Did you hear the story last month about how a group of gamers solved a problem with HIV that has been baffling scientists for over a decade? Click here to learn more about how a University of Washington program transforms scientific problems into computer games. 

I, on the other hand, use gaming for less noble purposes.  Inspired by the insane amount of time I’ve logged on Halo in the last year, I decided to pay tribute with a Synthetic Division song and music video.  The song was co-written with one of my good friends, Micah Consylman.  We got together, had a beer, and took turns pecking away at a synthesizer and laying down vocals. Though it’s not discovering the elusive structure of a retrovirus protein, I believe “I Victory Crouch You” is more than a song inspired by an act that is perpetrated on fallen opponents in the game.  I think this song will have a reverse effect, and eventually inspire scientists to find a cure for HIV so I can dedicate every waking moment of my life to playing video games.

Positively Yours,
Shawn

Alright, short and sweet. This is a 22-minute Blair Witch Project-esque movie that Josh and I made while on the road. Had fun doing it! It has a shocking ending, but one shocking aspect I noticed when editing the footage is that I never once state my HIV status.

Maybe in the sequel?

Positively Yours,
Shawn

While on the road last month for a few Synthetic Division shows, Josh and I took a video camera along to document the experience. It’s one of those rare things when you have a good idea and you actually follow through with it… well, it’s rare for me.

Anyway, I’m beyond thrilled with the end result, and we’re having a world premiere of the 22-minute movie on Facebook this Sunday night, at 10:30 pm EST.    If you wanna join us for the viewing party, log into Facebook, click on the movie poster and attend the premiere from the comfort of your own home and computer. Oh, and bring your own popcorn. If you’re not on Facebook don’t worry, I’ll be posting the movie on this blog on Monday.

Positively Yours,
Shawn

Recorded this gem on Friday afternoon, even though I was pretty tired from the travel to Wisconsin. Thing is, Mocha Moments with Shawn Decker has become wildly popular, registering over 50 views in just one week since it’s debut. At this rate, in 12 years time I may become more famous for Mocha Moments than I am for having AIDS.

Happy Easter, all you love bunnies.

Positively Yours,
Shawn

Had a big World Hemophilia Day weekend with no bleeds whatsoever.  I tried to get as much out of my friends as possible, with one pausing me to ask, “How many holidays does one guy get?” See, I pull similar stunts around World AIDS Day and my birthday. 

Anyway, I suffered another indignity at dinner with friends when I was making a humble toast.  “Thanks for sharing this meal with me in honor of World Hemophilia Day,” I began.  “Although you do not know my trials, and you live in ignorance of what a privilege it is to have a proper amount of clotting factor…” I wasn’t even rolling yet when I was interrupted with an exasperated, “Yadda… yadda… yadda….” Can you believe that? Well, with all the excitement leading up to World Hemophilia Day last week, I kind of made a social blunder of my own… I missed Gwenn’s one-year anniversary of her blog, A Latte Style.  For a few weeks, I’ve been conspiring to launch a new web series/vlog for Decker’s Daily entitled “Mocha Moments”, so to make peace I figured I better address my oversight with Gwenn for the first published episode.

But before you watch this, be sure to visit Gwenn’s blog, where she eloquently explains why starting a coffee fashion blog has been a good escape from the HIV/AIDS work we do together.  Read her words yet?  Okay, now you can watch my goofy video.  The staple of Mocha Moments with Shawn Decker is going to be the lack of an outro and my awkward style; it’s hard to focus on a guest when there’s a tall glass of iced mocha right in front of ya. My goal is to be the least dynamic host with HIV since Magic Johnson’s Magic Hour back in the late 1990′s.

Positively Yours,
Shawn

Watch, Friend and Follow me on:
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Website: ShawnandGwenn.com  Also check out
the lovely Gwenn’s
Fashion/Coffee Blog
My CD, Synthetic Division, A Symptom of Life, is on iTunes!

Got lots swirling around in the ol’ nugget today, but I want to lead out with yet another remembrance of Kurt Cobain.  I know many think he’s overrated and overmentioned, but this week marked 17 years since he took his own life… time flies, doesn’t it?

Near the end of high school, I really got into Nirvana.  The first time I heard them was just before Teen Spirit blew up. It was a random group of guys, hanging out in someone’s basement.  A cassette tape was pulled out and played, and despite the different musical tastes of everyone in the room (from Primus, to Depeche Mode, to Phish fans) we all agreed: Nirvana was awesome.

One thing I loved about Cobain was his understanding and empathy of the underdog.  Back before the modern era of Lady Gaga- a strong advocate for the gay community- Cobain rose to fame on the strength of a catchy guitar riff and an intense music video that MTV played with the feverish excitement that is now solely reserved for reality TV shows.  At the height of his fame Cobain did an interview with The Advocate Magazine, appearing on the cover to talk about how he appreciates the gay community.  Since we all know his music, I thought it would be more interesting to share this.

At the time, I probably appreciated his stance of gay issues because I’d taken a small amount of shit for in junior high and high school for having Depeche Mode as my favorite band. They were European and played keyboards, in Waynesboro, Virginia that somehow qualified as being gay. I don’t know how many times I was told my favorite band was gay- so many times that I figured it didn’t matter if they were or not.  It’s funny, but even the thought that a band was gay, a band that had influenced me and helped guide me through the somewhat treacherous experience of puberty, probably had a lot to do with my opinion that sexual orientation is not something that matters in the slightest.

Speaking of Depeche Mode- I had the great experience of helping my friend, Andy Deane of Bella Morte, with a cover of one of Depeche Mode’s classic songs. It sounds great- I’ll reveal the song when Andy does. It’s being done as part of Bella Morte’s Kickstarter campaign to help fund their new record, After the Flood.  The Depeche Mode cover is an exclusive giveaway to anyone who donates to their campaign, which ends of April 16. So if you want the tune, and want to help a very gay-friendly group of musicians in their own right, you have a week to donate.

It was a lot of fun singing back-up vocals on a song that I’d drive circles around Waynesboro singing in my car back in the day. Glad I could put the harmonies I worked out twenty years ago to good use!

Lastly, I’m humbled by the kind response that the Synthetic Division music video has received.  If you want to hear me talk about music more, then check out an interview I did for Horrorshow Radio this week, The Life and Times of Shawn Decker.  Geek Crafts also featured the “Out of Time” video, and called me a “geek chic trifecta” due to my involvement in music and writing, as well as the fact that I named my band after math… Speaking of the music video, if you look closely you’ll see a Depeche Mode music video within the Synthetic Division music video. (It’s not a clue as to which song Bella Morte covered, btw!)

Hope you have a great weekend.

Positively Yours,
Shawn

Watch, Friend and Follow me on:
YouTube, Facebook and Twitter
Website: ShawnandGwenn.com Also check out the lovely Gwenn’s Fashion/Coffee Blog
My CD, Synthetic Division, A Symptom of Life, is on iTunes!

Here it is, my band’s first ever music video, featuring stop motion and Playmobil toys- including a hospital! Funny thing is, the inspiration for this song came in part from a hospital visit in late 2009… so the creator Dirk Roth’s concept really fits the song and release perfectly.

I hope you enjoy the video and share it with friends!

Positively Yours,
Shawn

Watch, Friend and Follow me on:
YouTube, Facebook and Twitter
Website: ShawnandGwenn.com Also check out the lovely Gwenn’s Fashion/Coffee Blog
My CD, Synthetic Division, A Symptom of Life, is on iTunes!

SHARE THE BLOG. NOT THE VIRUS.

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.

     Shawn’s Website    Read Shawn’s columns    Buy Shawn’s book    Shawn Enjoying Coffee
                     

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.

Shawn’s Website Read Shawn’s columns Buy Shawn’s book Shawn Enjoying Coffee

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.

Shawn’s Website Read Shawn’s columns Buy Shawn’s book Shawn Enjoying Coffee
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”