1990-The years are all of a sudden zipping along. Here I am in my late 30's!!! Wow Who woulda ever thought! By now I was always with Carla. A unique individual to say the least. And I had gotten very close to her family who welcomed this long-haired boy who didn't like the Yankees into their home.! HAhaha So amid a sea of pasta and sponginellis, I felt like a part of the family. We shared a lotta happy times from Christmas tree hunting to birthdays to Billy Joel concerts to the State Fair to Frank Sinatra's Diamond Jubilee Tour??!?! to good old conversation around the dinner table. Heck, she even started working in the cem! That was something. BUT, yep, eventually there was just something missing. I even asked her TO MARRY ME!!!!! Never done before and hasn't come anywhere near happening since. Alas as the months went by into '92, the relationship had run it's course. Carla wasn't ready for me and I wasn't what she was looking for. Wow that wrapped things up quickly! It was a very difficult time in my life and when we broke up it was many years before that sadness went away.
But what can a poor boy do, 'cept to play in a rock'n'roll band
And that is where I turned. The fall of '91 represented a hint of things to come! Loud, guitar driven songs with strings attached! PLAY "EM LOUD! U2 came back after a 3 year absence with a different kinda record ACHTUNG BABY
. The songs were intense- "ULTRAVIOLET" and "ZOO STATION" What an ungodly, incredible NOISE to begin things! AND SOMETHING NEW!!!! Stirrings in the great NORTHWEST! Grunge! THE SEATTLE SOUND! PEARL JAM!!!!! Whatta guitar album!!!! TEN 
A fresh new sound daring me to compare it to a decades old passionate Who sound, keeping me tapping my toes and jamming. Too bad that stupid JEREMY video aggravated me enough to question the morals that we worshipped! Are they gone? It took many years before I broke this barrier down and embraced the band.
Who woulda thought! A buncha Billy Joel? shows in Albany to close out '91 highlighted by a chance meeting with the one and only Mr.Chris Ryan, brewmeister extraordinaire, at the Knick. DIG IT!!!!
Hey the Raiders had gotten back in the swing of things. A decent 12-4 record under Art Shell and they were playoff bound! I was thrilled! It had been a few years and the Raider mystique had faded in all that Hollywood glitter. UNFORTUNATELY, on a not too bad winters afternoon I witnessed a debacle at the hands of a tough Bills eleven. SHEESH! 28-0 7 minutes into the game which ended up 51-3 or maybe 10. Who really wants to remember. Well maybe those Bills fans like Todd. Oh well... and on the ice in fabled Madison Square Garden some kinda miracle
with the number 11 on his back donned a Ranger sweater and assumed the captaincy. Before the year was out this long-suffering team had attained hockey's best overall record! Amazing! Tho they stumbled in the playoffs and....who knows what happened in the 92-93 season, the foundation was there for the history in the making. And in February, U2 took to the road for their first US tour in 5 years. I had my interest piqued! Can't beat sunny Florida in the wintertime and I flew down to Lakeland and Miami for opening night. Donny D. was living here now, and so we went on a little road trip. Along with Nate the Skate and Mark R, I had a wonderful time. And here while waiting outside with a bunch of U2ers, somebody rekindled a hazy memory. It was Jim Fromalbini and he was with Karen. They had become big fans of the band and often covered billions of miles in pursuit of... I don't know! Why do we do it?
But that ungodly noise at the beginning of "ZOO STATION" was enough for me. As the tour moved on and I saw a few more shows, There was something about Bono...he had taken on some kinda Fly persona and it grated on my nerves. I thought it was incredibly moronic and yep, you can read between the lines. Just a matter of time!
Summer of '92 is a special one. Every ten years it happens. A new decade in the life and times of Gooch! August 19, 1992! The Big 4-0! The eve of, U2 are playing in Albany 90 miles down the road. With Jim K and Claire we decide to see some Zoo TV. Nope they did not play 40. Oh well. That summer I met my neighbor
up the street at 1912 Bradford. While sweeping her sidewalk she proceded to sweep me along and we ended up dating a bit. Good old Annie! Hey neighbor, How is Sam Russo doing! Ain't it funny how ya meet people and some ya stay connected to and some become an island on a distant horizon...if this makes no sense, you should worry! You have made it this far.
Well I am getting hungry so I am gonna stop for a few minutes, BUT when I get back, well I think 1993 was one of those years! HAHAHA AIN'T THEY ALL!!!!! Hey JB! Do you remember that beautiful autumn day at the cem when I asked ya out? Wow! Already nine years ago! PEACE