The Story of My Life

or rather the parts I wish to tell you about

I was born Deymond Reade Lashley on July 21st, 1979, in Zanesville, Ohio. My first name is a combination of my parents' names (the form you are used to hearing is spelled 'Damon') Raymond and Deborah, and as for my middle name, I have no clue. I grew up in a rural area about 30 minutes from Zanesville. I had one sibling, my brother Cameron.

I don't recall at what age I began formal education, but I was home-schooled, with the exception of two grades (fourth and fifth).

At the age of seven I underwent therapy for a speech impediment. As I've grown older this manifests itself into an infrequent but annoying stutter. The therapy, however, was a turning point for a different reason. It was the first time anyone really said I was inadequate, and it slowly started the process of changing me from a sweet, kind-hearted little boy into the bitter cynic I play so well today.

My father died of cancer when I was fifteen. He got sick in December and died at the beginning of March. as with most things, it wasn't until after his passing that was able to reflect and see what an impact he'd had on me, and all the things we had in common.

By the time I reached eleventh grade, I decided I was done with secondary education and I dropped out. I attmpeted, in the spring of 1997, to join the Marine Corps, and also the US Army. Good old Sgt. Hanna (whom I'm hoping is stationed in Albania right now) didn't have any slots open for non-graduates. The Army was much more helpful. They gave me the ASVAB test and the majority of my physical screening, as well as setting me up to get my GED. They did not, however, bother to tell me I needed to gain ten pounds, until several months had passed. I eventually got tired of the pressure to gain weight within the allotted time span, so I bid adieu to SSgt. Gerlach, and decided the military was not for me.

Not long after that, I moved to Columbus on my eighteenth birthday, where I lived with my brother. I vegetated for ten months, but when the $4800 in my dresser dwindled to $50, I decided to get a job. I spent seven months at Triumph Energy store #13 (a Sunoco station), got robbed once, counseled several times, and ultimately fired after I complained to a company VP about my manager. It was an enjoyable experience though, and I take solace in the fact that most of my customers thought I was pretty good at my job (not to be confused with the customers who threw things at me).

I left Sunoco in December, and by the end of the month I decided to once again pursue the military. At this point I had a GED, a relatively high ASVAB score, and most of my physical, so I figured my chances were much better. On the 29th of January, 1999, I swore into the Delayed Entry Program, and was told I would not leave for boot camp until September. Consquently, I searched for temporary employment, and within a couple weeks of being hired, I shipped out to boot camp on March 29th.