Mr Tom Powell Jr

Tom Powell, Jr was born in 1972, just outside Chicago, in Melrose Park, Illinois. After a tumultuous childhood, he wound up spending a few years hitchhiking across the country, first while working for a carnival, and then while following The Grateful Dead. After the nomadic lifestyle he was living was thrown a curve ball by the death of Jerry Garcia and, as a result, the end of The Grateful Dead's touring days (at least, that is what we thought at the time), Tom fell into a job mowing lawns in the suburbs just outside Chicago. After a twenty-six year career in landscaping, including owning his own business for the last six of those twenty-six years, Tom was fortunate enough to retire early at the age of forty-five in February of 2018. Since his retirement, Tom has begun to write books not only about his life, but about topics that matter to him. He now spends his time writing, kayaking, and waiting for the next time he can board a plane to visit another country.

While he does not have a wall filled with framed diplomas, what he does posses is a unique lifetime of less than ordinary experiences that he draws on to bring you his perspectives on a variety of topics. Tom is a survivor of severe child abuse, a high school drop-out, and someone who had the odd experience of living in a tent for four years while traversing across the nation. He has had the chance to be a small business owner, serve on various committees, and be an advocate for the nationwide legalization of recreational marijuana.

Tom has been married to his wife, Renee, since May of 1999, and the two have been together since May of 1997. Together they have three children, Magnolia Lynn, Lily Marie, and Tommy Lee III, and they have resided in Channahon, Illinois since February of 2005.

So, sit back and enjoy the ramblings of a middle aged husband, father, and taco-loving dead head.