Not those kinds of memories! I've always struggled with social anxiety and making friends. The one time in my life I didn't feel I particularly struggled with that anxiety were the few years I lived in Rochester. There was a core group of guys around the neighborhood. Being the 90s we'd go outside and knock on doors to see was home to hang out that day. We'd do typical guy stuff for the time period play Goldeneye, backyard wrestling (D-Generation X was huge at the time), driveway basketball and all kinds of other shenanigans.

After a few years it was time to move and start anew.

We left early on a July morning before the sun was up. As we were getting in the car all the guys from the neighborhood Russ, TJ, Mohsin, John, and Bobby all came for one last goodbye. I loved movies back then so as a goodbye present they gave me copies of Airplane (maybe the only PG movie with nudity?) and American Pie. I cried in the car for most of the drive to my new home.

That morning really was a goodbye in the truest sense. We still chatted on AIM. At first there were periodic weekend visits, but with time those ended. Hours apart and moving into a new phase of our lives we lost touch. Now and then I hear an update through some random channels, but we haven't seen each other all together since that morning when I was leaving town.

So yeah, seeing that today is Shannon Elizabeth's birthday reminded me of that day and period of my life. I hope all the guys are doing well. You never really know when you're going to say goodbye to someone for the last time.