FRIENDS Afterlife # 5 : Blog # 249

                            F.R.I.E.N.D.S After Life # 5

*We, all diehard F.R.I.E.N.D.S fanatics have been waiting forever for the best sitcom ever made on Television, to resume. Here is an attempt to look at what our favorite characters are up to these days.

Mrs. Geller woke up startled. She asked Mr.Geller to wake up.”Jack, I dreamt of Ross. We must go and meet him. Something’s wrong”. She rang up Monica. “Monica, I dreamt of my child today! We are coming over”. “Oh! That’s so sweet of you mother. You saw me in your dream?”. “Yea! I meant my other child. Ask Ross to come over to your place”. 

“Mike, why did you learn Music?” Quizzed Phoebe. I like learning Music. It makes me happy. Why Phoebs? “No I meant why did you have to learn Music?” Oh that! Not everyone is born a musical genius like you, my love. “ Hmm..At times, I feel God is too partial. I mean, look at me! Beautiful, smart, talented.” Might I add, wonderfully weird too J.  “Let me call up Rachel. It has been a while. Hey Rach! How are your doing?” I am good phoebs! Just had my lunch, How are you? “I am terrific. So you are coming by next week is it?” How do you know Phoebs!!! I have not told anyone. Even Ross doesn’t know. “Ever heard of Frederic Myers? In one of my earlier births, he and I coined Telepathy. Come home soon. We are all waiting for you”.

Feeding the kids, Monica told Chandler “Mom and dad are coming over. Can you come a bit early from office today?” What happened all of a sudden, all well Mon? “ Yea , yea mom dreamt about her child and is worried” Oh, let me call up Ross. He will be happy to hear this. “I AM ALSO her child!! What is wrong with you people?? On the way home, pick up Joey too. He hasn’t visited in a while.”

Joe! Chandler here. Come home today. I will pick you up on the way. “Ok. I have a shot today. No worries, I will push it” Is it ok for you? Should I come over a bit later? “No Chandler. It is ok. Your Joey is a star you know. And the director’s secretary has a crush on me. So it’s fine.”

Ross was commuting to work. He was reading “Paleontology – A study of the days before dates”. A very attractive lady sitting next to Ross asked him “ Hey, can I see your book once?”. Oh! Are you also interested in Paleontology? I am a Doctor you see. “ Oh No! Just that my nephew likes to read dragon stories. Been looking for a book!”. Driver, stop the bus will you? screamed Ross.

Previous Episodes :

S11 Episode 1 : http://praisesnbrickbats.blogspot.in/2015/05/friends-after-life-1-blog-215.html

S11 Episode 2 : http://praisesnbrickbats.blogspot.in/2015/05/friends-after-life-2-blog-217.html

S11 Episode 3 : http://praisesnbrickbats.blogspot.com/2015/05/friends-after-life-3-blog-220.html

S11 Episode 4 : http://praisesnbrickbats.blogspot.in/2015/06/friends-after-life-4.html 

Tell me a Story : Blog # 248

Tell Me a Story

Once up on a time, there lived a group of people. They used to talk. They used to look each other in the eyes. They used to smile at each other. They used to waive at each other. They used to enjoy the breeze, the sunset, the birds that flew around, the sounds they made, the scents of nature. They used to sit together listening to each other. They used to sit together in silence. 

Once up on a time, there lived a group of people. They had smartphones.

I feel stories are a great way to communicate. They convey the message so effectively and helps us to remember them better. But at the heart of it, I think all that a story is doing might be that it is appealing to our inner child. Somewhere, it connects us to our childhood. May be that’s why our attention span stretches when someone tells us a story and knocks on our intrigue with double the will.

Everyone is telling a story these days. When I say story, I don’t mean that which starts with ‘Once up on a time’ and which ends with ‘and happily ever after’. I am talking about just creating an element of intrigue in your conversation. Ever thought as to why did Nestle tell us about how they evolved over almost a century in India? They could have easily listed down the awards that they won over the years or the regulations that they follow. Reason is that by telling us about their evolution as a tale, they captured our imagination. It is the same reason that all the products, apps and platforms that we see around us are requesting their customers to tell a story – not a testimonial, but a story.

I stumbled up on a website created by Varun Gampa from IIM Trichy. It goes by the name www.varun4flipkart.com . You might ask what is so great about his website. It is a very novel approach towards applying for a job. What he has done is that he has explained through this website as to how he can add value to the company. As a recruiter, I feel my counterparts at Flipkart should spare a moment to give credit for this ingenious approach.

What Varun did is also story telling in a way. He created a story around himself. He will soon become that guy who created that resume-website. If Flipkart looks at his resume, they will soon become that company with an open mind. 

Weave a story around yourself and see the magic unfold!

Arun Babu

Spirit of Chennai! : Blog # 247

Spirit of Chennai!

My friend always says that whenever you speak to someone from Tamil Nadu, the second or third sentence will always be “Saaptiya?” which means did you have food?. Such is the warmth that people from this part of our country exude. I once told someone from Delhi who asked me in jest “What is so great about your city? Chennai is perennially hot right?” to which very instinctively I replied “But people are equally warm, my dear”. It is time we showed the generous soul of the city, not for the world to see but for our own selves.

The city is going through quite trying times. It was ravaged by rains last week and continues to be battered by torrential rains today and for 2 more days as per prediction. Water entered my house in Kerala on one fine midnight about 5 years ago. I know exactly how frustrating it is and helpless we feel when nature unleashes its might on us. A few things that we can do to make lives easier in such difficult times :

                                          For those us who are in other parts of the country, need of the hour is to send essential supplies to our people in chennai.This picture on right has details to which monetary contributions can be made . 

Here is a verified, credible organization at Chennai which is willing to help. Maatram Foundation is run by a Senior HR Leader of Infosys, Chennai who is my colleague. It is a verified and trusted organization which I can personally vouch for. 

Address to send supplies : 

      Sujith Kumar - Maatram Foundation,
#13, Rajendra Nagar, East Tambaram, Chennai - 59
Contact No - 9551014389
Email - maatramfoundation@yahoo.in

or

Sujith Kumar - Maatram Foundation
#2, Opal Block, Park Royale Appts, 26 KK Road, Valmiki Nagar,
Thiruvanmiyur, Chennai - 41
Contact No - 9789905166

Items needed : Blankets, Towels, Sarees, Lungis, Shirts, Nighties, Sanitary Napkins, Mosquito Coils, Odomos Cream, Biscuit Packets, Water bottles, Slippers, Paracetamol Tablets, Syrup (for Kids), Torch lights, Batteries, Candles, Milk Tetrapackets

Some Dos & Don'ts :

1.      Please open your doors for people stuck near your house’s area to stay (People of Bombay did this during the deluge there)

2.      Kindly serve food outside your home for those who are trying to find their way

3.      Knock on your neighbours doors and check if they need any help.

4.      Lend a helping hand to rescue personnel, firemen and other public servants. This is not the time to blame government.

5.      Spare a thought for the animals if you can. They are more helpless and in need of kindness than us.

          The rains will not last forever. But the deeds that you do in these tough times will. Let us flood our city with all the love that we can conjure.

6.      Inform family that you are safe if you are staying away from home. Let them know your exact whereabouts.

7.      Share contact details of two other people staying close to you with your family and friends

8.      Charge laptop and cell phone to the max as and when possible.

9.     Switch off Internet on cell phone and reduce screen brightness to minimum needed.

10. Do not venture out – Manholes, Strong currents, Flash floods, Reptiles ,electric shock are all fatal possibilities

11. Do not send any forwards regarding alerts unless you are really sure the message is completely true.

Navy Helpline : 04425394240

Some useful links :

            List of doctors : http://prac.to/Chennai floods

Chennai Corporation Helpline numbers: :http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/Chennai-flood-alert-Helpline-numbers/articleshow/50002900.cms

Chennai Weather man’s FB page :https://www.facebook.com/Chennai-weatherman-466972103489574/?fref=ts

Chennai Rain Relief 2015’s FB page : https://www.facebook.com/ChennaiRainRelief2015/?fref=ts