In this article the author honors Dr. Brian Tomlinson's distinguished career and his standing as one of the world's leading experts on materials development in English language teaching and learning. Noting Tomlinson's ability to touch the professional lives of his colleagues, the author hopes that a journey through his own personal career and how it has been impacted by Tomlinson's work will not only resonate with the reader, but will introduce some of Tomlinson's work that may be unfamiliar.