Loose Leaf Notes

1. I was reading Neil Young’s memoir, Waging Heavy Peace, when I came across the mention of Radford University. I thought surely there are more Radford Universities than the one I know here in Virginia.  But then Neil started quoting something written by a Floyd friend, Billy Kovarik, who teaches journalism at Radford University and writes on environmental issues.

2. After I about fell off the bed, I messaged Billy and he messaged back, “So now you know about my claim to fame, Colleen. It’s cool as hell, but did good old Neil ever send me a ticket to one of his concerts? Noooo.”

3. I sweat a bucket Saturday night dancing at Dogtown Roadhouse with my friend Jayn to a band called the Mad Iguanas.  I have to confess that I was a little buzzed on beer when I shouted to my friend Bob, “Folk music, shmoke music! I like it loud!”  That just doesn’t sound right the day after.  More on that HERE. 

4. Renowned poet Nikki Giovanni gave a reading in Floyd Sunday afternoon at the Jacksonville Center for the Arts.  She told more stories than she read poems and gave some part social commentary/part stand up comedy. Listen to her give Clarence Thomas a scolding for his vote against marriage freedoms HERE.

5. On a different occasion Nikki lit into Bill Cosby. It was well before the recent scandals broke, about 8 years ago. Listen HERE.

6. Did a parallel universe open up and float above the skies of China? Is THIS a hologram, hoax, or a Fata Morgana, whatever that is?

7. “My latest book, Bicycles, evolved out of personal and professional sadness. A murder in the city in which I live and a massacre at the university at which I work (VA Tech) formed the anchors of the book.  But anchors are stationary and these two events kept spinning. It occurred to me that they were wheels.  If that was the case then how could I connect them? Tragedy can only be calmed by love and laughter; I challenged myself to write love poems to connect the vents to the energy that was spinning. Once that journey was started, I realized if I put a handle on it I could have a Bicycle, hence my title.  Love requires trust and balance. A perfect description of a bike.”   – Nikki Giovanni in Chasing Utopia

8. I love a good vanity license plate and saw this one on my way to get my haircut yesterday: CANTBL8

9. My sons’ last name Copus lends itself to poetic license.  My oldest has sometimes gone by Copious and his youngest brother Skye uses Hocus Pocus Copusopusus!

10.  I called a mustache a mushroom by mistake in THIS blog post, titled Mama Mia He’s Going to China.

11. And when I read THIS poem back, I thought the word applause was applesauce.

12. Citizens Telephone Coop’s October Community Show (aired on cable) has a feature on Springhouse Community School, the project-based high school that my husband co-founded. It’s very cool and starts in less than a minute into the show. They feature other very cool things in Floyd, so keep watching. HERE.

13. “I can remember when I wasn’t even born.  I can remember that far away.  I have pictures and a video and I can hear my mama talking.” – My 5-year-old grandson Liam

__________Thirteen Thursday