Veteran’s Day
November 17, 2008
In the last week, Gwenn and I sent out about 800 postcards to colleges and universities, informing them about our safe sexiness.
It’s something we’ve been doing since the beginning of our campus speaking career back in 2000. The hope is that the schools like it enough to check out the website, or write for more information and, of course, eventually have us on campus to speak to students.
Here’s the one we just sent for the Spring 2009 semester.
As it stands, we have extra postcards around from previous mailings, which makes for confusing Christmas card mailings to friends and family. “Merry Christmas, Aunt Sally!”, written beside the harrowing fact that half of all new HIV infections occur in people under the age of 25. No, we don’t really do that, but I’m thinking that this is a good year to unload outdated postcards.
I enjoy designing the layout for these postcards, and it just dawned on me that a lot of schools received the postcard (pictured here) on Veteran’s Day. Which is oddly appropriate, since that’s a picture of my dearly departed grandfather, Pop, who fought in World War II, as did my other dearly departed grandfather.
Each generation seems to have their own wars, in the literal sense, such as the Iraq War, and in the figurative sense. I know myself well enough to understand that I would suck in combat- I have a weak stomach and am only comfortable at the sight of blood if it’s my own or if it’s in a slasher flick. (Had a lot of experience there, on both accounts.)
But still, the battle to acknowledge sexual health, to be open about how Gwenn and I can successfully have a healthy relationship with HIV involved, is not something I take lightly. My jokes are my bullets, my lover is my calvary and, I hope, my dearly departed grandfathers are saluting me on the other side.
Positively Yours,
Shawn
LemonAIDS
November 14, 2008
How does the joke go? When God gives you AIDS, take lemon shots?
Well, God may not have given me AIDS, but he sure saddled me down with whatever gunk is going around. The coughing, the just feeling blah. In an effort to turn the tide today, I did three lemon shots.
What sucks about the timing is that I’ve had trouble writing this week. After a couple of days of trying, I found that my body needed to just chill out, and my mind was starting to turn on me a bit. So, instead of screwing up things, I figured I’d kick back and give myself the best chance of getting better.
What’s good about the timing is that Gwenn and I aren’t traveling for another week and a half. So I can veg out, even if I miss my Twilight deadline… All I can say now is Thank God for TiVo. I’ve been watching some ER from April- seriously backlogued there- and my new favorite show of all-time, Scare Tactics. If you haven’t seen this, you have to check out this clip from one of VH1’s myriad of countdown shows…
Aside from lemon shots and practical jokes, I’m ingesting a lot of stories about HIV. Like the guy in Germany who had a bone marrow transplant, which has apparently cured him of HIV. Here’s a story that says it’s too grueling and expensive a procedure to be considered as a “cure all”. The link above claims that bone marrow transplants are a last stage effort that kills 30% of cancer patients who undergo the procedure, but the hope is that there’s a scientific clue, something there to be exploited and pursued further.
For now, I’m pretty sure that lemon shots don’t kill people with colds/gunk. Day two of the tangy treatment begins tomorrow. I hope to report back.
Positively Yours,
Shawn
Power to the Positoids
November 11, 2008
I recently wrote about how cool it would be for Sean Strub, founder of Poz Magazine, to be appointed as the AIDS Czar by the Obama Administration.
The New York Times has already endorsed Sean. Not for AIDS Czar, but for having a cool home and being one of the best ambassador’s us positoids have. In the article, Sean says, “One only needs to look at the invisibility of AIDS in this year’s presidential contest to see how our political muscle has atrophied.”
And that’s why we need him. Badly.
The good news about Obama and the AIDS epidemic is that he has already endorsed condom use as a means to prevent HIV transmission. And when he recently spoke about getting his girls a First Dog, Obama mentioned the possibility of rescuing one from the shelter. Just like Sean Strub did. Hmmmm….
If President Elect Obama doesn’t see it my way, I live two-hours from D.C. and have a closet full of foam board and markers. I will drive there and picket if I have to. We need people living with AIDS in positions of political and social influence, and having a knowledgeable, compassionate positoid as the AIDS Czar would be incredibly inspiring.
Yes we can.
Positively Yours,
Shawn
HIV in High School
November 10, 2008
As we all await teenage vampire drama on the big screen, some real high school drama is unfolding in Missouri, where just last month it was reported that as many as 50 students may have been exposed to HIV.
HIV tests were offered to all students, and 97% of the 1,300 took the test. Here’s to hoping that they pass. The New York Times reports that students will get the results this week. Thus far, one person has been confirmed as positive, and a health official there said, “We don’t feel like we can release anything that would indicate who it was. We don’t want witch hunts going on.”
Amen to that.
Positively Yours,
Shawn
The New President, and a New AIDS Czar
November 5, 2008
Obama won handily and currently holds 348 electoral votes to McCain’s 173 finish: Barack Obama will be the next president of the United States.
In his last Mavericky move, McCain quietly submits his write-in vote for “Daffy Duck”.
My homestate of Virginia went a bit Daffy Duck, going blue for Obama. I wasn’t entirely surprised only because I had the opportunity to drive around rural Virginia with Gwenn, reminding “sporadic Democrats” to vote. There were more Obama/Biden signs out in yards in the sticks than I was expecting to see, which was refreshing, especially since I live in the liberal-minded Charlottesville.
McCain’s concession speech was very gracious and, coming down the stretch, he was able to show signs of why he was so well-liked back in the 2000 race, in oddball ways like his hilarious visit to Saturday Night Live. (I think he was “reverse Gored”, in the same way Al Gore was handcuffed by his Democractic advisors in 2000.) During Obama’s acceptance speech, he made it clear he’s going to do his best to accomodate the more than 50 million voters who supported McCain. I remember Bush saying the same thing in 2000 and, being anti-Bush, I felt like I needed to not be a dick and take the man at his word.
Then, a couple of days after he was sworn in, I was walking through the Charlotte airport with Gwenn, on the way to one of our talks, and we passed a newstand. USA Today had a headline, “Bush to Close White House Office on AIDS”, the story lhad been eaked to the press.
The AIDS community went nuts. Bush retracted the statement, then silently killed the office by placing incompetents and condom-doubters in high positions of influence and power. I was free to be as much of a dick as I wanted in terms of how I viewed the new president.
Now, we have the highest voter turnout since 1908. People will be watching and, hopefully, letting their voices be heard as we all do our parts to support this country that we love- AIDS, warts, and all.
I have a lot of hope as to how Barack Obama will handle the domestic AIDS crisis. If nothing changes, his young daughters, in twenty years time, will be in a demographic where HIV is the leading cause of death. It’s time to get real about the epidemic, and utilize people who get it.
Which leads me back to the White House Office on AIDS and, ultimately, the AIDS Czar. I know who would make a perfect one: Sean Strub, founder of Poz Magazine.
He’s from Iowa, a rural guy who moved to the big city of New York and started an AIDS magazine in the 90’s, which gave information to rural positoids in doctor’s office all across the country, empowering people to get knowledgeable about their own health. Sean knows the AIDS community inside and out, is politically active and aware and has a unique combination that Obama shares: an inspiring mix of intelligence and heart.
Oh, and he’s a gay man. And after the passage of the anti-gay Proposition 8 in California, as well as in other states, the gay community needs to be elevated into as many positions of influence and power. I was very happy to hear Obama include the gay community in his acceptance speech.
Sean Strub’s rise to the position of AIDS Czar will come to be known as Proposition AIDS. By putting someone with over twenty years of experience living with HIV in there, we’d have a real voice looking out for the concerns of those living with HIV, while doing everything possible to prevent the spread of the virus.
Please join me as I wholeheartedly support Sean Strub for AIDS Czar.
Positively Yours,
Shawn
Scary Real-Life Halloween Story
October 31, 2008
From the Canadian Press: Saskatchewan investigating after hospital found to be reusing syringes.
It’s a terrifying article, but don’t make the mistake I did when first reading this. I thought it said “Sasquatch investigating after hospital”. Come to think of it, any hospital that reuses syringes should have to answer to this guy.
Positively Yours,
ArrrrAAARGHAGH!
AIDS Treatment: How Soon is Now?
October 27, 2008
A recent study suggests that the newly diagnosed will now be pressured to immediately start on HIV drugs. Here’s the story, afternoon glory.
In the study, they found that people who started on HIV drugs with higher t-cell counts had a better survival rate. My worry is that I foresee doctors shoving pills at newly diagnosed people who have healthy immune systems.
I can’t overstate the role that HIV drugs have played in my health since I started in 1999. I also can’t overstate the importance of not starting on AZT in 19
90 when it was suggested I do so- I wouldn’t have adherred to the treatment in the early days of my diagnosis. Of course, I wouldn’t recommend waiting until you have less than 100 t-cells, like I boneheadishly did, either.
A daily reminder of your status in the form of pills is something that you have to be ready for, mentally and emotionally. If the physical threat isn’t there yet, I don’t think a positoid should be asked to swallow more than they already have to, all things considered.
One other thing, the article mentions that drug holidays are a no-no. ” Another key study found that briefly interrupting treatment to give patients “drug holidays” puts them at grave risk.” … How about some details: How long were the holidays? What were the patients numbers/health like when they took the holidays?
I blog my truth, without assuming that my truth would be the truth of anyone else living with HIV. I write occasionally about my week on/week off HIV meds schedule, which I’ve been doing successfully for six years now. I don’t feel like I am at grave risk.
I know the medical community likes to paint people with medical conditions with big, broad strokes. My only suggestion is to let the patient determine which colors are used, and not to strap everyone down with the same well-intentioned advice.
Positively Yours,
Shawn
Lock-Up: Condom Edition
October 24, 2008
A story that is getting national headlines right now involves a high school in St. Louis, where up to 50 students are being tested for HIV , after being exposed to the virus.
The details are fuzzy- someone tested positive and informed authorities that quite a few people were in danger of also being positive. The article skirts around how these people were exposed- it mentions all the risk factors, including sexual contact, unsafe piercing and tattoo’ing- but I’m guessing it was probably unsafe sex.
A recent story that isn’t getting headlines happened to a couple of my friends.
After hitting the grocery store, the couple decided to swing by CVS to pick up some condoms. Once they got to the aisle, they noticed that condoms were locked up. They went to the register, and asked for assistance. “I don’t have a key,” they were told. When another employee who was closer to the aisle was asked if she could unlock the glass door, said employee blushed, giggled nervously and exclaimed, “I don’t have a key!”
Then she ran away.
My friends stood in shocked silence. Still condomless. Finally, the employee returned, mentioned once again that she did not have a key, and disappeared never to be seen again. The third time was the lucky charm, and the door was unlocked.
Now, it’s a pet peeve of mine that condoms are locked up to begin with. And if it’s any wonder why condoms are stolen, then this story should clear up that mystery. Fortunately, my friends are in their late 20’s, and weren’t going to take no for an answer… but imagine if a high school student dealt with this kind of ignorance?
When I was in high school, a friend went into a drugstore to buy condoms before they were locked up. The person behind the register asked if he was old enough to buy condoms. My then 14-year old peer handled the situation a bit differently than my friends this week at CVS… “Fine, I’ll get the bitch pregnant!”, he shouted, before throwing the condoms at the drugstore employee.
In terms of the St. Louis story, it is mentioned that the students had HIV education. Did this involve proper use of condoms, or any advice outside of “don’t get it”? And beyond that, should we be warning students about the attitudes they will face when attempting to purchase condoms, which are locked up like hardened criminals?
Positively Annoyed,
Shawn
This Positoid’s Life (September-October 2008)
October 22, 2008
I’ve been writin’ a lot of blogs with no pictures and my camera has been screaming for attention. So here’s the last couple of weeks of This Positoid’s Life, with nifty captions. Enjoy!
Saturday, September 27: Bruce gets married! Bruce is a good friend and merch man for Bella Morte (here, from left, Gopal former and founding member, Andy, Bruce, Micah and Tony).
Bruce and Eliza go on their honeymoon, so Gwenn steps in to do merch for Bella Morte’s CD release party the following weekend. Fun fact: Gwenn manages the band, but sleeps with the lead singer of…
Synthetic Division opens the show for the Bella Morte CD release party! (That’s me and Marshall Camden, who is not smoking in this pic.)
I snapped this photo from stage while singing a cover of “Photographic” by Depeche Mode. Get it? That’s two members of Silent Muse, who will be playing with Bella in December.
We have fans, check out the shirt! That’s me and Sharley, who rocks.
Andy Deane resteals his thunder with Bella Morte- CD release party is a success!
A couple days later, it was off to Beaumont, Texas, for the Triangle AIDS Network conference on HIV. I spoke solo last year, but this year Gwenn and I went together to speak about being in a sero-discordant relationship.
What was interesting about this year was that Hurricane Ike had ravaged the community about a month before the conference. There were blue tarps on roofs that were waiting to be fixed, and rain water caused more flooding the night before we flew back home.
And speaking of home, another speaker, Tom Donahue of Who’s Positive, was at the conference, too. He dropped me a line quite a few years ago, just after he tested positive. Well, turns out he’s been living in Charlottesville for a year, and the first time we met in person was in- you got- Texas.
Here he is with a new camera, which he was very excited about. I think he was working for the Pozarazzi of Poz Magazine, I didn’t have the heart to tell him that photos of me don’t sell!
One of the problems brought about by Hurricane Ike as it pertained to the conference was the host hotel- they were closed longer than expected, which meant the conference needed a new home. It also meant that Gwenn and I and the rest of the speakers spent a night or two at a Catholic Retreat Center in the woods. I picked Room 13, just because I thought that was funny, given my love of Friday the 13th movies…. well, the joke was on me when I woke up that morning, and there was no power!
Everyone knows the power goes out before you bite the bullet. Fortunately, the only thing I missed as a result wasn’t a limb to a machete-wielding maniac, it was a shower.
The conference went well, and it was nice to see some new faces this year, and some familiar ones from last year’s conference.
On the way home, I posed with some cardboard cut-outs of the two respective presidential tickets, and I had a revelation…
The “Rebel Without a Cure” has been supporting these guys?
Look at McCain, he’s the only one of the four who was ballsy enough to pose for his cut-off without a big cheesy grin. That’s enough for me, consider the Rebel Without a Cure a full-fledged member of the Team of Mavericks. (I figure that, being a smartass with AIDS, my endorsement probably hurts.)
Then this past weekend, Gwenn and I spoke at the 4th Annual Conference on HIV in Maine, where my ego was stroked by quite a few people who knew me from my column in Poz. One very nice person said she’s been reading it for over ten years now… another stopped me in the hallway and apologized for gushing. I encouraged her to go on, then later she asked when Synthetic Division was going to play in Maine… hey, maybe someday Tom can sell those photos to the Pozarazzi after all?
Oh, and with all the above Gwenn found time to judge the Miss Hill City pageant in Lynchburg, Virginia, while I was at home with Andy of Bella Morte, watching Bernard Hopkins box Kelly Pavlik’s ears. If any sporting event should make cocky democrats, who believe in polling, nervous, it should be the sight of the 43-year old Hopkins dismantling the previously undefeated Kelly Pavlik.
All of this is the perfect tie-in to my column in this month’s Poz magazine. It’s about, what else, pageants. You read read “Life’s Rich Pageant” at poz.com. (For a trip down memory lane, here’s a column I wrote for Poz in 1998, “Kid Gloves”.)
If this blog seems long, well, it may be the last one until the after life. Just found out Erin Weed is coming into town today. I thought I heard her cracking her knuckles on the voicemail message.
Pray for the thinblooded maverick.
Positively Yours,
Shawn
Magic Johnson “Faked AIDS” Comment
October 10, 2008
In Minneapolis, a couple of radio cock jocks decided to talk about HIV/AIDS… here’s what happened.
“Magic with his “faked AIDS”",” Langdon Perry said. The victim of his own bad joke, apparently, because Magic responded with a statement:
“I am extremely disappointed in KTLK in Minneapolis. I am outraged that Chris Baker and Langdon Perry would minimize such a serious and deadly issue. Millions are dying from HIV/AIDS and the fact that they would make jokes about my status is unbelievable,” Johnson said. “Chris, Langdon and KTLK should use their power in a more positive light by encouraging people to get tested for this disease instead of making up such ridiculous lies.”
At my poker night, someone made a joke about Magic Johnson, calling him “Black Magic Johnson”, not in reference to his skin color, of course, but in reference to the public’s perceived notion that he is cured because he looks healthy/chubby/happy.
I laughed, guilty as charged. I still think my poker buddies would do better in radio than those guys.
Positively Yours,
Black Magic Decker