Seems everyone in New Albany has a blog these days. Looking through all of them, they sure are pretty durn interesting.

A couple seem to deal with issues, the others (to me, of course) seem political in nature.

Never having planned on ever getting wrapped up in New Albany (or anyone else's, for that matter) politics, I have come a long way, baby.

Don't get me wrong. All of the cities I have lived in, alone? The only two ways, as a consultant, I knew in order to make friends would be to join a bowling league and join my local Democrat Party.

My parents were split - 1 Democrat, the other Republican. I came down on the side of Democrat because of my very first election. 1972, oh what a good year. Nixon was running -- he even came to little ole Ashland, KY and promised us all up there he would build us a new National Guard Armory. Looked like he had it locked up to me, which he did. It is what happened the first time I voted, and I gotta admit, I was leaning towards Nixon.

As I approached the polls, a neighbor of my grandmother's was head of the Republican party and I had stayed with my grandmother for a few months and had recently married and moved. It had not been even been 3 weeks since I had moved. Unfortunately, my path as an 18 year old was blocked at the polls and I was told by this person my vote would be challenged unless I went in and voted straight Republican.

Well, you know, I gotta say I found that to be kind of odd, and extremely intimidating. I asked on what grounds and she named because I had moved and it had been longer than the 30 days. I told her that just was not true, and she told me it didn't matter what I said, either or.

Well, I went in to that poll booth and got to thinking about some things. The one thing which crossed my mind was -- how is she going to know how I vote? And, if she does know, we have a serious problem here. 18, and already trying to figure it out. Needless to say, I pulled the other switch, straight Democrat and have not looked back since.

I'm still looking at all members in all parties, because I think you can find them if you look for them.

As you can tell, this will be a political blog; the difference being I am being straight up about it.

Take care New Albany, and we'll be talking more.