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I love a good novel in which I can occupy another world and its characters. When I was teaching full-time – whether it was Dickens’ Great Expectations, Morrison’s Beloved, or Macbeth – I would live fully immersed in the world of the books I was teaching. Canterbury Tales is one of my favorites, because I love deadpan humor and the variety of humanity in its narratives. I find Chaucer as indecipherably post-modern and hilarious as Don DeLillo. My schedule does not allow enough time for many novels. My Kindle includes a couple of unread novels, along with books on leadership as well as research for my doctoral dissertation on motivating teachers. But the last novel I read has stayed with me – The Color of Bones, by our own Assistant Head of Lower School Tracy Wymer. Derby’s charming narrative, his fascination with the Southside girl and his heroism in crossing the Line, wholly captivated me.
Listening: I like podcasts, including
HBR IdeaCast, Runner Academy, and Serial. My tastes in music are eclectic – from Beethoven to jazz to the rock I grew up with, the Beatles and Pink Floyd. I need to be introduced to new music, as I groove on new rhythms, but I am basically a creature of habit. Moving back to Los Angeles means we can again subscribe to the LA Philharmonic. One of my first dates with my wife was at the Phil with Zubin Mehta, and now we get to go hear them in Disney Hall.
But I keep coming back to rock, especially indie rock. I have a playlist on my iPhone for running built on U2’s “Beautiful Day.” And KROQ and the Red Hot Chili Peppers (“Under the Bridge” and “Californication”) became a sort of soundtrack for my move back to Southern California, a magnet drawing me back here.
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V I E W P O I N T
M AG A Z I N E
Mark McKee A 25-YEAR VETERAN OF THE CLASSROOM and Headmaster’s office in independent schools in California and Connecticut, Mark joined Viewpoint in July as our new Head of School.
Moving: Since my wife Cathy and
I were married and our daughters were born in Pasadena, we have moved crosscountry twice – first to Connecticut, to be close to her family in Boston, and then back to Northern California, near where I was raised. Moving back to Los Angeles feels like coming home to where our family began. Our new puppy Ajax was a “bonus” from our move here, a gift to our younger daughter that has become a best friend to the whole campus.
my calendar before I line up at the start, so I’m always looking forward to the next one.
Running: T wo years ago,
after the Boston Marathon bombings, I was inspired to take up running, first a 5K, then a half, and finally a full marathon. I’ve run marathons in Big Sur and Chicago, and I hope to be running for years to come. I’m not fast, but I’ve been energized to learn what is possible. I’ve also learned I need to get a new race on
Photos: Bill Youngblood
Reading: As a former English teacher,
Photos: Bill Youngblood
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