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Let me introduce you to my nephew: William Marshall Murray III. Born May 29th, 2009, 8:41 am. 6.2 pounds, 20 inches. Isn't he just precious.
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Posted by Shawn Murray at
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Posted by Shawn Murray at
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Well, I have to say, things have done a complete 360 on me and I couldn't be happier. If I had known that things would go this well five years ago, I would have left the ex back then. But I hear things aren't going so well for the ex. C'est la vie.
My trip home to Pittsburgh went fantastic. Visited my brother's and had a white Christmas and birthday, cold though it was. My Yankee blood has thinned out while living in the south for 19 years. Got to meet the soon-to-be sister-in-law. She is wonderful and very down to earth. And so is her family. Grandma reveled in the fact that I am employed by her favorite retail store. In fact my outfit and hers were both bought there.
My brother's tree was 9' tall and covered with Disney ornaments and Steeler ornaments and a lighted Tinker Bell on top. Everything Disney everywhere, even the dogs' collars and bandanna.
And I was able to celebrate my birthday with my family for the first time in many years. And we had my very favorite cake: an icebox cake, half chocolate/half yellow with walnuts, from Dave'sTerrace Bakery in Pittsburgh (I highly recommend the place). I was lucky enough to get two cakes this year. The second we ate when we got back home from my brothers.
I was surprised by so many gifts and so very thankful.
Once home again, a friend came all the way from North Carolina to see me for the holidays. We spent News Years Eve together; my first date for New Years in 18 years. I got all dressed up and felt like a kid in a candy store. So did he. We went to dinner with friends and watched the ball drop in Times Square. I'm not the type to kiss and tell but let's just say that it was a very memorable midnight moment.
New Years Day, the two of us and our friends went to lunch in the Strip District. I've lived in the Pittsburgh area for the first 22 years of my life and had never been to the Strip District (for those of you not familiar with Pittsburgh, the Strip District was, at the turn of the last Century, the receiving area for boats and trains to unload produce and product for retailers to purchase to sell in their stores).
After lunch, my friend and I rode the Dusquene Incline, something else I had never done before and had always wanted to do. We got pictures of the Point from atop Mount Washington with everything covered in snow. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that it snowed in Pittsburgh on New Years Eve and everything was beautiful.
During my time home, I got to visit with several dear friends whom I hadn't seen in quite a long while. THe only downer during the whole trip was the fact that I learned that the store I wanted to transfer to in the spring; the retaining wall split during construction of the building and they have to wait until the ground thaws in the spring to evaluate whether or not they can continue construction. So the earliest I can plan a transfer will be fall, maybe next year, if at all. I'm keeping my options open and looking into alternatives.
So I fly back to Atlanta on Jan 2nd, work for 4 days and then fly to Disney for four days for my brother's wedding. It was an absolutely beautiful wedding and an incredible trip. I never thought I'd ever go to Disney and here now I've been twice, all thanks to the generosity of my brother. I even got to ride in a limousine three times and I even sat in the back. I could get used to that. We even rode in a town car on the way back to the airport. I really need to win the lottery so I can live like that all the time.
So, during all this time, the Steelers are winning in the playoffs. I get home to Atlanta to watch them win the division. And then two weeks later, I'm watching the Super Bowl at a local bar and the Steelers become the very first six-time Super Bowl Champions (and what are they doing next? Going to Disney. hehe). Congratulations Six-burgh. Life is good.
So here it is, five days after the Super Bowl and you'd think things would quite down and get back to normal, right? Wrong. Just the day before the Super Bowl, I once again got on-line to search for my two younger brothers and my dad. I even hit myspace and facebook. No luck. I haven't seen or spoken to my little brother in 4 years and my baby brother in 8. I haven't heard from my dad in 6 years. So Tuesday, I get the idea of calling some family members who had last seen my little brother years earlier and low and behold, my great aunt's granddaughter has been chatting with both of them on myspace. Before I even had a chance to speak with her, my baby brother calls me. We talked for three and a half hours. And Wednesday, I'm chomping at the bit cause I now have my little brother's phone number too and want to go home to call him when he calls me. Later that night we too talk on the phone for three hours. I speak to my brother and then again to my baby brother; all three in one night. I'm so euphorically happy. I have my brothers back. I have my family back!!!
The four of us have never been in the same room together and that is my wish for this 2009. I want a picture of all of us together and be able to send it to dad (since I now have his address too). It's been an incredible year thus far and I'm looking forward to what the rest of 2009 has in store for me.
Oh, and I haven't even mentioned the fact that a friend is coming into town later this month to see me and I've got the most incredibly cutest dress and shoes (and handbag-mustn't forget the handbag) for the occasion.
Big change from my last blog, isn't it? Life's funny that way.
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Posted by Shawn Murray at
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When I tend to write in this blog, it is because I feel that absolutely no one actually reads it. If you are reading this, then you may know a thing or two about what has happened to me this year as my world fell apart. Things became so intollerable at work that I nearly threw my keys into the face of my supervisor but alas, I couldn't quit because I am in great need of my benifit package.
World falling apart, Part 2: my health: I knew something was wrong and feared the worst: the big C. Luckily what it turned out to be was pre-cancer which with a minor in-office procedure has been taken care of. Now it just requires a six month check-up, every six months (argggg), thanks to the ex for that one.
We've also learned that I have diabetes, anemia and an inflammed thyroid - still searching for the cause for that one - which would explain the constant exhaustion, uncontrolable mood swings, constant thirst and other symptoms. And of course, we've found a golf ball sized fibroid that's causing the unbearable pain and ghastly amounts of blood during that time of the month (sorry for that visual - if no one's reading, it doesn't matter). So it looks like surgery anyway (had a moment there where I thought we avoided that, silly me). Next step is in my hands. Complete hysterectomy, partial hysterectomy or just the removal of the fibroid. No matter the choice, it requires at least six weeks recovery time.
World falling apart, Part 3: my personal life: And in the middle of all this, my roommate/ex/significant other has his new roommate/best-friend-from-high-school's-little-sister turn romatic interest/fiancee finally tell me after lying to me for months so I'd continue paying half the rent to support her and her grown son that they were getting married and I no longer had a place to live.
So I was, can you say, ANGRY. And I made sure he and his girlfriend and his new family knew I was angry. But not to the degree that I wanted to express my anger. If that be the case, he'd be sitting his ass in jail for manhandling me and twice threatening to but a bullet in my brain. He'd be looking at 35 years for other things he's done all on his own. He would have lost all 12 dogs, yes I said all 12 dogs - nine of which are living in one bedroom and hardly see the light of day. I could have easily arranged for him to lose everything. But I'm not that kind of person. He'll do it all on his own. And knowing him as well as I do, the bullet he intended for me will show up in his own brain by his own hand. After all, he threatens it about once a week or so.
I was the fool for falling for his line for five and a half years but what really gets me is that I offered the hand of friendship to her while she lied through her teeth to me for nine months. I warned her repeatedly what kind of man he was and she fell for him, hook, line and sinker. But she lied for him, she covered for him and then had the nerve to accuse me of covering for him. She used me worse than he did. She milked me for information and feed it to him. She manipulated my feelings for him to get between us. And she stood there, innocent faced, and said that we women should stand up for each other. It felt good to have a friend, or so I thought, that I could talk to about my feelings and thoughts, that I could share my triumphs and joys. I was excited to show her purchases I made and deals I got. I relied on her to be a friend. How stupid does that make me? I bet they're having a good ole laugh at my expense. Just keep on laughing. What comes around goes around. You'll get yours. And in the meantime, I'll be making my life mine. It will be I who has the last laugh when I'm sitting up in my Ivory Tower and I can't, or won't, hear your cries from far below.
But I'm not that kind of person. Just leave me alone and I'll leave you alone.
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Posted by Shawn Murray at
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Well my life has completely turned upside down since I last worked on this blog. I went through a cancer scare. Luckily it was pre-cancer and all the damaged cells have been removed but I've been diagnosed with diabetes, though we haven't figured out yet whether it's type one or type two. I see the Endocrinologist at the end of the month. Put on the back burner for the moment are thyroid problems, anemia and a few other things. But I'm also looking at possible surgery for a fibroid the size of a baseball.
On top of all that, my significant relationship has fallen apart. Seems he got engaged to the new roommate while continuing to lead me on so I'd continue paying rent. Talk about some nerve. And I was the fool continuously looking for the good in him. No longer! I've moved out and begun a new life.
And things were completely hectic at work. Hopefully things are about to get better. Either that or I'll be out of a job. Either way, things are about to change.
And here we are, ready to embark again on writing 50,000 words in thirty days.
 
 
 
So I have an idea for a time travel story but I don't yet have a sub-plot. That'll come. I'm looking forward to getting back in the writing groove. It's been so long since I had any kind of writing routine. While living in the old place, I always felt like someone was vying for my attention. I never had any time to myself. It was always like pulling teeth to get any words on the page; journaling, script writing, poetry, fiction or non-fiction. I basically gave up on the idea of getting anything written so the new atmosphere/environment is a much welcome change (even though I resisted the change kicking and screaming. If only I knew then what I know now, the move would have been much soon and easier.) C'est la vie.
Hurry up November 1st.
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Posted by Shawn Murray at
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Okay, so here it is...
and more fun stuff...
 
but I'm still a long way from finished. I'm still in the first act and have barely reached the tragic 9/11 plot twist and all the aftermath. My goal is to finish the first draft by the end of May and then work on the second draft before sending it out while I'm also writing the second draft of the first. Confusing, ain't it?
All in all, there were almost 7,900 world-wide participants who wrote a cumulative total of 129,743 pages while 964 participants reached the 100 page goal for the month of April. Pretty cool, huh?
My particular script idea has been bits and pieces in my brain as several projects for the last several years. While contemplating what to write about in early March, the bits and pieces seemed to just come together and form the main plot. The two subplots have evolved since and, even if I do say so myself, the story line is turning out better than I ever expected. It's still an uphill battle but it's been easier than the first. The first one is always the hardest. Look out Hollywood, here I come (at least my scripts anyway, probably be a while yet before I make the visit myself).
Now, maybe, I'll have some time to myself so I might be able to update this blog a little more frequently.
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Posted by Shawn Murray at
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Screenplay number two is going so much better than number one. This time the characters are completely my own so I can have them do whatever I want them to do - which is not always the case. They still surprise me completely by taking left turns when I want them to go right, sit when I want them to stand, etc. etc...
New characters have emerged who will be important to the story line. Complete histories have appeared on the page that I was completely unaware of. And risqué scenes have woven their way into my head and are itching to be written. I'm on page 72 and no where near the first-act-page-turner-main-event. I will be heavily editing this one also.
Speaking of editing, script number one has been put into script format and I find that it is now 157 pages so I have to trim 30 pages. The second draft has already trimmed 10 so I have another 20 pages of hard earned, well loved, important to the plot pages to cut, alter or otherwise trim to the bare minimum before I even consider sending it out.
But I'm having loads of fun with the second script and still have my eye on reaching my ScriptFrenzy goal of 100 pages in 30 days. I'm 27 pages shy at this printing but I have three days; the rest of tonight, tomorrow morning and all day Wednesday to reach 100 pages. So far my maximum page output has been twenty pages in one day. I'm sure I can repeat that if only I can get rid of this overwhelming headache I have at the moment. None of my usual remedies seem to want to work. Anyway, off to add pages...
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Posted by Shawn Murray at
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