Bitter Mixed With Sweet

In September 2007 I got LASIK surgery.  The next day, against doctor's orders, I went with a big group of friends to support a show at the NYMF.  Through my blurry red eyes I met someone who would change my life.  The Suzz, as she would come to be called, was this bubbly girl who everyone liked.  At times she seemed a little more like a 13-year-old than the late-20-something she was, and somehow that drew me in more.  In that theatre watching her flit about from group to group, she contained so much life.  That made me smile.

A month later Randy Meyer would not take no for an answer and strong-armed me into joining the ranks of the Facebook dwellers.  My first wall post?  See below:

Suzanne Gaudinaposted toJoy Sims

HA! Peer pressure is right. But just think of the benefits... You will totally be one of the cool kids that knows and loves facebook.

October 22, 2007 at 11:11am ·  · 

And so it began.

For the next year or so I only saw The Suzz primarily on Facebook because she moved to Hungary and traveled the world saving people from who knows what all.  I was thankful for the Facebook connection and glad I could live vicariously through her in a time when I wasn't in much of a place to do a lot of living myself... I was on more of a survival tract.  In the time she was gone, I started beginning to pull my life together, and by the time she made it back I was nearing something resembling normalcy.  We hung out with mutual friends and always had such a great time together.  The best part?  I had made a friend who didn't know or care about the drama that my life had been the four years prior.  It was a whole new way of presenting myself, and I loved it.

Trying to deal with one insurmountable obstacle at a time and often feeling entirely too overwhelmed not sure which item to tackle first, I got this:

Suzanne Gaudinaposted toJoy Sims

Ok, now it's your turn to move to Astoria. Just sayin'...

October 2, 2008 at 12:09am ·  · 

That did it.  I had already been considering when and where to move, and I took this as The Universe answering my back-and-forth.  Although I didn't do it soon enough for The Suzz and she hounded me.  I somehow needed this.  It was as if every time I was ready to give up the apartment search, she'd come along with something to get me back on track.

Suzanne Gaudinaposted toJoy Sims

We need you in Astoria!

December 3, 2008 at 2:34am ·  · 

Suzanne Gaudinaposted toJoy Sims

I wish you lived in Astoria so I could randomly run into you on the street.

March 31, 2009 at 2:36pm ·  · 

Until finally...

Suzanne Gaudinaposted toJoy Sims

We're officially NEIGHBORS!!!

May 16, 2009 at 12:44am ·  · 

The two years I've been in Astoria have been filled with ups and downs, dating dry spells and dating hot beds, tears and laughter.  But one thing has been constant - The Suzz is my neighbor and I always have a friend down the street to hang out with (assuming she's in the country and not on an expedition to Antarctica).  Tomorrow she moves across the continent to Portland, Oregon.  My Astoria life will be altered.

We don't always agree on everything.  In some ways we are polar opposites.  And I'm sure (I know without a doubt) that some of the boys I've dated she has not approved of.  But our friendship has never waned.  Suzanne, as I sit here on the last day of your residency in NYC, I'm refusing to be tearful.  You have given me wings you didn't even know I needed while also giving me constraints that I never knew I required.  I refuse to be sad as you restart your life on the west coast.  I will send out good vibes and thoughts for a left-handed, British-accented, guitar-playing, hip-hop-dancing, vegetarian, well-traveled, clean hippie.  I will also remember the incredible fun and amazing friendship you have given to me and be so glad for Facebook (despite my initial hatred for it) as it will no doubt be filled with comments back and forth.  I also will be sending out good thoughts for extra frequent flier miles I hope we both incur to hang out.

But for now (through bittersweet dampness in the eye), I can write no more.  I will let pictures and Facebook wall posts speak for me.  And just for the heck of it, play this video while you scroll down.

Delicious.  Kosher.  24/6.

Suzanne Gaudinaposted toJoy Sims

Can I just say, that I love that you are fairly consistently up until the wee hours of the morning in NYC. That makes me like you even more than I already did. :-)

February 6, 2008 at 3:20am ·  · 

Not sure why she's steering.  That's 100% my job.

Joy Simsposted toSuzanne Gaudina

THAT'S NOT NANCY!!!

April 20, 2009 at 11:37am ·  · 

I couldn't possibly hate this picture of me more, but it was the party Astoria threw me for moving in and subsequently becoming its mayor.  "Welcome!"

Suzanne Gaudinaposted toJoy Sims

Brunch is the new church and kayaking is the new subway.

July 26, 2009 at 11:26am ·  · 

Hayride out in the country.

Suzanne Gaudinaposted toJoy Sims

Suzanne's how to survive in NYC tip of the day: Don't engage with the crazies, don't give them money to dance, don't talk to them, don't make eye contact, don't try to prove that you really are just waiting for your wife and kid inside whole foods. In fact, just walk away.

September 8, 2009 at 12:37pm ·  · 

With Mickey the MAGICIAN.

Joy Simsposted toSuzanne Gaudina

Remember when we had Bosnian food and the guy came in with tissue on his nicked face? Good times. Good times over burek.

February 5, 2010 at 2:09am ·  · 

We should be in a Toyota commercial

Joy Simsposted toSuzanne Gaudina

Um. Guess who's birthday is today... Taylor Lautner's. He's 18.

February 12, 2010 at 1:51am ·  · 

When you see a Care Bear in Central Park, you go hug him.  It's how we do.

Joy Simsposted toSuzanne Gaudina

If I ever have a baby, I will name it Tulip Petal Rose Bird-of-Paradise. Don't let me forget.

April 11, 2010 at 12:39am ·  · 

Chillin' on a rock in the middle of the Delaware River.  Just another kayaking trip. (Wait... Where's the kayak?)

Suzanne Gaudinaposted toJoy Sims

Ugh! Watching Pat Kiernan... if he starts talking to that other awkward guy I will be forced to sacrifice my news update and turn the TV off.

July 22, 2010 at 10:16am ·  · 

"That's so totally random"

Suzanne Gaudinaposted toJoy Sims

‎"I had a difficult school time myself. I went to an all boys school and I went by my real name in those days which is Helen, the ancient greek masculine version of the name. And you can imagine at a boys school, with a name like Helen Gregson, it was not easy... and I used to wear my pants fairly high in those days 'cause I was a dancer and that's just how we wore them then..." -- Mr. G.

February 10, 2010 at 10:32am ·  · 

Gays and Dolls.  The best scavengers in NYC.

Joy Simsposted toSuzanne Gaudina

I don't know about you, but I whip my hair back and forth.

October 27, 2010 at 8:14pm ·  · 

Enjoy the Go

Joy Simsposted toSuzanne Gaudina

‎"Fancy" just came on Pandora.

March 31 at 4:16pm ·  · 

Potates!!!

Suzanne Gaudinaposted toJoy Sims

There is some creepy ad on the side of my facebook page with a lady in a clown nose. I blame you.

December 8, 2010 at 9:45pm ·  · 

One of many ridiculous dance parties

Suzanne Gaudinaposted toJoy Sims

Joy, always remember... "leap and the net will appear."

December 14, 2010 at 10:30pm ·  · 

AFL'S and BFF'S (there's a tattoo of that, ya know)

Joy Simsposted toSuzanne Gaudina

I can't believe it's your last day as an Astorian. You have no idea how much you'll be missed...

about an hour ago ·  ·