Portfolio Index

Brahma's Emergence: The story of Brahma becoming a god eligible to worship.

TV Talk Show: Ganesha on the Ellen DeGeneres Show.

Neighborhood Gossip: How gossip can go horribly wrong.

Hanuman's Life Experiences: This is a story of how Hanuman's life experiences help him land a job.

A Wedding in the Heart of Booner Nation: This story comically resembles Rama and Sita's wedding on OU campus.

Storytelling Week 9: TV Talk Show

ELLEN: Welcome, everyone, to today's show! We have a special guest today that I am very excited to hear from. Many of you will not recognize him or may be a little shocked when you first see him, but I promise you that you are in for a treat. Without further ado, please welcome from the heart of India...Ganesha!

The audience begins with loud claps and cheers which then quickly turn into shrieks and gasps when Ganesha walks out with his Indian robes and long trunk. Ganesha simply smiles and sits down across from Ellen.

ELLEN: I apologize for the audience's dismay, but I'm sure this isn't the first time that you have had such a reaction.

GANESHA: Definitely not, so I don't mind at all.

ELLEN: So, Ganesha, for those of us who do not know who you are, could you please give us a little bit of your background?

GANESHA: Well, my dad, Shiva, and my mom, Parvati, had two sons, Kartikeya and me. Kartikeya was always more competitive and athletic than I was, but I had my own set of skills. Once, there was a race between Kartikeya and me, and we had to run around the world three times. He began flying around the world at lightning speed, but I just waited for him to get onto his third lap around. Once he was almost there, I got up, ran around my parents three times, and declared myself the winner. Kartikeya ran around THE world three times. I ran around MY world three times.

ELLEN: Wow. That is a great idea! I think I might use that to make people think that I'm super fit. Now, people still do not know your religious origin. Could you explain a little about why you really are?

GANESHA: I am a Hindu god, son of the God Shiva. Many people say that I am a remover of obstacles or the god of wisdom and learning.

ELLEN: Great! I bet you would be really good at hurdles then. They would just disappear right in front of you.

GANESHA: Well, I was speaking more of spiritual obstacles instead of physical obstacles. People often pray to me before a big project in order to work without running into too many problems. The one catch is that I can't help anyone if they don't ask! Fewer and fewer people are praying to me, so sometimes I am waiting with idle hands for someone in need.

ELLEN: That would be such an amazing life. I would imagine that you get a lot of satisfaction being  able to help so many people.

GANESHA: That's my favorite part about it. I love being able to see how I can benefit others.

ELLEN: That's my favorite part about my job, too. If you had one wish, what would it be?

GANESHA: My one wish would be that more people had faith in me. I want nothing more than to help. All I need is for people to ask.

ELLEN: Thank you for coming, Ganesha. If you could please give one more big round of applause for Ganesha, everybody!

Author's Note: This Talk Show is based off of the god Ganesha and what his abilities are. It also focuses on the feelings that I believe he would have about normal people. It does not go deep into what he does, but tries to discuss the relationship between him and the rest of the world. I tried to make Ganesha's dialog somewhat close to what I would think he would say if he was actually on the Ellen show. The beginning of the story is based off the fact that Ganesha has the head of an elephant and has the audience react to his shocking figure. How I came up with this story is from watching a worldwide broadcast that my church has every six months, and one of the speakers talked about what God thinks of us. My hope is that this story can help people of whatever faith to consider what their Supreme Being thinks about us. There is also supposed to be some comedic relief from Ellen's comments, but I am clearly not Ellen. I also took some writer's freedom in Ganesha's thoughts and words, but have not done any research into what his personality would actually be like.

Title: 7 Secrets Hindu Calendar Art

Author: Epified

Year: 2015

Ellen DeGeneres (image info)

Week 4 Storytelling: A Wedding in the Heart of Boomer Nation

One day, a Computer Science geek named Rama was walking by the Price building and saw a beautiful Aerospace Engineering phenom and he instantly fell in love. Her name was Sita. He ran up to her and did his best to smooth talk her into wanting to go out with him but ended up talking about how much he loved computer science. Oddly enough, she loved it!

They instantly became best friends, but she said they couldn't be more than friends because her father was extremely traditional and only allowed his daughter to date men that he approved of. Rama stayed positive and exclaimed that he would love to meet her father and was certain that he would make a great first impression. Hesitantly, Sita agreed to set up a time for them to meet.

That Friday night, Rama rang Sita's doorbell, and her father, Janaka, answered. He scowled at Rama and got straight to the point and asked, "What makes you so special that I should allow you to date my daughter?"

Rama, who had used his computer science skills to previously hack into Janaka's computer to know what he liked, exclaimed, "I LOVE THE COWBOYS! GO POKES!" Janaka was surprised at Rama's response considering that everyone in Norman bled Crimson and Cream. Janaka then gave Rama the biggest hug and said, "You are always welcome in this household." No man had ever been allowed entrance to his home because no man was brave or smart enough to confess love for OSU in the heart of Sooner Nation.

Sita and Rama left that evening as happy as could be. They continued their college careers on campus, spending every moment possible together. Their favorite spot was to sneak to the top of the stadium and watch the sunset and then look up and try to find the star alignment of Shiva, Brahma, Lakshmi, and Vishnu.


Towards the end of their last semester, they decided they needed to permanently make their mark at OU so they could always be remembered. All it took was a quick look at each other, and they knew exactly what they wanted to do. They sneaked up to the top of Sarkeys Energy Center with chisels and hammers in hand. Rama then proceeded to chisel out on the top of the roof the words, "I will never leave my dearest Sita, even if she happens to get kidnapped and I accuse her of being unfaithful. Nothing will tear us apart, not even mother earth."


Just as they finished, they heard police sirens! They quickly ran down  the stairs and over to the Bizzell Library before the police could catch them. They climb on top of the library's roof to wait for the police to leave.

On that starry night, Rama got down one one knee on top of the Bizzell Library and proposed to his beloved Sita. She screamed with excitement and of course said yes. Their wedding ensued and they had a Sooner wedding. The entire University was invited including David Boren, Boomer the mascot,  Baker Mayield, Buddy Hield, and many others. The grass was painted red with a small circle of orange where the forgiving Janaka stood. In the South Oval when the Sooner bells began to ring, they were pronounced husband and wife.

Author's Note: This story is based on Rama and Sita's wedding in the Ramayana. In the original story, Rama sees Sita for the first time when he is with his brother and instantly falls in love. When he inquires her father about what must be done to be with Sita, her father stays that one must pull back Shiva's bow in order to prove his strength. Rama not only pulls back the bow but breaks it in half! Sita and Rama can finally be together and they are able to get married. Their wedding is filled with food, singing, and dancing all through the night. The entire kingdom is pleased with the wedding because they suspect that Rama will soon take his father's throne. I changed the locations and facts in order to have the events take place on OU's campus. I chose it from the suggestion and liked the idea. I thought it might be entertaining to have the Ramayana and OU collide and how the two can be mashed together. I also wanted to provide some comic relief and throw in a few references to the real Ramayana story. The comedy is meant to highlight some of the more questionable actions that some of the characters do in the Ramayana.

Rama and Sita (image info)

Based on:
Author: Nina Paley
Title: Sita Sings the Blues
Year: 2008

Week 7 Storytelling: Neighborhood Gossip

GOSSIP GIRL 1: Psst! Hey neighbor! Come here...

GOSSIP GIRL 2: What is it this time? You already got me in trouble for telling Rama that Sita was unfaithful to him. You caused them to split up!

GOSSIP GIRL 1: I know...sorry, but this time I have real news! I found out that Dhritarashtra isn't actually blind!

GOSSIP GIRL 2: That isn't true. Have you ever looked into his eyes? You can tell that he is not faking it by how foggy his eyes are!

GOSSIP GIRL 1: Yes, I have seen his eyes, but that isn't the reason why they are foggy. It is actually because one day, the Sun God, Surya, appeared to Dhritarashtra, and when he looked directly into Surya's eyes, Dhritarashtra's eyes instantly changed colors. It's just like how your eyes burn when you look directly into the sun! Except, the only difference is that he didn't go blind! It actually gave him the ability to see through anything!

GOSSIP GIRL 2: That is one of the most ridiculous things that I have ever hear, but it might just ridiculous enough to make sense! Maybe that's why he is always walking around with his eyes closed! He must feel like he is invading people's privacy when he has his eyes open. Do you think Gandhari knows?

GOSSIP GIRL 1: There is no way that his wife would walk around blindfolded everyday if she knew that her husband wasn't actually blind.

GOSSIP GIRL 2: That's a good point. So does this mean that Dhritarashtra actually knows what his children look like? They are hideous! I get creeped out every time I walk by one of those devilish creatures. I couldn't imagine having to see them every day!

GOSSIP GIRL 1: I thought he had been acting strange lately! That is why he has been spending so much time alone lately. He can't stand to be surrounded by his kids.

GOSSIP GIRL 2: Do you think that we should tell Gandhari? I feel like she has the right to know that her husband has been lying this whole time?

GOSSIP GIRL 1: As much as I dread to tell her, it is our responsibility.

(Gandhari enters)

GOSSIP GIRL 1: Gandhari, there is something that we need to tell you. Dhritarashtra isn't blind and we can prove it.

GANDHARI: What do you mean he isn't blind? I think I would know if my own husband could see or not.

GOSSIP GIRL 2: I know it is hard to be believe, but trust us. Follow us, and we'll show you.

(Dhritarashtra enters)

GOSSIP GIRL 2: Pay close attention, Ghandari. I will throw this golden cufflink at Dhritarashtra and it will be his natural instinct to catch it. Listen, and you will hear him catch it.

Gossip Girls 2 throws the cufflink and hits Dhritarashtra square on the nose without moving an inch.

DHRITARASHTRA: Ouch, my nose! I think it is broken! Who threw that!?

GOSSIP GIRLS 1 & 2: OOPS!

DHRITARASHTRA: Why can't I smell? Will I ever be able to smell again?

The Gossip Girls walk away in shame, realizing that their own gossip had spiraled out of control.

Dhritarashtra and Ghandari (image info)

Author's Note:  This story was loosely based off of Dhritarashtra and Gandhari. This story is meant to show how gossip can get out of control, making other believe in something that is false and can end with negative consequences. This happens far too often in the world today with judgments being passed prematurely. The phrase "innocent until proven guilty" never seems to apply during day to day life when it should. My motivation to write this story is to provide a reminder that it is not our place to judge others, especially if we do not know whether or not it is true. The Gossip Girls are fictional characters, but the story is based on Dhritarashtra and Gandhari and how she blindfolds herself in order for Dhritarashtra to feel like he is an equal in their marriage. The Gossip Girls are inspired from the TV Series Gossip Girl. I haven't watched it myself, but have heard about it. This story style came up on the randomizer. I thought it would be fun to write a story about two girls that gossip back and forth, cause their gossip to go to extreme measures, and directly hurt other people due their false gossip.

Title: Epified Mahabharata
Author: Epified
Year: 2016 

Week 3 Storytelling: Hanuman's Life Experiences

Title: Ramayana
Author: Valmiki
Publication Year: 2009

Author's Note: This is based off of Hanuman's actions as if he were using them to try to secure a job during a job interview. He uses the lessons that he learned as a child to help show his worth and value. It breaks down each part of his story to show what he learned from each specific part. It has some assumptions of what Hanuman learned from his experiences based on my own judgement and many times is reflective of what I have learned from his story. My goal for this paper is to help other people learn that even though their life experiences have little to no relation to a job they are trying to get, there is almost always a way to relate things that happen by discussing what was learned. The image at the bottom is an illustration of Hanuman reaching for the sun he mistook for a mango. It is a reminder to all of us that any memory can be relatable to the present. This is the first story I have added to my portfolio, but hopefully I will be able to add future stories that can make these messages sink even deeper.

INTERVIEWER: Thank you coming to interview for the Project Manager position. We are looking for someone why can lead, but also maintain a close relationship with those under him or her. This interview is to see if your qualities and skills can fill into that role. So, Hanuman, where did you grow up?

HANUMAN: As a child, I saw the sun and thought it was a mango, so I tried to catch it and eat it. Before reaching it, I fell to the earth and scarred my chin. From that point on, I tried to become more resilient and to find a way even if all of the possible roads seem to be blocked off.

INTERVIEWER: How have your experiences while growing up helped your prepare for this position?

HANUMAN: I have done my best to help others along their way. I met a wonderful man named Rama, who was one of the strongest men who has ever lived. He was separated from his beloved wife, so at that point, I wanted nothing more than to reunite them both. This helped teach me to be less self-centered and more willing to help all those I can. Rama and I quickly became friends and were able to find a way that we could work together and help each other out. It has helped me focus on a purpose that was not for me, but for someone else. I searched for days, trying to find Rama's beloved wife Sita. After much searching and determination, I finally found the place of Sita's captor. After searching room by room throughout the enormous palace, there was no sign of Sita. It was devastating to feel that you are so close, but realize that you aren’t as close as you thought. I felt as though the pain that Rama was feeling was actually my own. It is a feeling that crushes your soul, but I knew that Sita must be out there. Perseverance will bring success in its own due time. However, that doesn’t mean that we have an excuse to give up, but simply that we have to continue searching for what we desire most.

INTERVIEWER: Who is one of your greatest role models?

HANUMAN: Rama is my greatest role model due to the many different life-long lessons I learned during my encounters with him. The greatest one was to learn that some of the best characteristics that a person can develop is from watching and learning from others. Rama was a great example to me in many ways, but his constant pursuit of his love Sita left me awestruck. He fought through countless enemies without quitting just because he had the hope that Sita was still alive.

INTERVIEWER: What was one of the most rewarding moments in your life?

HANUMAN: After countless hours of additional searching, I was finally able to find Sita in a grove of ashoka trees. Finding her not only made me feel accomplished, but also made me feel that I was making a difference because I knew how much this would mean for Rama to know that his wife was still alive. It feels as if a burden had been lifted off my shoulders. Additionally, the joy that Sita had on her face when she realized that Rama was coming was priceless. That is the kind of difference that I will make if you offer me this job. I want to help people and make their lives better due to the work that I do day in and day out. Success isn’t always guaranteed, but hard work and perseverance will give a person lasting satisfaction.

INTERVIEWER: Hanuman, I feel that your experiences will be a great fit as a project manager. The most important skill for this position is to be able to set up others for success. You showed that you have that skill when you helped Rama find Sita. You have also proven that you put others first which is essential when trying to manage a group of employees. I appreciate you coming in and we will get back to you with an answer in the next couple weeks.

HANUMAN: Thank you for having me. These life lessons that I have learned in my journey have prepared me for nearly everything that could come my way. I will be able to handle any situation that presents itself, and attack it with ferocity. I am looking forward to hearing back from you.

Hanuman Mistakes the Sun for a Fruit (image info)