My Name is Kris and I Blah-g

I woke up this morning to learn about the news that the Nobel committee had awarded President Obama the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize. This has weighed on my mind most of the morning as I thought about how this could have come to be, who nominated him, what the people of Israel and places like Georgia (the Georgia in Europe, people) think of this and mostly, what a farce this “prize” has become. Nominations for each year’s prize are due in February. Obama took office in the last 10 days of January. His nomination came a mere two weeks after he was in office. To be considered, one would think that they would have to reflect on the previous year’s and beyond work of the individual. So to award Obama this prize is laughable. He’s done nothing to merit such an “honor”. So what can one gleam from this other than the people who gave him this thing are either (1) a bunch of kooks, (2) easily bought, (3) easily manipulated or (4) all of the above. So I reflect on the past 9 months because the president of the Nobel committee is weakly explaining their decision as one based on Obama – the president, not the man or junior senator that he was before he took office. This and of itself should nullify his consideration because he hardly garnered any world peace in 9 months let alone the measly 2 weeks he was president before nominations were due. The Nobel committee president  champions Obama’s diplomacy efforts and how he has brought hope to the world. Um, yeah.. did he base this on a CNN/MSNBC poll of 475 people,  52% of which are democrat, 19% republican and the rest independent? Spare me.In all the amazement and disgust that I have experienced in these early morning hours, I have come to the conclusion that this will do one of two things. The first is that this will be used to try to bolster Obama’s credibility. And two, if the other side is smart, it will be used to expose the insignificance the Nobel Peace Prize has become. Obama received it after having done NOTHING. I take that back. He’s vowed to shut down some of the defenses that have been put in place by other administrations that have kept our country and our allies safe. In doing so, he has pretty much bent over his desk the American people and the good people in Israel and parts of Europe who have come to rely on these defenses. He has pretty much given those who seek us harm an opportunity to strike and a message that their terroristic tactics have worked. He’s taken back his promise of bolstering up Afghanistan and is now hemming and hawing about whether or not we should send in more troops to support the ones that are already there. Yeah. Great commander in chief.Domestically he’s proven what a dictator he intends on becoming. He will pass a healthcare bill with his majority in the House and Senate despite large opposition by most of America. His bill will FORCE us to pick coverage and if we don’t, they’ll tax us…HEAVILY. His bill will strip down Medicare so drastically that the people who come to rely on it won’t have to worry about selective euthanasia that the left supports so well, they’ll die off before they can even be treated because their coverage won’t help them.  Worse yet? The health care bill? None of us will be allowed to read it before it’s voted on and passed… think about that.Other crap….His intention of cap and trade will destroy small business which employs the majority of Americans. His promise of unemployment not rising above 9% was a total lie…it’s now about 10% and getting worse. We have states like California in the midst of utter failure because liberal agendas have driven them to do unspeakable harm to their constituents. Farmers can’t grow their crops because the water has been shut off to save a small fish. Banks have been taken over by government, their accounts frozen, their customers pawned off on larger, government owned banks and forced to adhere to their new rules. Customers (me!) have had their mortgage payoffs LOST, are being intimidated by the banks for non-payment of a mortgage for a house they no longer own and live in daily fear over how it will destroy their credit for the years to come. So, don’t ask me if Obama’s policies have come to harm me because they have. And it’s just the beginning. There is nothing peaceful in his intent for the American People.

Fall is always a magical time of year for me. I love the colors and the smells. The crisp air in the mornings and warmth in the afternoons are just a reminder of how nature can have it all at times. In some ways I wish that there were only two seasons – Spring and Fall. They seem to be the shortest and perhaps that is why I appreciate them most. Once they’re here, they’re gone. This fall, I am sad to say, I am NOT that excited about because it means winter is not too far behind! We had a pretty wet spring. It seemed as if winter would never end and when Spring technically got here, it wasn’t warm. It felt like summer barely got here and then we were thinking of back to school. Thankfully, we have had quite a few events to welcome in the new season – namely the birth of two new babies! Babies are wonderful! And these two are no exception! I could probably spend hours photographing them, trying to get that perfect picture. But I’ll settle for the couple I got here. In addition to these awesome babies, we have had some great fall color to enjoy. I’ve started a Fall Picture gallery. In it are a few pictures I’ve taken so far. Okay so technically, the ones with me in it I did NOT take. Dad did..but I did the fancy schmancy stuff in photoshop. And thanks to my wireless camera remote, I managed to take the family group shot. So, here they are. As more are taken, I’ll share them here. Click on the thumbnails to enlarge.

I would love to have the skill of a great photographer. I am just not sure I have the patience to sit in a class although I fear that one would do me some good. I’d rather just get out there and take pictures. I am fortunate. I have a really really great camera and it makes up for what I lack in know-how. I will say though that if I can compose a shot well and get in focus, I can do wonders with it in Photoshop and having done so, I realize that many of today’s photographers probably do just that. I suppose if I were to look at their raw, untouched photos, I would find many an unspectacular image as what I see in most of mine. However, I am going to keep at this. I don’t think it will ever be a money maker for me but I think I can surely come up with some shots worthy of hanging on my wall.