The Pointed Pundit

Storyteller

2017-08-24T09:51:00.003-04:00

There are few things more peaceful than watching a lakeside sunset.

"I've always considered myself, at the end of the day, to be kind of a storyteller."

Ross Mathews

Craig L. Howe
Faulkner & me LLC
Website

Facebook
500px

Instagram

The Elephant's Draw

2017-08-08T11:30:00.001-04:00

While initially drawn to the big cats on my recent visit to the Maasai Mara, I grew to be captivated by the elephants. I love how they tend to band together in multiple family groups to socialize.

-->

This sole female was a rare sight.

Craig L. Howe
Faulkner & me LLC
Website

Facebook
500px

Instagram

Fresh Eyes for Familiar Places

2017-08-07T13:09:00.000-04:00

Even someone with an insatiable wanderlust itch occasionally finds the need to spend a few days at home.

There are bills to pay, customers to sooth, images to download, edits to be performed, jet lag to overcome. Life is just too complicated to be on the road continuously. It is easier to accept that being homebound is simply preparation for your journey.

It helps if you can view the area around your home with a fresh set of eyes. Photography skills are in constant need of renewal. Why not combine them?

Now I have called this Southern Connecticut town home for more than 38 years. While it has changed, there is still much to be seen. Yesterday while on a walk along the route often trod during the past decades, I stumbled across this scene. The home, I have seen many times. This time I viewed the yard with fresh eyes.

-->

Of course, I could argue I was more than a mile from my home. Does that qualify as wanderlust?

Craig L. Howe
Faulkner & me LLC
Website

Facebook
500px

Instagram

Morning on the Mall

2017-07-31T08:07:00.001-04:00

It was a quick trip. I hoped the morning would provide a blaze of colors with the sunrise. The weather did not cooperate.

Arriving at the National Mall, I was amazed at the number of people who rose early to start their visit to the Nation’s monuments. I have been drawn to Lincoln Memorial since I was a boy. Abe sits there and commands a view of The Capitol and workings of government.

Off to his left, inscribed on the marble walls, is inscribed the words of what I believe is the most memorable inaugural address, his second.

“Fellow-Countrymen:
“...With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation's wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.”

Lofty thoughts from a lofty perch.

Craig L. Howe
Faulkner & me LLC
Website

Facebook
500px

Instagram

-->

Another Unforgettable Smile

2017-07-27T12:16:00.001-04:00

This young student at the Nambale Magnet School flashes another unforgettable smile. With so little, he is an inspiration to me, who has so much.

Craig L. Howe
Faulkner & me LLC
Website

Facebook
500px

Instagram

Serious Wanderlust

2017-07-26T11:21:00.000-04:00

I suffer from a serious case of wanderlust but have no interest in finding a cure.

Craig L. Howe
Faulkner & me LLC
Website

Facebook
500px

Instagram

My Backyard

2017-07-21T09:12:00.002-04:00

In the past 30 days, I have traveled to and from North Carolina, Kenya, Tanzania and London in search of the "perfect picture," a 5 in my grading system. I traveled with all my equipment: camera, lenses, Speedlight and tripod.

The result: several images I would rate as fives, an infrequent grade. There can be no doubt; I suffer from a severe case of wanderlust, particularly when it comes to my photography. Last night I was reminded that great photographs could be made here at home.

While attending a book club meeting at a local beach, I spied this sunset. Not wanting to interrupt the proceeding, I watched the glorious colors fill the surrounding sky. Where was my equipment? Home, safely stored in my office.

Finally,… the meeting came to an end. Armed only with my Cell phone, I rushed to capture the glory of the setting sun. It may not be a "five," but it is not bad.

All of which recalls these words of T. S. Eliot:

We shall not cease from exploration

And the end of all our exploring

Will be to arrive where we started
And know that place for the first time

Craig L. Howe
Faulkner & me LLC
Website

Facebook
500px

Instagram

East African Memories

2017-07-18T11:14:00.000-04:00

Of the flood of memories, I recall from my recent two-week journey to Tanzania and Kenya; one stands out: The children.

Who could ever forget their smiling faces? Children, many of whom were orphaned or abandoned, who faces expressed the pure joy of living. It did not matter where we went along the dirt roads or in the schools and orphanages we visited, the children gathered. Many simply wanted to have their pictures snapped. Others wanted to capture an image of my wife and me. Whatever their motivation, their smiles were contagious.

It was eye-opening. We, who have so much, find every reason to complain about the traffic, the heat and humidity, our magnificent homes that just do not measure up to those of our neighbors. The children we met, grateful for what they have: love, meals and shelter. We, who are secure beyond measure, fret about every little inconvenience we encounter. The children, who are prepared to accept life on life’s often harsh terms.

It is a dichotomy that was hard to miss. I promise to work hard, not to forget it.

Craig L. Howe
Faulkner & me LLC
Website

-->

Facebook
500px

Instagram

Inspired by Greatness

2017-01-26T16:53:00.003-05:00

I spent last Sunday at an exhibition and lecture by the portrait painter John Howard Sanden. For more than 50 years the artist, Sanden, has met with men and women of the highest achievement to create their portraits.

The 350 names on his list include 95 leaders of major American businesses, 48 university presidents 15 doctors, five African Kings and one president of the United States and his wife. To say he has had a distinguished career does not do justice to it.

I was particularly drawn to a series of paintings from what Sanden calls his “Oppenheim” period. These portraits blended soft and hard light. I began to wonder if I could re-create this technique in my photography.

Using an image, I made of my wife, Cynthia, at the 9/11 Memorial and the software effects program by MacPhun and On1, I adopted, and not well I might add, Sanden’s vision to my work. Judging from my first crack at it, Sanden need lose no sleep worrying about lost commissions to me.

Craig L. Howe
Faulkner & me LLC
Website

Facebook
500px

Think Tank Photo Releases Third Generation of Award-winning Airport Rolling Camera Bags

2016-09-10T11:22:00.000-04:00

Santa Rosa, Calif. – The best rolling camera bags just got better. Based on input from professional photographers, Think Tank Photo’s newly released Airport International™ V3.0 and Airport Security™ V3.0 rolling camera bags feature improved handles, greater durability, and dedicated laptop and tablet compartments. These new features, in addition to their airline carry on compliance, TSA approved zipper locks, tripod mounts, and Lost & Found registration system make them the gold standard for photo transport cases.

The Airport International V3.0 holds two gripped DSLRs with lenses attached, plus two to four additional lenses, a 15” laptop, and a 10” tablet. The roller fits up to a 500mm f/4 detached or 400mm f/2.8 attached (hood reversed). The Airport Security V3.0 holds two gripped DSLRs with lenses attached plus four to six additional lenses, a 17” laptop, and a 10” tablet. The bag fits up to a 600mm f/4 detached or 500mm f/4 attached (hood reversed)

“Photographers deserve rolling camera bags that are as high in quality as their photo gear,” said Doug Murdoch, Think Tank Photo’s CEO and lead designer. “Take

something as simple as the wheels we use. Ours are custom-designed, high-performance, 80mm wheels with sealed ABEC grade 5 bearings for quiet rolling. If we took so much

time perfecting something as simple as wheels, one can sense how much care went into the designs of each roller.”

Key Features

· Specially designed interior to maximize gear for carry on: the Airport International meets international carry on size requirements; the Airport Security meets U.S. domestic and most international carry on size requirements
· Dedicated padded laptop and tablet compartments located in a lockable pocket
· TSA-approved zipper locks for the main compartment, and high-strength coated cable and combination lock for the laptop compartment and securing your bag to an immovable object
· Custom designed retractable handle with inset channel on aluminum tubing for added strength and durability
· Quick and easy access to the retractable handle
· Tripod mount pocket on side (additional straps included for larger tripods)
· Expansive top compartment cradles large camera bodies for the perfect fit
· Unique serial number for Lost & Found registration
· Interior zippered pockets for batteries, memory cards, filters and accessories
· User-replaceable retractable handle, wheels, wheel housings, feet and kick plate extend product life
· Extra tall wheel housings protect your bag from scrapes and scratches
· Seam-sealed rain cover included
· Stretchable front pocket
· Handles on three sides ensure rapid and easy retrieval from overhead bins, car trunks, etc.
· Reinforced dividers support heavy gear and maintain strength over time
· Hypalon reinforced rear corners for increased durability
· Business card holder on top for easy identification

Materials

Exterior: For superior water-resistance, all exterior fabric has a durable water repellent (DWR) coating, plus underside of fabric has a polyurethane coating. The roller bags are also constructed with 1680D ballistic nylon, YKK® RC Fuse (abrasion-resistant) zippers, custom designed extra tall skid plates, high performance 80mm super quiet wheels with sealed bearings, SpanKodra front pocket, rubberized laminate reinforcement, nylon webbing, and 3-ply bonded nylon thread.

Interior: 210D silver-toned nylon, polyurethane backed Velex liner and dividers, 2x polyurethane coated nylon 210T seam-sealed rain cover, closed-cell foam and reinforced

Specifications

Airport International V3.0

· Interior Dimensions: 13” W x 18.5” H x 6.5–7.5” D (33 x 47 x 16.5–19.1 cm)

· Exterior Dimensions: 14” W x 21” H x 8” D (35.6 x 53.3 x 20.3 cm)

· Tablet Compartment: 9.4” x 10” x 0.5” (24 x 25.5 x 1.3 cm)

· Laptop Compartment: 10.6” x 15” x 1.2” (27 x 38 x 3 cm)

· Weight: 9.6–11.5 lbs. (4.4–5.2 kg)

Airport Security V3.0

· Interior Dimensions: 13” W x 21” H x 7–8” D (33 x 53.3 x 17.8–20.3 cm)

· Exterior Dimensions: 14” W x 22” H x 9” D (35.6 x 55.9 x 22.9 cm)

· Tablet Compartment: 9.4” x 10” x 0.5” (24 x 25.5 x 1.3 cm)

· Laptop Compartment: 11.4” x 16.1” x 1.2” (29 x 41 x 3 cm)

· Weight: 11.1–12.9 lbs. (5–5.8 kg)

About Think Tank Photo

Think Tank Photo is a group of designers and professional photographers focused on studying how photographers work, and developing inventive new carrying solutions to meet their needs. By focusing on “speed” and “accessibility,” we prepare photographers to Be Ready “Before The Moment,” allowing them to document those historic moments that reflect their personal visions and artistic talents. We design products that help photographers travel easier, take pictures faster, and organize their gear more efficiently.

Craig L. Howe
Faulkner & me LLC
Website

Facebook
500px

New Tricks for an Old Dog

2016-08-27T15:17:00.002-04:00

There is a myriad of image editing options for image editing. So when I was approached by Sleeklens, a Danish company that offers Lightroom presets and Photoshop actions, about reviewing their Landscape tools, I jumped at the opportunity with caveats.

I explained that for the previous year, I had been using Phase One software as my RAW processor and image organizer. For adjustments, I employ On1 and/or MacPhun filters. masks and effects. During this period of time, it is a rare event when I take an image into Photoshop for editing. Lightroom I have all but abandoned. With this workflow I love the results I have achieved. I may be an old dog, but I like to think I am still open to new tricks.

As with any action, they are easy to run. Simply highlight the action you want to run and click the play button. The result is a layer added on top of the background image. You control the intensity of the action by the opacity or brush.

In conclusion, if you are a beginner and are a little intimidated by Photoshop these actions may prove helpful. They cover a broad selection of effects and save you the burden of mastering Photoshop.

Being the old dog I am I am satisfied with my current scraped-together workflow. However, I will continue to evaluate these actions and will employ them as I become comfortable with their effects.

For more information about Sleeklens landscape actions and their other products, follow these URLs:

https://sleeklens.com/product/landscape-adventure-photoshop-actions/

https://sleeklens.com/product-category/photoshop-actions/

Craig L. Howe
Faulkner & me LLC
Website

Facebook
500px

Craig L. Howe The Pointed Pundit www.craighowe.com Facebook at http://goo.gl/6HAux Twitter at http://goo.gl/WYROF

Prayer Triplets

2016-08-18T10:49:00.001-04:00

Several years ago three women decided to get together to pray for their children, their spouses and themselves. They have been meeting weekly since.

Together, they have prayed their way through arrests, deaths, chronic diseases, real estate adventures and new ideas for ministry. Along the way they shared support, nurture and humor.

“This is what our faith is all about,” said one member. “The more we meet, the more layers are peeled away. I have found it to be a period of quiet in the midst of the raging storm.”

Their weekly agenda remains the same today as it was when they first began: gather around refreshments, share concerns, pray and try to remain faithful. Their gatherings last about an hour, but have been known to stretch to two when times are particularly troubling for a member.

“The Holy Spirit comes to suggest ideas and solutions,” offers one member. “Even for problems I have not shared, it is amazing how often someone else’s prayer will help me straighten out misperceptions about myself. The answers remind me that God is always present; He is always faithful.”

The group has found three members is a magic number. If one of the group cannot be attend, there are still two members to be faithful to their common commitment.

“I want this experience for everyone,” one member said. “My triplet is my lifeline...my air hose. I cannot imagine what life would be like without them!

Craig L. Howe

Faulkner & me LLC

A Disappointing Look at a Stock Market Star

2016-08-17T13:11:00.005-04:00

Killing the Market: Legendary Investor Robert W. Wilson

By Roemer McPhee

Paperback: 104 pages

Publisher: RMK Inc.; 1st edition (May 14, 2016)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 1492756369

ISBN-13: 978-1492756361

Rating: 3 stars

A Disappointing Look at a Stock Market Star

In my mind, Robert W. Wilson was one of the great stock market performers of my time. His Wall Street career spanned five decades. Beginning in 1958 with $15, 000 inherited from his mother, he “retired” in the year 2000 with a net worth of approximately $800 million.

It was only natural when I was offered a review copy of Roemer McPhee’s biography that I would jump at the opportunity to delve into Wilson’s investment thinking. I read every word of Killing the Market. I was left disappointed.

Understand Wilson operated a one-man shop. His hedge fund carried 200 positions – long and short – at any one time. He was a long-term investor. What was it that he saw that contributed to his success? This book offers little insight beyond “Wikipedia-like” summaries of Wilson’s home runs and dismal failures.

As an addicted reader of Alan Abelson’s "Up and Down Wall Street" in Barron’s Magazine, I suspected Wilson served as the source of many of the column’s well-reasoned, provocative and insightful ideas.

High expectations are rarely met. Wilson’s methodologies eluded me while I worked on the street. It should come as no surprise; they elude me now. I am not sure any biographer could satisfy me with the insights I seek. Wilson is dead; Abelson is dead. There is not a lot of source material.

I will say this about Roemer’s biography: it is well- written. I finished it in one sitting – three stars.

Craig L. HoweThe Pointed PunditFaulkner & me LLCWebsiteFacebook
Twitter
500px

Loose Lashes; A Long Voyage

2016-08-04T08:55:00.005-04:00

A few thoughts for my son and his wife-to-be on the eve of their wedding:

About three girlfriends ago, I stumbled on this quote from one of D. H. Lawrence’s first editions. In the almost 20 ensuing years, the thought has occurred to me I may never have the opportunity to it. It remains my favorite quote on the subject of marriage.

Lawrence wrote:

"So it must be: a voyage apart in the same direction. Grapple the two vessels together, lash them side by side, and the first storm will smash them to pieces. This is marriage, in the bad weather of modern civilization. But leave the two vessels apart, to make their voyage to the same port, each according to its own skill and power, and an unseen life connects them, a magnetism which cannot be forced. And that is marriage as it will be when all this is broken down."

So Laura, Charley, I propose this toast: To loose lashes and a long voyage.

Given at the Riverhorse on Main
Park City, Utah
August 16th, 2016

Craig L. HoweThe Pointed PunditFaulkner & me LLCWebsite
FacebookTwitter
500px

Loose Lashes; A Long Voyage

2016-08-04T08:55:00.004-04:00

A few thoughts for my son and his wife-to-be on the eve of their wedding:

Lawrence wrote:

So Laura, Charley, I propose this toast: "To loose lashes and a long voyage."

Given at the Riverhorse on Main
Park City, Utah
August 16th, 2016

Faithfully Fit

2016-06-15T08:32:00.000-04:00

God has a plan for your life: often it may not coincide with your ideas. That is the lesson Tracy Balderach accepted two years ago. After having her fourth baby in less than six years, she had not intended to enter the field of Coaching. Retiring from her previous business career as an area Director for an IT consulting company, she opted to combine the four cornerstones of her life: Faith, Family, Food and Fitness. The result: Faithfully Fit, a team dedicated to helping individuals be the best version of themselves. “Soon after I had our fourth baby, I realized that my life was one big FOG,” Tracy recalled. “I was overweight, lethargic, cranky and wasn't truly savoring any of the sweet moments that were passing by so quickly. After praying about my situation, I made a commitment to make a change!” During the next 90 days, she lost 30 pounds, but she gained more focus and energy. Her clothes fit again, but more importantly, her new lifestyle was impacting her family in ways she had only previously hoped it would. “At 41, I have never felt or looked better.” Tracy recalled. “I decided I wanted to help others who are on the same journey, struggling the same way I did.”
  Tracy effectively uses Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and Snap Chat to spread the message that she is “Mama to 4 little ones, joy seeker, grace-receiver, lover of life and health and fitness coach!” It connects.   Her Facebook business page has 745 followers.
“I was stuck in a non-exercise rut,” a follower recalls. “I could not motivate myself. Once I connected with Tracy, I was inspired.    I really like low impact Tai Chen and a dance program called CIZE. They are for me.”
Tracy focuses on building a personal relationship with her clients. Spend a few moments and her engaging personality become evident. She is not afraid to share her own vulnerabilities.    Citing 2 Corinthians 5: 20, (New Life Version), “We are Christ’s missionaries. God is speaking to you through us. We are speaking for Christ and we ask you from our hearts to turn from your sins and come to God,” as inspiration, Tracy learned to be bold in proclaiming her faith. “She keeps pointing you back to Jesus,” testifies her follower. “She overcame her challenges. She inspires you to believe that God will help you too!”
Craig L. Howe
The Pointed Pundit
Faulkner & me LLC
Website

Facebook
Twitter
500px

A Grandfather's Love

2016-06-08T12:01:00.001-04:00

Linzy and Abby

It is a rare event when a mere matter of minutes transforms a lifetime of experience into its proper perspective.

On November 18, 2008 at approximately 2:45 in the afternoon, my wife, Cynthia, received a telephone call. The news, though anticipated, was startling.

Moments before our daughter, Linzy and her husband, Chris gave birth to 6 pound, 14-ounce baby girl, Abigail Kate. Boy’s and Girl’s names had been gleaned during prior phone calls. Abby's sex, which had never been disclosed, was news.

The shocker: shortly after birth Abby Kate was whisked away to see a cardiac specialist. She had been born with a hole in the wall of her heart. The other news, equally surprising, Abby was born with Down Syndrome. Neither Chris’ nor our families had a history.

As the news registered, I went into shock.

"I am leading a charmed life," I thought. "How does something like this happen to me and my family?"

The year's troubling events suddenly assumed less significance. The housing and market gyrations; son, Alex's, challenging job and personal situation; other son, Charley's, job security. Concerns that once dominated our thoughts paled by comparison. Little did I realize then, my perceptions of the need for perfection were about to change dramatically.

In the coming weeks or months, Abby would require open heart surgery to repair the damaged heart wall. Until she was strong enough to survive it, her heart would just have to pump harder and more often than yours or mine, doctors explained.

With Abby spending the night in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Chris and Linzy spend the evening in tears, reconciling themselves to the realities of their situation. Two days later day as hospital nurse helped them dress Abby in a pink sleeper, warm winter snow suit and showed them how to secure the car seat, she said,

“Other parents who take their newborns home today are not worried about the future. Enjoy today. Dress Abby in a pretty pink outfit and hope she spits up on it, so you can dress her in another. The future will take care of itself."

Over the next few days and weeks each family member experienced a range of emotions: Joy disbelief, surprise, sadness, anticipation.

I will never forget Abby's first visit to Darien. She was five weeks old. Chris, Linzy and Abby traveled north from their home in Reston, VA to spend the Christmas holidays with us in Connecticut. Abby had only gained an ounce or two since birth. I could hold her in the palm of my hand. Her heart defect required her to breath 175 times a minute. Her thin lips were a constant shade of blue. Veins and arteries that carried precious little oxygen and nutrition to her tiny extremities were clearly visible beneath her translucent skin. It was difficult to divert eyes away while she took many tiny but valuable breathes. You were never assured that the previous one was not her last.

We knew our granddaughter had a tough road ahead, but we came to accept she was a special gift. One look at the determination in her blue eyes as she struggled for oxygen convinced me she was fighter. I was reminded of my mother telling me as a young boy that she was not impressed with grades or intelligence. She wanted my sisters and I to be tough. Abby’s determined look as she fought for breaths convinced me she qualified as tough. I was lucky to be her grandfather.

Despite her struggles, Abby was remarkably laid back. She slept through the myriad of tests and exams to which she was subjected. She never cried. While awake, she never took her eyes from yours. I would be fortunate if I could develop the same sense of calm.

Her doctors wanted her to gain weight so she would be strong enough to survive the eight-hour surgery to repair her heart. The problem: her continued rapid breathing sapped the energy she required gain weight and strength.

Linzy, a gifted first grade teacher, grew up squeamish and afraid of the sight of blood. Bottle feeding required patience and was often unsuccessful. It was difficult for Abby to swallow while she she was breathing as rapidly as she did. At first, doctors suggested adding a double batch of formula to her bottles in the hopes of increasing her caloric count. When that strategy failed, they taught my daughter to insert tubes through Abby's nostrils and pour her double and triple doses of formula through them directly into her esophagus. The initial suggestion was enough to disgust Linzy. Despite her initial revulsion to the technique, my daughter summoned the courage to attempt the method and eventually became quite accomplished with this unusual feeding method.

Ounce by precious ounce, Abby slowly began to add weight. Some weeks Abby’s weight would increase a bit; others almost none at all.

Linzy, who was still on maternal leave, slept by Abby’s side during her two extended hospital stays. My daughter changed in ways I never would have believed possible. Upon returning to her classroom, 4 months later, she found a new sympathy for her slower-learning students and quickly found herself joining their parents as their advocate.

Chris and Abby

Chris became Abby's favorite. They bonded in the hospital and have retained a special father-daughter relationship to this day.

My family responded in ways I never would have anticipated. Cynthia, my wife, was immediately on call. After Abby was born, she stayed in Virginia to help Linzy and Chris through Thanksgiving. When Abby required hospitalization before the surgery, Cynthia was in her car headed south on I-95, at a moment's notice. She said it was to help Chris. I recognized the truth; she loved her new granddaughter.

Charley, her brother, reacted in ways I still cannot believe. An All-State Linebacker and two-time All-American in Lacrosse in high school, he would cuddle Abby in his hand for hours, unable to take his eyes off her. It was almost as if he could not believe that anything this small could be alive. To this day, he and Abby face-time at least once a week.

Alex, her other brother, worked the summer after graduation from college as a waiter. As soon as he saved $10,000, he loaded his 10-year-old Jetta, made a leisurely trip cross country to settle in Portland, Oregon. For the next five years trips telephone calls home were infrequent. Trips home even rarer.

When Abby was two, he opted to attend the wedding of his cousin in Tennessee. Following a long weekend, we loaded him on a plane for the return trip to Portland. Two weeks later, he called home, also a rare occurrence, to report that he wanted to come back to Connecticut. He said the weekend made him realize how much he had missed being 3,000 miles away.

Perhaps the biggest change was the one I experienced. After six decades of being driven to perfection in everything I did, I began to realize how unimportant it is. Abby is not perfect; never will be. Yet she has a charisma few can match. Many say she has a disability; I see her capabilities. She lights up every room she enters. I watch in awe as she changes people's perceptions and preconceived notions through the power of her magnetic personality.

Now aged 7 and in first grade, names are important to her. Upon meeting you, she holds out her hand and says,

“My name is Abby. This is my sister Hayley. What’s yours?”

This past month as a first year Girl Scout Daisy, she sold 185 boxes of Girl Scout cookies. Thanks to the miracle of FaceTime, I witnessed Abby read a library book. I love to hear her observations of the world around her. I now view her uniqueness as a bearer of a divine glory that touched my conscience and awakened my sense of selflessness.

Dismiss me, if you will, as a proud Grandfather. My granddaughter, Abby, makes the world a better place. I know she changed mine.
Craig L. Howe
The Pointed Pundit
Faulkner & me LLC

Website

Facebook

Twitter

500px

My Faith Statement

2016-06-01T15:49:00.000-04:00

In high school, my best friend’s family owned a summer home on Chautauqua Lake in Upstate New York. During a visit, he and his dad invited me to drive their boat. It was one of those old, beautiful wooden, in-board Chris-Craft. Upon returning to their dock, Mr. Lillie commented “You have two speeds, Craig: full and stop.”

It proved prescient.

I was born in Buffalo, New York in 1949. My dad was in his second year of medical school. At the end of that year, we settled in a small village south of town. By the time he was graduated, I had two sisters.

My mother, a lifelong Presbyterian, had a philosophy-- I’ll edit it a bit -- “where the rear end sits, the mind will eventually follow.” We spent a lot of time in church. Not all of it was productive. I remember discovering one Sunday morning the communion cup pew holders - the ones in Hamburg did not have the rubber stoppers - were a ring-size 12.

I discovered that by getting my size 13 ring finger stuck in one. It took two hymns, a prayer, sermon and the better part of the benediction to extract it.

That was the culture. The commitment came in the early 1960s. The Hamburg Presbyterian Church called Gary Demarest as its pastor. He was articulate, charismatic, dynamic. Some of you may remember he was a Noroton Lecturer a few years ago. He was John Hart’s favorite professor at Fuller. Prior to seminary, he pitched for the Washington Senators and was an early member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

It was decided I should attend a camp near Syracuse. During those four days, I heard The Word like I never before. By the final night, I accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior. Back then, FCA was not so focused as it is today. Unfortunately, my tendencies took over.

Tom Sawyer’s observation following his trip to the Revival Meeting is relevant.

“The preacher”, he said, “was so good, even Huck Finn was saved until Tuesday.”

So I went to college, graduate school, started working at Dow-Jones, met Cindy, married Cindy, moved to New York, joined The Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church, moved to Darien, joined NPC, had three children. We immediately become advisors to The Shac. I was ordained a Deacon, served on the search committee that called Chris Taylor. Everything was great until the mid 1980s when I had the confrontation.

I was as low as I have never been. I hated everything I had become. When I reached the absolute end of my resources, I turned to God and admitted my helplessness. At that moment, I felt a physical weight being lifted off my shoulders. For the next several months, I experienced an amazing peace.

Now you would just think that someone who had experienced this would figure it out. Give your problems to God, live on a pink cloud. But when I encounter simple things; I look for complexity; when I cannot find it, I add it. I continually forget the only difference between the Lord Father and me: He never acts as if he is Craig Howe.

That is the daily challenge. Keep things simple. Every morning I find myself drawn to my Dad’s favorite Bible verse: Micah 6:8.

“And what does the Lord require of you?

To act justly and to love mercy

and to walk humbly with your God.”

It does not get much more straightforward than that. Trust and surrender with the goal being to see if I can stay saved to Wednesday or perhaps even Thursday.

Craig L. Howe

The Pointed Pundit

Think Tank Photo's My 2nd Brain

2016-01-13T11:42:00.003-05:00

For the past six weeks I have been using a great computer carrying case: The My 2nd Brain Briefcase.

The name offers no hyperbole.

I have been frustrated attempting to place all my Apple products and their cords into my old case. With my new case, designed by Think Tank Photo, Inc., they fit. And the best part is that all this stuff can be carried comfortably thanks to the well-designed, shoulder pad.

(There is also a version that houses a 13” MacBook.)

My version features:

• Separate dedicated pockets for a 15” MacBook, iPad, iPhone 6+ and other Apple accessories
• Intuitive design for rapid access and an improved workflow
• Seam-sealed rain cover protects valuable electronics.

(There is also a version designed for a 13” MacBook.)

WHAT FITS

• 15” MacBook
• iPad
• iPhone 6+
• Apple specific power supply
• Apple specific cables
• Headphones

SPECIFICATIONS

External Dimensions: 16.5” W x 12.6 H x 4.5” D (42 x 32 x 11.5 cm)
Main Compartment: 15” W x 11” H x 2.8” D (38 x 28 x 7 cm)
Rear Laptop Compartment: 15” W x 10.6” H x 1.2” D (38 x 27 x 3 cm)
Front iPad Pocket: 11.4” W x 8.7” H x 0.6” D (29 x 22 x 1.5 cm)
Weight: 2.4 lbs (0.7 kg)

I own this case, purchased with my own money and used for six weeks. I could not be happier. If you are an Apple user and looking for a carrying case, you will have to look long and hard to do better than ThinkTank’s The My 2nd Brain Briefcase.

Craig L. Howe

The Pointed Pundit

Two Minutes, 42 Seconds with a Master

2016-01-05T14:59:00.001-05:00

It is rare when one has an opportunity to sit at foot of a Master. This Two Minute, 42 second video by the legendary photographer Jay Maisel is one of them. "How to Be a Better Photographer" is one of them. It is worth every second invested. Craig L. Howe The Pointed Pundit www.craig.photoshelter.com Facebook at http://goo.gl/6HAux Twitter at http://goo.gl/WYROF

My Favorite Images of 2015

2016-01-04T15:43:00.003-05:00

It’s that time of the year when I look back and review and evaluate that past twelve months of my photographic year. I do this by taking a look at all the pictures I have kept and picking those that are my favorites. I define ‘favorite’ by those images that I like the most and that were the most meaningful to me. This isn’t rocket science, this is just pure emotion- my emotion. These 12 images made the cut.

My favorite image of 2015 is the black and white conversion of Mt. Timpanogo’s captured from the banks of the Provo River near Heber City, Utah. A close second is “Abe’s View,” captured one summer morning looking out from the Lincoln Memorial over the Mall. I am still amazed at the number of people on the Mall at 5 a.m.

My 2015 included three trips to Utah, a month in Michigan, a short trip to Big Sur, CA, a day trip to Boston for a Yankees - Red Sox game and several days in Virginia. It goes without saying that the area near my Connecticut home is a constant source of inspiration.

I consider myself a generalist as a photographer. But a quick review of the photos show that 2015 most of my work was landscapes. The other images are of a Lacrosse game, a flower blossom and a portrait.

Who knows what 2016 will bring. I trust there will be light and that my Nikon D810 will do a great job of capturing it.

So what are your Favorite Photos of 2015? A new year is here, start plan now for your favorites of 2016. A gallery of my 2015 favorites is located on my website.

Craig L. Howe The Pointed Pundit Website Facebook Twitter 500px

Think Tank Photo Releases New Shoulder Bags

2015-09-10T10:21:00.002-04:00

Think Tank Photo just announced the release of two new product line extensions as well as a new “free gift” offer.

The first are the Retrospective® 5 Leather, Retrospective® 7 Leather, and Retrospective® 30 Leather. These upscale, rugged shoulder bags maintain the Retrospective’s casual, form-fitting design. A new Dual Cross buckle on the front flap provides a measure of security. The new shoulder bags are designed to hold tablets and laptops in dedicated zipper pockets.

The new Mirrorless® Mover 25i fits one medium to large mirrorless body, plus two to four lenses, an 8” tablet, and additional accessories. It features metal hardware, high quality fabrics, YKK® zippers and a magnetic closure.

And, through the end of September, whenever you buy an eligible backpack from Think Tank you will receive Camera Support Straps V2.0 along with a Camera Strap V2.0 free! Think Tank offers a wide variety of innovative, high quality transportation and field photography backpacks.

With the Camera Support Strap V2. no more sore shoulders or neck aches!

Craig L. Howe

The Pointed Pundit

Website
Facebook

Twitter

500px

A Great Looking Bracelet

2015-06-29T20:00:00.001-04:00

Go ahead.

Call me a sap.

The e-mail offering me the Copper Magnetic TherapyBracelet for Men and Women (Fashion Striped) contained the magic word: Free.

Who knows, I thought, it might work. My knees ache. I have undergone several surgeries to correct or repair problems with them. My hips ache. My doctor warned me decades ago that I was too big to continue distance running. Perhaps he was right. My hands ache. I am getting old. My parts are wearing out and stopping operation.

I will try it.

The Copper Magnetic Therapy Bracelet for Men and Women (Fashion Striped) arrived promptly and I proceeded to wear it for the next week.

It may have helped with my aches. I could not be sure. So I removed it from my wrist only to find a green oxidation stain on my wrist. I gave it to my wife. She experiences similar aches. After one day’s usage she returned to me.

I decided to do some research. Wikipedia states:

“Copper is commonly used in jewelry, and folklore says that copper bracelets relieve arthritis symptoms.^[100] In alternative medicine, some proponents speculate that excess copper absorbed through the skin can treat some ailments, or that the copper somehow creates a magnetic field, treating nearby tissue.

“In various studies, though, no difference is found between arthritis treated with a copper bracelet, magnetic bracelet, or placebo bracelet.^[101][102] As far as medical science is concerned, wearing copper has no known benefit, for any medical condition at all. A human being can have a dietary copper deficiency, but this is very rare, because copper is present in many common foods, including legumes (beans), grains, and nuts. ^[103]

“There is no evidence that copper even can be absorbed through the skin.”

This is for sure: the bracelet looks great.

Craig L. Howe

The Pointed Pundit

Website
Facebook

Twitter
500px

William Zinsser, Author of ‘On Writing Well,’ Dead at 92

2015-05-17T11:04:00.003-04:00

William Zinsser, a writer, editor and teacher whose book “On Writing Well” sold more than 1.5 million copies by employing his own literary craftsmanship to urge clarity, simplicity, brevity and humanity, died on Tuesday at his home in Manhattan. He was 92.

Zinsser wrote 19 books, taught at Yale and elsewhere, was drama editor and movie critic for The New York Herald Tribune and executive editor of the Book-of-the-Month Club.

But it was his role as an arbiter of good writing that resonated with me. “On Writing Well,” was first published by Harper & Row in 1976, and revised often to remain relevant to writers.

It is a book that editors and teachers encouraged writers to reread annually in the manner of another classic on the craft of writing, “The Elements of Style,” by William Strunk Jr. and E. B. White.

“Ultimately, the product any writer has to sell is not the subject being written about, but who he or she is,” Mr. Zinsser wrote in “On Writing Well.” He added: “I often find myself reading with interest about a topic I never thought would interest me — some scientific quest, perhaps. What holds me is the enthusiasm of the writer for his field.”

His advice was simple Write clearly. Guard the message with your life. Avoid jargon and big words. Use active verbs. Make the reader think you enjoyed writing the piece.

He communicated that with lively turns of phrase:

“There’s not much to be said about the period except that most writers don’t reach it soon enough,” he wrote in “On Writing Well.”

“Abraham Lincoln and Winston Churchill rode to glory on the back of the strong declarative sentence.”

Zinsser may have passed but his writing wisdom will survive.

Craig L. Howe

The Pointed Pundit

Website
Facebook

Twitter
500px

Ten Steps to Oratory Eloquence

2015-04-16T14:44:00.002-04:00

As you hang up the telephone, the icy fingertips of panic grip your stomach; your heart races. Your most recent project was delivered on time, within budget, and is approaching payback one year ahead of schedule. Your industry association wants you to address their annual convention.

Relax: they believe you have something to offer. Here are 10 rules to ease your palpitations.

As you think about your speech, remember the second rule: all great speeches, and even some good ones, require shape. As a practitioner of the forensic form, I find the old saw is hard to beat: “Tell them what you will tell them; tell them; then tell them what you told them.”

Wait a minute, you say. What is the first step? “Shake hands with the audience” is the answer. I already did it by noting that you have something worthy of being said. Former Ambassador Robert Strauss used to begin his addresses like this: “Before I begin this speech, I have something to say.” This passage was always composed in a style that enabled him to reclaim a powerful tone for the instructive portion of his remarks. Make the first step a quick one. Put on your smile; calm your nerves, then get to work.

Your skeleton now needs flesh and blood to spring to life; structure needs a pulse. A good speech needs a beat, a sense of movement to get the audience tapping its mental foot. One technique orators through the ages have used is anaphora, the repeated beginning. For example, from Reverend Jesse Jackson:

“Get ready. It’s morning time. From the slave ship; to the championship; it’s morning time. From the outhouse; to the state house; to the courthouse; to The White House; it’s morning time . . ..” Don’t overlook parallelism. It sings. It excites. It works.

What else is required? Occasion. There comes a dramatic time in the life of a person, party, organization, or nation that cries for the uplift and release of a speech. Someone is called on to articulate the pride, hope or grief of it all. The speaker becomes the center of attention, and the world stops to listen.

A closely related item is forum. Be it the floor of the United States Senate or the dais in the convention hall, each viewer in the audience must feel like the extension of a vast audience. One-on-one may sell; one-on-a-million thrills.

The fifth required element is focus. A “great” speech does not need to start out great and stay great to the finish. It needs to engage your listeners, and then make allowances for a dip in interest in the middle. It then builds to its climax. John Stuart Mill, the political economist, defined the orator’s art: “Everything important to his purpose was said at the exact moment when he had brought the minds of his audience into the state most fitted to receive it.”

To handshake, shape, pulse, occasion, forum and focus, add purpose. A speech should be made for a good reason. To inspire, to instruct, to rally, or to lead are noble purposes. To sound off, to feed a speaker’s ego, or to flatter or intimidate are not.

Add theme to the list. If you cannot answer the question “what do you want to say” in a single, declarative sentence, do yourself and your audience a favor: decline the invitation.

Delivery is the essence of eloquence. It requires practice, discipline, drilling and timing. You can be your own trainer. As you develop self-confidence, you put the audience at ease or make them sit up. Your eye is in contact with the people, not the page. Your professional passion is contagious.

Every audience needs a sense of completion. It begins with a quiet, declarative sentence; it builds in a series of semicolons; it employs the puissance of parallelism; it reaches to the farthest rafter and reverberates with the action and passion of our time, and—forgetting those silly rules of short sentences and banishments against self-adulation—it grabs each conventioneer by his or her lapels and shouts to their hearts and souls to say, “This—this is the end of the best speech you will ever have the good fortune to experience.”

Follow these rules, and you will experience instant, sustained applause punctuated by the occasional “bravo!” at the conclusion of your speech. Be forewarned: there is an ever-present pugnacious pundit punk in every audience who wrinkles his brow and wonders aloud, “But what was really said?”

As for everyone else, they will offer their highest compliment—their undivided attention.

Craig L. Howe

The Pointed Pundit

Website

Facebook

Twitter

The Pointed Pundit

Storyteller

The Elephant's Draw

Fresh Eyes for Familiar Places

Morning on the Mall

Another Unforgettable Smile

Serious Wanderlust

My Backyard

East African Memories

Inspired by Greatness

Think Tank Photo Releases Third Generation of Award-winning Airport Rolling Camera Bags

New Tricks for an Old Dog

Prayer Triplets

A Disappointing Look at a Stock Market Star

A Disappointing Look at a Stock Market Star

Craig L. HoweThe Pointed PunditFaulkner & me LLCWebsiteFacebookTwitter500px

Loose Lashes; A Long Voyage

Craig L. HoweThe Pointed PunditFaulkner & me LLCWebsiteFacebookTwitter500px

Loose Lashes; A Long Voyage

Faithfully Fit

A Grandfather's Love

My Faith Statement

Think Tank Photo's My 2nd Brain

Two Minutes, 42 Seconds with a Master

My Favorite Images of 2015

Think Tank Photo Releases New Shoulder Bags

A Great Looking Bracelet

William Zinsser, Author of ‘On Writing Well,’ Dead at 92

Ten Steps to Oratory Eloquence

Craig L. HoweThe Pointed PunditFaulkner & me LLCWebsiteFacebook
Twitter
500px

Craig L. HoweThe Pointed PunditFaulkner & me LLCWebsite
FacebookTwitter
500px