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

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

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

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

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

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

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>

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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.

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

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

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