Blog Posts + Articles + Happenings
A Town Hall Meeting: The Ruckus in Ruckersville
While Senators and Congressmen are on break, they're taking the opportunity to hold town hall meetings to discuss the healthcare reform that is being proposed. The insurance industry is also taking advantage of the opportunity as well, mobilizing their forces...
The Breakfast Club Game
The passing of John Hughes is my Michael Jackson moment. In my opinion, three weeks of full-on news coverage of his death would be appropriate. I want to see Long Duk Dong on CNN explaining how Mr. Hughes brought attention to the slave trade/foreign...
John Hughes 1950-2009
"Life moves pretty fast. You don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it." - Ferris Bueller John Hughes died of a heart attack yesterday at the age of 59. I'm going to write about his artistic imprint on my own life in the next blog...
Riding “Waves” w/ Jdavyd Williams
One of Charlottesville's best musicians has released an album called "Waves". I'm pimping the work because Jdavyd Williams shares a love for Depeche Mode, and you can hear that and other influences (Gary Numan chief among them) in his work.It's a really...
The “Pull Out” Concert Method
Last night I saw my favorite band, Depeche Mode, in concert. And after the first encore, Gwenn and I left (missing out on "Personal Jesus" and "Waiting for the Night") so we could be beat the traffic. It's called the "Pull Out Concert Method".It wasn't...
Ethan Zohn Is More Than Surviving
One of the HIV/AIDS community's heroes, Ethan Zohn, was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease earlier this Spring. You might know Ethan as the winner of Survivor Africa in 2002- he became famous for having a great attitude and cool hair before he became famous for...
Decker’s Daily Turns 100: Never Gonna Give It Up
Yesterday was a huge milestone in my life- Decker's Daily Coffee did what few other Watch-Me-Drink-Coffee sites have been able to do. It reached 100 episodes! Or 100 pictures, really. And nearly daily, too!I'm so excited to read the hundreds and hundreds of comments...
YouTube Video of Me and Gwenn
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...
YouTube Video from Benefit “Halo” Cover
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...
Shawn and Gwenn Has 3 Fans! (And Growing!)
If you're on Facebook check out the newly created Shawn and Gwenn Page. Become a fan, so we has more than 3. See below for the funny grammar, and why I didn't use "have" instead of "has". Shawn and Gwenn on Facebook Positively Yours, Shawn Share the Blog. Not the...
Dear Dave: Well Wishes From Make-A-Wisher
The storied history of my Make-A-Wish Foundation encounter with Depeche Mode at age 14 has been well documented on this blog, yet the picture is too cool not to post every time I reference this proud moment in my life. That's me in the white hat- you can't see it, but...
Happy Birthday to Me… and Will Ferrell
I woke up earlier than usual this morning, to find age 34 hovering over me at bedside. I said, "Is this how it's going to be, mid-30's?" It didn't answer. "OK, well, if you have any questions, just ask AIDS what it's like having ol' Decker kicking...
Hemo2Homo Connection: Bruno
BRUNO REVIEW HOMO: I know why you wanted to see this. Big homosexual terrorizes the public at large! It's because you thought it was a horror film -- "Saw" for straight men. HEMO: Actually I thought Bruno was the a wrestling biopic for Bruno Sammartino. When I found...
ACTING UP in DC Yesterday
Yesterday 26 AIDS activists were arrested in DC for staging a protest in the Rotunda, chaining themselves together and chanting to the public and media about the importance for housing for people with AIDS and clean needle programs. Check it out. In recent...
Me and Gwenn on the Radio
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...
Dab the AIDS Bear Confirmed for Show
You might remember me and Dab the AIDS Bear having coffee together last month. Since then, this little guy has been keeping Gwenn and I up all night playing Synthetic Division music. It's getting out of hand- I'm not used to having music fans. AIDS...
The Curious Case of Shawn’s Buttons
So of course, I post a glorious blog last week about getting over my cough and it comes back about a day later. Figures. I got cocky and went to a smokey club to have fun with friends and spread the word about this Saturday's HIV benefit show with my band... Which...
Read My Column in Poz, Cute YouTube Video
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...
Feeling Better, Finally!
Sunday I started feeling better, and it wasn't because I woke up feeling like a winner for picking a winner in Caressa Cameron for Miss Virginia, photographed here by the lovely and talented Julius Tolentino. (Caitlin Uze, also in my pageant poster, finished at...
A Weekend of “RedempShawn”
It's been a full week since I got sick. Have I been to the doctor? No, but don't worry, this isn't a Perez Hilton situation. "God, I'm bleeding! I should call the police!" I have a viral infection, not bacterial, which means the only thing I'd get at the hospital...
Tomorrow is National HIV Testing Day
Tomorrow is National HIV Testing Day. Don't be an "Unknown"- know your HIV status. TKNO (The Know Now Organization) comes to you and provides discreet HIV testing. Check them out, and follow them on Twitter @TKNO. Positively Yours, Shawn Share the Blog. Not the...
Michael Jackson’s History with AIDS
I didn't mean for the title of this blog to be misleading. Michael Jackson did not have AIDS. But I didn't want to not blog about what everyone will be talking about today. Yes, today I am a follower. I've always been a consumer of pop culture. This is, by far,...
AIDS Bear Weighs in on Teen Vogue
Impassioned response to yesterday's blog about Teen Vogue wasn't limited to humans. Check out what Dab the AIDS Bear had to say about it. "It is unbearable to think with the number of young people testing HIV positive in the United States that Teen Vogue would refuse...
Teen Vogue Rejects “Condom” Ad
Moving along from fake scandals (previous blog entry) to real ones. Just in case you don't know, Just In Case, Inc. is a company that provides cool little discreet condom carrying cases. "Intimacy Compacts for Women" is how they describe them.Here's what...
Decker’s Daily Sex Scandal
Have been feeling a bit under the weather since Saturday. A little wispy cough finally turned into something, one of those nasal drip deals; bad in the morning because all night long your throat gets coated with snot.Yummy.The hardest part hasn't been having to...
Synthetic Division HIV Benefit Show July 11
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...
Happy Father’s Day
Thank you, Dad. For giving me the athletic genetics that offset hemophilia, thus giving me the ability to crush my opponents. Here's a pic of my father in the 1970's, doing damage on the bowling lanes. My dad is a pretty humble guy. What's funny...
Recent Live Events
NOTE: THIS BLOG IS AN HTML MESS, WILL FIX WHEN I GET HOME! Quick blog. Here's a couple of places I've been recently. For a birthday gift, my parents bought Gwenn tickets to see her favorite band, No Doubt, who happen to be one of my faves, too. Here's how No Doubt...
Competitive Anger Management
Last night I went to pool league, and obtained my championship mug. For the second season in a row, the 8-man 8-Ball team I play on- The Overlords- have been the points leaders in Charlottesville. I couldn't believe I haven't bragged about it on the blog...
HIV Positive Athletes
A lot of people know I'm HIV positive. In fact, it's kind of my calling card. I'm funny dude with AIDS who cracks jokes at his own expense. Don't get me wrong, it's a good gig. Here's a little real life story that happened last week.I go to a...