Summer
2013 (continued from
home page)
SUMMERTIME IN THE PACIFIC
NORTHWEST is a long-awaited treasure. I ride my bike
year round, but there really is a sweetness about
late evening summer rides in shorts and sandals that
feels like I’m a kid again. In fact, riding a bike
is one of the few things in life that decades later
still feels amazingly like it did at 8 years old. I
guess eating an ice cream cone is another of those
things. I ascribe to both.
We’re still in springtime but
because we Pacific Northwesterners are such pansies
about heat up here, a day in the 80s can be all over
the news. “Seattle Man Sweats Profusely in May!”
they might announce. There is almost never a year
with more than 5 days in the 90s. And most of our
summer days are in the delicious 70s. Luckily,
amidst those there will be some overcast, cool
mornings and drizzle too. Man, that’s my kind of
summer; warm day, cool day, breezy day, rainy day.
Repeat.
I usually do not do much in
the way of concerts or workshops in the summer
because I know people want to be outside. But that
is probably errant thinking since people in Atlanta,
Houston, OK City, Washington DC, Denver, and well,
nearly everywhere else, are desperately seeking a
cool place to spend the hottest hours of the day.
What cooler place could you find than at one of my
events? Just joking. But they are fun.
I
will be announcing a one-day Summer Workshop soon,
Writing the Wonders of Your Mind. I’ve had some
extremely enjoyable, uplifting and inspiring
Creativity workshops these last two years and will
do one on Zoom so that people may attend from
anywhere. So make sure you’re on my email list if
you’d like notice.
Also, because my first album,
Run This Way Forever, came out mid-summer of 1985,
38 years ago, I’m considering doing an
online-anniversary concert in some cool mountain
setting, also broadcast on Zoom. In which I will
play ALL the songs on Run This Way Forever and share
stories about the songs and those beautiful day. If
you’d be interested in such an event, please let me
know.
I continue to host weekly
Breathing/Meditation classes on Zoom called
“Breathing Into Your Life.” They have been so
helpful in nurturing a calmer inner life, more
creativity, less stress and anxiety, and in many
ways, a higher awareness in our lives. You can join
any week by registering on my website.
I will finish out this note
to you with a short account of something that
happened yesterday as I rode my bike on a beautiful
paved bike trail in a nearby area. Thank you for
visiting me, I hope you’re doing well. (Scroll down
past the photo for my story)
In Friendship,
~Michael Tomlinson

A THREE YEAR OLD BOY GAVE ME MY GREATEST LAUGH OF
THE DAY. I was in the beautiful town of Snohomish
and riding my bike out of town on the Centennial
Trail. Breezy and with sparkling sunshine, the trail
was not crowded at all and I so enjoyed cruising
through trees and along small farms, paralleling the
river for a while and not riding anywhere near the
car traffic. It was warm, in the 70s, and I decided
to get some sun and took my shirt off and wrapped it
around my handle bars.
When I got back near town,
slowing down and with the breeze blocked, I really
felt the sun’s heat and it felt so good to be
finally enjoying that kind of weather. Just two
blocks from my truck I saw a little boy on a push
scooter with what appeared to be his grandpa. As I
was sweeping past I was watching and smiling at the
little boy and he was watching me. Then just as I
passed he reached up and pointed a strong finger at
me and started to say something, but I was 20-30
feet past before I really heard him.
“Grandpa, why is that guy
riding naked!”
I absolutely BELLOWED
laughter! It was just such a funny, unexpected
remark, but I DID look down quickly to make sure
that I had not lost my shorts. A block away I was
still howling and I think his grandpa was too.
I’m glad I gave that little
boy something he’ll be telling his kids about
someday. “One time I seen a man riding naked and he
didn’t even care!” ~ Michael Tomlinson
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