Brevardian of the Week: Michael Collins!

michaelcollinsPlace of employment (what do you do & where?): Bread of Life – A Free Community Kitchen, Jazzylvania and Southern Exposure radio show host, and innkeeper at the
Red Lion Inn

You’re a trivia expert on Rosman, etc… how did this come about?  From Rosman .. Dad was scientist at Tracking Station when it opened … Mom and Dad opened the Red Lion Inn originally.

How did you get involved with Bread of Life? Issues with poverty

How can people lend their support to Bread of Life?
3 ways: money, time, or food

What’s new going on down at Red Lion Inn?
Return of Marc Yaxley and alcohol sales maybe for weddings

Tell us something that people would be surprised to learn about you? From Rosman. Grew up in southeast Asia, first career was as a lighting designer in D.C. and New York and Chicago.

Michael biking around in his white squirrel costume!

Michael biking around in his white squirrel costume!

Tell us more about your love of music and your show on WSQL! JAZZYLVANIA… I am the only guy in Rosman who hates the banjo so I work to keep that crap off the air as much as possible. Holding the front lines.

Click here to read the rest of Michael’s profile

What are some items still on your bucket list that you want to do? … Make a difference

When you’re not working, how do you like to spend your free time? … Writing and and playing in the creek

Ever had a brush with a celebrity? …..Was under Bernadette Peters dress every night for 7 months in 88 cities .. Steve Martin used to come into my coffee shop to buy the New York Times, Mandy Patinkin and Whoopee Goldberg.

What are you most proud of in your life? …. My father is the greatest man I ever met.  I was the key note speaker at the Transylvania County Martin Luther King celebration and for a short little round bald white guy from Rosman that was petty cool.
michaelcollins2

What’s your favorite thing about living in Transylvania County? …. MY FAVORITE PLACE IN THE WHOLE WORLD
1. the people
2. the community of artists and musicians
3. white squirrels
4. the environment
5. the fact that Transylvania County is the number 1 county in North Carolina per capita in volunteering (out of 100) and N.C. is third in the nation, I think. Rocks !!
6. first county in N.C. that integrated the school system… 5 years before the state forced everyone else to integrate

If you had $100 free money right now to spend in Brevard, how would you spend it?
On an Irish coffee and bills

What was the best (or worst) summer job you had while growing up? … Touring 11 tours in 7 years

What is the best practical joke you ever played on someone? Boy scout camping raid

Do you have a secret you never told your parents? They are my heroes

Your biggest pet peeve: selfish people who snap unfriendly like when they do not get the response they want and people who do not recognize that we and everyone in Transylvania have it better than 90 percent of the whole world

What do you remember as your favorite subject in school? history and political science

What do you remember as your least favorite school subject? math

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? ….. astronaut or president

Did you ever have a recurring dream as a child? …… yes, about bubble wrap

When you played make-believe as a child, what did you pretend? I was a pilot.

Name some popular hit songs from your youth.
Lean on Me by Bill Withers. ….and Tell Everyone by Tom Fisch.

Who was your favorite singer or group growing up? Ben Harper and Ani DiFranco

What kind of music do you most like to listen to now? .. local musicians and jazz

Have you ever slept under the stars? .. often

Have you ever been chased by an animal? … touched a shark once . It swam right by me exiting the reef

What was your most prized possession as a child? .. everything had to fit into a trunk because we moved every 3 years… tomahawk

Have you ever seen a UFO? Unidentified Furry object … favorite stray dog called Ralph

Do you believe in Big Foot? … I believe I have two big feet

What famous person inspired you the most while growing up? my father, and the three great ladies of Transylvania county: Dorothy Mock, Salina Robinson, and Faye Walker

What’s the naughtiest thing you did as a child? … water balloon incident that accidentally hit the math teacher so we ran and hid

What would you say is your life’s motto? … “People are often unreasonable and self-centered. Forgive them anyway. If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives. Be kind anyway. If you are honest, people may cheat you. Be honest anyway. If you find happiness, people may be jealous. Be happy anyway. The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway. Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough. Give your best anyway. For you see, in the end, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.” – Mother Teresa

What inspires you? Community .. faith .. and the fact that we can all make a difference

What’s been the most challenging time of your life? …. making a living around here … I love what I do for a living BUT would love to make a living out of it.

What are your dreams for the coming year? The next 5 years? To love the next chapter of my life and seek investment to buy the Red Lion Inn.. if beer and wine sales pass this time because it will eventually.

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