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

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

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

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

...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

...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

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. So here they are:

1. A new blog: "Homeschooling Apropos." Looks to be a great source for articles that homeschoolers will enjoy.

2. A blog that follows the various thoughts of a homeschooling mom over at "Half Pint House." A little bit of everything over there!

3. Another blog that covers the thoughts and experiences of a homeschooling mom: Ganeidas Nest. I've been following this one for a while.

4. "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.

5. "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.

6. 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:

7. This blog, of course! Can't help but give myself props <smile>.

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