My name is Martin-Ante. Parents couldn't decide on a single name, so they gave me both but we will get to that later.
See the prick that doesn't own a car, looking all deep in thought and shit, on the picture below?
Yep. That is me.
I was born in 1993. in Zagreb Croatia as a single child ( at least as far as I know ) to two quite distinct people. You see 93. was the year in which the Yugoslav civil war was still going on. A war for independence is what they call it. I'm not convinced, but that is a story for another time.
Anyway, let me just start from the beginning. My, now deceased, father was special recon. operative for, what would today become known as a spec. op. branch of Croatian military (back then, they were just "rebels" fighting for what they believed was right ). He was that type of a mean fucker with a knack for crime who got picked out of a gulag known as "Goli otok" by , at the time general Ante Gotovina. Now there's a name you could swear you read just a moment ago. My father thought it would be a great idea to name me after a guy who recruited him into a fucking war. He even made him his best man. Brilliant.
Luckily, mom had a brain. Therefore, Martin.
As its usually the case with wars, they have a tendency to end. So at this point in the story, we are left with a guy who knows nothing but crime and warfare. I will leave you with a cliffhanger here.
Mom ... a polar opposite. Respected but strict family. A successful father, my grandfather, who achieved allot. An academic, intellectual. With degrees in information sciences and architecture. At a price. Mom paid the price of course. I would run away and marry the "devil" himself too. Despite, she is the perfect example of just how strong a human being can be and what can one endure. A perfect example at least in my eyes!
What she went trough so far, I swear I would be dead 5 times by now. And that did not change her. Sure it affected her. But she stayed true, just and fair! Way to go ma.
And then there's me. An offspring of two different worlds. With only a relative sense of direction in life. On a quest to discover my self. The true meaning of what I am, my purpose. But despite everything I do not know, all the flaws in the design that is me, there is one thing I'm a hundred percent sure about; A firm believer in humanity. Of all the potential we all posses, we just have to find it. A believer in a better tomorrow. Brighter world, that evolved above prejudice and oppression. A world of free human beings living the way mother Nature intended for us in all of her glory.
I'm also a big fan of science, though I never had the patience and persistence to finish college. Animal sciences. I was so happy when they accepted my application, for the first time I felt like somebody. To be honest that day was one of the happiest days of my life. And I blew it.
And as my eyes are getting slightly wet with tears, I'm realizing I should probably check out. Showing weakness was never something I was comfortable with. I sincerely hope I didn't ruin your day with my introduction, but there was really no other way to go about it.
Speaking out the truth about ourselves, and everything else, is the first step of accepting who we are. We can achieve so much ( I'm talking to you Martin ), reach far and beyond and accomplish anything we set our minds to.
I hope you have a wonderful day internet user. And remember; you are much stronger than you think!