From Version One and a Half (Version 1 1/2). SOMBIE VIRUS. Zombies are here, and they walk right among us. They are all infected by the ‘SOMBIE VIRUS.’ It was accidentally created by mobile phone companies, and we’ve all fed it, nurtured it and helped it grow by providing healthy carriers. We all seem to suffer from this virus these days. Sombie — Adjective: “a person who is lost into his/her phone endlessly while being oblivious to the world around them.” ‘SOMBIE’, short form for ‘SMARTPHONE ZOMBIE’, is someone like me, who is always lost in his smartphone even while sitting with friends or family. SOMBIES are completely oblivious to the world around them. Reading helped me to implement my first plan of action for creating ‘Version 1 ½‘, which was; to get rid of the ‘SOMBIE VIRUS’. Reading helped me focus, and I can write a lot better now that the ‘SOMBIE VIRUS’ is subdued. ‘SOMBIES’ are lost in their phones as if they are doing something as important as formulating Mangalyan’s (ISRO’s probe to Mars) landing procedureJ on their phone. In reality, I think, it is merely an excuse to avoid eye contact with anyone around, be it in the company of people or in the public transport or walking around. We all just flip through different apps without any purpose. Worst kind of ‘SOMBIES’ are those who also suffer from ‘I don’t give a shit if I bang into someone else’ syndrome. These ‘SOMBIES’ are generally from the ‘WALKING SOMBIE’ category. They can hurt self and also others being lost in their phone while walking around. They don’t care if they trip or fall or bang into a wall or someone else walking by, beware of the ‘WALKING SOMBIES’. I was also endlessly staring into my phone all day long just flipping through Whatsapp, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook without any purpose and I felt that I was also doing it while I was at home or in the company of friends or family. I was also trapped in a deep and never-ending abyss of apps on my phone. Reading helped subdue the SOMBIE VIRUS. It has helped me focus. ‘SOMBIES’, generally, are gentle creatures and don’t hurt anyone. Most of the time they are in a dormant state waiting for stimulus such as; ‘low battery’ and ‘no or limited network coverage’. A simple ‘low battery’ stimulus can send ‘SOMBIES’ into frenzy and unleash the beast in them till they can find a charging point. ‘Kindle’ is what I used initially to subdue this virus for more meaningful use. So technically, the Virus was still there J , but it was now being used for a constructive purpose. Guess learning that I can draw from this is that; “Looking at every problem negatively might not solve it but looking at it positively might present a solution by itself.” Best way to get over the SOMBIE VIRUS is to keep your brain busy with constructive activities. Reading helps to reduce stress, stimulate brain activity, increase knowledge, improve memory, and many more. Benefits of regular reading are countless. That’s just one way of dealing with the ‘SOMBIE VIRUS’, see if you can find other ways? Read to know more... #versiononeandahalf #version11/2