Thoughts on “The Murder”

Posted on September 16th, 2004 by Neal Locke

This is a difficult story. Readers who finish this one will generally have a strong reaction to the events leading up to the “murder.” And that’s precisely what I think Steinbeck was going for. One of the difficult things about this story is the traditions and customs of other, foreign cultures. It’s very easy for us to judge Jelka’s father for the advice he gives to Jim at the beginning of the story, but that’s because we’ve been raised with certain values and beliefs that are different from his. Does his advice prove true by the end of the story? Or does Jim go to far in following it? And is the “murder” justified by Jelka’s actions? What do you think Steinbeck is trying to say by telling this story?

Posted in English I, Literature, Steinbeck | Leave a comment

Sleepy Mommy, Sleepy Daddy

Posted on September 15th, 2004 by Neal Locke

We’ve learned a few things about our little son in the few days since he’s taken over our home… Like, for example, his habit of falling asleep as soon as he starts to nurse, which means he doesn’t get much eating done, which means he wakes up cranky, which means we feed him, and instantly he falls asleep, without getting much eating done.

He also only sleeps in one place: Someone’s arms. Pick him up, he falls asleep. Put him down, he’s awake almost instantly, at which point he registers his objection to his new location. And let me tell you–this kid has an incredible pair of lungs when he wants to be heard.

I also got my first “fountain” while changing him today. The kid peed clear up to my shoulder and even doused the wall behind him, not to mention his clothes, my clothes, his changing pad, and the clean diaper I had waiting for him.

So, the three of us (and Grandma Gayle makes four) grab some sleep here and there where we can. From what I understand, it’s just the way things work at this stage. A friend had the nerve to tell me today that “this is the easiest part.” I’m so glad, because less sleep and more of a challenge sounds sooooo refreshing to me right now! (sarcasm intentional)

Good thing he’s so darned cute. It’s nature’s way of saying “hang in there.”

Posted in Family, Fatherhood, Grady | Leave a comment

Thoughts on Steinbeck Film

Posted on September 15th, 2004 by Neal Locke

Alright–as of today, my freshman should have finished the A&E Biography of John Steinbeck, so here’s a chance to comment. I realize that documentaries are by nature very different than movies you might be used to watching–no car chase scenes, no huge gun fights and violent deaths by the thousands–but Steinbeck did have a pretty unique life: Three wives, for one thing (some say he loved his women, but he loved his words even more), and he did like to write about gamblers, prostitutes, and the “scum of the earth.” So perhaps instead of going with your first inclination (“Mr. Locke, this film was boooorrrring, and I didn’t get it) try to give me some comments that are a little more insightful. For example, why do you think Steinbeck wrote about the things he wrote about? What or who influenced his life? Was his life similar to yours in any way? Let’s see what you’ve got…

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

So How Was School?

Posted on September 14th, 2004 by Neal Locke

I’ll take a brief digression from babyland (though he’s in my arms as I blog–one handed,that is) to ask how Sunset High School managed to get along without me today? Was the substitute at least of the human species? And who won the Academic Decathlon Jeopardy challenge? I’ll post an entry tomorrow on the Steinbeck film so you can post your comments for ASK points. Anyhow, just checking in–hope everything went according to plan at school, because it sure didn’t here. I’m learning that babies and plans have little affinity for one another…

Posted in Acadec, Education, English I, Sunset HS | Leave a comment

Welcome Home, Grady

Posted on September 13th, 2004 by Neal Locke

It was decidedly a long day today, and everyone is pretty much exhausted around here. We packed up this morning to leave the hospital, but one thing led to another and we didn’t actually leave until sometime just after noon. Grady had to undergo the infamous “snip” early this morning, and was cranky for most of the day. I did quiet him down once with Tennyson’s Ulysses at the hospital, and then later this evening at home with Steinbeck’s Cannery Row. I also sang to him a little while his mother took a much, much needed long nap.

It was an incredible feeling driving him the old familiar road to our house. We’ve brought people over to visit our house plenty of times, but never brought someone home to stay. Permanently. In a few months, it will feel like this is just as much his house as it is ours. I hope he likes it here. He should, though, because after all we did with it, his room is the nicest one in the house. Of course I couldn’t resist the temptation to post some pictures…

Posted in Family, Fatherhood, Grady, Pictures | Leave a comment

A Plethora of Pictures

Posted on September 12th, 2004 by Neal Locke

Ok…I realize I run the risk of picture overkill, so I’m going to post these as links: Click on the description below to see the picture on its own page. If you’re sick of baby pictures, find some other blog to read for the next few days! This one has been taken over by babymania…

Posted in Family, Fatherhood, Grady, Pictures | Leave a comment

A Promise to My Son

Posted on September 12th, 2004 by Neal Locke


I believe that aside from providing him food and shelter and love, the most important gift I can give my son is to read to him. It was one of the greatest things my father did for me, and I now have the chance to pass it on to Grady.

Here is my promise to him, with the world (or at least the blogging world) as witness: I will read to him every day of his life until he is old enough to read on his own. And that point, we’ll continue to read together each day–sometimes I’ll read to him, sometimes he’ll read to me, or sometimes we’ll just sit together and read silently to ourselves. But no matter where we are, or what’s going on in our lives, or how much work I may have to do elsewhere, I will always make time to read with my son, every day. This is my promise, and my gift to him.

And we started yesterday (his first day in the world). I read to him from Ray Bradbury’s book, The Martian Chronicles. Mostly because it was the book I’d been reading at the time, and I didn’t bring a big selection to the library when Amy went into labor. Nevertheless, it was somewhat appropriate–he’s our little alien newly arrived in this world. And since his father likes to consider himself a science fiction writer, who better to start with than Bradbury?

Today, however, I made the trip home to pick out a few books. Tonight I’ll read to him from Tolkien’s Silmarillion–my dad’s favorite author, and a family tradition well worth honoring. Also on the “first reading list” for later this week: selections from Steinbeck, C.S. Lewis, and the book of Jeremiah, King James Version. I’ll save Dr. Seuss until he’s a little bit older and can appreciate the political satire in Green Eggs & Ham…

Posted in Fatherhood, Grady, Literature, Pictures | 1 Comment