July 2010 Archives

Thanks for all the messages on Facebook, email, twitter, cyberverse regarding yesterday's blog post. I've been feeling much better the last couple of weeks and am glad I posted about what's been going on.

Since I'm writing about all things personal, I felt compelled to share a site that has brought Gwenn and I much joy over the last week.  Banana Republic is working with the hit TV show Mad Men (hilariously spoofed here by Ben Hoffman of my favorite TV show, Infomania), who is putting on a contest inviting people to dress up in the style of the television show for a chance to have a walk on role.

Pretty simple, right?

Well, check out the entries.  People submit- or friends submit their friends unknowingly- with the most random photos.  Some are senior portraits, others are actor's headshots, a lot are just dudes holding martini glasses and wearing a modern (meaning mid 1990's) suit.  The loudest laughs I've had recently have been scrolling through this site... and so far, this guy is my favorite.  His name is Charlie, and I'm endorsing him to be on the show that I don't watch, but Gwenn does. 

To vote for Charlie, just click on his picture.

 

And a big thanks to Bob G. for the pick-me-up iced mocha. Maybe I should submit this picture to the contest? Nothing says early 1960's businessman like a safer sex shirt and an iced espresso drink. 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
Like what you've read? Then buy me an iced mocha or check out my new CD: Synthetic Division, A Symptom of Life, which is now on iTunes!

SHARE THE BLOG. NOT THE VIRUS.

I won't lie- this summer has been rough.  I wrote about dealing with fatigue, the physical kind that can be temporarily alleviated by the occasional nap.  But I haven't written about the emotional side of fatigue; namely, depression.

It's a word that comes with a lot of weight, and isn't one I use loosely.  I have serious respect and empathy for anyone who deals with recurrent mental health issues because, in many ways, it is the root cause for a lot of the problems that people put band-aides on without acknowledging the emotional trigger. (Mental health issues and depression can lead to excess drinking, drugging, unsafe sex, etc.)  Am I drinking and drugging and giving up condoms?  No.  But I have felt a little blue for about a month.  Maybe longer.  I don't know, I stopped counting the days of my malaise and, like most people, I kept these feelings to myself largely, only really confiding in Gwenn.

I have a wonderful life.  One I wouldn't trade.  I love being a writer and an HIV educator and providing laughs and inspiration to those who are already positive; I really feel like that's my purpose, and I've been fortunate to have fulfilled that goal.  Hell, I found love, and have met a ton of incredible people, all because I stood up to my virus fourteen years ago and decided to attack life and let the chips fall where they may.

But part of my slump has been that I want to do more.  I know firsthand how HIV has affected me, and am growing increasingly frustrated with how lightly regard the topic of sexual health seems to be and, every summer after the Spring semester is over (Gwenn and I speak mostly at colleges and universities) it seems like we are barely getting by.  It didn't help my mood that one of the last talks of the semester was canceled- or, uh, postponed- the day before because someone at the university was uncomfortable with our presence there.

It was a costly error in judgment, not just for the students who will have to wait six months-to-never to hear the message of health- of freaking health!- but also for Gwenn and I.  In that regard, despite all of my successes in reaching thousands of people through my book, talks and various media outlets, I feel like a complete failure who is unable to provide for his household.  That one missed talk is the difference between getting through a summer without sweating the bills.  If it weren't for a class action settlement that basically bought the townhouse we live, there is no possible way we could do what we do.

All in all, in the current state of the economy and world- I am lucky.  I am loved, I am healthy against all the odds I was given so many years ago... and I am never hungry.  All the basic human needs are, and have always been, met.  I am aware of this good fortunate daily, and that only makes me embarrassed for these feelings I have been harboring.  I'm feeling better about everything now, but I think one of the keys to not letting this build up again is allowing myself the freedom to write about it without being worried about bumming out everyone, or being viewed as weak. 

Or whatever everyone's excuse is for not talking about the natural pendulum swing of emotions that we all go through.

Back when I started blogging in 1996 I had a simple goal: to write about my life honestly and let the chips fall where they may.  It's time to get back to that, if for nothing more than my own mental well-being.

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
Like what you've read? Then buy me an iced mocha or check out my new CD: Synthetic Division, A Symptom of Life, which is now on iTunes!

SHARE THE BLOG. NOT THE VIRUS.

Got a message from my friends at the MTV Staying Alive Foundation about an upcoming film about young people and how they deal with HIV.  Filming will begin in 3 weeks, so if you're interested in participating then fill out the Contact Form on my website and I'll forward your information along.

You must be:

• in your late teens or early 20's
• willing to go public with your HIV status
• willing to participate in a hot dog eating contest...

Okay, the last bullet point I made up.

The filmmaker explained to me that the main goal of the project is to show that young people with HIV lead full and constructive lives, show how they integrate the issue of protection into their sexual lives and also convey the (emotional) transition into adulthood.  Sounds interesting, right?  The MTV Staying Alive Foundation has put out such great programming about youth and HIV issues over the last ten years, I'm so happy that they continue to show that those of us with HIV are just regular people with regular human emotions. 

Hope everyone has a nice weekend ahead of 'em.  Don't eat too many hot dogs.

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
Like what you've read? Then buy me an iced mocha or check out my new CD: Synthetic Division, A Symptom of Life, which is now on iTunes!

SHARE THE BLOG. NOT THE VIRUS.

This year's International AIDS Conference, which happens every two years, is taking place right now, and Poz is reporting on all of the exciting news coming out of Vienna. One of the bits of news that is generating the most interest is a study of the use of HIV preventative microbicides.

Basically, it's an HIV-fighting drug in gel form, which can be applied inside the vagina before having sex, thus reducing the risk of HIV transmission. Though the gel is due for more trials and is likely several years away from being made available at your neighborhood drug store, the initial results have been promising, and the evolution of moving away from condom negotiations and putting women's safety into women's hands (and vaginas) is being hailed as a "game changer".

When Gwenn and I were discussing this news item, my first thought was a personal one: I'd love to have that gel in my nightstand. I'd love to say goodbye to my old friend, the condom, and see what all this skin-on-skin penis-to-vagina fuss is all about.  But she made a very astute point, "Once again, the woman has to bear all the responsibility."  She likened it to a woman not wanting to get pregnant, thus having to go on birth control because a lot of guys don't like condoms, or get offended, or whatever the excuse is.

And ultimately, the excitement the AIDS community feels has to be recognized for what it is- an admittance that man has failed.  A deadly virus that is transmitted through sexual contact, in the end, wasn't motivation enough to take safe sex and condoms seriously.  A scientific knowledge of how this virus is transmitted couldn't combat the moralistic "ban" on condoms, including the United States eight-year ban on comprehensive sex education under President Bush Jr.

It really disgusts me.  Sexual evolution is a slow and- in modern times- needlessly painful process.  I know I view sexual health through the lens of my own infection, which occurred very early in my life and caused me to adapt to the reality of being infectious and juggling that with my own sexual urges.  I've made it work, and have a partner in Gwenn who is HIV negative, open to talking about sex, and we have a relationship that is healthy and keeps her safe.

So what happens when the gel becomes available?  Does she have to ingest pills (birth control) and cram medication up her vagina just so my penis can enjoy a little extra sensitivity?  And, in the end, is that fair?

Ultimately, the game changer needs to be an adjustment of the time-honored, religiously backed theory that man is superior to woman, and that man knows better and is to be obeyed.  We are all biological equals- gay, straight, white, black, female, male, hermaphrodite, whatever the case may be.  What HIV has taught us over the last twenty years is that, when it comes to sexual decision-making, the male has proven to be unqualified for the role of sexual decision-maker. 

And, if anything, our excitement and hopes over this new gel only proves that point.

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
Like what you've read? Then buy me an iced mocha or check out my new CD: Synthetic Division, A Symptom of Life, which is now on iTunes!

SHARE THE BLOG. NOT THE VIRUS.


 

 

 
   

On Friday I turned 35- my Mom took some joy in telling me that I am officially middle-aged now. She laughed, not in the normal teasing manner that someone does when you pass American society's age of relevance- 23.  She chuckled as if to say,  "Can you believe this shit? It really is something."

Usually my birthday is a big to do.  But for the last couple of years I've laid a little low.  And leading into this year, I really didn't want to do anything.  I'd booked a Synthetic Division show at a fetish night in DC called Bound, and as it neared I regretted the advanced planning that happened to fall on my birthday.  In all honesty, I think I've been depressed for about three weeks, but figure the internet has enough pissing and moaning without me piling on.

The last time I played Bound was in the summer of 2007, a month before my last CD, Get With the Programs, came out.  As Friday's birthday show neared, I quietly wished I'd had no plans, but felt better when I tried on my white suit- which I hadn't worn on stage since the last time at Bound three years ago.  When I fit into the white pants, my mood improved.

Middle-aged, indeed.
 

Before heading to DC, Gwenn and I met our friend Lauren at Calvino Cafe for coffee.  I was greeted by the owner, Katie, who handed me a gift certificate from Josh, one of my best buddies who'd joined me for the Synthetic Division tour in May.  Not only that, when I woke up I had dozens and dozens of birthday well-wishes on Facebook, text messages and email, one of which included a weekend's worth of iced mocha sponsorships- thanks Scott Kramer!  As I was sipping my mocha, Katie and her daughter, Arianna, approached with a piece of cake with a candle in it, and all my coffee mates sang "Happy Birthday" as I blushed.

It was great.

At the show, me, Gwenn, Marshall and his girlfriend Anne K gave out over 200 One condoms.  And we had a really good show.  After our set, a very nice woman was talking with Gwenn at the merch table, and she saw the one copy of My Pet Virus I'd brought.  She turned to me, then to Gwenn, and asked, "Is that him?"  She'd read the book a few years ago, and told me how much she loved it and how she could relate to the medical aspects because she has Crohn's Disease.  "Well, it's not the same," she started, and I said, "Feeling bad is feeling bad, no matter what name they put on it."

When she bought a messenger bag and asked me to sign it I wrote, "To a fellow survivor"... she smiled brightly, gave me a big thumb's up and a hug, and then went on her way. 

On the way home at 2 am from DC, Gwenn and I stopped into the same Wawa we always do when we are traveling to or from the capitol.  There was a Happy Birthday display set up, and I couldn't resist cheesing out in front of it.  My birthday ended up being a day and a night that I desperately needed... and the rest of the weekend was much of the same. If this beginning is what middle-aged is, then..

Bring.

It.

On.

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
Like what you've read? Then buy me an iced mocha or check out my new CD: Synthetic Division, A Symptom of Life, which is now on iTunes!

SHARE THE BLOG. NOT THE VIRUS.


 

 

 

I'm not flashing a gang symbol for my HIV positive group of surly thugs, The Tainted Bloods, I'm actually showing you my latest t-cell count: yup, 511 t-cells! Woo hoo!  While technically it's a lower number than last posted (570-something) four months ago, it's basically the same since t-cells fluctuate.

I'll take it.  Especially since I was expecting the number to dip into the 400's, due to my feelings of exhaustion and general malaise as of late.

But the count is only half the story here.  The headline to this blog post is that the great Charles Oliff has been dethroned.  As suspected, starting a family distracted the champ, and there was a challenger waiting in the wings for a moment of glory... and that challenger-turned-champ is none other than Aimee Lee, who guessed 515 ("My guess is 515. (But secretly I hope its 700!!!" she wrote), missing the count by four little t-birds. 

Not too shabby!  Aimee, congratulations.  Your winning prizes of the Lauren Hoffman CD and the Synthetic Division CD will be mailed next week.  Hope you enjoy them, and be on the lookout for the next Labtest Contest in November and the chance to make history by defending the title.

Okay, this is my first blog entry as a 35 year-old.  Thanks to everyone on Facebook for the birthday wishes. Thanks to life for continuing, and thanks to Gwenn for taking care of me and giving my little t-cells the extra boost they need to keep fighting the good fight inside my body.

Positively Yours,

Shawn

PS... check out my fellow Tainted Blood gang member, Sean Strub, and his blog post on how a side effect of one of his HIV medication contributed to a broken ankle. Mend well, Sean!

Watch, Friend and Follow me on:
YouTube, Facebook and Twitter  
Website: ShawnandGwenn.com  Also check out the lovely Gwenn's Fashion/Coffee Blog
Like what you've read? Then buy me an iced mocha or check out my new CD: Synthetic Division, A Symptom of Life, which is now on iTunes!

SHARE THE BLOG. NOT THE VIRUS.


 

 

On Tuesday the National HIV/AIDS Strategy was released to much fanfare before the White House's reception dinner for the AIDS community later in the evening- the first of it's kind since the epidemic hit this country well over two decades ago.

We've come a long way since the first president to confront the emerging crisis- Reagan- refused to even acknowledge HIV, let alone the people who's lives were being altered and taken by the virus.  Proof was in the pudding on Tuesday that things have changed, especially when the Department of Health and Human Services Secretary, Kathleen Sebelius, uttered the "c" word- condom- in her briefing about the strategy.

 

I made a desperate attempt to weasel my way to Washington through this very blog and bragging about how many views it gets.  I begged, actually- grovelled is probably a better word.  And I still couldn't score an invite to the historic gathering of positoids at the White House.  So I did what anyone in my position would do: I went into the mountains and got hopped up on hallucinogens to deal with my feelings of rejection. 

This is what I recorded.

Actually, that's not my voice or precious experience in the video.  But it's contents provide some clues as to how we as the AIDS community should respond to this new strategy and lovefest with the attention the White House is investing in our cause, in our lives.  The strategy is full of old ideas and goals that so many of us have been working towards for years now.  We can't be overwhelmed by the thought of a US President caring about people with AIDS who live in this country; in fact, to get further funding to continue life-saving programs like ADAP, we have to encourage our elected officials to recognize that we live in their voting district- and that we do vote.

In that regard, Barack needs us just as much- if not more- than we need him.

If we don't take this incredible opportunity then we may as well be tripping out in the mountains, crying over double rainbows while our fellow positoids continue to die while waiting for their live-saving treatments.  Because if the political pendulum swings mightily in the other direction in 2012, then we all will be packing our bags, replacing our HIV meds with mushrooms, and heading for the hills.

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
Like what you've read? Then buy me an iced mocha or check out my new CD: Synthetic Division, A Symptom of Life, which is now on iTunes!

SHARE THE BLOG. NOT THE VIRUS.


 

 

Gwenn sporting her Fashion Against AIDS shirt at coffee the other day.  I thought the picture was too damn cute- and poignant- not to post here.

Here's to hoping that frank discussions about safer sex are a part of the White House's National AIDS Strategy, which is being released today. Guess we'll have to stay tuned and find out... I'll blog about the release soon, and release the t-cell Labtest Contest results on Thursday.  In Harry Potter Alliance news, at midnight they were clearly ahead in the vote, just waiting for the results to be verified. As long as there are no hanging chads all looks good- thanks so much to everyone who voted.

Be back in a day or so.

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
Like what you've read? Then buy me an iced mocha or check out my new CD: Synthetic Division, A Symptom of Life, which is now on iTunes!

SHARE THE BLOG. NOT THE VIRUS.


 

 

At midnight I close the voting on my Labtest Contest. I'm debating whether to sneak in a guess of my own... what I do know is that I'm adding a copy of my latest CD, A Symptom of Life, to the prize mix. Okay, now the pot is sweet enough, so take a stab!

Also, while you are typing away, please consider giving my friend's organization, The Harry Potter Alliance, a helping hand. I blogged about their bid to win $250,000 at the end of June... well, their contest ends at midnight tonight as well, and the stakes are much higher than my little contest.  The HP Alliance is within 10 votes of winning... 10 votes, good God.

So please, vote at hpaforthewin.com. You just have to have a Facebook account, it's three self-explanatory clicks. Here's to the magical thinking of high t-cell results this week, and the ability for the Harry Potter Alliance to change more lives and fight for LGBT rights and other awesome causes.

Thank you for the support!

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
Like what you've read? Then buy me an iced mocha or check out my new CD: Synthetic Division, A Symptom of Life, which is now on iTunes!

SHARE THE BLOG. NOT THE VIRUS.


 

 

I have the first item for the eventual winner of the Labtest Contest.  While having coffee with yesterday's NPR Song of the Day songstress, Lauren Hoffman, I asked if she'd donate a copy of her new album, Interplanetary Traveler, to the winner.

She said yes!

So the winner is in for a real treat.  If you went to my coffee blog and wondered what the clue was, it was right there on the July 5 photo: a picture of one of the stars of Lauren's music video for "Interplanetary Traveler" that I shot last fall.  Here's what I wrote on Decker's Daily:

 



Watch, Friend and Follow me on:
YouTube, Facebook and Twitter  
Website: ShawnandGwenn.com  Also check out the lovely Gwenn's Fashion/Coffee Blog
Like what you've read? Then buy me an iced mocha or check out my new CD: Synthetic Division, A Symptom of Life, which is now on iTunes!

SHARE THE BLOG. NOT THE VIRUS.


 

 

Last March I held a "Labtest Contest", giving readers of this blog a chance to win something cool simply by guessing how many t-cells I have.  Well, tomorrow I get my routine labs done! So pony up with those guesses.

For a refresher, here are the rules (subject to change, just like my t-cells):
Official Rules
1. You have to post your guess (between 300 and 700 t-cells) on my Poz blog Comments section
2. Relatives are disqualified (only because that makes this seem official)
3. Closest wins- no Price is Right logic applied.
4. One vote per person.
5. Deadline is Monday, July 12, 2010 at 11:59 EST.

I should have my lab results by next Tuesday, and will post them on the blog mid-next week.

I got a killer idea for what I'm going to give away this time- for a clue, go check out my coffee blog, Decker's Daily, and let the speculation begin.  You may remember that the contest was fierce last March, and the ultimate winner was Charles Oliff, who has carried the title with grace since his incredible victory, when he guessed 567, missing the actual result of 565 by just two tiny little t-cells.

He's looking to hit it right on the mark this time and defend his title.  He also gave this very classy victory speech, which went a long way toward helping some of the other near-miss guessers cope with their defeat:

March 17, 2010: "I would first like to thank the poz blog, for giving me a place to comment my guess. I would like to thank Shawn Decker for his awesome book and music - without which, I might never have followed his twitter feed and seen the contest. I would also like to thank my fellow contestants - for we are all winners here in having Shawn's numbers be good.  Thank you, thank you, I will wear the t-shirt with pride." - Charles Oliff

Charles won a Screw Smarter t-shirt.  And since the last contest, he and his lovely wife Rachel became parents- congratulations!  If ever there was a time to pounce on the distracted champion, now is it.  And, as I wrote, this time I really have something really special up my sleeve.  I told ya where to go for a clue, and that's all I can reveal at this time... so good luck with your guessing!

Positively Yours,

Shawn

AWESOME MUSIC NEWS: "Pictures From America" by my friend, Lauren Hoffman, is NPR's Song of the Day today.  It's from her incredible new album, Interplanetary Traveler... check it out!

 

 

Watch, Friend and Follow me on:
YouTube, Facebook and Twitter  
Website: ShawnandGwenn.com  Also check out the lovely Gwenn's Fashion/Coffee Blog
Like what you've read? Then buy me an iced mocha or check out my new CD: Synthetic Division, A Symptom of Life, which is now on iTunes!

SHARE THE BLOG. NOT THE VIRUS.


 

 

I hope everyone had a great day celebrating the 4th of July.  I won't lie, I had some beers and a veggie dog (Gwenn and a majority of my friends are vegetarians) and a real dog (I'm still 15% meateater) and then started a week on HIV meds before going to bed.

Why HIV meds? Because I'm HIV positive. :O)

Over the weekend Marshall and I played a Synthetic Division show, which was pretty cool. It was a small venue called Zakk's Coffeehouse in Murfreesboro, NC, and it was cool because it was the first time Marshall and I had played together since last October, when we performed at the Campaign to End AIDS rally in DC.  Marshall has been a touring machine since then, playing bass for Bella Morte and going on at least three tours since last fall...

I'm not sure how the negatoid does it.  After two weeks on the road in May my battery was drained.

Lately my energy has been better, despite a couple of annoying injuries I've been trying to play tennis at least once a week and I haven't felt as wiped out as I was when I wrote my blog entry about fatigue.  Another heat wave is hitting today, and will linger, so that combined with being back on meds may have an effect on my lazy bones.  We shall see, I'll nap when I need to and try to work off that hot dog if the opportunity presents itself.

Hey, we all knew yesterday was the fourth... but do you know what today is?  Well, there seems to be confusion about whether or not July 5, 2010 is the date that Doc Brown from Back to the Future wants to travel to before being attacked by the Libyans at the mall.  My net research on this was admittedly limited, but I'm glad I looked it up before posting the misinformation, choosing to side with the movie buffs who are irritated with Twitter posts claiming it's the date... I don't know, I'm staying out of it.

What I do know is that we shouldn't let any of that squabbling kill our July 5, 2010 future buzz.  Twenty five years ago when Back to the Future was released, it was scary times for people with HIV.  The antibody test had just been discovered, but nobody really knew if there was any chance for a future for those already infected.  We've come a long way- but still need to fight to get treatment to those who need it, to rally against the creation of more ADAP Waiting Lists for people who are too poor to afford health care or HIV meds.   

This future, for all of its faults, is indeed a reason to celebrate. Even if some of us are a little hungover from the recent past: yesterdays Fourth of July festivities.

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
Like what you've read? Then buy me an iced mocha or check out my new CD: Synthetic Division, A Symptom of Life, which is now on iTunes!

SHARE THE BLOG. NOT THE VIRUS.


 

 

I've worked hard to be, if not a respected voice, at least a voice of some reason in the AIDS community.  I know, at times, I come across as a bit shameless. But hey, considering the shame so many who live with HIV- in silence- feel, I just consider myself a pendulum of sorts that swings positoids out of the shame zone.

The other night, I decided to play a joke on my friend, Andy Deane. Even though he'd just plugged my book on his Facebook page.  See, Andy is the lead singer of Bella Morte and horror novelist. So I thought it would be funny if I posted a fake Retweet; for those who don't know about Twitter, when you RT (Retweet) a message, you're taking someone else's post and then copy/pasting it to your network. A little "RT" appears before the post, just so people know it's not your words, but those of whomever's twitter address appears right after the "RT".

Sounds simple, right?

Well, even if you don't get the explanation, you'll enjoy my joke.  I posted a fake RT message, then plugged in Andy's twitter address after it.  Here's what I posted:

RT @Andy_Deane ain't gonna lie- just got home from midnight viewing of Eclipse. Cried as I realized this was the best movie I've ever seen. 4:46 AM Jun 30th 

Not only that, I encouraged my army of 921 loyal, obedient Followers (Twitter's word for Friends, basically people who want to read your brain farts) to RT that message, letting them know it was bogus. 2 complied with my command.  I don't exactly have a David Koresh hold on my followers just yet, but I am working on it.  Anyway, I went to bed proud of my handiwork, figuring I'd ruined a friend's professional life in less than 140 characters, the Twitter limit for posts.

When I woke up, I was horrified by what I saw: a Retweet from Andy Deane. A "RRT", as I'll call these from now on- a Retaliatory Retweet.  He posted:  RT @ShawnDecker I've been faking this HIV thing all along. But hell, it got me a book deal & a hot wife with serious jugs, so whatever. 1:44 PM Jun 30th


I was under siege- there is no more damaging claim that someone could make against me than to have the world question my HIV status.  Andy knows this, he attacked my weak point just as I'd attacked his- this was war.  But I was now throwing pebbles at a tank and realizing that this is now my equivalent of Obama's "birthers" scandal.  You know, all those claims that Barack wasn't born in the United States by (mostly) people who don't think Hawaii is part of the United States. 

Just as Andy faces questions as to whether he is on Team Edward or Team Jacob, I also face the prospect of people picketing my HIV educational talks with "SHOW US YOUR HIV TEST RESULTS!" signs.  Worse than that, I had to come to terms with the painful fact that Andy, for once in his life, had bested me.

To stop the bleeding, I'm going to have my doctor admit on camera that I am indeed HIV positive at my next doctor's appointment, which is this month.  That means that, yes, another LabTest Contest is on the way.  In the meantime, I will do my best to make amends for my vicious, unprovoked personal attack.  Andy Deane has not, and will not likely ever see, any of the Twilight movies.  He loves gore in his movies, and is way more into zombies than vampires anyway.

As I work hard to rebuild trust- both with Andy, people who have read my book, heard me speak and called me a friend- in light of this nasty, nasty rumor that's being circulated... ah, I'm laughing right now.  He got me back big time, a serious sack tapping that, I have to admit, I instigated.  In all the years since I opened up about my status, and my friends have known that they can make AIDS jokes with me standing in front of them (hell, they are usually directed at me, in good nature of course), I never thought the best joke of all would be that I don't have HIV.

Perhaps someday, right?  

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
Like what you've read? Then buy me an iced mocha or check out my new CD: Synthetic Division, A Symptom of Life, which is now on iTunes!

SHARE THE BLOG. NOT THE VIRUS.


 

 

Gonna keep this entry light and nimble on the type front.  I know "athlete" doesn't come to mind when you think of me, so I won't bore you with the details of my awesome farm league baseball career or my recent tennis injury (okay, I will, it's a slightly sprained wrist that should be fine in a week or so, depending how committed I am to wearing my CVS wrist guard that cost $30 friggin' dollars, though Gwenn opened up all the boxes and I tried on the cheaper options- like the stylish black one- but they didn't feel as comfortable or protective... was bummed that the decent one only came in a flesh-tone that will surely invite the "Oh no, what happened?" reaction upon sight...).

However, I will bore you with soccer stuff!

Or football.  Or futbol.

I'm not following the World Cup during this session, but I did follow it in 1994 (Sega had a killer FIFA game for the Genenis) and 1998 (I had a Brazilian girlfriend).  The one thing that caught my attention this go around was a great video montage on the Craig Ferguson Late Late Show. Check it out.




In relation to that incredible video, I saw a news item on the recent teen phenomenon of "sack tapping".  Basically, it's teenage boys punching or heavily slapping one another in the nuts. It's not overtly/consciously sexual; it's kind of like the new Kick Me sign, only in the form of a sudden frontal assault, and one that is aimed at a friend instead of an enemy.  Of course, the news story I saw made you believe that syphilis and AIDS were merely warning signs, a gnat terd prelude to a Rodan case of the squirts in comparison to the rampant sack tapping that would eventually lead to the end of the human species due to the male sex's inability to reproduce.

Which is why reading this article on Discovery News about sack tapping earned a Retweet from me on Twitter. (thanks to @ansinanser for posting it)

Okay, so much for a short blog.  Better protect my wrist, which I'm hoping feels better in the morning... of course, it's hard to complain about this problem when we live in a world where friends are going all Joe Frazier on our floppy treasure.

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
Like what you've read? Then buy me an iced mocha or check out my new CD: Synthetic Division, A Symptom of Life, which is now on iTunes!

SHARE THE BLOG. NOT THE VIRUS.