Apropos." Looks to be a great source for articles that homeschoolers will enjoy.

2. "Joy of Home Living" appears to chronicle the life of a homeschooling pastor's wife. Catch updates--with photos--of what this family has been up to recently.

3. A blog that follows the various thoughts of a homeschooling mom over at "Half Pint House." A little bit of everything over there!

4. Another blog that covers the thoughts and experiences of a homeschooling mom: Ganeidas Nest. I've been following this one for a while.

5. "Reading Circle Books" covers a multitude of subjects including: Reading, Learning, Hoping, Blogging, Being. Plenty of links to articles that inspire thought, laughter or response.

6. "Up on the Roof" contains a bit of everything...pregnancy stories, recipes, theological ramblings, and frugality tips. Things that have made me laugh more than once.

7. Want to read all about farming adventures, homeschooling, quilting, soapmaking, and art school escapades? Look no further! And Sew On!" is the place for you. Lots of fun photos to help you get into the experience.

Now to finish this out:

8. This blog, of course! Can't help but give myself props <smile>.

9. My mom's blog, where she discusses the latest things she has been reading, experiencing, or thinking about.

10. The brand new blog featuring Sonlight Curriculum's very own Customer Champion: Judy Wnuk at "Homeschool Q & A." Have a question about homeschooling with Sonlight, she is there to answer them. I'm very excited to see that blog take off.

So, there it is. Hope you had a great Blog Day and Labor Day. Now I'm off to catch up on the 408 posts in my Reader. You bloggers sure do write a lot!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

08/31/2008
It's Blog Day!
So, what is Blog Day?

Blog Day is an international holiday for bloggers who want to connect with people and blogs from across the world that they otherwise might not get the chance to meet or experience. It's a day to learn about new perspectives, share some insight, and expand your circle of friends even further, just by exchanging a few web links.

And now the big question is, "How will it work?"

Here's the link for the Blog Day posting instructions. It's not at all complicated. We're excited to see all the fun and interesting blogs you have.

So what is Sonlight going to do for this crazy holiday?

Well, post a comment on this post with a link to, and a short description of, your blog. Then, after I sort through the amazing links you all throw our way, I will choose five of them to post on the blog and encourage everyone to visit. Pretty easy, eh? So join us in celebrating this unique holiday and share in the community, sense of exploration, and discovery that Sonlighters have come to love.

Also, if you'd like to share Sonlight with others through your blog beyond just Blog Day, there's a quick and easy way to do so. We've designed a widget just for you that shows the latest three "Sonlight Moments". All you need to do is copy and paste the code into your blog's source code or an HTML widget. If you are uncertain how to do that, let me know. I'm always happy to help.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Blogger, Expectant Father

08/29/2008
It Was Going to be a Great Post
-----

A teaser: Blog Day is this Sunday. And I've been given an opportunity to celebrate it with you... but we're not releasing that information until Sunday. So, stay tuned.

-----

I had another idea of something to post, but decided against it today. I couldn't figure out how to make it that interesting.

So, see you Monday after Blog Day!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

P.S. If you're like me, I take a day off on Sunday. So, if you wait until Monday morning to check back here, you should be fine. I'll still let you participate <smile>.

08/28/2008
Death and a Website
The homeschooling blogosphere has been filled with the news of Dozer's death. I don't know Marsha or David and haven't been following their blog very long. Even so, I keep bringing them up in morning prayer.

Every morning, employees here at Sonlight gather to pray together for unreached people groups, things going on in the company, our lives, the lives of those we know, and our customers who submit requests. We mourn with those who mourn and rejoice with those who rejoice. But sometimes it is hard to go back to work after a particularly sobering morning.

But we go back to work because life goes on, even if life will never be the same for those for whom we have prayed. Yet despite the pain, the changes, the gaps or lasting aches, life doesn't change all that much for them either.

And that's the thing that is tweaking with me today: Life isn't the same, but it isn't that different either. Like graduation, marriage, a new job, moving and many other major life events, life permanently shifts but doesn't change that much. We still go to work, spend time with our family, eat, sleep... we're still ourselves, just slightly altered by our experience.

And so it felt odd today to write about the trouble we have been having with Sonlight's website. I mean, that is such a small detail compared to death in a family. But, on the other hand, with the website down, families cannot get access to the materials or help they need. And while it makes perfect sense to pray about both, it feels odd to write about them both as well.

Sorry. This post has been mostly my musings and jumbled thoughts, and I felt I had to get them out there. It has taken me three tries to get to this point.

So we're praying for you and your family, Marsha and David. And we're also working on getting our site back up. We would appreciate your prayers as well--especially for Kurt, our IT guy who has been up almost all night.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

08/27/2008
English as Expression
Kelli Crowe got me thinking this morning. Her latest blog post is about a project her sons have been working on. It's really cool, but she notes that

Currently, David likes to write in all caps. ...I think it['s] more about expressing his individuality than anything.

I completely agree.

Over my already long, decorated and prolific writing career <cough, cough>, I have realized something about my creative writing: I do it for my own enjoyment. This is most acutely demonstrated in my poetry, which few enjoy and even fewer understand.

I have written a ton--including an 82 page, single-spaced, 10point Times font rambling poem that acted as my journal over one of my college summers. The "Tome," as I fondly titled it, has been read by two people.

Two.

And I'm one of them.

Thus, the biggest challenge for me, as a writer, has been learning how to write for other people. I'm still working on that. But I love writing, probably largely due to the fact that my parents let me find joy in my expression, and only later bled over my papers in an attempt to make them coherent.

So, besides ALL CAPS, what other ways of self-expression may arise? I can only give you a few examples from my own life:

I loved the Courier font for years.
I love puns and word plays.

I decided early on that "cannot" and "each other" and "P.S." were all silly, as well as the practice of putting the period on the inside of a quote if the last word was "irregular." So:

Ps. We can not bear to listen to eachother when someone is "abnormal".

Sadly, when writing more academically--as I do on this blog--I have to remind myself to do it "properly," but sometimes I don't catch these errors.

And because I love to read myself write, I tend to be rather verbose at times as well.

So for fear for boring my audience who doesn't love my writing nearly as much as I do, I will draw this all to a point: Do not "correct" your child's writing if they are doing something out of exploration and enjoyment of the English language.

I mean, I'm convinced that some poets became "great" because they refused to capitalize anything. Just assume your child is destined for greatness.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

08/26/2008
Multitasking
...I cannot.

[Side rant: Why in the world is "can not" one word while "eachother" is two?]

I have a lot of little tasks to do throughout the day. Some of them aren't really little, but they are thrown into the mix of daily activities, eternal projects, quick memos, impending deadlines, and things-someone-just-handed-me-to-do-this-instant. Then I go home, spend time with my wife, help with dinner (read: I bug her to make it and keep her company <smile>), blog again, work on other projects that I always put off, and then have time to do as I please before collapsing into bed to rinse and repeat tomorrow. And if I was a good multitasker I think I would thrive in this kind of environment.

But I'm not.

I'm a "focused" kind of individual--meaning I can't focus to save my life unless I only have one thing on which to focus. Give me a task that is moderately interesting and no distractions, and I will disappear for hours without making a peep.

So this new position is an adjustment for me.

My only solace is that when I have kids I may be a better dad for it: Giving my undivided attention to my little darlings.

...a man can dream, right?

So, how about you? Are you a good multitasker? Any tips for those of us who are incapable of breathing and walking at the same time? It's a good thing my heart is on autopilot....

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

08/25/2008
Panacea Turpentine
One of the many poems I have written includes the phrase "panacea turpentine." Unfortunately, I can't find the context for this meaningless, yet totally awesome, word pairing.

I think I justified it because a panacea is a cure-all and turpentine is a paint thinner, so it almost, almost makes sense. And it sounds cool enough to let it slide.

Why am I telling you this?

To this day, I can't think of the word "panacea" without immediately thinking of the word "turpentine," and I thought of the word "panacea" today... hence the title of this post. And this post is a confession:

I tend to think of Sonlight as a panacea.

...turpentine.

I find myself often feeling like Sonlight is the best option for homeschooling. I believe that Sonlight is fantastic. I work here and see how how much effort is put into the materials; I see how much is done to take care of the end users. I believe in Sonlight's approach to education. I think it is the best. And I'm not the only one.

So it's often hard for me to hear about how much people love other programs and don't find Sonlight helpful. I mean, Sonlight should be right for everyone! Literature-rich homeschooling, "Real" books, a guarantee to knock your socks off, and tons of helpful resources to make it work for you.

But in all my excitement--and I am very excitable--I forget a very important fact: Sonlight is not for everyone; we as a company even go out of our way to make that very clear.

And I was reminded of that this morning when I got a message about a blogger who had recently posted:

Reasons I'm Not Buying Sonlight.
I've been following Luke and his story for some time now. He's an expectant adoptive dad and a real nut for Sonlight Curriculum. ...I mean, here he doesn't even have children yet and he has plans that THIS is going to be the educational method they'd use....

Oh my! What had I said?

Please check out Mrs. C's post. It turns out I hadn't turned her off to Sonlight forever as I had initially feared. But for her and her family, Sonlight isn't the best option (at least for now <smile>).

So, is Sonlight the best? I believe it is. But if it is not right for your family, go with what is.

I wish Sonlight was a panacea, but I don't want it to be a turpentine to your family's educational journey.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

08/22/2008
Internet Attribution
I got "A"s on my papers in college.

Well, most of the time. There was a "Personal Creed" paper I had to do on eschatology which earned me a "C" because--as the professor told me in his scribblings on the page--it was "NOT a paper to share my personal beliefs" (which happened to go against his own on his pet subject).

Personal Creed ... NOT my personal beliefs. --?

Wow, how did I get there? Sorry, I still have issues. Veering back on topic.

My college grades proved me to be a gud ryter. m'kay?

But I struggled with proper citation in High School, especially when we were told to follow the "official MLA format" which varied from year to year and depended largely on what your teacher thought. So much for "standardized citation" (Holzmann, 48).

I never got in trouble for plagiarism, but I did get docked now and again for putting a comma on the wrong side of this or that, or missing a semicolon somewhere. But now that I'm out here in the Blogosphere, I'm discovering that I am again struggling with "proper citation," and others have this issue as well. I do love links, so I don't think I've committed blog plagiarism yet, but it raises sparks when it happens. [NB: The linked issue has been resolved in the comments.]

This whole issue reminded me of something Weird Al has said: Misattribution is his biggest problem with file sharing. And he has put his songs where his mouth is. [Look at that logical fallacy: Appeal to authority. Oh well. This is a blog post, not a logic midterm.]

What do I do to deserve a "C" for blog standard links?

It's a little thing called "Hat Tips" that I'm still getting my head around. I have yet to do a hat tip, and I feel like I should put one here, but I can't remember which blog it was where I first noticed this concept... which proves to me the importance of hat tipping.

Hat Tip
So, whoever you were, I doff my hat to you, and I will do my best to make such things an official link in the future.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

Bibliography:

Holzmann, Luke; 48th post on http://www.sonlightblog.com, accessed 8/22/2008.

08/21/2008
New Article Up
My second Heart of the Matter Online article has been posted: Do Hard Things: Keep Quiet.

Please give it a little read and I would love to hear your thoughts afterward.

I've been busy today--'course, I'm busy every day <smile>--but I do want to write about "Internet Attribution" sometime, so I'll plan to write about that tomorrow.

Shameless plug again: Go read my latest article!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

08/20/2008
Shh... It's Coming!
...but don't get too excited: We aren't even close to release.

If you have been following one of my other blogs, you would know that we've been working on MathTacular4 for a while now. But it has been on hold for a few months while I work on other projects.

Well, today it is off the back burner. I've got a lot to do: Edit text, add images, re-shoot a clip, and film another scene and some elements.

And I thought I was busy before <smile>.

In case you missed those posts about filming, I'll re-post a couple images here:

Me Thinking

The Importance of Mirth

Want to read more about our adventures in filming for MathTacular4? Hop over to my media production blog and read all about it (last post of December 2007 and on).

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

08/19/2008
Digital Flatline
I have long wanted to mentor youth in media production. In fact, that is one of my life mission statements:

To empower and equip youth for the expansion of God's Kingdom in the arts and media.

Toward that end, I started a website and blog dedicated to media production help. That got me started blogging regularly. But a few of us here at Sonlight have been secretly working in the background to get something going for Sonlight students interested in media production.

And it launched yesterday.

Digital Flatline. We are already approaching 200 posts, and I'm having trouble keeping up. But I'm loving every minute of it.

If you're a Sonlight user and you have a student even mildly interested in media production, I'd love to see them over on the Digital Flatline forums. They are a special sub-set of the Sonlight Forums and are about as safe for kids as you can get on the internet. But, as with all things, you should be involved at least initially to see how things go.

That's the big news from my end. And, for me, it's HUGE!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

08/18/2008
Gun-Toting Teachers
It is now legal for approved teachers in Texas to carry guns to school. Depending on who you read on the topic, this is everything from a fantastic move to a really dumb idea.

Me?

Well, first, most homeschoolers won't have to worry about this that much. But, if any of your kids end up in a public high school (like I did), then this will become a very real issue. And, as educators ourselves, we should all consider the ramifications of such a law.

Second, I have long held to the idea that many restriction laws only hurt honest folk. That's why I am personally against things like DRM while still fully supporting the rights of content creators to get paid for what they do. Making something illegal means that only lawbreakers will have it, and if that is a gun then we are defenseless.

But I also ascribe to the idea that "locks are in place to keep honest men honest," so while anyone could easily break into my house if they wanted to, someone has to choose to do so because my door is locked. If we encouraged/allowed everyone to openly wield a gun, I think we'd just be "leaving our doors open" to violence, so to speak.

The danger of everyone openly "packing heat" was pretty well demonstrated in a film I recently watched. If everyone can just pick up a gun and start shooting, people start shooting often.

We need balance (imagine that).

Crime rates drop, to my understanding, wherever responsible people are allowed to carry firearms. But wherever everyone (including children) openly brandish weapons, violence is rampant. So weapons must not be sitting around on teacher's desks (as some people warn will happen), but I don't see anything wrong with adding another line of defense for our school going children.

This reminds me of a story my dad told me from his school days...

His class was studying communism and the teacher had to step out of the classroom for a moment. My dad, always passionate about learning, started to lead the class in a revolt of the "oppressive" classroom. When the teacher returned, my dad was standing on a desk and leading the class in a chant of, "Down with the evil oppressors!" or something like that.

The teacher tried to regain order, but this only drove the freedom fighters into more of a frenzy.

The little old lady then walked behind her desk, pulled a handgun from her drawer, pointed it at my dad and told him to sit down.

He sat.

Nothing like an object lesson to teach about tyranny and martial law, eh? <smile>

Is my dad horribly scarred from that experience? I don't think so. In fact, in college, my swimming coach expressed his disbelief at modern laws. "We used to go shoot frogs in the creek with our guns after class," he mused. "How times have changed."

Interesting stuff. I wasn't even allowed to have a pocket knife on campus that was longer than 4".

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

08/15/2008
Vlog Update
Things are very busy here at Sonlight!

Got 57 seconds? Want to take a look?

Vlog: Busy Season - The Back
Yes, things are hopping in the back. My mom said, as I passed by with the camera, "We are so thankful for the orders, but we need to get customers to order earlier!"

Yes, the summer help is starting to head back to school and we are swamped with the orders. We are so thankful for the orders, but it can be draining to push that many boxes out the door every day.

So: Think of the children next year--order early! <smile>

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

08/14/2008
Academically Adequate
The big news today--at least, today's the first I've heard of it--is a ruling concerning the University of California. It seems that kids who take Christian science courses that do not teach evolution have not been given enough "critical thinking skills necessary to succeed at the University," and these courses are "academically inadequate."

Reading the rest of the article on this ruling, it turns out that the texts they are referring to are mostly Bob Jones University Press and A Beka books. Sonlight was, thankfully, not mentioned. Maybe we're just too insignificant because we don't publish textbooks.

In another article on the subject, I can see why the court would rule this way.

[They rejected] a history course called Christianity's Influence on America [which] "instructs that the Bible is the unerring source for analysis of historical events" and evaluates historical figures based on their religious motivations.

Another rejected text, "Biology for Christian Schools," declares on the first page that "if (scientific) conclusions contradict the Word of God, the conclusions are wrong."

I'm not surprised at all that a secular university would consider such statements "academically inadequate" in regards to critical thinking. In fact, I'd say that the Bible is not a good analytical tool for historical events because the Bible itself does very little historical analysis. And while I firmly believe the Bible is inerrant, most scientific claims from the Bible are based on our interpretation of certain passages.

Is that all that is going on here?

Probably not.

And this is certainly a dangerous path to walk down, especially if this becomes widespread: You are not "educated" until you have bought into the "party line" on this or that subject. And while I am wary of overly religious texts that squelch honest questioning, I am equally concerned when the "educational system" begins to pretend that it knows what is academically adequate. Such claims don't seem to promote critical thinking either.

Thoughts?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

08/13/2008
Conspiracies and "Nutritionism"
I wouldn't call myself a "conspiracy theorist," but I do love reading and watching documentaries about conspiracies. They've probably given me some really whacked-out ideas.

Ah well. We can't all be sane! <Bwahahaha ha!>

I was just introduced to another conspiracy. I don't think Brittany's mom intended for that to happen when she innocently picked up a new book. Granted, this book is not nearly as important as the last book she handed me, but it's good nonetheless... and it's about a conspiracy!

Which, by the by, if you have not yet read "Why Gender Matters," you need to pick up a copy right now and read it. Seriously. This is a book I think everyone should read. Everyone. In fact, this calls for a phrase that drives my wife nuts: "Needs must have." I started saying it while in ASL because the signs for "need" and "must" vary only in the intensity of the motion.

I'm a dork like that. I can handle it.

Okay, now onto another interesting--but not nearly as important as Dr. Sax's work--book: "In Defense of Food."

The basic premise of "In Defense of Food" seems to be that American culture has come to believe that eating is about refueling our bodies with nutrients. This has led to the severe health related problems we now experience as a culture (and every other culture starts to experience when they adopt "the American" way of eating).

Humorous and filled with great vocabulary words, this book is informative and fun ...at least what we've read of it.

So, before you consider buying something "fortified" with a particular vitamin or mineral, perhaps you should find out what Michael Pollan has to say. It's really interesting stuff!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

08/12/2008
Sonlight Tour
Today has been almost completely dedicated to working on the Sonlight Tour... I don't want to give away any spoilers until I'm a little further along.

Until the better, really awesome, knock-your-socks-off tour comes out, feel free to go look at the version I made last time: A Tour of Sonlight. It's pretty interesting... but nothing like what I'm working on right now.

A Better One
~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

08/11/2008
California Turn
First: Some humor.
Check out this hilarious re-write of "I Will Survive" (the first year of homeschooling). Good stuff.

Second: The second line of the song plays well into the news (yes, I'm reporting really old news by now) that California overturned its initial ruling.
You no longer need to be certified to homeschool your kids. Honestly, that's good news for Sonlight too: We can keep providing great, literature-rich books to families in California as a valid educational model.

Many people are breathing a sigh of relief.

But not everyone. Joanne has a very thought-provoking post on her blog about "Why I am not happy with the CA Court’s Decision."

Well, actually, Joanne's issue has nothing to do with the ruling, and her tone was a little more "fire" than some people may be comfortable with, but the points she raises are really good and encouraging. So, check it out. If you want, feel free to come back and tell me what parts you liked.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

08/08/2008
It's a Boy!
My other sister had her baby today! Read more on my dad's blog.

-----

There is quite a bit of discussion going on right now here at Sonlight as to how to best address a recent issue. I'm pretty sure I'm not yet at liberty to say what is going on, but this did bring up an important note:

The managers of Sonlight Curriculum--including John and Sarita--are very concerned with not only the quality of the products we sell but also how useful the materials are for homeschooling families. I am very impressed with what little discussion I have been privy to, and feel that I need to give "props"/"kudos"/recognition to the efforts of "the powers that be."

This reminds me of a situation I was involved with earlier this year. I did some video work for a guy and he was very displeased with the result. I apologized, explained why I did what I had, and then did what I could to make it right. He told me later that he was impressed because I obviously cared about my work.

And that is very much the attitude of the leadership here at Sonlight. When something isn't "perfect," every effort is made to make it right.

And that makes a big difference.

I tend to think of companies as these machine-driven entities incapable of error. I forget that they have people, much like me, working on the products and services I use. And so there are errors.

But what sets aside one company from another is the amount to which they care about their product and their customers.

So, I'm going to propose an addition to an old adage: To err is human; to forgive, divine... and to make it right recognizes the forgiveness we have been granted.

When I do not try to set things right after I make a mistake, it is typically out of a desire for self-preservation; a fear that to do so will harm me. But when I remember that it is not I who provides for me, I am far more willing to sacrifice to make things right.

I do not provide. I can not provide. And so, when I realize that I have been provided for, I can rest in the grace poured out on me and give it to others. And I am glad to work within a company that recognizes that as well.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

08/07/2008
Vlog Testing
So way back in 2003, my best friend and I bought webcams so we could do the recently hip video chat thing. The cameras cost a pretty penny, especially since we were poor college students. We only used them a few times--the internet just wasn't quite up to streaming video yet.

But recently I've been discussing "vlogs" with the powers that be here at Sonlight as a way to quickly get the word out about a topic. I hadn't used my webcam in a long while, so I hooked it up and gave it a little test. And this is the result:

Webcam Test
That's right: Stellar muddy image, fluid 5fps (frames per second; video is usually 30fps), a color palette rivaling the works of the Impressionist era, and, to top it off, I dropped it into Blogger and the sound got squashed.

All in all: Fantastic. ...if you're looking for that illusive "early web video" look. Not so much if you want to tell people about a great new product. So, it's back to the drawing board for me.

Actually, it's back to the equipment room to find a better camera.

Stay tuned! We may soon step into the world of vlogs!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

08/06/2008
In-Laws and Outlaws
My in-laws arrive tonight for a visit. My wife is very excited to see her family again, and this next week should be a lot of fun. And while we have tremendous support from both our families in adopting and homeschooling, I know this isn't a reality for everyone.

Much like the quintessential annoying mother-in-law.

I've never experienced that myself. I get along "famously" with my mother-in-law. I think it has something to do with the fact that, over my life, I have found that girl's mothers like me before their daughters. Ah well.

But some people do have bothersome in-laws and relatives who "get in their business" and are generally troublemakers.

How do you deal with that?

I'll give a few ideas, but without experiencing it myself, I feel a little out of my league. Though, there is a great support resource for this (and other woes) on the Sonlight Forums.

First, as with most troublemakers, we need to keep our cool. I have proven, time and time again, that responding with blood boiling doesn't lead to any kind of resolution. It may feel good to blast someone, but it certainly doesn't bring about peace. Trust me.

Second, we need to become okay with living our own lives. I talk with a lot of high school and college aged kids who struggle with the transition from child to adult. This transition can be equally difficult for their parents, and learning to work together on this can help a lot. Unfortunately, I realize this problem sometimes crops up again when we go through another major life change (often involving kids).

Third, communicate--even if that means asking people to step back. I have a tendency to go after people who bug me, pointing out their errors. Others simply withdraw, convinced it is better just to sever all ties. Both of these approaches are really about ending communication. My approach has the goal of silencing the other person permanently when they see that I am right. The other approach hopes that people just leave them alone forever. Instead, we must strike a delicate balance between these two extremes and really talk the issues over. Sometimes that does mean strongly arguing your case, and sometimes it means you need to ask them just to "lay off" for a while. But we should communicate to get to an understanding, not just jettison the problem.

So, there you have it: My three tips for dealing with both the "in-laws" and the "outlaws" you come across; relative, mortal enemy, or bothersome person on the internet.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

08/05/2008
Want to Take a Tour?
Any of you ever wanted to take a tour of Sonlight? I know people have asked for it on the Forums, and we've tried to make something before... but nothing has quite worked yet.

Now I'm working on another one. A better one!

But I work here, so I know what goes on within the walls of Sonlight. It's "old hat" to me. But not for you, my faithful readers! So what would you like to see, experience, or learn more about?

What about the mysterious Sonlight Curriculum has you laying awake at night?

Hopefully nothing. Even so, there's got to be something you're curious about. Let me know!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

08/04/2008
Flint, Tinder and Kindling
No, I wasn't just camping.

Nope, I'm not trying to "spark" a debate. Nothing needs to get "heated" about this.

I'm simply relaying the fact that I have finally seen the much hyped "Kindle" from Amazon.

Sarita shared her feelings and thoughts about electronic readers on her blog, but my impressions are more technical.

First: The E Ink is amazing. Very cool stuff and very easy on the eyes. But the 600x800 resolution feels a little old-school. It doesn't make the text hard to read, but it isn't really pristine either. It feels very turn-of-the-millennium.

Second: The body of the machine feels cheap. I felt like I was looking at my Apple IIe again. Nostalgic, sure, but hardly next-gen technology.

Third: It felt slow. Everything about it felt clunky: Typing, navigating, loading. Once there, the rock-solid E Ink was fantastic, but until the "page" loaded, I felt like tapping my foot. The page turns aren't nearly fast enough for expert readers: <shnick><shnick><shnick> [How do you type that sound?]
I'm very interested in how the next round of Kindles look and behave. There is something to this new display technology and the digital release of text (blogs, anyone?), but the digital device isn't here yet.

At least, not for me.

So, in a few years, the face of books may change. The initial sparks have been made, but the tinder has yet to start smoking. It may be that one day we'll be able to tell a "book" by it's plastic cover, but we don't have a fire yet.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

08/01/2008
Physicals
Brittany and I are one major step closer to becoming homeschooling parents: We got our physicals today! And with that, once the lab reports come back, we should be done with the U.S. based paperwork for adopting.

It is quiet here at Sonlight today. It's been a long week preparing for the virtual conference and now that Sarita's talk is over, things have settled down.

In other news, MathTacular3 is briefly on hold due to some art inconsistencies. But, it is coming! I hope to have that issue resolved on Monday.

For those of you who have not checked out MathTacular or MathTacular2, you really should do so. The MathTacular series is great, if I do say so myself <smile>.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

07/31/2008
Books on Tape
Sarita talked about using books as a foundation for a great homeschooling experience at the virtual conference today. The talk went well, and it was fun to be in the chat room while she spoke.

Literature provides a really great way to learn, and is the foundation of Sonlight's Core programs.

"But what about books on tape?" one woman asked earlier in the day.

The chat room lit up as people gave a nod toward audio books. I also chimed in: I think they are great!

Someone mentioned that read-alouds should not be replaced, but audio books are great for other titles. And I agree: There is something special about reading aloud together as a family. But for books your children want to imbibe on their own, audio books are great.

I'm a slow reader. I often joke that I can write faster than I can read. So, for me, books on tape are fantastic. I listened to all of "Crime and Punishment" on tape in High School. And it wasn't very hard to write my papers from memory after listening to the tape.

I started listening to books on tape while trying to get through "Heart of Darkness". When I got to Chapter 2, I started the tape, turned down the volume and read as fast as I could. I got to the end of the chapter, barely retaining any of the story, and turned up the sound again.

The tape was only two pages behind me.

I switched to books on tape after that. And it's great, because I can get some "reading" done in the car. I've even listened to the whole Bible multiple times in my short commute. So, while books are fantastic, and reading together extremely important, don't forget the beauty of audio books.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

07/30/2008
A Pile of Unmade Decisions
The best thing I heard at the conference today was that "clutter is a pile of unmade decisions".

I'm relatively organized, but I often find myself setting things aside because I don't know what I should do with it. I certainly like to have "a place for everything and everything in its place", but then I accumulate something new that doesn't have a home and it joins a pile for another day.

Same with bills. I hate paying bills. I put them off and they end up at the bottom of a pile... and then I get slapped with a fine.

Even as a "go-getter"--a "get 'er done" type person--there are far too many times when I just don't want to make the decision. And that's why my desk has stacks of footage and paper: I just don't feel like I can deal with it. Especially if the item in question doesn't have a home yet.

My Edit Bay at Home
So, for me, clutter is often a pile of homeless stuff.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

07/29/2008
In Too Deep
...to think of much else.

I'm sorry everyone, but today has been crazy as we've been getting ready for the virtual conference that starts tomorrow.

Thus, I have not had the brain space, nor the time, to think about anything else. This is the huge thing at Sonlight right now because of the time crunch.

Sorry.

I wish there was something really cool or thought-provoking I could tell you, but the best I have at the moment is:

If you ever try to modify the <style> attributes of a Blogger post, make sure you do not include
     any
          extra
               breaks.
If you do, the code will read them as <br>s and break the code.

I know. That was really important to your homeschooling journey.

I do what I can. <smile>

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

07/28/2008
Babies. Having Babies.
Title link here.

So, my younger sister had her baby. It didn't go exactly as planned, but both my sister and her daughter are alive and stable.

It was pretty crazy yesterday. My wife and I were at my parents' house all day, keeping my mom company while we waited for the latest news about what was happening at the hospital.

Thus, today seems to be about babies.

My dad had a recent post about the medical world's odd stance on home births and abortion. This links nicely with a post from Scott pointing to an article about how abortion looks a lot like "Black genocide". But couple this with a very insightful post from Jennifer about how she used to be irritated that people would lump pro-choicers with those who killed babies and we end up with a rather crazy mix of emotions and thoughts.

I mean, my sister almost lost her baby yesterday. It was really emotional--especially for her, her husband, and my parents--and yet there are many people who want to get rid of their babies before they are even born.

It feels surreal.

I guess.

I guess that's what I'm feeling.

Okay, back to preparing for the Heart of the Matter Conference. It's been a pretty crazy Monday... especially when I realized that the conference starts on Wednesday instead of Thursday.

How did I get that wrong?

Wednesday is the new Thursday.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

07/25/2008
Answer to the Luke 2 Problem
Thank you all for the wonderful feedback about my Heart of the Matter article. I appreciate your kind words very, very much.

Yet, I left people hanging.

So here I will quickly, and not very formally, address the issues raised in my Bible class all those years ago. I went looking for my notes so I could provide references and double check my information, but I couldn't find them. They are buried somewhere that isn't with the rest of my college Bible notes. Sorry--this is going to be from memory (and if my prof. reads this, he'll be able to see how effective his class was in promoting long-term retention. Please don't change my grade <smile>).

1. No record of the census despite historical record of other censuses at this time.
It is likely that there were many censuses taken on a regular basis. The fact that we do not have record of every single one of them is to be expected. And, if we assume the Bible to be historically accurate (which we can with good reason*), then we really do have historical record of the census.

2. Quirinius is called a "governor" but we know he was not at this time.
An equally legitimate rendering/translation of the original word could be "leader". And while Quirinius was not a governor yet, he was involved in local leadership. ...I'm pretty sure there was another point to this, but it has slipped my mind. (I wish I had found my notes.)

3. The Romans did not require people to register in their home town, but Joseph takes Mary to Bethlehem.
The Romans didn't care where people registered, just that they did. However, lineage is very important to the Jews, so they would voluntarily travel to their home towns to keep the records straight.

So, there you have it. The answers to those three problems.

But this does beg the question: Where do we go if don't know the answer to a question?

Know of any great Bible reference material? I currently use the IVP Bible Background Commentary and Strong's. What else is good out there? I'm always looking for more great resources.

Thanks again for reading and commenting on my article!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

*Luke has shown himself to be an excellent historian in many other passages (the Bible has also shown itself to be historically reliable), thus the logic is that if he has shown himself accurate time and time again, he is likely to be right here as well.

07/24/2008
"Heart of the Matter" Post
Because I'm sure you all follow my every move on the internet (ahem), you have already read my article in "Heart of the Matter Online".

No?

Okay, I don't really have that much hubris (a great word I was recently reminded of, by the by). That's why I'm letting you know so you can celebrate with me: My first article for "Heart of the Matter Online" has been published. Yay! Needless to say, but, I'm more than a little excited.

My Byline for HotM

Speaking of "Heart of the Matter": Their virtual conference is coming up quickly and Sarita is going to be one of the speakers. Way cool. If you decide to sign up, please feel free to tell them that "Sonlight Curriculum" referred you.

We are now in overdrive to get ready for the conference. Crazy.

If you could be in prayer for us as we prepare, and that the conference goes well, I would greatly appreciate it!

I'd also love it if you would hop over and read my article, and--if you feel particularly generous--comment!

Thanks so much!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

07/23/2008
A Heavy Heart
I must confess: I'm feeling rather weighed down at the moment.

I'm not depressed or anything like that. I'm just stuck in the mud of conflicting ideas. And I guess that's where you end up when you like to look at all sides of issues. It's an unseen consequence of daring to challenge the status quo of everything, including your own beliefs.

It hurts.

But it's a good pain. At least, that's what I tell myself.

And maybe this is one of the reasons I tend to come down so hard and dogmatic about issues: Because if I allow the questions to build up and not just knock them over as they come, I get swamped. Zerged.

Ever feel that way?

Know what I'm talking about?

Maybe it's the feeling that I'm searching for the answers alone.

Alone
'Good grief, Luke. What are you so bogged down about?'

"Nothing. Everything. I don't know." At least, that's what I'd tell my wife.

But I have to soul search more when blogging. And that means that you, including Brittany (hi, wife!), get a more processed response. So the thing that has me down is the tendency for Christian messages to get so warped.

I was reading an absolutely amazing blog last night. In her blog "Et tu?", Jennifer talks about her journey from atheist to Catholic in an incredibly powerful, tangible, and insightful way. But it floored me when she wrote:

[W]hen I heard religious people talk about their morals coming from God, ...I thought that they were basically saying, "we do the right thing because God tells us to," which begged the questions of why they couldn't do the right thing without imagining they were receiving instructions from some unseen deity, and why so many nonbelievers were good people (often better people than the believers). ...

What I discovered years later was that God is not some Man in the Sky who tells us to be good; he is all that is good. To quote the Cynical Christian, when we say that "God is good" we're not describing what God is, we're describing what good is.

Why can't we translate/communicate that for/to people outside Christianity?

Yet this isn't the only thing that has me bummed out. The other side is the internal messages that get so odd. The pop-Christian stuff that gets passed around that isn't Christ-like at all. It sounds good, even has Scripture to back it up, but it lacks depth and reality. It has none of the personable nature of Christ.

I'm not going to link to any of these sites, but they're popular and all things "hip" within Christiandom right now. And it makes me sad.

And so, perhaps, the tears in my eyes are not tears of pain as I initially thought, but rather tears of grief. Sorrow that I am not, as Brittany and I saw so clearly last night reading, a "good" Christian. But it's hard, after a lifetime drenched in grace, to see what it's like to be dry as a bone. And maybe that's one of the many reasons Jennifer's posts are so powerful.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

07/22/2008
Do You YouTube?
YouTube is certainly a "hot item" right now.

And, yes, as a filmmaker I've put some videos up as well. You can find the short videos I've made at my YouTube "Channel". Just a note: Many of the clips are actually part of blog posts where I talk about media production. There are links to that blog in the "More Info" section of the clips.

But Sonlight also has a YouTube "Channel" where I am posting video samples from our DVDs and other clips.

...

Unfortunately, due to a technical issue, where there were once a bunch of videos, there are now none. I will be re-uploading those in the morning.

Internet Woes
Grr... just when I thought I was super cool and "with it", the internet had to go and humble me again <smile>. Ah well.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

07/21/2008
The Limits of Reason
...the Reaches of Grace.

Last week I wrote about balancing emotion and reason in how we think about and respond to things, especially those issues close to our hearts like homeschooling and religious views. And thinking about the hyper-emotional people we have encountered, it's not too hard to see the problems with leaning too far toward pure emotion.

But what about reason? What are the limits of reason? Why would it be problematic to just be purely reasonable all the time? What could possibly be wrong with that?

That's what's been gnawing on the base of my cerebral cortex for a few days. Thinking about it keeps bringing me back to a conversation I had with a couple people in college. They were in the honors program at my University, and they had been reading Plato (or something) and had been in discussion about logic and reason. "What," one of the girls put to the small group of us, "limits reason?"

I ventured to suggest that Reason itself is not limited. The problem is that we are. Thus, the problem is not Reason, but our use of it. We may be completely reasonable, but without the right knowledge we may come to the wrong conclusion. I know I have.

Thinking back on that now: The same is probably true of Emotion. Emotion is not wrong, but we may respond to it inappropriately.

But where does that leave us? If we can not perfectly utilize the tools available to us, what hope is there?

And that points me back to the beauty of Grace. I have read some amazing stories from moms who know all too well their limitations and short-comings. But what makes their tales so incredible, is the grace they are bathed in. Our foibles wouldn't be nearly as funny or tear-of-joy inducing if it wasn't for the incredible reach of Grace.

May you find yourself wrapped in grace today.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

P.S. After much valiant struggle, I believe I have overcome the windmills of iTunes: The Sonlight Podcasts are available (and subscribe-able!) in iTunes. Click on the following link to be taken to the Sonlight Podcasts in iTunes.

[NB: This is different from the other podcast I initially linked to in iTunes, and I am working with iTunes to get the "dead" podcast off the list. Thanks for bearing with me.]

07/18/2008
Where Do You Get Your Information?
For a month after we got married, Brittany and I lived in our house without internet. Ten years ago everyone would have shrugged and said, "Eh, that's not so bad."

But we had just graduated from college where, when the T1 lines were packed during "peak hours", you could feel the stress level rise across campus because it would take ten seconds for a page to load. The horror!

Surprisingly, we still managed to function. I knew the area already so we could find a gas station, the grocery store, the library, and how to get to church (it's next door to the library). But how do you contact the phone company to setup your phone service and internet plan without a phone or internet?

I eventually figured out that I needed to go to my sister's house and use her phone.

How do you find the nearest Costco?

Reaching way back into the recesses of my mind, I remembered that there was this thing called a "Phone Book" that also included addresses. I pulled our latest edition out from where it had been buried, and started flipping through the pages.

I was lost.

Even after I found the entry, how was I supposed to figure out how to get there without being able to plug the address into Google Maps?

After that initial month of being disconnected from the world, I am very happy that today I have access to forums, reviews, and other helpful information.

But this got me thinking: I know where I go to get information about technology, but where should I go to get information about homeschooling?

So, enlighten me, please. Where do you go to get information about the various options you have in homeschooling? What sites do you trust for book recommendations (besides Sonlight.com, of course <smile>)? Where do you find the best reviews of curricula? Help me!

I feel like a newly wed without internet, and I want to get connected!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

07/17/2008
Emotion, Reason, and a Level Head
I've met plenty of people with really kooky ideas. Unfortunately, as I've grown older, I've noticed that I've held some odd-ball ideas too. I've had my fair share of standing on the metaphorical picket line, waving a banner of some half-baked idea like a half-baked college kid protesting some evil or restriction of freedom.

My Hair Was Curlier Back Then
Where was I? Got lost in my metaphor there.

Ah yes.

If I'm learning anything since those early days of promoting ideas it is this: Caution/Moderation. I have come to see how fallible I am, and despite still being incredibly passionate, I find I check myself more than I used to. I'm more cautious about how I present my ideas. I'm a little more humble.

A little.

I still have a long way to go. A long way.

Two posts today got me thinking about this. First, Dana Hanley at Principled Discovery has a very thought provoking post about homeschool convention culture. And then Andrea of True Moments of Family has a post about emotionalism in Christianity. Both of these posts deal with a kind of "group think" or "group culture" that can lead to potentially damaging ideas.

Perhaps that's what the cheerful people at Despair, Inc. were thinking about when they developed their Meetings poster.

And so, in a group or not, we should carefully consider the things we say and the ideas we support. We must use reason when we make decisions and claims. On the other hand, if we swing too far toward reason, we may end up like Niki in iRobot: With a completely logical, but very destructive idea.

Thus, as I think about Christianity and homeschooling, I hope to approach the topics with enough reason so as not to be driven by emotion, but enough emotion to not be overrun by reason. And maybe that's what it means to have a level head: To be in balance. Not in a Zen kind of way, but in the sense that I'm not flopped too far to one side or another.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

07/16/2008
The Sonlight Moments Widget is Here!
As promised, on the sidebar I have now included an easy way for you to add the Sonlight Moments widget to your blog. This widget pulls the three most recent "Sonlight Moments" from the forum and shows them on the side of a blog. If you use Blogger, all you need to do is log in and click on the

<script src="https://www.sonlight-forums.com/external.php?type=js&forumids=88&count=3" type="text/javascript"> </script> <script type="text/javascript"> </script>

button.

Sonlight Moments
Don't use Blogger? No problem, just copy and paste all the code in the box below the button into an HTML/Java widget on your own blog.

No clue what I'm talking about but still want in on the action? Need help? Just ask! (lholzmann[at]sonlight[dot]com)

Okay, that's it for now. I need to get back to editing audio.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

07/15/2008
Meet Luke Holzmann
My name is Luke Holzmann. I am the second oldest of four children of John and Sarita Holzmann who founded Sonlight Curriculum.

Photo from My Wedding July 10, 2005:
Justin, Jonelle, Me, Amy, John, Sarita
I was homeschooled with Sonlight as it was developed from 1st through 8th grade. I then attended a public high school and graduated Valedictorian with somewhere around 19-21 Letters (swimming, cross country, academics, band, track, forensics...).

Swimming
I then attended Biola University with academic and swimming scholarships. I graduated Magna Cum Laude from the Mass Comm department with a degree in Motion Picture Production and the "Best Independent Filmmaker" award.

Video Camera

I moved to Englewood, married my college sweetheart Brittany, started my own production company, and produced videos for Sonlight (including MathTacular).

Wedding
Brittany and I were in the process of adopting children, and so I needed something with slightly more reliability and benefits than working as an Independent Contractor could afford. Thus, I applied for the role of "Media Relations Specialist" at Sonlight Curriculum where I now blog daily, and produce podcasts and videos among other things.

While waiting on the adoption, we took in two girls for many months. After they went back to their parents, and with start of 2011, our adoption journey ended.

We've covered the "Filmmaker" and "Empty Nester" bits of my signature line, so what about the "Writer" part?

Well, I am blogging daily. I'm also a published author. And I'm working on a completely different book with my best friend from college.

Me and Jason Writing

Why not put all that in my profile?

1. It's rather long.
2. I also run a media production mentoring blog/site at Production-Now.com, and this profile information doesn't much apply.

So, there it is: Luke Holzmann's biography in about 500 words.

Please feel free to ask about whatever else if you're interested in learning more.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

07/15/2008
Twitter
Thanks for visiting SonlightBlog.com from Twitter!

This is where I--Luke_Holzmann--blog for Sonlight. Please check out the latest happenings here.

What are the Tweets marked #OPoN?
Other Posts of Note are blog posts I've read throughout the day that I found interesting. I don't necessarily agree with them, like their message, or appreciate their tone... but I think the post is worth noting. I tend to include things that make me smile or make me think. I also include a lot of stuff about Sonlight (both good and bad). So #OPoN Tweets are links to... well... Other Posts of Note. Hope you enjoy them as much as I do <smile>.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

07/14/2008
Make Your Life Better
My family has lunch together after church on Sundays. As is typical, we talk.

Loudly.

No one has complained recently. <smile>

We got to talking about the fiasco of the latest iPhone launch. Since one of my friends works at an Apple store, I got to hear about the long lines, the issues, and the disturbed customers without having to wait in line for 9 hours for the chance to buy a really expensive phone plan, or deal with the issues of false advertising. Even so, they sold a million of the puppies.

A million.

And my friend is very happy working at Apple because they are dedicated to making people's lives better through their products. To which my sister said, "I think that's just how people sleep at night." See, while in school she did a little piece for Nestle in which her contact fully believed that the pre-packaged cookie dough was going to help families bond together.

My sister was less than convinced. And so she left the advertising world to start working for Sonlight, "Because Sonlight really does make people's lives better."

And, like most other companies out there, that is the goal.

But does Sonlight accomplish this? If you use Sonlight's curriculum, will your family bond, enjoy reading, develop a life-long love of learning, and basically improve your life?

Yes.

That was my family's experience. And that certainly sounds like what's happening for many other people as well.

But don't take my word for it. After working out the kinks, I am pleased to announce that I have been able to add at "Sonlight Moments" widget to my blog, which pulls from that forum where people post about how Sonlight has enriched their lives.

[NB: This public version of the forum is still really new, so please go add your "Sonlight Moments" too!]

What's that? You want to add this widget to your blog as well?

Well, I'm working on getting that for you, but I'm stuck at the moment. So I need more time to figure this out. Once I do, I'll post it on the blog.

For the time being, if you really want the code now, let me know and I'll be happy to email it to you in a file (lholzmann[at]sonlight[dot]com).

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

07/11/2008
A Friday Full of Fire
First: An apology.

It seems as though my enthusiasm for Sonlight's inclusion in iTunes has smacked into the harsh reality of internet mysteries. And so, for the time being, it is impossible to download the Sonlight podcast episodes in iTunes.

We think it may be a Firewall issue, and I have alerted some of the best minds to the problem. But, because they are the best, they also happen to be busy. So, this may take awhile.

Sorry.

Until then, please note that you can still listen to (and download) the files from sonlight.com/podcasts.html.

Second: An update.

The fires have not died down since Wednesday on the debate over a "hostage cracker"*.

Again, I call for a level-headed, even-handed approach to this topic. And so, let us start from the top:

Bill Donohue has pointed out that, since Paul Zachary Myers (PZ) posted his pledge to desecrate the Eucharist on a blog connected to the University of Minnesota Morris, his actions should fall under the code of the school; most notably, the requirement that students and faculty be "respectful, fair and civil". And, if you read PZ's comments, he is anything but that.

On the other hand, to then go on to say that "It is hard to think of anything more vile than to intentionally desecrate the Body of Christ" goes too far for me. In fact, in PZ's initial rant on the topic (as I briefly quoted on Wednesday), he points out one thing that seems to be at least on par (namely, the vicious murders of homosexuals).

But beyond this, PZ doesn't accept the fact that it is the Body of Christ (it's just a cracker to him). And so Bill's comment is aimed at stirring up the already angry Catholic crowd.

That is a misstep, I think.

[NB: Again, the following links go to the "scientific community" where rage, hatred, and profanity abound.]

The other side has come back with claims that "The Christians are trying to Shut Down Pharyngula".

Not totally true. But...

PZ claims, and I have no problems believing him, that

I have received 39 pieces of personal hate mail.... Four of them have included death threats.... Thirty-four of them have demanded that I be fired. Twenty-five of them have told me to desecrate a copy of the Koran, instead.... I even have one email that says I should be fired, that the author would like to kill me, and that I only criticize because Catholics are so gentle and kind.

This is certainly not a "level-headed, even-handed approach to this topic". Of course, neither are the comments following his post (most of which would not be post-able on a site that was not rated for "inappropriate content").

And so, since I think we should be active members in our community, I encourage you to get involved if you feel so inclined. Just like PZ, I encourage you to share your thoughts with the University's President: Robert H. Bruininks (bruin001[at]umn[dot]edu) or by mail (if PZ's information is correct):

202 Morrill Hall
100 Church Street S.E.
University of Minnesota
Minneapolis, MN 55455

But as you sit down to write, please keep these three things in mind:

1. Writing in rage will not help [James 1:20]. It tends to diminish your ability to articulate clearly, accurately, and lovingly--all of which we need more of from the Christian community [2 Corinthians 6:3-10].

2. Please stick to facts and truths, not sensationalism or wild (or religious) claims. Telling those who do not hold to Transubstantiation that this is an offense against Christ Himself won't really do much except, perhaps, bring insults back on you. Rather, point out the disrespectful actions and ask for an appropriate response from the University.

3. Use your real name and contact information. Be accountable for what you say.

Here's a chance for you to use your fantastic education, your experience with diffusing escalating situations at home, and your focused worldview to demonstrate a winsome and effective response in the midst of fire and brimstone.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

*I would like to point out that this is a prime example of the propensity for the media to make something sound far worse than it actually is. If I recall, no one said they were holding anything "hostage". Ah, the unbiased, non-sensationalistic nature of the "just the facts" news.

07/10/2008
Listen to Podcasts?
Well, even if you don't, there's a good reason to start!

I am pleased to announce that Sonlight's Podcasts are now available for free in the iTunes Store.

Sonlight in iTunes
The best way to find them in iTunes is to search for "Sonlight" (or click on this link).

You can still listen to and download them at sonlight.com/podcasts.html if you'd rather.

Now that the podcast is "official", it begs the question, or at least allows for it: What would you like to hear about? Any topics, issues, concerns, successes, or areas of interest that you would like to listen to on a podcast? I'd love to get your feedback because I want these podcasts to be as helpful as possible for you.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

07/09/2008
Transubstantiation and Other Easy Matters
This is not a post about particular religious views.

In fact, this is probably not a good forum for such a debate at all.

This is a post about how we should think about and respond to difficult issues.

There are books included in many of Sonlight's packages that some users complain about. In fact, people have gone so far as to say, "How DARE you include such-and-such in your curriculum?" Others huff, "And you call yourself Christian."

Pretty serious accusations. I think my dad and the writers here at Sonlight have done a good job of dealing with these concerns in the "Why Sonlight Uses Certain Books that Some Homeschoolers Won't Touch" article.

For me, I'm glad I grew up reading opposing ideas and discussing difficult questions with my parents. It helped me when I got to high school and encountered ideas that opposed my own. Even so, it is still disconcerting to hear people articulate ideas that go against my beliefs--even worse when there isn't a clear rebuttal.

I ran across one of these today. An article about a young man who got out of Mass with a wafer of the Eucharist has caused quite the commotion. People are ranting and raving.

It's been a while since I have come across such hatred and defamatory speech. These bloggers, and the comments following, spew forth rage against religion.

[NB: If you follow the following links you will encounter profanity.]

But their issues aren't totally without merit. Poorly stated and not very loving, but there is some truth in what they say, even more in what they imply.

But how should we respond?

What do we say to in response to this:

If kidnapping a piece of bread is a mortal sin ... the wost thing you can do, including killing a person ... then what will the average Catholic do to protect the Eucharist? Commit a venial sin?

Or how about this:

Holding a cracker hostage is now a hate crime? The murder of Matthew Shephard was a hate crime. The murder of James Byrd Jr. was a hate crime. This is a [expletive] cracker. Can you possibly diminish the abuse of real human beings any further?

How would you respond?

Well, for starters, I didn't.

I thought about it, but then decided against it. Like the debate about Transubstantiation itself, we're not going to get anywhere in a comments section of a blog. Even if I wrote a really fantastic response to these rhetorical questions, it would fall on deaf ears.

And perhaps that's what those who shield themselves from dissenting and disturbing ideas would argue: What's the point? They're wrong, and I can't convince them otherwise. So why put myself through that?

And this is where my homeschooling experience comes in. The answer: For me, and those around me. I want to know where I stand, what I think about it, and how I would respond if someone asked... for real.

I know I'm not going to get anywhere in the heat of a public lambasting, but if my friend, Christian or not, asked me about it, I should have an answer.

And this is where this is truly a very difficult matter. I don't think there is an easy answer to these serious questions, even if they are not asked seriously. They are weighty matters and hold huge implications to how we think about religion, God, and the state of the world.

And if we don't have practice working through these issues in the comfort of our own home, reading great books and talking with our family, how will we ever be "salt and light"? [Matthew 5:13-16]

Or is that passage really just about doing good deeds and not discussing things for the good of others?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

07/08/2008
Don't Leave Home... But Do
My mom has often said that her desire is that those who use Sonlight Curriculum will grow up to be effective and winsome ambassadors for Christ.

I will now tie this to World of Warcraft and American Express.

Watch me.

I like to play World of Warcraft. One of the "Tips" that Blizzard offers as the game loads is to "Bring your friends to Azeroth, but don't forget to go outside Azeroth with them as well."

Good Advice
In other words: You should probably go out into the real world from time to time.

The makers of a game that allows you to instantly connect with people worldwide and talk with them about all manner of things (yes, even spiritually significant stuff) recognize the need to leave your home. So even though I can talk to a depressed 14 year-old in Kansas, a friend in South Carolina, and a man in Iran while wandering the streets of Ironforge, I should probably step out and see my neighbors from time to time.

And when you step out your front door, American Express suggests that you "Don't leave home without it". Well, now that Sonlight accepts American Express (pretty cool, eh?), you could potentially just not leave home. Period.

Some people think that this is exactly what homeschoolers are trying to do: Disconnect from the world; hide away in their homes and never come out. And I guess there are a few like that.

But by and large--loved the pun in Wall-E, by the by--that's not what homeschoolers are about. And that's not what Sonlight is about either. So whether you've just returned form the Fire Festival or were recently out watching some real fireworks, I don't really care if you had your American Express card or not.

I do care that you are out there, making a positive difference in the world in both big and small ways.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

07/07/2008
Sitting on the Stairs
It was about 9pm last night and my friend started talking to me at the top of the stairs coming from the basement while I was standing in the kitchen. He's going through a rough place right now and just needed to talk.

We ended up sitting in the stairwell for at least half an hour talking, crying, and laughing. It was almost like we were back in college again, wandering the campus at night, baring our souls to each other. We could do that because it was late at night and there was nothing else really pressing going on. We can only sit shoulder to shoulder when we have time to do so. Most days we're both at work, on errands, or busy with this or that.

Homeschooling gives us that time with our kids.

Not that all we do is sit around and talk, nor should we, but the flexibility and time afforded by homeschooling lets us do so when the need arises. It lets us be available.

Granted, I still have to go to work everyday, but I start early so I can get home early as well. But my wife will be at home with the kids, always there when the opportunity arises to sit and talk, cuddle, or counsel them. And I'm doing what I can to be there as well.

And "being there" is important.

Otherwise I might miss an opportunity to give my friends and family members the hugs and encouragement they need. And maybe, just maybe, growing up in an environment with a priority on taking time for people has made me more available to others.

I certainly didn't learn it in the mad rush between bells in high school.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

07/03/2008
Physics and Fireworks
One of the things that homeschooling has the ability to really emphasize is learning everywhere. This certainly applies to historical events--it's the 4th tomorrow and what better time to brush up on some history?

But equally compelling, if not more so, is the historical reason we use fireworks to celebrate the day (guns were involved? Really?). At least, the prospect of explosions was a tad more interesting to me as a youngster than taxes... that may have shifted since then.

...I must be growing up. I think about taxes more than pyrotechnics.

Ouch.

So, as an "elderly chap", what can I do to get back into the spirit of learning? War and struggle for freedoms has become a little too sordid for me as of late, and I while things aren't perfect, I'm not sure it's time to start throwing tea in the lakes of my land-locked state.

Well, I still like fireworks. I could go research what chemicals make the fireworks turn red or yellow or blue. Well, looks like "lithium carbonate", "sodium nitrate", and "copper (I) chloride". Cool. It's been a while since I looked at those kinds of equations.

Or how about physics? If one of the kids on my block lights a 5 gram fire cracker and it goes into the air at a rate of 2 meters/second^2, it would have a force of 0.01 newtons. Not that there'd be a good way to find the acceleration of your firecracker, but it does give a visual representation of what force looks like in action.

So while you're "ooo"ing and "aaa"ing over the noisy light show tomorrow, remember the incredible blessings we experience here in the US, and rejoice in the opportunity and freedom you have to learn at home. And if you get sick of covering your ears to avoid permanent hearing loss, maybe go brush up on sound and the odd world of decibels.

Happy 4th!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

07/02/2008
The Three Eggs
As I've poured over homeschooling mom's blogs, I kept asking myself: Where does Sonlight fit in all this?

People are using all sorts of homeschooling options, swearing by some and decrying others. There seems to be an equal amount of passion for just about every provider or home-grown learning structure out there. Some like the flexibility of this option, the structure of that; the literature of this curriculum, the workbooks of that one. Someone loves the way this package covers a subject, yet someone else will hate it.

What? How is this possible?

Well, just like me and my siblings: People are very different. So no one thing is perfect for everyone.

In fact, that's the point of several of Sonlight's articles.

But knowing this doesn't really answer the question of: Where does Sonlight fit? Who is the "Sonlight mom"? What does a Sonlight user look like? And then, how do we find these people and tell them about Sonlight so they can enjoy the experience?

My latest idea:

The Three Eggs
Here we have the "workbook", Sonlight, and the "do it yourself/free web" versions of homeschooling. All have their place, their strengths, their weaknesses. Which is why we don't all raise chickens or buy cage free eggs.

I'm tweaking with the script now and thinking about producing a trial video.

We'll see.

I would love to hear your thoughts on analogies you've used to explain the different education options out there with your friends.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

07/01/2008
Podcasts
I have officially taken over the position of recording and editing the Sonlight Podcasts.

What?

Didn't know we had those?

Well, we do. And we're making more. And we're working on getting a cool logo for them as well. And there is talk of making the page prettier, which would be cool, but the web guys are busy working to make the site better, so it may be a while before they get around to devoting time to the aesthetic nature of the podcast page.

But until that time, you can still listen to all of them. There is a lot of information packed into these audio casts, and you can even listen to a few interviews with Sonlight graduates.

So, yes, check out the podcasts. Listen to them online, or download them to listen to in car or on a walk or whatever.

I'll let you know when they are available for free in iTunes (working on that too).

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

06/30/2008
We're Here to Help
I just read an amazing post that made me tear up. Absolutely amazing. A very good reminder that we are not perfect, but there's a reason that's okay.

But I sensed a different theme today since Kristen has already covered grace and forgiveness so well.

Today's theme was businesses, corporations, and the "evil empires" of the homeschool curriculum world. As a member of one of these, and a firm believer in it--not to mention being raised by a semi-heretic--I feel a keen duty to respond. In fact, I already have (and I hope I did so well, winsomely, graciously, and with love and a touch of humor). But now I'd like to more proactively deal with the subject: Sonlight Curriculum as a homeschool provider, company, and business entity.

Sonlight's primary goal is to enable parents to raise their children in the homeschool environment. As my mom has said from the beginning: To keep parents "in the field" one more year. This started with missionaries overseas, but has since morphed to include homeschooling parents everywhere. The goal is to provide a resource that people can come to for materials if they do not have access to them where they are. In that sense, Sonlight is a service. And thus, customer service is a huge priority.

But aren't homeschool companies like Sonlight money-grubbing? I mean, can't I find the books cheaper elsewhere?

Perhaps.

But online book retailers are purely in it for the profit. Companies dedicated to your homeschooling experience do far more. They exist to help you with your success in educating your children, not just selling you a box of books. In fact, every homeschool curriculum provider is also giving you the time and effort it takes to compile and organize the materials, testing, adjusting, and working to make your experience the best that it can be.

At least, that's how it is here at Sonlight. I'm guessing it's true for the other guys as well.

So, yes, Sonlight Curriculum is a business. A business that makes it possible for you to teach your children "The way you wish you'd been taught. Guaranteed." And if it turns out not to be that way for you, please send it back.

Where else do you get a 100% guarantee like that?

You can't if you do it yourself.

Not that you shouldn't do it yourself if you want to. Rather, Sonlight provides a unique opportunity that we want to make as painless to try as possible. We want you to find the right match for you and your kids. If that's not Sonlight, that's fine. And with the guarantee, you can spend half a year figuring that out before you are in any real financial binds.

As a company we can do that for you.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

06/27/2008
Unfettered Anarchy or Equilibrium?
When I see something that is wrong it really bothers me. And so I am not always as gracious as I should be when dealing with situations.

That's a "growth area" for me.

And so, for me, this whole debate about how much intervention the government should make on homeschoolers has been a challenge. If I was still my Jr. High Self (very glad I've grown up a little since then), I'd be ranting and raving. Now I only do it when I get home and start talking about it with my friends and family <smile>.

But a post by Milton Gaither gave me a moment's pause. Not because it changes my opinions at all, but because it casts light on my thoughts in a slightly different way, which may help explain things a little better.

The post, and the linked article, is about American Muslims homeschooling.

How do you feel about that?

To be honest, there's a slight discomfort associated with that idea; similar to when a couple of "punks" (local teenagers) stop on the sidewalk in front of my house for a few minutes ['What are they up to?']. But like the kids in front of my house, the majority of Muslim homeschoolers are not doing it for any ignoble purpose. But this becomes more of an issue because there are many similarities to the Christian homeschooling community, as Mr. Gaither points out.

So, should the government step in to make sure there is no "unfettered" "anarchy" (or even terrorism) going on? I mean, we sure don't want any abuse to be happening any more than we would like someone to blow up a bus.

But this is where the argument falls apart.

Of course no one wants to allow parents to abuse their children! Of course we don't want terrorists to run rampant. No one is arguing that we should.

But is the government the right "person" for the job? Should we sit back and let "the government... protect us"?

No.

Because if we do that, we make way for what just about every single utopian-society-gone-bad movie or book out there warns us against: Totalitarian government.

It is bad to leave people to their own devices without any kind of outside influence, sure, but it is even worse to let a government (made up of people) do the same.

But what of our checks and balances? We have those in place so our government won't become totalitarian.

Yes, in theory. But if we let them start dictating things for us, we should not be surprised when we end up in a dictatorship.

I will leave you with a brilliant quote: "In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. But, in practice, there is."

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

06/26/2008
Reading Assessment
Ever wondered what your child's reading level was?

I haven't, but I'm still waiting on my kids to arrive <smile>. And when they come they will likely be speaking and reading Russian, so it won't be hard to place their English reading level.

But for those of you starting out on this homeschooling journey, you may wonder what level of books you should purchase for your child. What Sonlight Core should you buy?

The fine guys of the web development team have created a fantastic little tool for you to use. The web-based Quick Reading Assessment will quickly help you discover your child's reading level.

Todd has a pop.
So cool!

Just one of the many things that Sonlight is doing to help you in your homeschool journey.

I took the test yesterday, just to see how fun it was, and it turns out I can read.

Phew.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

06/25/2008
Add Your Child as a Friend
This blog has been in flux. That's not surprising since I just started it last week. (Sorry to all of you who tried to access the blog last week while we were fighting with the URL and ISP.)

The latest change: I just added a fun little Facebook icon over on the right there.

Am I actively promoting Facebook? No, but I will say that even my mom has started using it to keep herself connected with my little brother while he's away at college. This is important.

An interesting article from "Digital Directions" talks about how kids in school are getting busted for posting pictures of themselves drinking and such online. There is also a lot of online bullying going on as well.

So, wouldn't you like to know what's happening to your kid out in the world? If your child is using Facebook, Myspace, has a blog, or is active anywhere online... ask him or her to become your friend and add their blog to your RSS reader. It's just one more way you can stay "up" on what is happening in your child's life.

And if you have trouble figuring out this whole "social networking" thing, ask questions. Your kids may roll their eyes, but your active interest in what they are up to is important to them. And if you get really stuck, you can always post a question here. I'm happy to help <smile>.

And while on the topic of things I've put over on the right, I don't want to be redundant with the "Other Posts of Note", but Lyn Newton just said that "teachers should be parents." Of course, as a public school teacher she is advocating parents becoming teachers in the school system, but she's right: Parents should be teachers... you've already been one.

Tomorrow I will tell you about something I just learned about on Sonlight.com. It's way cool.

Oh, the suspense!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

06/24/2008
Parenting Magazine's Tips
In my wanderings today (well, my RSS and Google Alerts reading), I came across an article from Parenting Magazine. While the article seems to support homeschooling, the tone felt "off" to me. Maybe because it reminded me of articles that we wrote for my school's paper back in the day. Or maybe it was the nasty formatting of the site. But something just didn't feel right.

And so, I will attempt to get this nagging feeling out of my mind by addressing a few issues that I feel were not handled perfectly in the article's "Tips For Homeschooling Your Child".

Homeschooling tends to take up a lot of time in your day. ...There are experiments and projects to be done, lessons to prepare, papers to grade, field trips, park days, music lessons, and the list goes on.

Maybe it's just me, but a parenting magazine should know better. It could be said of parenting: Having a kid is more than just pushing it out at birth... there are meals to be made, diapers to be changed, rooms to paint, clothes to buy, field trips, park days, music lessons, and the list goes on.

And so the point is this: Homeschooling is just a logical, relatively easy transition from parenting. Parenting takes up a lot of time in your day. Homeschooling isn't an addition to your schedule, it's the natural continuation of the one you started when you gave birth.

Since lessons are so individualized, you’ll be able to fit a lot of education into just a few hours each day–but you have to be supremely organized and able to devote your full attention during those hours.

I'm guessing that being "supremely organized" would help in just about every aspect of life, but with the resources available to us today, we don't have to be that panicked about this. Sheesh, the article makes it sound like if you're not the quintessential mother you're doomed to destroy your child's education and future. You do need to be able to devote time to your child, but you've been practicing that since the little tyke woke you up in the middle of the night.

Homeschooling often produces impressive results in academic performance. The benefits arise from the one-on-one attention it provides the student and from the fact that many parents who presently homeschool have teaching preparation or experience.

Ugh, this one really bothered me. Now, granted, my wife did major in elementary education, but that's not what's really giving her the "teaching preparation" that makes her ready for homeschooling. Being a parent does this far better than a degree in educational philosophy.

There is no need to add the pressure of being formally trained in teaching to teach your child. As my sister has pointed out: We teach our kids to tie their shoes, to talk, to walk... we can teach them other subjects as well. And if you're really worried, there are plenty of resources out there to help you on this journey.

Home schooling can provide children with a better education than what they would get in an actual classroom but you have to do your part as parent and teacher to make sure you are going at the right pace, that they are learning effectively and that they remain interested in learning so that they will absorb whatever you teach them.

In my experience, classrooms do not have the ability to go at every student's pace. Most of my classroom teachers had no way of making sure the material was going at the "right pace". Tests were the only indication my classroom teachers had that I was "learning effectively", and they had no way of knowing if I was still "interested in learning" so I could "absorb" what they were teaching.

So I say, "Lay off."

While these are certainly valid things to consider when it comes to your children's education, they should not be placed as burdens on your neck. Homeschooling can be a joy. Homeschooling begins at birth and hopefully never stops; it's just that some people use it to teach generally considered "school subjects" at home as well.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

06/23/2008
The Value and the Cost
I got a call yesterday from our adoption agency with news that since most people in Kyrgyzstan think all Americans are movie stars and have millions of dollars, we would not be eligible for any kind of discounts if we adopt more than one kid. 'That shouldn't be a big deal,' I thought. 'What kinds of expenses are there?'

So, I asked.

"Well, you'll need $12,000 for this... $6,000 for that..." and on and on it went.

In the end, it is estimated that we'll need around $50K just for the Kyrgyzstan fees. That's not including the fees we've already paid, travel, food... oh man. And if someone had told me that it would cost around $75,000 to adopt three kids, I don't know if I'd ever have started. But now that we've filled out half the paperwork, signed a bunch of checks, seen pictures, and really felt like this was something we're supposed to do, we're going to keep moving forward ...and apply for a few grants <smile>.

And this is easily applied to homeschooling.

[NB: I sincerely hope that no one gets sick of me drawing parallels between the two because I have a feeling that I probably will do so often since they are both such a big part of my life experience]

I've been trying to discover the reasons why people do and do not buy from Sonlight for their homeschool curriculum. Cost is the big reason, so when they look at the price they immediately write it off: Nope, can't do that.

But we need to move beyond the cost of things and look at their value. How much is it worth to adopt children? How much is it worth to teach them?

And so someone suggested that instead of starting with the price, start with the value. For me, adopting three beautiful children is an immeasurable blessing, and homeschooling them will be the same. And with Sonlight Curriculum we will build a library of fantastic books that my kids will be able to enjoy their entire lives. I know I still love many of the books I read growing up with Sonlight.

Some Sonlight Books
Much like college, only far more intimate, the opportunity to homeschool your children is a worthwhile investment. And there is value in it.

I realize that finances are a real hurdle for some of us (and with this adoption thing, boy, do I ever understand that), but if this is what we should be doing--and the amazing value of it seems to say that we should--then the price is merely a hurdle to get over, an obstacle to overcome, and not a barrier that stops us.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father