Roughing it @ IHOP

Posted on July 11th, 2004 by Neal Locke

Jeff, Joe, and I are in Nashville, Tennessee at an IHOP on the edge of town. Camping food sure is rough. Actually, we did camp at a state park in Arkansas last night, briefly–we pulled in at midnight, pitched a tent in the dark, and then fought a minor war against invading mosquitoes until both sides dropped off to sleep. Although judging from some bites on my leg, the mosquitoes might have only faked a truce.

In a few minutes, we’ll leave Nashville behind and head down the road for the Appalachian mountains, more camping, and fewer IHOP lunches.

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Eight Legged Freaks…on my street!

Posted on July 8th, 2004 by Neal Locke

Yesterday: As Amy and I pull into the driveway after running a few errands, we see our next door neighbor, Mark, headed to the house across the street…with a net. Curious. He apparently sees us seeing him, and stops.

Mark: You guys wanna see a tarantula? Jim found one in his garage!

Amy: You’re kidding, right?

Mark: Not at all–they’re actually quite common around here. Come and see…

At this point, my wife politely excuses herself, but I can’t resist. I help put away the groceries, then hurry across the street to Jim’s garage. By this time, they seem to have “apprehended” the arachnid in question. I say “apprehended,” because the critter is in Mark’s net, but it’s not closed, and nothing really is stopping it from crawling right out, if it wanted to.

Neal: Oh my gosh. You weren’t kidding.

Mark: Yep, this one’s just a baby, though.

Neal: Baby? He’s the size of my fist!

Mark: You should have seen the one I got two weeks ago in our back yard. Come to think of it, he’s probably still there. Aren’t they beautiful?

Jim: You know they can jump between six to eight feet?

Neal: That’s reasurring–Hey Mark, could you, maybe, hold that net just a bit further away? Like say, eight feet more?

Jim: Check this out [holding cell phone out]: it’s a picture I took of the last one we found in the garage–now that’s a big one!

Our surreal dialogue continues this way for several more minutes, as my neighbors inform me that our street seems to be infested with tarantulas. All the while the “baby” tarantula and I are eyballing each other very carefully. Only he has about a million more eyballs than I do…

Neal: Look guys, I’ve lived here for four years, and I’ve never seen one. Are you sure it’s really that bad?

Mark: They’re around alright. You know…when you’re mowing the grass, and you feel something soft brush up against your leg–for just a split second–and you look down to see, but nothin’s there. That was a tarantula.

Neal: I’m never mowing the grass again.

Jim: Oh, they’ll love that! The higher the grass, the more places they got to hide. But then you won’t see ’em…till they jump.

At this point another neighbor pulls into his driveway and gets out of his car. He is fairly new to the neighborhood, and I have not met him yet. Mark and Jim eagerly make their pitch for him to see their “catch,” while I’m thinking this is NOT a good way to reassure homeowners that they have made a wise purchase, locationally speaking.

New Neighbor: Tarantula? Yeah, I’ve seen three or four of them since we moved in…

Mark: [to me] You sure Amy doesn’t want to see it?

Neal: You show her that thing, and there’ll be a “for sale” sign in our yard tomorrow morning.

Mark: OK, if you say so. Say, I was gonna set this little one free in the alley right behind your house. You don’t mind, do you?

*******************************

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Saturday night, Sunday, Monday morning

Posted on June 28th, 2004 by Neal Locke

Seeing Alexander and his wife Becky was the highlight of my Saturday night–we had dinner in old town Alexandria, and caught up on the last five years. Alex was my roommate my freshman year of college, and Becky was on our “sister” wing. (kind of like a sorority, but less insane).

On the way back to the hotel, Alex and I left the country. Seriously. Alex is from Estonia–a small country in north-eastern Europe–and we left the US and went to Estonia for about 30 minutes. How, you ask? Well, Washington DC is where all of the foreign embassy buildings are, so we went to the Estonian embassy. Technically speaking, when you enter a foreign embassy you are no longer considered to be on American soil. Just like when you visit the American embassy in, say, Mexico city, you are technically on American property.

So for half an hour, I left the country without even leaving Washington DC! Estonia was very nice, thank you, and all three of the Estonians I met (besides Alex) were friendly and welcoming.

Sunday, after sitting through a few sessions about ninth graders and their strange ways, I went with a group of teachers to the Smithsonian musem. Which is actually five or six different museums in different buildings–my favorite was the Air and Space museum. Mr. Hayes (math teacher) and I signed up for a ride in an F-18 jet flight simulator. I think I made Mr. Hayes sick, because when you take the simulator upside down, you REALLY go upside down and are hanging on by your seatbelt. I took us upside down quite a bit. Actually, once we got upside down, I mostly stayed that way, and just flew around blowing things up. It was easier to see the ground that way.

Later that night, we (all of the Sunset teachers) took a boat down the Potomac river to “see the sights.” It was quite relaxing, after a day of walking all over the place.

That brings me to Monday–after checking out of the hotel, we’ve spent most of the day here in the airport, since our flight is delayed (surprised, anyone?).

This weekend has been relaxing and inspirational for me, although I dare say both came more from the people and places I visited here in DC than from the conference I attended. For a brief moment, I fell in love with the paradoxes of this city–its juxtaposition of pristine, white marble with rolling green hills, of busy city sounds with pensive, tranquil memorials. Even the people–passionately debating politics one moment, and the next enjoying a laid back afternoon outside a cafe, reading a book. Strangely somehow, I think I understand this city: Its contradicitons match those deep within my own heart and soul.

Needless to say, I’m glad I came. And yet, for all that, it will be good to be home again.

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Arlington National Cemetery

Posted on June 26th, 2004 by Neal Locke

I’m here. I have waited many years for this moment. When I first learned of the opportunity for this trip to DC, this place where I now sit was the reason I instantly decided to come. I have thought often of this place, imagined it, reflected upon it, but never actually experienced it. I am at the eternal flame, the final resting place of President John F. Kennedy.

There are thousands of white, stone grave markers in this place of green hills and curious onlookers. Each one silently proclaims the life of one who gave service, often at the cost of life–all for a nation, an idea. Why then, should one be remembered any more or less than others?

I have no memory of John Kennedy other than those embedded in the collective conciousness of America through pictures, recordings, and history books. Yet since I can remember, I have been drawn to the short, complex life of this solitary man, as have many others. I have read his biographies. Several of them. I have read his own words. I have listened to his speeches, relived his times through film, media, and memorabilia. What they tell me, with the limited ability words and pictures have to capture the essence ofa life, is that he was only a man. Not a perfect one. Sometimes, far from it. And yet for all that, something deep within me cries out that he was more.

In the film “Nixon,” by Oliver Stone, the character of Nixon addresses a picture of the late President Kennedy, and says “People look at you and see who they want to be. People look at me and see who they really are.” Perhaps this comes closest to explaining why I’m here today, flanked by an endless stream of fellow visitors paying tribute to a man 40 years gone.

Kennedy gave us a dream, a vision of ourselves that was bright, young, confident, and compassionate. Then he gave his life. May this flame that stands before me now, and the one that he lit in our hearts, burn long and bright for the world to see.

To John F. Kennedy, my hero and inspiration.

Posted in Autobiographical, Politics, Reflection, Travel | Leave a comment

In between sessions

Posted on June 26th, 2004 by Neal Locke

Saturday morning in the very large hallway of a hotel conference center–I’m asking myself, “Where are the cartoons?” Actually, the conference sessions have been interesting thus far, so I can’t complain. But the real eye-openers were last night, in DC.

I took the metro (DC’s subway system) with a group of teachers to the mall, where all of the famous monuments and memorials are. First, let me say I am entirely envious of DC for their metro system. If Dallas had anything close–and no, DART is NOT even remotely so–I would sell my car, and probably go out even more. And be in better shape. The metro is close enough to most things in DC, but you still have to do some walking, which was thoroughly enjoyable.

We visited the Lincoln memorial, which serves as a stark reminder of the cultural and aesthetic debt our country owes to the ancient Greeks. Replace the gigantic statue of Lincoln with one of Zeus, and you might as well be on the Acropolis.

We saw the new WWII memorial–it is glorious and grandiose–fitting for Tom Brokaw’s “greatest generation.” But the one that I think was the most impressive to me, in a very subtle, humble, underplayed sort of way, was the Vietnam Memorial. Nothing like the WWII memorial, almost hidden, whith the black stone walls sunk into the earth, reflecting your own image behind the names of those who died. At night, it takes on a very somber, almost ghost-like quality. There is so much symbolism and psychological meaning one can read into that memorial–one for a war (or conflict, technically) that I think may have affected our American psyche just as much as WWII, albeit in a much different way.

Today, after I’m through with sessions, my hope is to see at least part of the Smithsonian, and hook up with my college roommate, Alexander, who lives in DC.

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Live from American Airlines Flight 1144

Posted on June 25th, 2004 by Neal Locke

Once again, I find myself deep within the belly of the great steel bird. Mrs. Lopez (my principal) is sitting three seats down from me, so unfortunately, I’ll have to behave myself this flight.

Last post, I made notice of this small, randomly connected world we live in–I didn’t see Nazir this morning, but even more randomly, I’m sharing this very flight with Ron and Suzanne Bowles–Ron was Amy’s choir director at First Baptist, El Paso when we were in high school, and the Bowles’ are friends with Amy’s parents. Good Baptists, all. So I think they were a little shocked initially at my earring, facial hair, flip flops, baseball cap, and JFK t-shirt. Not exactly attire sanctioned by the Southern Baptist convention. To their credit, though, it took them only two seconds to recover, and we had a pleasant conversation about El Paso, babies, music, and other non-controversial subjects. Mostly, it was just good to see friendly, familiar faces in an unexpected place.

Here comes the “if-the-plane-burts-into-flames-the-silly-little flotation-device-you’re-sitting-on-will-save-you” speech. I’d better go, so I can listen attentively. And try not to laugh…

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And the Blog goes round…

Posted on June 24th, 2004 by Neal Locke

It’s late, I haven’t packed yet, and my flight leaves for DC tomorrow morning at 6:30 am. So what am I doing with my valuable time? Blogging, of course.

In my staff development class today, I did a presentation to the other teachers about blogging–seemed to go well, and if any of you (teacher types) are visiting, please drop a comment below! Our community gets bigger and bigger, doesn’t it?

I posted scores for this Wednesday’s Academic Decathlon meeting over on the Acadec Blog, for the curious and impatient. Yes, Victor, I got all three of your calls Wednesday night.

Amy left this morning with her parents for their annual family reunion–I’ll actually miss not being there this year (great opportunity to sail my sailboat), but even if I had gone, I probably would have been greatly ignored amidst the commotion and fuss over the “expectant mother.” That’s OK. I’ll settle for the Smithsonian, if I get enough time off to go, that is…

Nazir (Legendary Saint of Swords) called me this evening, and will be off to Harvard for his summer program tomorrow morning, leaving from DFW Airport around the same time I do. What a small, randomly connected world this is.

With any luck, sometime in the next few days I’ll blog from somewhere interesting in our nation’s capitol. Let’s hope it’s not a hotel room. Until then, have a good weekend, be safe, and don’t do anything I wouldn’t do…

Posted in Blogging, Sunset HS, Travel | Leave a comment