Yesterday, January 7th, was a very good day. Early in the day Mark told us that he accepted the position as CFO of the Noble Network of Charter Schools in Chicago. He is very excited, as are we. See: http://noblenetworkcmo.org. The Noble Network has been much in the news lately since Arne Duncan, who was head of the Chicago Public Schools, has been appointed by Obama as Secretary of Education. Part of the reforms Duncan is known for is the support of the Charter School System, of which Noble Network is a key piece. Mark is happy that his skills will be used on behalf of improving education in this country - sorely needed. We had a great talk with Mark on the cell phone about his new job as we were coming back from a long walk out to the end of the Santa Cruz wharf . The Sea Lions have a great new basking place on a shelf just below the wharf where the public can observe them comfortably.
We also had the joy of attending the first of a series of presentations organized by Micah as part of her Provost responsibilities at UCSC - Kresge. The series is entitled: "A Sci-Fi/Fantasy Writers Reading Series. Kim Stanley Robinson, and Karen Joy Fowler both read from their work. Karen Joy Fowler is the author of the best seller The Jane Austen Book Club. 'Stan' Robinson is also a well known writer, and a star in the Sci-Fi/Fantasy Fiction world, best known as a writer of literary utopias. We met them both. We also met one of my favorite contemporary poets - Gary Young - and enjoyed the time spent with him as he drove us downtown to our apartment. He is just like his poems - gentle and beautiful.
Now that the grandchildren are back in school from the holiday, the Perks-Stilwell-Poblete family needs both it's cars and we grandparents are having a great adventure using public transportation and walking wherever we go. The location of our place and the Santa Cruz public transportation system make this very easy.
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