Friday 22 April 2016

'Iz Dijaspore s Ljubavlju': Otvoreno Pismo Mom Narodu i Mojoj Zemlji

Pre neki dan, ponovo mi je postavljeno pitanje, "šta znači Srbija nama koji živimo u Dijaspori"?  Sada, ovo je ozbiljno pitanje.  Ali ozbiljnost zna da bude malo teško i dosadno a naša priča zaslužuje mnogo bolje od toga.  Eto iz tog razloga i pošto svi koji me znaju, znaju da mogu biti zabavan, smešan, nasmejan, pozitivan, ali teško da budem ozbiljan, odgovoriću na ovo pitanje na najbolji način koji umem - od srca.



https://instagram.com/stefpop/


Ja nikad nisam zavoleo osobu zato što je bogata i, takođe, ne bih je mrzeo ni da je siromašna.  To važi i za Srbiju.  Za nas u dijaspori, Srbija je sve.  Tu su nam koreni, tu nam je rodbina, istorija i veliki deo naše priče.  Brinemo o Srbiji kao što brat brine o bratu ili roditelj o detetu.  Nama je ta briga možda još veća jer živimo daleko od Srbije i ne možemo uvek da budemo tu sa njom.  Kao kad brat, sestra ili dete ide na daleki put, jednostavno brineš o njima.


https://instagram.com/stefpop/


Nismo svi izabrali tu sudbinu; neki smo rođeni u dijaspori, neki su otišli kao izbeglice i neki su otišli jer su shvatili da, iako vole ovu zemlju, oni ne mogu da žive u ovoj državi.  I kao što znamo, država i zemlja su dve baš različite stvari.  Kada sve to sabereš, Srbija je deo nas.  Deo našeg identiteta, našeg srca, naše familije.  Želimo da joj pomognemo kad joj je teško, a ne da je zapostavimo, bez pomoći da propada.  Želimo da je štitimo kad je neko napada, da je branimo kad je neko vređa i da je hvalimo kad god napravi neki uspeh.  Zato kad neka budala u Srbiji poseče hrast star preko 6 vekova, mi osuđujemo budalu a ne Srbiju.

https://instagram.com/stefpop/


Ne možemo dozvoliti da budemo mrzovoljni ili negativni jer to ubija ljubav koju imamo prema Srbiji.  To što živimo u dijaspori ne znači da Srbiju volimo manje, već možda da je volimo i više.  Nismo glasni nacionalisti, već velike patriote i to što volimo Srbiju, ne znači da mrzimo ono što nije srpsko.  Cenimo neke male stvari što ljudi koji ovde žive svaki dan možda ne cene.  Kao što zdrav covek ima milion želja, a bolestan čovek samo jednu.  Cenimo miris beogradskih ulica za vreme paklene vrućine, cenimo miris šumadijske trave posle velike letnje kiše, ukus hladne vode sa česme pored magistrale, osećaj vetra koji duva sa reke dok se šetamo sa dobrim društvom pored keja i stare kaldrme koje su možda nekima neudobne za šetanje, a za nas je svaki žulj dobrodošao i svaki korak nova uspomena.

https://instagram.com/stefpop/

 
Tu su naravno i ukus domaće hrane, vibracije domaće muzike i zvuk pozdrava "Srećan rad momci!" sa majstorima koji kopaju ispred kuće uz njihov odgovor "Hvala dečko, živ bio!"

Mi smo možda za neke ljude ovde ludi jer volimo Srbiju čak i kad je postalo normalno da je ne voliš.  Kad mržnja postane normalna, ljubav postane nenormalna, nažalost.  Jeste istina da živimo daleko od Srbije, ali to ne znači da ne razumemo kad joj je teško i šta muči našu braću i sestre koji ovde žive. Možda nam to i daje snagu da budemo objektivni.

https://instagram.com/stefpop/

Na kraju krajeva, možda je ova istina najvažnija: volimo Srbiju ali i vidimo da naša Srbija nije trenutno u najboljem stanju i da njeni građani zaslužuju bolje.  Svi znaju da su potrebne promene, a znanje nije dovoljno, potrebna je akcija.  I mi dijasporci možda najviše osećamo dužnost da krenemo sa akcijom zato što smo u mogućnosti da nešto uradimo.  Nismo naivni, nismo glupi, već verovatno dovoljno ludi da uspemo u tome da vizija budućnosti Srbije postane realna sadašnjost Srbije.  Ovo je naša kuća i ako idemo daleko od nje, kad se vratimo, uvek će ostati isti osećaj.  Konačno smo se vratili tu gde pripadamo.  Tu smo među svojima.  Kući smo.

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Friday 8 April 2016

10 (and a bit) Reasons You Should Absolutely Not Cheer for Novak Djokovic!

He’s the world number one who makes all of the players ranked below him look like a collective giant "number two".  In light of the fact that another series of Djokovic triumphs has us hearing a series of different criticisms from people trying to justify why they dislike him, I felt it only fair that I compile a list of a few criticisms that will finally outline some completely valid reasons for disliking the super-serving, rapid returner with the back-hand from the city Belgrade and the forehand from the land of 4C’s.

1.  ALL HE DOES IS WIN WIN WIN, NO MATTER WHAT!

Loyal Grand Slam customers get looked after if they make an 11th purchase.


Djokovic wins… a lot.  Like he wins pretty much everything.  Last year he had the most successful season in tennis history!  You’re not the only one with a pool room Djoker!  Wanna give someone else a chance!?  The ATP tour’s become a series of Djokovic re-runs.  People attending live Grand Slam finals have started turning to each other before the first serve and saying, “haven’t we already watched this match like 8 times?”  On top of that, again as winner of the Australian Open, he left with $3.8 million this year.  Now what one person calls “prize money”, someone else might call “regularly exceeding the amount of money one person is allowed to take out of the country.”  Whether he’ll appear on an episode of 'Border Patrol' anytime soon, we can’t say for sure.  What we can say for sure is just that it’s disappointing to see Eastern European migrants coming in and taking hard-working Aussie jobs!


2.  THE UNFAIR ADVANTAGE.

He grew up during a time when NATO and US forces were dropping depleted uranium on Serbia, soooo he’s probably radioactive.  It just doesn’t seem right to cheer for someone who appears to have radioactive superpowers and therefore an unfair advantage over the rest of the ATP players, am I right!?  He’s pretty much one of the X-Men.


3.  THE UNUSUAL YOUTH TRAINING.

Don't take my word for it, take mathematics' word for it.

The unfair training advantage of the support from NATO and the US doesn’t stop there.  For example, while Federer grew-up playing tennis at a Swiss estate where there was a pool, Djokovic grew-up playing tennis in an empty pool during a state of emergency.  While Murray was allowed to stop training when his coach blew the whistle, Djokovic was allowed to train until the army sounded the air raid siren.  It’s a level court so shouldn’t it be a level playing field?

4.  DIET AND DONATION.

Firstly, he’s single-handedly making Santa and the Easter Bunny look bad with his overwhelming generosity.  I mean following his 2016 Australian Open win, he donated $20,000 to Melbourne City Mission's early childhood learning program!  Where does he get off!?  Added to that, he’s gluten-free and he spends a lot of time helping sick children and the less fortunate.  You know what that means - he probably has a weak immune system and he’s in all likelihood contagious.  Yep, generous or contagious people!?  Stick with people like Rafa; who seems to only have some sort of anal itch, and Kyrgios; whose charity work is limited to getting his brother and mates free tickets to his games.  Really, they’re the healthier option.


5.  MUM’S THE WORD.

Someone's not getting bitty tonight!


He’s defeated Murray dozens of times in front of his mum.  In front of his own mum!  Do you know how much that strains a relationship between a mother and son when the son repeatedly flies the mother out to the other side of the world only to see him embarrassed on each occasion?!  I bet she can’t even look Andy in the eyes when she breastfeeds him anymore.



6.  MR. NICE GUY.

He’s a nice guy AND he’s the world No.1!  Has he no respect for the sacred “nice guys finish last” rule!  If Djokovic keeps up this kind of behaviour, it’s going to force the wider community to question their belief system in terms of success and more importantly, where are all of Nick Kyrgios’ supporters going to go!?  Also, let's not forget he’s a Serbian coached by a German.  Between the two men’s countries dominating basketball, football, waterpolo and volleyball just to name a few sports, now they’re taking over tennis as well!  With the Serbian talent for sporting domination combined with the German quest for world domination, the west is screwed if WW3 is a sporting event.

7.  HE DE-RAILED THE FED-EXPRESS:

Started from the top and now my whole crew here.

He’s better than Roger Federer.  Wait, or is it “Federerer”?  How many “er’s” are there in this dude’s name anyway!?  Meh, I digress – Novak, you aren’t allowed to be better than Roger Federer!  Do you know how hard it is to draw a double-headed eagle on a tri-colour flag with face paint!?  It’s certainly a lot harder than cheering “Go Roger!” and drawing a first aid sign on one's face with two colours (one if you’re sunburnt or really pale)!  When you’ve been told by the mainstream media for so long that Federer is the "greatest of all time" and you go and kit yourself out with the appropriate supporters’ gear based on that assumption, only to have it proven wrong, where does that leave you with your credit card debt from SwissSupportersShop.com!?  Where does that leave you and your house full of Swiss flags that make you look like you live in a battlefield hospital and your collection of ‘RF’ caps that make you look like the most epic supporter of the Rotary Foundation in history!?

8 (and a bit).  THE UNPREDICTABLE BEHAVIOUR.

What’s with his erratic behaviour too!?  Like when he applauds his opponent when he makes a good shot and then smiles happily when he wins?  I’m sorry, haven’t you learned anything from Federer?  Why can’t you just ignore the achievements of your opponent and then cry when you win?!
*Sidenote:  It’s also okay to say Djokovic is arrogant once you’ve decided you dislike him.  I haven’t really made Webster’s Dictionary my bed time reading choice of late, but I’m pretty sure it outlines the definition of ‘arrogance’ as; “the expression of happiness from a person you dislike following a success they have achieved in spite of your overt dislike for them.”  Yep, a safe bet is this; happy Djokovic = "arrogant", sad Djokovic = "sore loser".  How much better do you feel about yourself now!?  It’s like I just poured you an extra glass of weekend on a Monday morning!

9.  SOMETHING DOESN’T ADD UP.

I stand by my made-up, non-existent movie.
He’s a Serbian guy that beats the very Anglo opponents he faces.  So I imagine it’s a massive shock to most of you that this flies in the face of what you’ve no doubt learned watching movies like 'Behind Enemy Lines' and 'The Peacemaker' where the guy with the Slavic last name is always the bad guy and always loses.  This isn’t sport, this is fan fiction!


10.  HE’S A BAD HOUSEGUEST.

Djokovic has won six trophies and more prize money at the Australian Open than any other competitor.  So he comes to Australia, as our guest year-in year-out, and like inviting a kleptomaniac tradie over to your house after hours for dinner, you end-up paying him handsomely only to have him leave the country with your finest silverware.
So in the end, let’s not forget Djokovic is the world number one.  He’s the best in the world at his job.  Yet every time he comes to work, he’s got to deal with several hundred people cheering for the guy who’s just rocked-up trying to get him fired and take his job.  People who probably watch the movie ‘Happy Gilmore’ and cheer for Shooter McGavin over Happy Gilmore.  A Wimbledon crowd that probably cheers for Johnny Lawrence against Daniel LaRusso in ‘The Karate Kid’ and a capacity Arthur Ashe Stadium that in all likelihood when watching ‘Indiana Jones & the Raiders of The Lost Ark’, cheers for the rolling giant ball rather than Indy.

If you read this as a genuine “how to” guide, there’s a chance you might have a severe 'Fed-oepus complex' (where you want to eliminate Federer’s wife and have an intimate relationship with Roger).  If you laughed, share it with your friends, cheer for Nole and show everyone that the Djoker is the King.
The King is still well and truly in the building.
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