A tribute to Mona Michaelson-Saunders

Party Shades (November 2002)

A good fuckin' amazing friend (I call her Mona, she calls me Jake) left for an overseas trip on Monday to follow a dream she's held for a few years: to work as a medical practitioner with a national sports team. Gone for nearly 3 months, she'll be in Europe when I move back to Canada. I'm a bit sad that we'll miss each other : (

This photo is one of my favourites of the two of us, a tribute to our quirky and slightly off-centred friendship. She's nuts; I'm a bit wacko; it works on a lotta levels. The yellow Party Shades were originally hers, but she entrusted me with them in 2001 and every time we meet up for a visit (my trip to Sydney in 2002, meeting in NYC in 2003, when I moved to Sydney last year) I try to wear them just to get some of the famous Mona laugh. And it always works except when she's so excited to see me in NYC that she doesn't even realize I'm wearing them.

Isn't she the most gorgeous thing you've ever seen?! This pic was taken in November 2002 when I was in Sydney competing in the Gay Games. We took some others that night, too (mostly of me doing some appalling posing in an ill-fated attempt to look sexy) and it was truly an awesome evening with an awesome friend. I'll miss Mona, but I know we'll see each other again before too long. That's just the nature of our friendship.

I'll miss ya, Mona! All my love -- Jake. xoxo