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>

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:

1. The keypad wants me to know it detected a "broken glass" sensation (a glitch that I was sure we'd fixed last week)
2. The fire panel hastily adds that the server AC unit lost power (at some point)
3. 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

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

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

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

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.