Kristin is also an amateur Ornithologist of the highest order, and almost everything that I know about birds is due to her expertise. I have always been thankful for birds, but her insight has honed my appreciation for them greatly (especially a particular variety of Kiwi), and for that I am thankful.

Some people are depressed because they are selfish, others because of medical reasons, but Kristin's melancholia is the righteous, admirable and rare kind that embodies the correct reaction to the evils of the world, and a true care for others. Although I often find myself consoling her in her empathetic anguish, deep down I know that part of the reason why I am somewhat immune is because of my own callous jadedness. If everyone were like Kristin, the problem of evil would not be nearly as severe of a problem. Additionally, she is a true lover of the good, and has put forth the effort to discover many wonderful bands, artists and filmmakers who embody that good in the various arts. I have learned alot from her, and am a better person as a result.