During my high school years, I wrote a column for the school newspaper using the pseudonym "aicram llennoccom" -- easily identifiable. But for me, it was just enough to make me feel I'd masked my identify and could lose my sense of shyness. After all, aicram wasn't me ... or was it?

These were tongue-in-check, Art Buchwald-esque columns with humorous approaches to things political, social, and of the moment. And, of course, all were decidedly liberal since I was a product of mid-state Illinois in the 1960's. We were the tiny band of Democratic rebels in the Bloomington/Normal twin cities.

My aunt introduced me to the local political party while I was in college, with party meetings at Lucca Grill -- still a Market Street corner landmark.

Times have changed mightily since then.

Living long enough, causes questions in not just your beliefs but your political affiliations. Today, I am a liberal -- which means I will vote for whom I believe is the "best" person and will try to filter all the information available to reach that determination. Sounds highfalutin, right?

Not like the old days, when (hate to admit) I would vote a party line. How many of the "bad guys" did we put in office that way?

For some time, I've seen things happen that made me want to applaud or yell or counter or just plain talk about. And blogging seems to be the new media.

So once again and for the first time, Aicram is about to blog. Real or funny, we'll see what happens.