They’re Here, They’re Here! (The Bloggies)

Posted on January 5th, 2005 by Neal Locke

It’s spring (semester), and The Bloggies (new freshman bloggers) have arrived at last. Well, two of them, at least. I’m sure many more will follow. After all, the dislike of DJ’s seems rampant. Click on the links directly to the right to visit—————>

It will be curious to see which ones take to blogging and which ones don’t–who will be this year’s Noemi, or this year’s Ernesto? Anyhow, please welcome them into this strange world of posts and comments we call the blogosphere. Help them make their pages look cool. Help them make their writing sensational. Most of all, show them what our community is all about.

Posted in Blogging, English I | Leave a comment

Back From Blogvacation

Posted on January 5th, 2005 by Neal Locke

Hi. Remember me? Well, it was the holiday season, so I kind of took a break from blogging from Thanksgiving to New Year’s. Why? I’m not quite sure. I could cite the business of the season, parenthood, school, exhaustion, or any number of so-called excuses…but who knows? Does it really matter? Anyhow, I’m back.

Christmas was fun, El Paso (as always) was beautiful and it was home. I don’t miss El Paso when I’m far from it, but being there makes me nostalgic–and I suspect the mountain gives a strange sense of security to those who grew up under its strong, steady presence. In the coldest month of the year, it was warm and sunny the day we left to come back to Dallas.

Grady was, as expected, spoiled for Christmas by Grandparents, Aunts & Uncles, Cousins, Great Grandparents, and just about everyone else. He also now has plenty of “noisy” toys that talk, honk, beep, twinkle, and play song after song incessantly. I have been assured by veteran parents that the batteries will run out by February, though.

The new U2 album (How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb) is good, but not quite as good as their last one (All That You Can’t Leave Behind). Still, I’m hoping they’ll swing through Dallas on their concert tour.

Got a new Zire 72 Palm Pilot right before Christmas–out of the five PDA’s I’ve had in the past five years, I like it the best so far–I actually like it better than the higher priced Tungsten T3 I had right before it. Maybe it’s the built in video camera that I’ve been using to record many of Grady’s “firsts.”

In the Microsoft vs. Linux war, I regret to say that Microsoft is still winning (curse them). I had some limited success with Knoppix right after Thanksgiving, but didn’t have time to pursue it further over Christmas break. Oh well. Bill Gates can win a few more battles, but Linux will still win the war (I hope).

My goal of submitting my short story, “Twelve” over Christmas didn’t exactly happen. Of course, neither did my short lived New Year’s resolution to start blogging again (on New Year’s day). I’ll cling to the mantra of “better late than never.” After all, I learned it from my freshmen…

This has been a long post, so I’ll quit while I’m behind. So if you’re still around, still blogging, still reading, drop me a comment or two–it’s good to be back…

Posted in Autobiographical, Family, Life, Open Source, Palm, Technology, Travel, Writing | Leave a comment

WWII Films

Posted on November 26th, 2004 by Neal Locke

Happy Thanksgiving! Now that the turkey-leftovers are growing cold, and the football games are over, it’s time to get started with Mr. Locke’s cruel, evil, Thanksgiving homework…

Instead of posting topics for discussion on each separate film, let’s maybe focus on things they might all have in common:

  • What (from the perspective of the film) was life like during WWII?
  • Does the film portray the “enemy” (Germans, Japanese, Italians) more or less sympathetically than you might have expected? (especially Empire of the Sun, Saving Private Ryan, and Deep Blue World)
  • All of the films are “historical fiction.” How does historical fiction “stack up” or compare to the real, non-fiction accounts of the war that we’ve read (Steinbeck’s journalism, Clyde Cosper news article, Letter from George Hynes, etc.)? Do some of the films tend to “glamorize” war?

Let the discussion begin (and try not to wait until the last minute of the last day)…

Posted in English I, Film, WWII | Leave a comment

November News and Notes

Posted on November 15th, 2004 by Neal Locke

Academic Decathlon Invitational Competition has come and gone, and a pile of neglected work stares me in the face, saying “It’s my turn. You promised.” Sometimes I wish I could be a bad teacher–you know, the ones who arrive right before school starts, leave as soon as it’s over, and don’t assign any work so they don’t have to grade anything. Students love them, at least until the next year when they realize how incomprehensibly behind they are from their “fun” year of doing absolutely nothing.

Congratulations to all my Decathletes; you deserved every medal, and even the gigantic, deadly-looking, pointy trophies. To the top ten: Rest well, rest briefly, then turn your thoughts to district competition, and the slavering, genetically mutated braniacs from Townview you will soon face. To the challenge round ten: Good luck. May the best decathlete win.

As I write this, Grady screams his greetings at the top of his little lungs. Lately he’s reminded me of Robert Louis Stevenson’s novel The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. At times he is a bubbling repository of smiles and inexplicable, sudden laughter. Especially when you rub the top of his head, or make insanely ridiculous faces for him.

Then the transformation begins. Slowly at first–a twitch of the mouth, a wrinkle of the forehead, from pleasant gurgles to grunts of dissatisfaction. Then his rage boils over, as his face turns from pink, to red, to purple. His mouth opens wide to cover half his face, and a silent scream slowly gives way to a shrieking wail that would put a fire truck to shame. His forehead creases, his eyes close, his fists clench, and all of his joints stiffen and shake in uncontrollable fury.

A shadow on the far wall catches his attention, and suddenly his anger evaporates as though it never was. He looks right at you, and smiles, as if to say, “Just Kidding! Now you must love me…”

Posted in Acadec, Fatherhood, Grady | Leave a comment

Steinbeck’s Once There Was a War Part I: England

Posted on November 15th, 2004 by Neal Locke

So we launch into a new six weeks (yes, I realize this is a bit late) and a new theme, as we follow Steinbeck to Europe for his non-fiction journalism during World War II. Two prominent themes become apparent in part one of the book, “England.”

  • Superstition in the face of powerlessness/fate, and
  • The use of humor as a relief for tension and despair

Your thoughts? Comments? Questions? Snide remarks?

Posted in Literature, Steinbeck, WWII | Leave a comment

Disenfranchised

Posted on November 3rd, 2004 by Neal Locke

As the dust settles on yesterday’s elections, it seems that for the second time in two years, every single candidate I voted for lost. I even had to vote for some Libertarians just to avoid voting for the Repubs uncontested by Democrats.

Even the candidates I was rooting for in other districts all lost. We’ll miss you, Martin Frost. And Tom Daschle. And Brad Carson (although that’s what you get for messing with Trait–one of my few Republican friends). And Charlie Stenholm.

One bright spot…Barack Obama. Carry our torch well, Senator. We’ll see you in four years, perhaps?

Posted in Politics, Rants | Leave a comment

The People vs. George Milton

Posted on October 31st, 2004 by Neal Locke

I hereby call to order the trial of the People of the State of California vs. George Milton for the alleged murder of Lennie Small. The accused pleads innocent on account of “I hadda do it. I just had to.”

The Honorable Judge Locke is now presiding. You are either on the prosecution team or the defense team (choose one). You must call at least one witness to the witness stand and question him or her to make your case. Your witness can only respond to your question(s) using quotes from the novel.

Good Luck. The court will now hear your arguments…

Posted in Education, Literature, Steinbeck | 3 Comments