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

Bob complains to Joe, "I'm switching to BlogPad XanPress 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

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

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

...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

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.

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