The element in Mortgage Lending

the ELEMENT age Lending in Mortg

2 0 1 9 Q U A R T E R LY E D I T I O N

INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Manage the

HOLIDAYS STRANGE ORIGINS

EXCELLENCE AWARD Meeting JAMES BOND

of COMMON DEVICES

HEALTH in the NEWS

Learn about stroke

Spotlight

Lane Baron Loan Officer

A DIVISION OF PRIMARY RESIDENTIAL MORTGAGE INC

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Loan Originator in the Spotlight Lane Baron is dedicated to serving the home financing needs of his community. With his extensive knowledge of mortgage products, the loan process, and the local South Florida market, Lane ensures the mortgage experience is fast, easy, and hassle-free for homebuyers, realtors, and builders.

Recognized in the top 1% of Loan Originators in America, Lane creates comprehensive mortgage packages designed to meet each customer’s long and short-term financial goals.

Lane prides himself in his ability to understand and relate to his customers while helping them make the best financial decision to reach their goals.

Lane Baron

Element Funding | Loan Originator NMLS# 332466 1398 SW 160th Ave., Suite 501 Sunrise, FL 33326 954.332.0076 Office 954.868.1826 Cell 954.374.7309 Fax lbaron@elementfunding.com www.elementfunding.com/lbaron

Manage the holiday atmosphere with balance December is a month of celebrations—Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, New Year’s— and many distractions as well.

While you don’t want to squelch your employees’ enjoyment and enthusiasm for the holidays, you also don’t want to spend the month watching workplace productivity plummet. Here’s how to maintain the right balance: • Celebrate accomplishments. Let your workforce feel good about what they’ve achieved this year.

Remind them of successes, small and major—even if your most substantial achievement is just surviving a tough year.

Emphasize the value of working together on common goals.

• Set the right example. If employees see you sticking to your job during December, they’ll be more likely to stay attentive to their own responsibilities.

At the same time, be a little flexible to show employees you understand the stress and excitement they’re feeling.

• Support the festive atmosphere.

If you try to suppress any holiday spirit, employees may go “under the radar” to celebrate.

Encourage people to decorate, bring treats, or set up a gift exchange so they can enjoy the season openly.

• Plan for the future. Looking ahead to new projects and goals can be 2 | www.elementfunding.com

more attractive when people are feeling excited and hopeful.

Get employees involved in strategic planning now, instead of waiting for the day after New Year’s, when everyone feels tired, let down, or possibly hung over.

TALK TOWN OF THE

@ELEMENT FUNDING

Talk of the Town is Element’s latest monthly circular that highlight comments shared by fellow colleagues about other members of the organization who continuously make a positive contribution to the workplace through areas such as productivity or quality gains.

This Month’s EXCELLENCE AWARD goes to

Lane Baron Awarded for Exceptional Internal and External Service Above and Beyond Element Expectations

Look who else has been the Talk of the Town: Ray Evans: He is a great leader and truly cares for our clients.

Brad Roche: In just a couple of brief conversations, he has elevated my idea of value.

Marlene Pena: She is so helpful with everything.

Melanie Whobrey: She’s amazing!

Suzanne Wiggins: Suzanne is an unsung hero... behind the scenes...getting it done and often on very short notice with rush requests... never complains, never says no, but ALWAYS MAKES IT HAPPEN!!!

Ashley Campbell: Ashley has some of the hardest files yet she always seems to make it happen. She goes the extra mile.

Tonya King: Love working with Tonya, she goes above and beyond for us!

You all are true difference makers....every day.....thank you all!!!

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The strange origins of common devices Some very common devices in our modern lives have surprising—even shocking—origins. The Cracked website shares a few:

THE TREADMILL The exercise machine was designed by Sir William Cubitt in 1818 as a means to torture convicts. Prisoners would climb 11,000 feet per day as the “tread-wheel” pumped water and crushed grain.

PIGGY BANKS The name has nothing to do with actual pigs.

In the Middle Ages, jars used to save cash were made of an orange clay called “pygg” because metal was too expensive.

MATCHES The first friction match was created by a 19th-century apothecary stirring a mixture of chemicals with a wooden stick. When he tried to scrape off a dried glob of the compound, it ignited.

ESCALATORS One of the first escalators in the world was set up at Harrods in London. The experience was so overwhelming to riders that the store offered smelling salts and brandy to help them calm down.

X-RAYS William Roentgen took the first X-ray in 1895, not fully understanding what he’d discovered.

The first X-ray he took of a human was his wife’s

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Gingerbread Cheesecake Dip This Gingerbread Cheesecake Dip is always a party favorite for the holidays. Make it for your next holiday get together and I guarantee you’ll be the most popular person in the room!

Ingredients

8 ounces cream cheese softened 1/4 cup brown sugar 1/4 cup powdered sugar sifted 3 Tablespoons molasses 1 teaspoon ground ginger 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon dash nutmeg 4 oz Cool Whip or 1 1/2 cups freshly whipped cream Graham crackers for serving

Directions Beat the cream cheese until smooth, about 1 minute. Pour in the sugars and molasses and beat on medium speed until smooth and combined, about 1 minute.

Next add the ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg and mix until combined.

Finally, add the Cool Whip and beat until combined, about 30 seconds.

Transfer dip to a serving bowl and chill until ready to serve. Serve with graham crackers.

Dip can be stored in an airtight container for up to 1 week in the refrigerator.

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Health in the News Learn about stroke—and how to recognize one What is a stroke? Also called a “brain attack,” it’s when blood to an area of the brain is blocked, or when there’s sudden bleeding in the brain. Someone suffers a stroke every 40 seconds in the United States, according to the NBC News website. The website describes two different kinds of strokes that can occur: • Ischemic stroke. This is caused by a blood clot or plaque blocking a blood vessel in the brain.

• Hemorrhagic stroke. This is the result of a blood vessel bursting and bleeding into the brain.

The main causes of a stroke, according to the CDC, are high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, obesity, and diabetes.

How can you tell if someone is having a stroke? Remember the acronym

FAST:

F: Face. The face of a person having a stroke usually droops.

Ask the person to smile. If the smile is uneven, a stroke could be happening.

A: Arms. Ask the person to lift one or both arms above the head.

A weak or numb arm is another symptom of stroke.

S: Speech. Is the person slurring his or her words, unable to speak, or difficult to understand?

T: Time to call 911. If the person exhibits any of these symptoms, call for medical help immediately.

Millennials’ top health risks Millennials are young, but they’re not immune to health problems.

The Healthline website reports that, according to the Blue Cross Blue Shield

The health benefits of playing cards

Association, millennials 34–36 in 2017 were 11% less healthy than Gen Xers in 2014. Blue Cross lists the top 10 health conditions affecting millennials: 1. Major depression 2. Substance use disorder 3. Alcohol use disorder 4. Hypertension 5. Hyperactivity 6. Psychotic conditions 7. Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis 8. High cholesterol 9. Tobacco use disorder 10. Type 2 diabetes

Stress has a negative impact on everyone’s health. One way to ease the stress in your life? Play a game of cards.

Here’s how playing cards can help:

Millennials seem to be more affected by mental health issues than physical health problems, Blue Cross reports. Experts speculate that a number of factors are behind this: technological advances that inhibit the development of empathy at a young age; media overload highlighting news of terrorism, violence, and other dangers; undefined or uncertain work schedules; and other features of modern times.

Low pressure. Assuming you’re not playing high-stakes poker, a nice game of hearts offers entertainment. It doesn’t matter if you win or lose as long as you’re having fun.

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Conversation. A card game isn’t just about counting up points. It’s a good path to friendly and lively conversations.

Laughter. Conversation usually leads to laughter, which can reduce tension.

Brain exercise. Strategizing, keeping track of the play, and calculating your points helps keep your mind fresh.

No technology. A few hands of pinochle with friends lets you detach from technology for a while and reconnect with the rest of the world.

Meeting James Bond Roger Moore was one of the many actors to play James Bond in the long-running movie series. The website for The Independent tells the story of one young fan who met his idol in an airport—and what happened afterward.

‘Roger Moore,’” he explained, “because otherwise Blofeld [Bond’s archnemesis] might know I was here.” He asked Haynes not to blow his cover, and the boy boarded the plane excited to be working with James Bond.

When Mark Haynes was 7 years old, he spotted the actor in the airport in Nice, France, and implored his grandfather to ask “James Bond” for an autograph.

There’s an epilogue: As an adult, Haynes, now a scriptwriter, met Moore when he was recording a video for UNICEF.

Even though he had no idea who the actor was, Grandpa dutifully obliged, and Moore signed the boy’s plane ticket with his name— Roger Moore.

Young Haynes was confused, and Grandpa, embarrassed, handed the ticket back, saying that Moore had signed the wrong name.

Moore beckoned the young boy over. “I have to sign my name as

Haynes told him the story, and Moore smiled and said, “Well, I don’t remember, but I’m glad you got to meet James Bond.”

Then, as he was heading out to his car, Moore motioned Haynes over. “Of course, I remember our meeting in Nice,” he whispered.

“But I didn’t say anything in there, because those cameramen—any one of them could be working for Blofeld.”

Shop ’til you drop? Just be careful You’re probably shopping a lot more during the holiday season, so pay attention to your safety: • Pick the right time. Shop during daylight hours, when the mall or store won’t be too crowded. Bring a friend or family member with you for added security.

• Don’t overload yourself. Carrying an armful of bags and packages limits your freedom of movement.

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Combine items in a single bag, and take packages to your car before you can’t carry anymore (and be sure to place them in your trunk, out of sight).

• Give yourself time. Know how long you’re going to spend on shopping, and stop well before you have to get home (or wherever you’re headed next). You’ll be less likely to rush and more likely to be careful.

A DIVISION OF PRIMARY RESIDENTIAL MORTGAGE INC

A HIGH POWERED MORTGAGE COMPANY

with a hometown feel

www.ElementFunding.com Primary Residential Mortgage, Inc., DBA Element Funding, NMLS #3094. PRMI is an Equal Housing Lender. Some products and services may not be available in all states. Credit and collateral are subject to approval. Terms and conditions apply. Programs, rates, terms and conditions are subject to change and aare subject to borrower(s) qualification. This is not a commitment to lend. Florida Office of Financial Regulation MLD646. NMLS# 332466