VanDyk Mortgage - January 2022

VanDyk Mortgage - January 2022

JANUARY 2022

Letters From the Hart Give us a call! 239-437-4278 Or visit www.TimHartJr.com Corporate NMLS #3035 www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org

THE WORLD’S FUNNIEST BELLY FLOP

This Old Memory Still Makes Me Chuckle!

When I’m trying to decide what to write about in this newsletter, one thing I do for inspiration is review all of the goofy holidays coming up. There are a boatload of them, ranging from National Personal Trainer Awareness Day to National Cream Puff Day. (Ironically, those are both Jan. 2.) I don’t actually write about these weird holidays very often, but this month, one of them caught my eye: Jan. 24, aka Global Belly Laugh Day. I immediately chuckled to myself when I read it, because it reminded me of a day in high school that still makes me laugh. It happened years and years ago, but it’s still one of my best memories with one of my best friends. Thanks to me finding these weird holidays on Google, you get to hear about it! First, let me set the scene. When I was a teenager, I went to Mariner High School, and every year, the baseball team fundraised by throwing a bass fishing tournament. On this particular year, my friend Travis Smith and I decided to give it a go. Unfortunately, when we showed up, we realized we were a bit outclassed by everyone else. There we were: two big teenagers in a 10-foot aluminum johnboat with a tiny little trolling motor.

There were at least 30 boats on the water, and every one but ours was worth $40,000 apiece. The hilarity started when the announcers began listing off boats. One by one, the bass boats roared to life and sped off down the canal and into Lake Okeechobee. The first 11 boats sounded like lions. Then, they got to boat number 12.

on a ledge built into one of the pilings. It was about 40 pounds, so he figured it would hold us in place. I was sitting in the back of the boat while he got the whole thing ready. He picked up the battery and leaned waaaaay out over the water, stretching his arms to reach the ledge. For a second, everything froze. Then, the boat started to flip! It launched Travis into the air, and he flailed around up there like a cartoon for a good 2 seconds before splashing down in a belly flop. I laughed so hard I almost joined him in the water! Of course, once I could breathe, I had to help pull the battery back out of the 15-foot-deep water. At one point, my dad zoomed by in his bass boat, and we were so embarrassed that we hid! By noon, we gave up on fishing completely and headed home four hours early, soaking wet, shivering, and practically crying from laughter. I still can’t think about that day without cracking up, and I hope you got at least a bit of that enjoyment from reading about it. I have to bring the story up to Travis at least once a year to keep us both humble.

“Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!”

My Jon boat’s battery-powered trolling motor shrieked in protest when I cranked it. With 500 pounds of dude in the boat, it “took off” at about 3 miles per hour! Travis and I could hear our friends laughing from the shoreline as we putt-putted away, and we were cracking up at just how out of place and unprepared we were. The lack of preparation didn’t stop there. By 8 a.m., we’d eaten all the lunch we packed and were still starving. We were only half a mile from the ramp, but our stomachs won. We pulled over at an orange grove and snagged around 10 oranges apiece. For the next 30 minutes, our “fishing” consisted of floating down the river, laughing, and stuffing our faces with fruit. We left a mile-long trail of peels! After a while, we spotted a bridge that looked like a good spot to fish, but we didn't have an anchor. Looking around the boat, my buddy Travis had the brilliant idea to pull out the motor’s battery, tie a rope around it, and set it

And there they were: grown adults sitting in shiny, decked-out bass boats!

Happy Global Belly Laugh Day!

NMLS #354676

VanDyk Mortgage | www.TimHartJr.com | 239-437-4278

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When it comes to flying on an airplane, you can avoid cramped legs by upgrading to first class or catch a view by picking the window seat. However,

Usually, the ear popping is irritating but nothing more. However, in rare cases, the pressure can lead to ear pain and even loss in hearing, especially if your ears don’t pop.

AIRPLANE EARS

there’s no getting around your ears popping during takeoff and landing. Believe it or not, there is a scientific explanation behind this common annoyance. As you read this, you’re likely not on an airplane, and the air pressure on either side of your eardrums is equal. Air is currently passing right on through your eustachian tube, a narrow passage that leads from your middle ear cavity to your

In this case, you may need to make an effort to get your eustachian tube to open by yawning, talking, or swallowing. Sucking on a piece of candy, swallowing some water,

or chewing gum may also help! One of the best things you can do is make sure you are not sleeping as the airplane takes off or lands because your eustachian tube isn’t able to open and close normally. If you commonly struggle with congestion or sore ears on flights, taking a nasal decongestant before you board may ensure that your eustachian tube is not blocked.

The Science Behind Your Ears Popping on Flights

pharynx and allows for pressure to be equalized on each side of your eardrums. When you’re in flight on an airplane, air pressure is not equal. During both ascent and

descent, your eardrums stretch to try to adapt to the changes. In order to equalize the pressure, your eustachian tube needs to open and close. When it does, your ears pop!

If your hearing and ears do not return to normal shortly after the flight, be sure to schedule an appointment to see your health care professional as soon as possible.

January is a big month for sports. The College Football Playoff takes place, the NFL playoffs begin, and the NBA and NHL seasons are fully underway. Stars from each of these leagues have cultivated a global fan base and become celebrities. While this might seem like something that could only happen in the present day thanks to international media and the internet, historically, many gladiators reached untold levels of fame thousands of years ago. For the most part, gladiators were not born into wealth and never saw much money during their careers. In most cases, they were originally slaves who became so indebted that they had nothing left to sell but their bodies. For a variety of reasons, slaves were chosen and sent to gladiatorial schools, where they trained to become the best at their craft. When we think of gladiators, we often picture giant arenas and lots of death, but that was rarely the case. It’s estimated that anywhere from 1 in 5 to 1 in 8 matches ended with a combatant’s death. While the gladiators themselves did not have much money, they were very expensive to train and not easily replaced. GLADIATORS: The Original Celebrity Athletes?

Promotions for gladiator fights were very similar to what you see when traveling to a professional sports stadium today. Instead of paper posters to promote athletes or upcoming games, the ancient Romans painted their posters directly on walls. These painted posters often gave dates and times for upcoming matches and included gladiators’ names and sometimes even their records. For a better understanding of gladiators and the popularity of their matches, take a look at the Colosseum in Rome. This massive amphitheater was built almost 2,000 years ago and could seat up to 75,000 people. For comparison, the biggest

stadiums in America hold a little over 100,000 people. Back then, there were no Jumbotrons or screens to see from far away. Tens of thousands of people

would go to watch gladiator fights with nothing but their own two eyes.

While they might not have had the luxuries or money our current athletes have, gladiators still had quite a bit of fame. If anything, gladiators prove that athletes are and always have been incredibly influential in society.

VanDyk Mortgage | www.TimHartJr.com | 239-437-4278

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“My favorite part of my job at this branch of VanDyk is helping people out,” he says. “Everyone on this team is willing to go above and beyond for our clients.” Jon is a great junior processor because he’s really organized and takes a structured approach to each day. That helps him knock

As our lead transaction coordinator, Kelly manages our lead retention program by communicating with administrative staff on the branch level, our loan officers and buyers and their realtors. She thoroughly enjoys her job and the many facets that this position supports.

Outside of work, Kelly and her husband and mother like to explore Florida from the west coast to the east coast.

out his tasks quickly and leaves plenty of time for his after-work hobbies: fishing, camping, and exploring the outdoors with his dogs, Layla and Autumn. Kelly Sweeney: Our Adventurer Kelly Sweeney’s owned and worked as a consultant for a Merle Norman Cosmetic Studio where she gained many talents that complemented her final employment opportunity working in the mortgage industry.

“Making décor out of fallen palm fronds and attending art classes at Art at the Cape has been a great experience,” she says. “We have made a charcuterie board, a few tabletops and several wall décor items with acrylic paints and embellishments to decorate our new Florida home. The Dirty Pour is my favorite style of art; you never know what you will get once it settles and dries! We love to venture out while boating, jet skiing, kayaking and just about anything that involves the water! No regrets on our 1,000-mile move south and having the opportunity to join an amazing team and mortgage company!

“I thoroughly enjoyed this stage in my work career as I learned so many aspects of customer service and building trust within families of customers. Teaching young women, their mothers as well as their grandmothers, specific techniques on how to apply makeup to enhance their own beauty, was very rewarding to me. As their families grew so did my customer base,” Kelly shared.

CR Marciano: Our Sports Fanatic After Jon, CR is the newest member of the Fantastic Four. He has been our assistant transaction coordinator for about nine months, and this is his first foray into the mortgage business after spending years in the metal industry. He’s a young guy who brings a fresh perspective to the team.

But it wasn’t long before she found her real calling in the mortgage industry! During her final year of pursuing a business degree in Computer Programming and Business Development, Kelly became a licensed loan officer. Now, fast forward almost 30 years she relocated from Williamsburg, Virginia, to SWFL. Browsing Facebook, she ran across one of the best processors she ever had while originating in VA. One conversation led to another, and she was referred to and recruited by VanDyk Mortgage.

“The two things I enjoy most about this job are the people I work with and how I can help our clients get into new homes,” CR says. “We always do our best to not let the loan process become an inconvenience in any way, and we are always friendly so it becomes stress-free for them.”

Like me, CR is a huge sports fan and one of his favorite things to do after work is watch football in person or on TV.

“I go to work, do my best, go home, and enjoy the company of my family with sports and hobbies I enjoy,” he says. “I spend time with my wonderful fiancé and family, watch FSU and the Broncos play, and play video games to pass the time and keep my brain working.” CR would end this article with his personal signoff: “GO NOLES and May the Force be with You always!” but I have to say GO GATORS!!

NMLS #354676

Trivia Question : What lake were Tim and Travis on for the tournament?

VanDyk Mortgage | www.TimHartJr.com | 239-437-4278

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PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411

Tim Hart, NMLS #354676 8280 College Parkway, Suite #101 Fort Myers, FL 33919

Give us a call! 239-437-4278 Or visit www.TimHartJr.com

Inside This Issue

A Flashback to Tim’s Funniest Memory PAGE 1

Why Do Your Ears Pop on Flights?

The Original ‘Celebrity’ Athletes PAGE 2

Testimonial From the Hart PAGE 3

Say Hello to Our Fantastic Four PAGE 4

MEET VANDYK’S FANTASTIC FOUR

Karen, Jon, Kelly, and CR Round Out Our Mortgage Team

Here at VanDyk, we have a whole Stark Tower full of great people who swoop in to save the day when our clients need to buy a home or refinance. Today, I want to introduce you to our Fantastic Four: Licensed Loan Officer Assistant Karen Ferranti, Junior Processor Jon Lescisin, Lead Transaction Coordinator Kelly Sweeney, and Assistant Transaction Coordinator CR Marciano.

early 2000s, she owned three businesses and worked in the construction, insurance, finance, child care, health and wellness, and substance abuse industries! That diverse experience makes her a great licensed loan officer assistant, because she has something to talk about with every client. Her favorite parts of the job are helping people buy their Florida dream homes and working with the rest of our team.

she’s a life coach/energy practitioner after work, leveraging her degrees in psychology and integrative health and healing. When she’s not helping our clients or coaching hers, you might see her reading, riding her bike, going to the beach, or spending time with her dogs, a 2-year-old cocker spaniel named Fiona and an almost 19-year-old pomapoo named Bentley. Jon Lescisin: The New Kid on the Block Okay, I called Jon “the new kid” but really, he isn’t — he’s just new to our branch. Before starting with our team as a junior processor about seven months ago, Jon worked at a different VanDyk branch out of Punta Gorda. He was a transaction coordinator, loan officer, and processor there for five years and brought all of that experience with him.

You may have met one or two of our team members if you’ve worked with us on a loan, but I promise this article will still be full of surprises.

“Every person who works here is dedicated to making sure that loans close on time, as smoothly as possible,” she says. “We are big on communication so there’s no one left wondering what is going on at any given moment.”

Karen Ferranti: Our Resident Healer

You’ll never meet another person like Karen in the mortgage business. Before she started in this industry in the

Karen works “at Mach 10” for us every day, and she also has a side hustle —

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VanDyk Mortgage | www.TimHartJr.com | 239-437-4278

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