Blog Posts + Articles + Happenings
Happy Holidays from Shawn and Gwenn
I seem to have ended the year with a thud- a wicked cough that arrived just before World AIDS Day and lasted two weeks, a serious bout with a previously unknown opponent in insomnia (a side effect of my HIV meds)... and now I look at the calendar to realize I haven't...
VLOG and Contest Update
Hope everyone had a great holiday. Gwenn and I recorded our latest vlog last week- and had the fun idea of recording some of our trips surrounding World AIDS Day this year. Last Saturday morning we arrived in Cleveland and I immediately got sick. Just a cough and...
VLOG: Happy Thankful Day
For me and Gwenn, Thanksgiving is all about taking a step back and realizing what we are thankful for. I am thankful daily for having a healthy relationship, for living through the fearful years of my HIV diagnosis- the years when I was too afraid to ask...
Rise Above HIV T-Shirts Are Here!
So the Rise Above HIV t-shirts have arrived early, am picking them up at the printer and am mailing out all the pre-orders tomorrow (Friday afternoon). I ordered extras in sizes S, M, and L for anyone else interested. If you order before 5 pm tomorrow your shirt will...
VLOG: How I Contracted HIV
So this is our 12th video for the vlog... and I hadn't really explained up until now how I contracted HIV. In the videos, I have mentioned living with HIV since childhood, but never discussed hemophilia or blood products or any of that stuff. It's kind of...
VLOG: Q&A with S&G
Gwenn and I answer a few questions we've gotten from people who are watching our vlogs. Hope everyone had as enjoyable of an election night as we did. Positively Yours, Shawn
VLOG: Is Oral Sex… Sex? Is It Safe Sex?
Gwenn enjoying a pre-election drink. Tuesday night was a good night. As someone with two very expensive medical conditions in hemophilia and HIV, I can rest a whole lot easier knowing that President Obama will remain in the White House for another four years....
VLOG: How Could We Make Babies?
In over 10 years of speaking together as a sero-diverse couple, the question of whether we can have children is the one question we've gotten every time. So we figured it would be a good topic to address for the vlog. Vote, Shawn
VOTE, DONATE to RED CROSS (And Maybe Buy My T-Shirt)
I'm going to the printer tomorrow (Monday) at 2 pm to place the order, so this is your last chance to get one of these suckers. 1) You can either place the order at paypal.com or 2) you can email me at the address on the image above and I can send you an...
AIDS Is Going To Lose To Love (Our Video!)
Here is the link to our short video about why Gwenn and I think AIDS is going to lose. The video was made for a contest by Chevron AIDS: "AIDS is Going to Lose to Love" by Shawn and Gwenn Gwenn found out about this contest last week when we were coming home from...
Time’s Running Out: RISE ABOVE HIV T-Shirt Update
Thanks to everyone who has already ordered a t-shirt! I've extended the time frame to pre-order to Monday. If you order, I'll even throw in a copy of my latest Synthetic Division album, Numb to the Numbers. And a Rise Above HIV button. This...
Our visit to Northampton Last Week
In our latest vlog, I fly solo. I was home alone, so I fired up the old phone and decided to explain why we don't have a new video up today. But wait- isn't THIS a video? Yes, it is. Sort of. Just like the others, it was fun to make.Last...
Rise Above HIV Shirt Update
t-shirt designed by Josh D'EliaClarification- the reason why this shirt is "limited to 25" is because that is the minimum order I can place with the printer for a design as detailed as this. (Check those abs!) I'm taking orders through FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2ND,...
VLOG: Our First Experiences (Ever!) With Sex
Today's vlog post is all about our first times- yes, those frightful, delightful first experiences with sex. We thought it would be a good idea to share how things happened for both of us, because far too many people distance themselves from their early trial...
8 Years Ago Today
May everyone be so fortunate to find a loving partner in this crazy life. And may everyone have the same right to marry them.Positively Yours,Shawn
Rise Above HIV T-Shirt
I've been a longtime, uncloseted fan of professional wrestling. Or, as it is called today, "sports entertainment". I grew up watching it, and I met a lot of my favorite wrestlers (most notably Ric Flair) in the months after my HIV diagnosis at age 11. I love the...
VLOG: Our Sexual Health Education in High School
Gwenn and I decided to take a stroll down memory lane and discuss our sexual health education experience in high school. Thanks to everyone who has checked out our YouTube videos- we can't believe we have over 1,000 views in just two weeks. Appreciate the...
VLOG: 25 Years With HIV
Our 4th vlog- it's a milestone I've addressed here on the blog. The 25 year "anniversary" is what inspired me to make an album this year... it's partly responsible for starting a vlog, too. I'm happy to be here after all these years and I want to keep...
VLOG: Why Condoms Are Like Cereal
Our 3rd vlog post is about a new and dear friend to our relationship... condoms! ------------------------------------------------ Regarding our last vlog about sharing a glass of water. We had several people share that vlog on Facebook, and on one of those threads...
VLOG: Can You Get HIV From Sharing a Glass of Water?
Our second vlog post! We wanted to tackle a basic misconception about how HIV is transmitted, one that has mysteriously persisted for over two decades now...------------------------------------------------------------Gwenn and I are thrilled with the response to...
The Shawn & Gwenn Vlog is Here!
Here it is! Our first entry as Vloggers. Every Like, Comment or Subscription to our videos will help get more people to join in the discussion. We are just getting started, and we really hope you enjoy this new venture. Please pass it along to the folks in your...
Shawn & Gwenn Vlog, Starting Monday
Starting on Monday, Gwenn and I will be launching a twice-weekly vlog, posting new videos on Mondays and Thursdays. Why? Because we want to share what it is like being in a sero-diverse relationship, as well as opening up a discussion about sexual health...
Happy Birthday, Steve Schalchlin!
That's a mug. It's where I keep my tooth brush and toothpaste in our downstairs bathroom. And that's me and Steve. We came upon a cubicle in a mall-type situation in 1998, and decided to get our likenesses plastered on a coffee mug and a t-shirt. Steve gave...
New T-Cell Champ Guesses the EXACT COUNT
For the first time in Labtest Contest history someone has hit the CD4 count right on the nose. And their guess was way above what I thought the number would be on this go around: 620! (31% for you t-cell count nerds out there- which is also very good.) Before I...
Labtest Contest- Last Day(s) to Guess!
Last Thursday my blood was drawn. The data is being analyzed in a lab somewhere right now. Have you ventured a guess as to what my t-cell count is? Well, what are you waiting for? Read the rules on my previous blog post here, and post your...
Paris Hilton Has AIDS (Problem)
Can you tell which quote above was secretly recorded and which one was not? Mostly everyone has heard Paris Hilton's controversial comments by now. If you haven't, here's the scoop. She was riding in a cab with a gay friend (his orientation matters here)...
Labtest Contest VIII: Guess My T-Cells… Win a Shirt!
It's that time again- time to guess my t-cell count for the chance to win a fabulous prize! So what is the prize this time around? It's a shirt of your choosing. You can select a Synthetic Division t-shirt (featuring the incredible artwork of late, great artist...
C’ville’s First Pride Festival a Success
photo by Vannathan Hugh L S Last Saturday, my beloved hometown of Charlottesville hosted its first ever Pride Festival. I heard about it a month or so ago, when my good friends in Bella Morte contacted me about singing a song during their 30-minute acoustic set. Of...
Interview w/ Books and Booze Podcast
I've been a bit quiet here in the blogosphere lately, mainly because I've been hard at work on new music and a screenplay for My Pet Virus. Last week I came out of my cave and spoke with the good folks at the Books and Booze podcast. You can hear the interview below!...
C’ville Locals: Orzo Benefit Dinner on Monday Sept 10
For those who live in the Charlottesville area, our good friends at Orzo are once again hosting a benefit dinner that helps benefit people living with HIV. Good food for a good cause! All of the pertinent details are listed below, act fast as there is limited...