Come On Over!

After much deliberation, I've finally made the leap and started up my own website!  I hope to do the same blogging I have done here, but with plenty more on top, including pictures, video, and much more!

I want to thank you all for your support thus far, and I hope you'll join me at my new home...

http://www.mikeborda.com

See you there!

Moving!

My site might be moving soon to a new web host, so stay tuned!

If you have any experience with hosting companies, let me know your opinion.

Dream On

Only 26% of Americans say that they love their jobs

For the past few months, I have been looking for a full time job.  A career, hopefully.  Obviously, this has been a less than successful quest thus far.  However, it has given me plenty of time to think about my life and my career path. 

It seems most of us often have to weigh the balance between doing what we love, what we’re passionate about, and paying the bills.  (Of course there are a select few who get to do both, but I would hardly say that constitutes the majority of us)  It seems a monumental task to take what we find interesting and make it a career from which we can derive both joy and money.  But it is possible. 

So what does it take to combine these two factors?  First of all, it takes guts.  For those of us not blessed with family wealth, connected friends, or freakish intelligence and/or physical prowess, we need a purpose.  We need that something deep inside of us to say do it now, or don’t do it at all.  If we constantly put it off until “later”, we most likely won’t succeed. 

But unfortunately, doing what we love doesn’t just take passion.  It also takes hard work.  You’ll probably work harder following your dream than you ever did just going to your job.  In the end, however, the reward will undoubtedly be so much sweeter than just a paycheck.  It will be a feeling deep in your soul that you accomplished something.  You didn’t just make a big company more money, or complete the same monotonous task day after day.  You did what your heart told you to do, and other people found it so moving that they supported you.  They helped you become what you always wanted to be. 

You might be saying that you can’t start a business.  Or maybe just not now.  Maybe there’s nothing you’re especially passionate about at this point in your life.  And that’s fine. (I know plenty of good people who do a great job, even if it’s not what they’re totally passionate about)  I’m 25 and don’t have a clue as to what my future entails.  But, as Baz Luhrmann says in his famous song, “Everybody’s Free (To Wear Sunscreen)”, ‘The most interesting people I know didn’t know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives, some of the most interesting 40 year olds I know still don’t.’  Try not to get discouraged when you can’t get to (or even find) your career goals yet.  Just keep planning.  Don’t give up.

Now you may be asking what qualifications I have to be giving this advice.  Honestly, none.  But I observe.  And while maybe the majority of us don’t follow our true dreams, there are still plenty of positive examples all around us.  Teachers, business owners, soldiers, businessmen and women, musicians, police officers, fire fighters…I could go on and on.  If you look at these people, they take such pride in what they do it makes everyone around them feel a little bit happier.  I hope they are as inspiring to you as they are to me. 

Half of all new businesses fail within five years.  Moreover, the average job only lasts 7 years.  The average retirement age in America is around 63 years old and rising.  These are scary statistics.  It makes me nervous just thinking about starting a business someday.  Nevertheless, it won’t prevent me from following my dreams.  You? 

“Like most everything in life, you have to work hard at it, and do it until it turns into routine, and then second nature. When you can set goals as second nature, even if it's the smallest, most infinitesimal (You like that word? It's your word of the day. But I'm actually not sure I'm using it right.) thing, you're going to find out that you're quickly becoming, what they like to refer to in the biz, as ‘productive.’”

--Bobby Pulte, on being disciplined and setting goals (www.bobbypulte.com)

A Quick Note About Our Relationship

You wanted to go, but I just didn’t feel like it.  I know it may have sounded mean, but you didn’t have to yell.

I mean, it was pretty childish of you to start rolling around on the ground.

I figured you were just moody because you hadn’t eaten yet, but we sat down for dinner and you just stared at me.  It was actually kind of creepy. 

And trying to steal the food off my plate?  Pretty pathetic.

This is really getting out of control, and I’m not sure I can fix it.

I know you make an effort, and it doesn’t go unnoticed.

I appreciate it when you want to cuddle with me.  But to be frankly honest…you could stand to bathe a little more often.  

And while I agree that bringing others into this relationship might not have been for the best at the time, we’re stuck with the decisions we’ve made.

At first it was new and exciting, but now it’s gotten kind of weird.  The least you could do is pretend you still like them.  We still have to see them from time to time.

Now before you fly off the handle, let me tell you this: I still love you, and I always will.

I know it’s not like when we first met but the happiness is still there. 

So I guess through this whole thing what I’m trying to say is simply this: Next time you get really excited, don’t do it without me. 

Just let me know you need to go outside.

Currency Catalyst

From this:


(http://www.coinace.com/gold-denominations-rare-coins.aspx)

to this:


(http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/new-100-bill-design-with-extra-security-features/)

Quite a jump, huh?  Although the picture on top is one of the earliest coins we have found to date (Lydian, circa 600 B.C.), the Sumerians two thousand years earlier used coins as records for grain storage.  From there we went to bronze, later to gold, and finally, paper.  Now we have paper composites with holographic insignias designed to discourage even the most educated criminals. 

It seems all too easy to forget that money pretty much rules our lives.  We work our entire lives to get money, spend it, and save it.  For many people, their entire focus in life is not on family, charity, or good deeds…only money. 

If we want to stay warm, we need money.  If we want to eat, we need money.  Heck, we pretty much need money just to not go to jail.  I know a lot of times I take for granted what income Paige and I do generate, wasting it on frivolous things.  But having her be our main source of income for so long has taught me a valuable lesson.  I need to appreciate her hard work more, and value our time now.  Eventually I’ll find full time work, we’ll start a family, and my time alone will be limited.  I need to appreciate these moments now, where she stands by me steadfastly earning income while I take time to ponder my position in the working world. 

So if you’re reading, Paige Bianca Borda: I love you, and thanks for being awesome!

And I promise, someday the day will come where I’ll be working full time, you’ll be at home, and you can be happy telling me you slept in until 11. 

"Money, not morality, is the principle commerce of civilized nations."

--Thomas Jefferson

Party of Two

The mid-term elections have come and gone, and we now have a new set of leaders to (hopefully) guide us into prosperity.  Whether you agree or disagree with the results, let's all hope we see brighter days ahead.  

Now here is my question: Is that it?

Currently in the United States of America there is 1 Independent Governor out of 50, 2 non-major party Senators (who both caucus with Democrats) out of 100, and 0 non-Republican or Democratic Representatives out of 435.  Is this what was supposed to happen?  

Having to choose between only two parties is, to put it bluntly, a failure of democracy.  We gained our freedom so that we could have the right to choose our paths.  The fact is that in today's world if we don't vote for either a Republican or a Democrat our voice effectively doesn't matter.  Anyone else feel like that's a slap in the face of our Founding Fathers?  The whole point of declaring our independence was to be able to make our own choices.  Now, all those choices have been narrowed down to two.  TWO.  If you vote Independent, Libertarian, Green, etc, no matter your reasons, your candidate sadly has almost no chance of winning.   

When our country was being founded, the Framers (people who wrote the Constitution) designed our system so that voters could make a smart, educated decision about what was best for them and their communities.  Today, I get the feeling that many people don't even take the time to think about the issues in depth.  They hear about 10 minutes of propaganda from one side or the other and vote with whatever party they voted for previously in their lives (probably whatever party their parents supported).  

This is not to say that all politicians are bad.  Many of our representatives our genuine, caring people.  Unfortunately, they are overshadowed by those who would try to corrupt our great country.  I hope someday they will be the majority.  

So, all that said, what are your thoughts?  What do you think about our current political system?  Please, comment!

"I never submitted the whole system of my opinions to the creed of any party of men whatever, in religion, in philosophy, in politics, or in anything else, where I was capable of thinking for myself. Such an addiction is the last degradation of a free and moral agent. If I could not go to heaven but with a party, I would not go there at all."

--Thomas Jefferson to Francis Hopkinson, 1789

Interlude

Although I have a few topics I want to write about, they will have to wait.  First, a trip to Canada.  See you on the flip-side!

Living Thankfulness

In my continuing (although sometimes difficult) attempt to consistently better my attitude on life, I subscribe to the Cafe Gratitude Question of the Day.  One came up the other day that really made me think.

What is perfect in your life?

This is an interesting question because so often I find myself thinking about what's wrong in my life, what I could improve.  But when I stopped to think about it, there are a lot of perfect things in my life.  I have an amazing wife, great family, a beautiful house to live in, and plenty of food.  On top of that, I'm alive!  We all are!

Too frequently we take for granted the fact that no matter how bad our situation seems, we are alive!  We have the chance to change our surroundings, to adjust our situation, to live how we want to!  We can make friends, improve the Earth, find love, give love, and be happy!

As usual, I found someone who already has a great opinion on this subject.  In this case, it is one of my favorite bloggers, as well as my favorite singer, Jason Mraz. (If you want to check him out, go to http://freshnessfactorfivethousand.blogspot.com)

"Even something as simple as being alive deserves a nod, as it is quite a feat if you stop and think about it. We’re all so fleshy, soft and fragile yet somehow able to dodge speeding cars, sharks, lightning, second hand smoke, fast food, finger pointing, and oil catastrophes. If you’re reading this, you’re WAY above average because you have ELECTRICITY AND some kind of communication device that enables you to connect to the most expansive community we The Human have ever seen. My celebration mantra I share with to you is this:

You F*@king Did It.

Write it somewhere where you can be reminded of how awesome you are – where you can high five yourself for having been up to big things and doing it well. The mirror is a great place for affirmations. Brush your teeth and stroke your ego at the same time. You deserve it. After all, quality of life is only the way YOU define it."

Certainly we need to try and improve our lives, see what we can do better.  But every so often, sit back and think about all the good things you have in life.  Congratulate yourself on being awesome, ON BEING YOU.  I think you'll come to realize more times than not that your life is pretty good.

In closing, I simply say this: If your life is awesome, try to make somebody else's life awesome too.

Practice gratitude.

"Gratitude is a quality similar to electricity: it must be produced and discharged and used up in order to exist at all."

--William Faulkner

Popular Popularity

Imagine a day where everybody gets their work done.  Where everyone reads about the latest research helping humanity.  Basically, imagine a utopia.  


This is what I envision a day would be like if our society wasn't so obsessed with celebrities.  I understand that, as humans, one of our primary characteristics is curiosity.  I accept this.  However, why do we need to know that Lindsey Lohan had a piece of toast for breakfast? (What her toast was topped with, though, is anyone's guess)  Why on Earth should I know what kind of car Paris Hilton drives?  And can anyone explain to me why, oh why, do I even know who Snookie is?  I think my life would be infinitely better if I had no knowledge of celebrity going-ons.  What about you?


Think about the shows: Keeping up with the Kardashians, Jersey Shore, The Bad Girls Club, Daisy/Flavor/Rock of Love 1/2/3/Bus.  Is this entertainment?  Is this what our society has come to?  While it's funny to make fun of these people, how much better would we be as a people if instead of watching these shows, we actually took the time to read.  Or build.  Or clean.  Or....anything.  When it comes down to it, I'm just not sure what these shows say about us as a people. 


My problem with all of this though, isn't just with the celebrities.  It's more with the paparazzi.  What a meaningless job to have.  How can you take pride in your work when all you do is get paid to stalk people?  They have been known to frequently cause accidents (even deaths, i.e. Lady Diana), invade people's privacy on a constant basis, and seem just plain annoying.  Is this something you can tell your kids about be proud?  I think not.


There is nothing wrong with wondering who is marrying who, or being curious about what projects are being developed.  But when I somehow know that Nadya Suleman, aka "Octomom", had a garage sale today, I think it's gone a little too far.  If you agree, I urge you to turn the channel the next time these types of shows come on.  Watch MSN...er...Fox...um...E!...uh...


Maybe you should just go rake some leaves.  It is fall, after all.


"What is fame?  The advantage of being known by people of whom you yourself know nothing, and for whom you care as little."
--Lord Byron

Losing Language

I've decided I want this blog to get big.  I want people to read it, to respond, to start conversations.  Not just for my own mere gratification, but so that we can all stop and think a little more.  So you have my permission: Tell a friend, send the link, do whatever you want to do.  But please, at least once, comment!  Now, on to more important things...

With the advent of Facebook and Twitter, our language has seen a significant shortening.  Keeping our thoughts to 140 characters or less, while fun, has (I'm afraid) marked the beginning of the end of our elaborate, romantic, beautiful language.

Being a Historian, I often look to the past to dig deeper into today's problems.  And I'm always amazed at what I find.  From Shakespeare to Emerson to Longfellow, our language has been used to convey such a variety of emotions in such an inspiring, captivating way.  But it needs not be just the poets that use language in this fashion.  Below is a paragraph from an actual Civil War letter written by a normal soldier, Lieutenant Edward Lewis, to the wife of a slain comrade:

Mrs. Kellogg,

Dear Madam

     I would fain hope that I am not the first bearer of the tidings which it is my painful duty to communicate. If unhappily I be so, I can only bid you summon all your fortitude to read the next words I shall write, and may God soften the terrible blow; your noble husband is no more, he died the death of a brave man on the 20th while leading his company, sword in hand, in an important advance to a close position under the fire of the enemy’s works.  The fatal blow from a piece of shell in the head was at least merciful, in so far as that he died quietly and without suffering.  His comrades were especially around him, but he never spoke after the shot.  We have made every effort, by his special request before his fall, to send his body to you; but as no boats are allowed to assault the river at present, we have been compelled to postpone this purpose for the present.  We design to fulfill it at the earliest providable time.

(Courtesy of http://www.civilwararchive.com/LETTERS/letters.htm )

The poetry with which these words are written, conveying the worst of news, is something both sad and amazing.  Today, do we see these kinds of words written by a normal person?  Sure, mass produced letters can be written to communicate things, but these are so informal and impersonal they become hard to digest.  I myself can only remember a handful of times where I have written a personal letter to somebody.  

Think about this: When you get a nice email from somebody, it may make you feel pretty good.  You read it, maybe save it, or more likely, delete it.  But what if you sent a thoughtful, carefully penned letter to somebody? (Yes, I'm talking about snail-mail)  I can almost guarantee they would treasure it, or at the very least, greatly appreciate it.  

No, I'm not being paid by the ever-profitless U.S. Postal Service.  I'm simply making an attempt to re-introduce the wonders of the English language to everyone.  And though I may not succeed with any of you, I will succeed with myself.  So if you're lucky, expect a letter sometime. ;)

Yours most sincerely, 


Mike Borda


"Language is the blood of the soul into which thoughts run and out of which they grow."
--Oliver Wendell Holmes

Is this nature?

Have we lost touch?  Often I walk out into the fresh air, and find myself a little perplexed.  Is this nature?

In my small yard, with the un-mowed grass (well, mowed, but usually not freshly), I stare out and wonder if this is what humanity is destined for.  No more forests, no more prairies, no more stunning mountain ponds.  Just a simple yard of half dead grass.  As a child, I dreamt of endless, unmanned meadows where I could lose myself in nature, meditating about the endless possibilities of life and mysterious perplexities of death.  But, as it seems with all people, somewhere on the road to adulthood I lost that childhood innocence and exuberance.  I realize now this was merely a fantasy.  But the scary part is that I fear one day children won't even have these dreams.  I fear they will grow up in a world where it's normal not to see nature, not to dream about the first blossoms of spring and last leaves of autumn.

Don't get me wrong, I like having modern conveniences.  I like it a lot.  I truly believe that society is better today for the advancements we have made in technology, culture, and general civility.  But, even given these advancements, it would be a tragic shame if we lost touch with what guided us through thousands of years of societal evolution.  We need nature to survive so that we survive, it's as simple as that.  No amount of technology can replace the feeling of seeing the reflection of sunrise on a perfectly placid alpine lake early in the morning.  Or the first breath of warm spring air after a cruel, unrelenting winter.  Or even the putrid smell of the decaying, mossy undergrowth in a dense tropical rain forest.  I wouldn't trade these things for all the simulations in the world.  

Staring back into my yard, I hope this isn't what it will come to.  Stronger, more passionate, and more influential people than I are working as I type this to help preserve what nature we have left.

I pray they succeed.

Remorseful Remembrance

I don't have many regrets in my life. Sure, I wish I had studied more in school, maybe traveled the world some more, the normal stuff. But there is one thing that I fear will haunt me for the rest of my life.

My grandfather, and my namesake, was, from all accounts, a great man. Born in Chicago in 1914, he had a rough life. The oldest of 3, he at times had to protect his mother and siblings from an abusive father. Then, like thousands of other great Americans, he answered the call to service. He joined the Army at the outset of World War II, and saw plenty of action travelling from North Africa to Italy, and later Germany. He was eventually promoted to Lieutenant, and received a Purple Heart after taking shrapnel in his leg.

The thing I really regret is that I didn't know him better. I was 20 when he passed, and already a History major. It bothers me that I didn't take the time to ask him questions about his experiences, or what he could teach me about war and life. As it seems for most, I imagine, I viewed him as "out of touch", and "old". I hope somehow he knows now that the older I get, the more I respect what bravery it took for him and all his comrades (including my other Grandfather, and many other relatives) to serve and protect our freedom.

Listening to my Dad, I know that the war took a tremendous toll on Bumpa (growing up I thought this was the Polish word for "Grandpa", until I learned it was just our word as kids for him). Honestly, I can't imagine the mental and emotional impact ordering men to do something that will kill them takes on a person. Seeing your friends and comrades every day, and then ordering them to take a building, knowing full well that some of them are going to die in order to complete the objective, is a daunting thought for me. The fact that these men witnessed such horrors and came back to live great, normal lives is amazing and inspiring.

I think we too often take for granted what others went through to let us live how we now do. For hundreds of years (even thousands) men and women have fought and lived in some of the worst conditions anyone can imagine, all because they knew it was necessary for the propagation of life. We are indeed a strange race, in that we love peace and freedom, but so frequently forget, or get greedy, so that we must then put ourselves through hell only to recognize it again afterwards.

People often throw around the phrase "Greatest Generation". Now I don't know if I could call any generation greater than another, but the fact that so many men and women around the world stood up against evil and tyranny, and gave their lives so that others may live free, is truly a testament to the character of our parents, grandparents, and great grandparents.

For all those that served, and who will serve to protect others in need: Thank you, and I hope your stories are never forgotten.

"I dream of giving birth to a child who will ask, ‘Mother, what was war?'"
--Eve Merriam (American Poet)

Ninja Idol Tube

You might never guess it, but Youtube, Ninja Warrior, and American Idol all have something in common. What is it, you ask? Well, think about the people that have been made famous because of them: Bo Burnham, Makoto Nagano (OK, maybe he’s more popular in Japan…), Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, etc. When they were growing up, do you think any of them imagined that these would be the things that made them famous? Heck, these things weren’t even close to being created!

These people were just living their lives, trying to do something, when an opportunity arose, and opened the door to success. They then had the skills necessary to kick that door in and make it big. I love this, because it reminds me that anything is possible. Maybe I’m not that funny, or crazy athletic, or an amazing singer. But I’m something. So are you. Will there be a day down the road when the masses look for someone like us? I surely hope so!


It just goes to prove that anyone can make it big; we just need the right opportunity. Maybe yours hasn’t been thought of yet, or maybe you’ll be the next person in a long line of successes. Only you can make it happen, though. Take a chance.

"Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up."
--Thomas Edison

Cognitive Freedom

As life moves along, I find it harder than I imagined writing a new blog post. Topics run through my head, but I have trouble actually writing them down (or typing them for that matter). I mean, who am I to be publishing works for the world to see? What knowledge, what experience do I have that enables me to be giving advice or sharing information?

I’ve found though, through research (see below), that blogging isn’t about teaching. It isn’t about telling people what to think, or trying to solve world problems. It’s about writing your thoughts, saying what you have to say, no matter who happens to read it. (Although the more, the merrier!) Information is no good unless it’s shared. What kind of world would we live in if everyone who obtained knowledge and experience chose to keep it to themselves? A pretty dumb, most likely primitive world, I imagine.

So my blogging life has changed. Good or bad, expect to see more posts! And I encourage you to start your own blog as well! You never know what you might discover.

As for my research, here are some of my favorite blogs:

Jason Mraz

Maggie Whitley, aka "Gussy"

John & Wendy Brookhouse and thier adoption story

“If there's a book you really want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it.”
--Toni Morrison

Rain Delay...

Update coming soon...hopefully.

Blog Post #1!

This is my first real blog (unless you count xanga) (does anybody count xanga?). It has no name, as of yet, but that will probably change. I have started this as a creative outlet for my thoughts, and to be able to hear the opinions of other people. That means you. If you read this, I want your thoughts and comments.

The topics of this blog will vary greatly, and that is what I hope makes it intriguing. And hopefully, the more intriguing this is, the more people will want to read it, and ideally contribute to it.

My life, like most lives, has taken many twists and turns and thus far ended up not anywhere near what I had pictured even 5 years ago. This blog may generate almost no readers, and be taken down in a matter of weeks. However, it may also, like my life, end up exceeding all my expectations and become more popular than I can imagine at this moment. Years down the road, I may read this first post and laugh at the modesty in which I wrote it. Only time will tell.

Until next time, I leave you with the words of Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain):
"The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one."