Blog Posts + Articles + Happenings
25 Years Ago Yesterday: The Ray Brothers’ Home Burned Down
In the history of how some people in America dealt with the emerging AIDS epidemic in the 1980s, it is hard to find a more egregious example of fear and ignorance than what happened to the Ray Family in Florida 25 years ago... Three boys- Ricky, Robert and Randy- all...
Living w/ A Bleeding Disorder? Be A Calendar Model!
I received a message on Facebook from Maria at Matrix Health, a pharmacy that specializes in providing care for people with bleeding disorders, much like my good friends at American Homecare Federation, who have gotten me out more than a couple of jams. (Thanks,...
Study in Charlottesville Looking For People w/ HIV
I received something in the mail a few weeks ago about a study for people living with HIV and felt like I should pass the information along for anyone who is interested in participating and helping out with the study. Positively Yours, Shawn...
Mars Landing… Curiosity Did What? (Comic)
That's a funny drawing that my friend and Synthetic Division co-conspirator Josh D'Elia did in honor of the Mars rover landing. Hope everyone has a nice weekend. If you're a cat and you're on your ninth life, look both ways wherever you may be roaming. Positively...
Louganis Inspires Olympic Medalist to Disclose HIV Status
An interview last week with Greg Louganis by Piers Morgan has inspired a fellow Olympian to come out of the AIDS closet. A trampolinist in the 2000 Games in Sydney, Ji Wallace of Australia penned a letter to the Star Observer disclosing his HIV status. After seeing...
Hemo-Positoid Hero Bikes Across the Country
Yesterday Barry Haarde, a long-time advocate for people living with hemophilia and HIV, completed his cross-country bike ride for Wheels For the World. 50 days and over 3,600 miles: all to raise awareness and money for people with bleeding disorders all around the...
Milton Hershey School Reverses Ban on Student w/ HIV
You may remember last year's controversial decision by Pennsylvania's private school, Milton Hershey, in regard to their outright single-focused rejection of a student based on his HIV status. In June, a judge agreed to hear the student's case, which surely expedited...
My New Music Video, “Stay Awake My Precious Child”
One of the highlights of my summer has definitely been doing music. July was the culmination of months of work and it included two live shows, one in Charlottesville on July 5 and one in DC on July 6. While my bandmate Josh D'Elia was in town for those, we shot a...
Georgia Arnold, Mark King and Poz Tackle AIDS2012
One of the highlights of my DC trip was attending a Board meeting for the MTV Staying Alive Foundation. This week, Executive Director of SAF, Georgia Arnold, wrote a thoughtful piece for the Huffington Post about how we need to frame the fight against HIV moving...
Incredible Images from the AIDS Quilt
Saw this picture come up on Facebook via my friend Bob Bowers- this pretty much sums up the AIDS Quilt experience... (photo of Bob taken by Kevin Lamarque of Reuters, photo of the AIDS Quilt taken by Tim Horn of Poz Magazine)Couldn't not share these images for anyone...
Visiting the AID Quilt (Video)
Of everything available at this years International AIDS Conference, nothing quite compares with a visit to the AIDS Quilt. I heard that there was a great effort to get the AIDS Quilt on display in DC. It would have a great injustice to all who have passed...
Where I’ll Be In DC For The Conference
The International AIDS Conference is upon us- and for the first time since 1990 it's in the United States. That is both a reason to celebrate (goodbye, stupid HIV Travel Ban!) and scratch our heads (how the hell did the ban last so long?). In 2012, those dual feelings...
Taking HIV Drugs As PrEP… Is This a Good Plan?
The FDA has approved Truvada as a drug to be taken by people who are at risk for HIV infection. Read about it here. Now, for my opinion on the matter. I've been taking Truvada, along with two other anti-HIV medications, for quite a few years now. I'm not in favor of...
The Joy of Music (Lots of Pics)
photo by Andy Deane So the CD release shows in Charlottesville and DC couldn't have gone better- had a really great turnout in my hometown. Having Josh in from Los Angeles (along with his lovely partner, Jenny, both of whom I've known and loved since high school) to...
Interview with POZIAM Radio, Shows Thursday and Friday!
I had the privilege of speaking with fellow Dab The AIDS Bear Ambassadors Robert Breining and Maria Mejia on Sunday. Check it out below: Listen to internet radio with POZ I AM RADIO on Blog Talk Radio If that embed is reading funny for ya, just got to Robert's website...
Affordable Care Act Still on Track
I am very happy about The Supreme Court decision to keep the Affordable Care Act on track. I know too many people with too many medical conditions. We are not hypothetical situations. Here is the President's reaction to the vote.I know many in the AIDS community...
Passing You To Sean (National HIV Testing Day)
Today is National HIV Testing Day. I'm passing you off to Sean Strub today because he has written two great blog posts and I, well, I haven't been writing much lately since I've been swamped with Synthetic Division stuff. Hope all are well! Positively Yours,...
Passing You to Sean (National HIV Testing Day and Survey)
Today is National HIV Testing Day. I'm passing you off to Sean Strub today because he has written two great blog posts and I, well, I haven't been writing much lately since I've been swamped with Synthetic Division stuff. Hope all are well! Positively Yours,...
CD Release Shows July 5 (C’ville) July 6 (DC)
I'm very excited about the CD release show here in Charlottesville on Thursday, July 5 at the Black Market Moto Saloon, and in DC the following night on July 6 at The Velvet Lounge. Check below for details! Click to view the Facebook Event pages for each...
Close to Me – The Cure – Synthetic Division cover/music video
Here's the music video for our cover of The Cure's "Close to Me". The Cure have always been a favorite- if you enjoy them then I hope you enjoy our take on their classic tune. If you pre-order the Synthetic Division CD, you get this track and two originals as an...
New CD Pre-Orders (limited to 100 copies)
My new Synthetic Division album, Numb to the Numbers, is now available for pre-order on synthetic-division.com. And no, yesterday's reveal of a lower than (you guys) expected t-cell count was not a savvy marketing plan to drum up more CD pre-order sales. I couldn't be...
The Winner of the Labtest Contest VII: Sahara Frog!
So the results are in- and the winner of the Labtest Contest VII, and new t-cell champion, is Sahara Frog who rendered a guess of 515. The actual count was 512, so Sahara missed the mark by a mere 3 tiny t-cells! This is the first time that the lowest guess was...
Last Weekend to Guess My Labs!
You've only got three more days to register your guess and win my new CD! Need a refresher on the Labtest Contest? Then read this entry! Hope everyone has a great weekend. Positively Yours, Shawn
Thank You, Patty Vandever
Since my comedic memoir about living with HIV, My Pet Virus, was published in 2006, I've had the opportunity to speak to English students at Charlottesville High School every May. It's kind of become a fun, end-of-semester tradition, and I'm always happy to...
Labtest Contest VII: Numb to the Numbers!
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? Well, it's something I've been working very hard on this year- it's the new Synthetic Division album, Numb to the Numbers! I'm...
Goodbye, Barton (November 16, 1942 – May 30, 2012)
I was sitting in my gaming chair this evening, getting ready for "battle" when I heard Gwenn gasp. "Who died?" I asked, half-expecting to hear some other type of information or, at worst, the name of a random celebrity who had actually passed. Gwenn...
New Issue of Poz, The Poz Army and 25 Years
The new issue of Poz Magazine is all about the Poz Army and why advocacy within the AIDS community and beyond is essential in finding a cure. And why the time to act is now. Check it out here.I've been a little holed away in 2012, so joining the Poz Army has...
Join the Avengers of AIDS: THE POZ ARMY
I've seen The Avengers twice- rarely do I go to the movies these days, much less to see the same movie again. Why did I do it? Because The Avengers rocks! And why does it rock? Because the movie is about coming together to face a common threat...
Google Honors Keith Haring On His B-Day
I was happy to wake up today to find that Google decided to honor Keith Haring today. The HIV positive artist and activist would have turned 54 today. Keith passed to spirit in 1990 at the of 31. The Poz Staff posted a wonderful blog entry about Keith today, check it...
Eating Out AIDS 2012
Yes- I meant to post that as the title of this blog post. I've decided that Dining Out For Life needs an image overall after one of my friends at dinner said that "Dining Out For Life" makes it sound like a pro-life rally. Which, it is: a pro-life rally for...