Blog Posts + Articles + Happenings
Health and Human Services Backs Blood Ban
Late on Friday, a Health and Human Services (HHS) Committee voted 9-6 in favor of keeping the ban on gay and bisexual men from being allowed to donate blood. Senator John Kerry had led the surge to have the ban lifted, and said that the ban prevents access to "blood...
219,000 Pints… Pass the Plasma, Please
Check this story on the Advocate, which explains how a recent study suggests that lifting the FDA ban on blood donations by gay men- or MSMs (Men who have Sex with Men... or MWHSWMs)- could add 219,000 pints of blood to our national supply yearly.That's a lot of...
Symptom of Tour Finale
The touching, tearful final vlog for the Symptom of Life Tour.
Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell Tall Tales
This week we all observed Memorial Day. And every year, at some point during this day of acknowledgment, I think of my dearly departed grandfathers, both of whom served in the Army and fought during World War II.This year, there was a little bit of venom in the...
Gwenn’s Fashion Blog, A Latte Style
One thing I haven't mentioned in a while is that the whole Decker's Daily coffee blog idea was all Gwenn- she thought it would be fun to capture all of the coffee outings I enjoy. Actually, a lot of great ideas come from the mind and heart of Gwenn, I get to be...
Two More Vlogs
These music vlogs have no HIV educational merit whatsoever- they are really just goofy but give a sense of how much fun I had on the road with Synthetic Division and Bella Morte. A couple more vlogs are forthcoming- I've had a lazy week outside of a few talks at...
CNN Article on Gay Blood Ban
Federal ban on gay men's blood donation to be reconsidered By Madison Park, CNN May 26, 2010I weighed in at the end in support of lifting the ban, not surprising if you read the blog entry from two days ago. From the article: "Potential donors should be screened based...
McMochas
Josh and I had so much coffee on tour- if there was any excess it was definitely limited to our caffeine intake, which helped fuel us on the road. During one leg of our trip, we happened upon a McDonald's, who have added iced mochas to their menu in recent months......
On Logos and Blood Bans
My good buddy Bob Geise posted this article on my Facebook Wall about how Seattle's Best Coffee and their new logo have rubbed some folks the wrong way. Why? Well, take a look at the before on the left and new After logo on the right... A lot of folks seem...
Tour Done- Now What?
The last show was on Saturday here in Charlottesville, and I gotta thank my good friends in Bella Morte for their part in making this happen. A huge part of the new release A Symptom of Life was being able to record it with Andy Deane's help and also having a...
Radio Interview About Tonight’s Show
Tonight is the final night of the Symptom of Life tour. After shows in Brooklyn, NYC and Lynchburg, Synthetic Division is reuniting with Bella Morte for a homecoming show at the Southern. Yesterday I was interviewed by Brad Savage of 106.1 The Corner, just click...
Interview on the Nervous Breakdown
I spoke with Jeffrey Pillow of the Nervous Breakdown site about the tour, here's a little of the Q&A, click here to read the entire discussion.JWP: What makes this tour so significant -- other than living the dream of a rock 'n roll tour with fellow friends Bella...
Happy Birthday, Gwenn
It's an honor to walk through this life by your side. Positively Yours, Shawn
Symptom of Tour: Johnny Rotten Challenged
Hey y'all! The tour has been going well. We've shared the stage and a few laughs with some great bands, Platform One, School of Rock, Mortuus Ortus, Agnes Wired for Sound and of course Bella Morte, whom we played our last show on the road with last night...
Midway Point of Tour
I'm seriously backvlogged right now, but am having a wonderful time at the halfway point of the Bella Morte & Synthetic Division tour. We've shared the stage with some wonderful people, and Josh and I have had some adventures on the road. It's just...
Symptom of Tour: H&M Concession Speech
Photos from the first show last night in Providence, RI, and the Synthetic Division concession speech for the H&M Fashion Against AIDS contest. A riveting vlog entry! Shawn on: ShawnandGwenn.com Shawn's Poz columns Shawn's...
Symptom of Tour: First Night and Depeche Mode
Shawn on: ShawnandGwenn.com Shawn's Poz columns Shawn's Sick Days in 2010: 8 Shawn's book Decker's Daily CoffeeShare the Blog. Not the Virus.
Symptom of Tour: One Night in Milford
Poz founder and new blogger for Poz.com, Sean Strub, lends one of secret talents- videography- to the Symptom of Life tour. Enjoy! Shawn on: ShawnandGwenn.com Shawn's Poz columns Shawn's Sick Days in 2010: 8 Shawn's...
Vlog: Iced Mocha Tour Sponsor
Shawn on: ShawnandGwenn.com Shawn's Poz columns Shawn's Sick Days in 2010: 8 Shawn's book Decker's Daily CoffeeShare the Blog. Not the Virus.
Vlog: Meet Josh, See Band Practice
Synthetic Division tears down the fifth wall, and let's you in on a band practice. Never before in the history of music has a band given the public such a close and intimate view of the inner workings of the industry. ;)If you've ignore the previous vlogs you...
A Symptom of Life Tour Vlog: Pt. 2
Shawn on: ShawnandGwenn.com Shawn's Poz columns Shawn's Sick Days in 2010: 8 Shawn's book Decker's Daily CoffeeShare the Blog. Not the Virus.
Symptom of Life Tour Vlog: Pt 1
I'm switching over to Vlogging for the tour, unless it proves more difficult than I am anticipating. Either way, enjoy part 1 of a many-to-few-to-one part series! Positively Yours, Shawn Shawn on: ShawnandGwenn.com Shawn's Poz columns ...
An Ambassador For MTV Staying Alive
I write a lot of ridiculous things on here, but it's only to keep myself motivated and you as the reader engaged. Either way, it's incredible that anyone would want me to be an Ambassador for them! Which is yet another reason why the grant-giving, pro-HIV...
Masquerade on the Mall, Decker’s Daily, Keep Voting!
On Sunday night I had the privilege of talking with positoid badasses Jeromy Dunn and Robert Breining of PozIAm Radio, go here to hear the entire interview in all of it's splendor... (thanks for the wonderful discussion, guys!) I'd been on Robert's net radio show...
Vote or I Might Die (And Win a Messenger Bag!)
Gwenn loves her fashion blogs, and came across a contest for H&M's Fashion Against AIDS launch party in NYC, where one lucky band gets to perform. I am calling on you- reader, bleeder, friend, enemy, relative, former lover- whomever is reading this for whatever...
One Condoms, One Cover of So Alive
I know I've been pushing my music a lot recently- and I appreciate your patience if you're not a music person or not a my-music person. I'll get back to regular life bloggin' again soon but, right now, this is kind of what's happening in my life and I'm kind of...
I Emailed the President, You Should Too
People in the United States are dying on AIDS Drug Assistance Programs (ADAP). We need to urge the president to continue to fund these, and he must hear from you to make it happen. If you have a moment, follow one of these two easy steps (thanks to Dab...
… A Week Plan?
So now that pre-order prescriptions have dried up, I turn my wide eyes to the road ahead. I have been mapping out the route, and the cool thing is that I have a bed to sleep in every night: a major plus! I'm cashing in some of me and Gwenn's Hilton Honors...
Filling Prescriptions
The number of
Pre-Order My New CD- Get A “Prescription”
*UPDATE- 5-5-10: The CDs arrived today! Am mailing out first pre-orders at midnight tonight, next batch will go out on Saturday, then I leave for tour on Sunday. Will be taking last few prescription bottles with me, so if you want a personalized Symptom prescription...