Category Archives: Barbara Pattee

This is Us

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Watching the previews of coming television series helps me decide which shows might hold my interest. I dislike wasting my time on stories with predictable plots, comedies that aren’t funny, and unreal reality shows. The previews of one show, “This Is Us,” caught my attention because the story promised a multi-generational, multi-cultural drama. I decided to view the first episode, and I was an instant fan.

 

NBC’s popular drama, “This Is Us,” which premiered in September 2016, recently filmed episodes for their final season. The series depicts the lives of a Caucasian couple and their three children, one adopted African American male, all born on the same day as the father’s 30th birthday. The family experiences emotional struggles, personal challenges, and immense losses as well as delightful moments.

 

Rarely do writers successfully tell stories intermingling the past, present, and future of the characters’ lives during the same episode. I watched each installment of the series twice and discovered something new each time. Insignificant moments in one episode revealed defining moments in another.

 

Often fans of the series would meet the next day to discuss the story and the impact on their lives. If you enjoy excellent storytelling, “This Is Us,” is a must see. It will be sad to see this exceptional show end.

 

What television series have made an impact on you?

 

More Summer Recipes

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As the oppressive heat and humidity continue, I remember the Boston Cooler I served my Brownie troop years ago.

 

The Boston Cooler originated in Detroit. To make this refreshing drink, put two or three scoops of vanilla ice cream in a tall glass. Add Vernors Ginger Ale®. To add a spicy kick, stir with a peppermint stick. The more you stir, the more flavorful the cooler becomes. Yum, yum.

 

Another refreshing summertime drink is fruit infused lemonade. Put the juice of three fresh squeezed lemons in a tall glass, add cold water and ice. Stir the lemonade with a frozen strawberry Outshine Fruit Bar® until it dissolves. Optional: Add sugar to taste or stir in a second fruit bar. More flavors are available. Perfect.

 

For a tasty smoothie, put cut fruit in a blender with crushed ice and add Pom® Pomegranate Juice. Fruit suggestions include oranges, unpeeled honey crisp apples, seedless grapes, peeled kiwi, fresh or canned peaches, and pineapple. Blend the mixture to make a healthy smoothie. If you wish to add a banana, consume immediately. Otherwise, the drink looks unappetizing. Delicious.

 

Craving relief in this scorching heat? Think ice cream and fresh fruit. Do you have any suggestions for a cool, summer drink?

Writing for an Oscar

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As avid movie goers, my husband and I were thrilled to have seen all nine of the movies nominated for best picture for 2018. Also, before Oscar night, we always attend a special showing of the nominated animated short films, the live action short films, and the short documentaries at the Detroit Film Theatre at the Detroit Institute of Arts.

 

The writing for some of the full-length feature films is exceptional. Four of the movies are standouts for me.

 

  1. “Get Out,” a horror thriller with serious issues about race relations and stereotypes
  2. “The Shape of Water,” a romantic fantasy with subtle tones of discrimination
  3. “Phantom Thread,” a riveting depiction of serious control issues
  4. “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri,” a heart wrenching story about seeking justice

 

If you’re looking for good writing, you can’t go wrong viewing these movies as well as the other five nominees:

 

  1. “Call Me by Your Name,” shows the awakening of a teenager’s unconventional romance
  2. “Darkest Hour,” tracks Prime Minister Churchill’s early fight against the Nazis
  3. “Dunkirk,” a World War II movie from the point of view of the soldiers on the beach hoping for rescue
  4. “Lady Bird,” depicts a relationship between a rebellious teen and her overly anxious mother
  5. “The Post,” the true-life story of the journalists’ need to expose the truth about the Vietnam War

 

At the time of this posting, the Oscars were already awarded. Did your favorite movie receive the coveted gold-plated statue? Do you think you could have written a better script?

The Challenge

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The creative writing instructor challenged the class to write a 100-word story. Too easy I thought as I completed the assignment. On my own, I challenged myself further to write a story using 100 single syllable words.

Still easy for me because I’ve always enjoyed writing short stories. How could I make the challenge even harder? Could one hundred, non-repeating single syllable words tell a story? My story, “Stilled Voice,” answers that question.

Stilled Voice

When Bill Gray learned that Joan might die in less than three months, his heart sank. Tests dashed hope she’d see their girl’s new boy. He wished to hear her sing babe’s first song.

Each night they cried and prayed the staff was wrong. God’s dawn brought joy. Breast lumps grew but death closed its eyes.

June tenth, just past noon, cries were heard. Cheers filled Room Five.

“Big C, you did not win. I am Gram at last. Love kept me here this long.” She held him, rocked, sang, took one breath, looked up, then died with a smile.

Fellow writers, are you ready to try a 100-word writing challenge? See the tags.

 

Begin Anew

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“I don’t think anything is unrealistic if you believe you can do it.” – Richard L. Evans

“If at first you don’t succeed, call it version 1.0.” – Author Unknown

Check your 2017 to-do list. Were you able to clean out your over crowded closet? Did you drop the weight you wanted to lose? Did you complete the first draft of the story you promised to complete this year? Have you accomplished any or all of your goals?

Congratulations to those of you who have. For the rest, don’t despair. You still have a few weeks left if you’re in the “trying-to-finish” stage. Of course, there’s always next year to make a new list of goals or re-address the ones you couldn’t finish in 2017. But why wait until January first? Will the New Year’s Resolutions gods swoop down with an unspeakable punishment because you don’t reveal your list on the first day of 2018?

A new beginning can start at any time you choose. Why not do it now? Make a new list of goals. This time make them realistic for your personality, interests, and lifestyle. Make sure your goals are specific, measurable, and relevant to your long-term goals.

My goals for now are:

  1. Read one book per month in 2018. Two non-fiction books will be about writing, the rest will be fiction.
  2. Enter the Writers Weekly short story contest in January 2018.
  3. Write a minimum of 5,000 words per week for three months for a total of 60,000 words. This will bring my manuscript to a total of 75,000 words.

Check your 2017 to-do list. What are your new goals? Are they specific? Are they measurable? Are they realistic? Please share your new goals.