Tim is originally from Seattle, Washington, where he was raised in poverty in the very conservative and extremist Independent Fundamental Baptist sect of protestant Christianity. Due to the fundamentalist sect he had no formal education at all, and was almost entirely self-taught. He left home and the religion at the age of 17, and worked to educate himself, and obtained his GED secondary school qualifications, joined the Navy and later obtained his BA in International Affairs and Political Science. He lived for about ten years in Japan, and learned Japanese as well, and is currently in the American Midwest.