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Bloomington is one of the better places in the Midwest to get over the post holiday blues. \nMy initial impression of the place was that of a magic party haven. A seemingly endless array of beautiful women and upbeat guys all huddled around a keg on one of those tiny wooden decks attached to an apartment-—sometime—somewhere. That was from the outside looking in; and a long time ago.\nLet's drop back two years to the odiferous town of Terre Haute, IN. In a quest to offend as many people as possible, I am here to report the town stinks—literally. Metaphorically. Exactly. I spent 4 1/2 years battling ex-military professors and advisors while pursuing a professional pilot degree. You want to be a pilot? Change your life. Buy nice clothes. Cut your hair. Shave every day. Don't get high. Learn to tie a tie. \nEnough venting. I'm in B-Town. Smell the fresh air?\nAlong with the air comes fresh people; the real life blood on which communities either sink or swim. It's karma in action. People pick up a vibe and feed off each other (picture "The Breakfast Club" not the Donner party). I have never encountered so many smiling, helpful friendly people as those during my first week on and around campus here at IU. Hard telling when or how this vibe was created — \nOn the first day of class I somehow slid my way into a position as an opinion columnist. The problem is my lack of opinion concerning most things political. The cabin I lived in amongst the cedars, sugar pines and black oaks of Yosemite last summer reinforced this ideal. \nGood books and campfires replaced television and radio. Katrina hit like a warm breeze. A phone call from home reported that New Orleans was completely flooded. And while everyone else worried themselves with stats on water supplies, dead bodies and horrible images; I barely realized what had happened. After all, how much can we accomplish in aiding the situation by tuning into FOX news for two hours? Lack of visual bombardment allowed sympathy and thought without the total drone of "this just ins" and "coming to you lives". \nMy goal is to give the student body the least politically revved opinion column possible. To make you think but not to the point of stress or aggravation. Maybe you will even enjoy it. \nThe war in Iraq? Sucks. New Supreme Court Justice? Not sure. Trans Fats? Yummy. Smoking tax? Bumming tactics. Life in Bloomington? Good.\nHopefully we may delve into issues such as sleeping in the woods to relieve stress, rolling your own cigarettes to save money for premium beer and the 21st Century Hippie: Dope Smokin', Discovery Channel watchin' SUV drivers.\nStay tuned.