YouTube Video of Me and Gwenn
July 21, 2009
Here’s another new YouTube video, this one is of me and Gwenn speaking. Not just, like, speaking to each in the comfort of our own home, but out and about spreading awareness about HIV/AIDS and sexual health.
It’s what we do- check it out!
Positively Yours,
Shawn
Share the Blog. Not the Virus. 
YouTube Video from Benefit “Halo” Cover
July 21, 2009
I’m terrible at following up, but the benefit that I did with my band on July 11 was a success- the show went well and we raised $600 for the AIDS Walk Washington DC. Thanks to everyone who came out to support the cause!
Playing the show was a lot of fun. My band did two covers; Tori Amos’ “Raspberry Swirl” and Depeche Mode’s “Halo”, from their 1990 album Violator, which they were touring to support when I met them through the Make-A-Wish Foundation. A couple of months before the benefit, Marshall (jamming out on the synth in the vid below) suggested “Halo” as a potential cover and programmed the song to perfection.
Here’s a clip from the benefit show, and our version of “Halo” with me rambling for a few seconds at the beginning… (Thanks, Stephanie, for posting the video!)
For my birthday, Gwenn got us tickets to go see Depeche Mode on their current tour, which is the best present ever. Thanks to Gwenn for being the best partner a person could ask for, and a true Wish come true.
Positively Yours,
Shawn
Share the Blog. Not the Virus.
Me and Gwenn on the Radio
July 9, 2009
The media onslaught continues in Charlottesville… Wednesday morning Gwenn and I went on 106.1 The Corner to speak with Brad Savage about HIV/AIDS, our story and the benefit this Saturday. I was sooooo close to bringing Dab the AIDS Bear into the studio.
You can hear the interview by clicking on me and Dab.
The best part is at 1:00, when I get hung up on pronouncing “statistics” properly. Gwenn comes in for the assist, thankfully. I hadn’t had my coffee yet, that’s my excuse.
I haven’t looked forward to a show this much in quite some time. Am sorry my friends in Bella Morte are going to be rocking in Stroudsburg, PA, the same night as the show. Will miss seeing them and still remember how cool I thought it was of them when they agreed- without hesitation- to do an HIV/AIDS benefit right around the time I’d first moved to town.
It’s been a lot of fun promoting this show. Earlier tonight, I made another Synthetic Division video, this time specifically for people who have responded that they are “Maybe” going to attend the show on Saturday. In this vid, I mention that “I wish I maybe had AIDS”.
Hee hee hee.
Don’t be a “maybe”! Alright, it’s back to sleep with me.
Positively Yours,
Shawn
Share the Blog. Not the Virus. Come to the HIV/AIDS Benefit Show in Charlottesville, VA on July 11!
She Shawn’s band in a YouTube video with the song “Holding Out For a Hero”
Read My Column in Poz, Cute YouTube Video
July 2, 2009
The best part about being sick for a week was writing. I blogged every day last week! So, really, if your reading this and wishing me well, you might have to decide whether your care for my well-being as a human trumps your love for my incredibly witty style of writing.
Which is on display in this month’s issue of Poz!
I wrote a column called “Maybe Baby”, about the oft-asked procreation question, specifically whether Gwenn and I are interested. And no, that’s not our baby in the photo, but it is our Goddaughter, Evie. She’s guest-starred on Decker’s Daily many times, most notably in Episode 38 as my would-be assassin, after debuting a few days earlier in Episode 34.
Aside from me, she’s logged the most Decker’s Daily appearances. Which is fitting, because when our good friend Lauren was pregnant with her, we spent most of the pregnancy in coffee shops. When she was born, we were at the hospital, and have seen her explore babyhood and life on this planet for the last 9 months.
As for exploration of other planets, well…
Lauren just had a birthday, and as you’ve seen before, I have a knack for making cool YouTube cute baby vids. My first work, When Babies Have Babies, feature my niece, Katelyn. Then last Christmas, my second niece, Helayna, debuted in the sorta sequel, When Babies Save Christmas.
Inspired by those earlier works, I made this for Lauren, changing a Happy Birthday text to a plug for Lauren’s music, which I love. So, without further ado, here’s Interplanetary Travelers, starring Evie and Lauren Hoffman. Enjoy the ride!
Positively Yours,
Captain Shawn
Share the Blog. Not the Virus. See Shawn’s band play in Charlottesville on July 11!
She the band in a YouTube video with the song “Holding Out For a Hero”
Synthetic Division HIV Benefit Show July 11
June 22, 2009
I’m very excited to be playing another show with my synthpop duo-now-trio, Synthetic Division. Not only that, it’s a benefit for the AIDS Walk Washington DC, which Gwenn and I will be walking in with Team Supersnack in October.
Here’s a video I made to promote the July 11 show.
If you’re on Facebook, the Event page is here.
The details are as follows:
Synthetic Division w/ Silent Muse
Venue: Outback Lodge in C’ville, VA
Doors at 8 pm, close at Midnight
$10
To see another promo vid featuring a Synthetic Division song, click here. Any friends who read the blog and are coming to the show, we will be playing a couple of new songs. I look forward to finishing up some new material and posting it on synthetic-division.com.
Positively Yours,
Shawn
Share the Blog. Not the Virus.
Two Great Videos for Valentine’s
February 6, 2009
I couldn’t resist.
By the way, the video posted below is one of the best videos I’ve ever seen. It’s a clip courtesy of “The Love Doctor”, who kindly visited Fox to expound upon the purity of the new president’s love for his first lady. It quickly takes a turn for the worse. This is like a Valentine’s Day present from the Gods, enjoy!
I couldn’t resist.
Positively Yours,
Shawn
Your Bloody Valentine?
February 5, 2009
Once again Synthetic Division is teaming up with Bella Morte. They said it would never happen. They said the egos were too big for Charlottesville to handle… they were right. But, for the fans, we have all agreed to share the stage again.
In the spirit of love we are playing a special late-night, acoustic Valentine’s show at Gravity Lounge here in Charlottesville. Last time I played there, Synthetic Division was fully loaded with dance goodness. But this time the set is going to be stripped down a little bit- not full-on acoustic like Bella Morte- for us, “acoustic” means a few less “bleeps” and “bloops”. And replacing a robot’s voice on the iPod with a piano sound.
It’s kind of nice to fill the writing void that was left when I sent off the book with an artistic endeavor. One of my buddies in Bella Morte, Micah “The World’s Most Dangerous Keytar Player” Consylman, helped set up a recording system on my computer, which will make it easier to get new songs done. And Marshall, the keyman of Synthetic Division, and I actually having regular band practices leading up to the show. In doing so, I discovered a shocking fact that almost brought Synthetic Division down to its knees- Marshall knows how to play… guitar.
I’ll try to post some videos of the show after the fact. In the meantime, here’s a popular Synthetic Division video.
If you’re around the area, I would love to see you at the show!
Positively Yours,
Shawn
When Babies Save Christmas
December 26, 2008
Hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas today. I got to spend the Eve and day with my parents, brother and sis-in-law, and my two nieces, as well as some dear friends.
This Christmas happened to be the first for my niece, Helayna, who is ten months old. Back when her big sis, Katie, was a couple of years old, I made a video for a PBS trailer called When Babies Have Babies. I figured it’s never too early for Helayna to step up- or, more accurately, crawl up to the plate- for her first starring role.
This one is a holiday-themed movie trailer. Here’s the description…
When Babies Save Christmas
The movie (trailer) event of the holiday season! Can a baby save Santa Claus from isolation and self-destructive tendencies in an economy that has forced children to not ask for toys?
Only Flakey the Snowman and Kiss-Up the Brown-nosed Reindeer are up to the task of finding out. And along they way, they too are reminded just how cool getting toys can be.
Positively Yours,
Shawn
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