Mona Montanino

Watching national news broadcasting all day and night makes people more aggressive, especially seniors! I am just making an observation here.

Every time I go to visit certain senior citizens, and I'm not mentioning names.....I notice CNN and CNBC, and FOX News blarring on the television. Actually, I am being a bit vague here, it's always FOX News, although I am sure that in other homes it may be CNBC or CNN, BBC, name your flavor. In any case, the same result occurs.

I find myself getting angry and a little edgy. No wonder I don't watch televison anymore.

I just can't believe how depressed and angry people get, listening to all the negativity and drama on the televison. I can't stand it anymore. I try not to visit certain individuals, during morning and afternoon due to the all day long news broadcasting.

I finally realized that if I plan my visits in the evening, when sitcoms are usually on the "boob tube", it puts people in a happier place! Thus less aggression and a more pleasurable time for all involved.

I just wanted to share that. Just stay away from the 24/7 national news network, give it a rest 22 hours of the day, and you may find that you are a lot happier, and you will have more visits from your kids and grandkids....oops, did I say that??? :)

TC Surfers For Autism, Wish List Jam at Wahoos on the Water, Cocktail Party & Concert to Benefit SFA

Please attend the festivities this Saturday 6pm, March 13th, 2010 for an evening of cocktails, friendship, networking, music, cocktails and fabulous entertainment!

On the water in Stuart, Wahoos has offered the use of its facility for the cause, with its beautiful riverfront view.

Fresh Catch is donating their musical talents to the community, once again. Other acts to be determined.

There will be a raffle and auction, and you can believe there will be some awesome prizes! I will be donating a prize too! :)

Admission is just $10. This includes free valet parking, one free drink ticket and a raffle ticket. Not too shabby! So come out to support a fabulous cause!

My son Matthew, who has Williams Syndrome was able to participate in the program last year at the Stuart Beach. To see him riding a surf board was an unbelievable sight that I never thought I would see! His endorphins were flowing! He also had the opportunity of socializing with Ms Teen Florida that day too!

The event is to benefit Surfers for Autism. 10% of the proceeds will be donated to the Stephen Schafer Memorial Fund. SFA(Surfers For Autism) is growing with 8 events already scheduled for 2010.

It is more important than ever that they become as self sufficient as possible due to the size of the events. They are registering as many as 200 surfers for each event. The SFA have created a "Wish List" of items needed for the 2010 surf season. So that is why they need your support.

So, are you in??? I will certainly be there with bells on...or maybe with wet suit on! :)

Ciao 4 Now,

Mona Montanino

Mason Title Insurance

772-579-0254

mona4masontitle@gmail.com

mmontanino@masontitle.com

Last night I had the pleasure of going to a french bistro with my son in CityPlace. It was called Carousel. The food was great, the service outstanding, and the CanCan girls, well what's not to like.

I did a little research on CanCan's and found that basically they are a group of chorus girls dressed in petticoats and skirts and black stockings, much like the dress from back in the 1890's. The dance is basically the lifting up and manipulating of the skirt in a provocative way with high kicking and dancing. I never knew a person could lift their legs as high, and hold it there!

If you have any visitors from out of town, you should visit the Carousel in downtown CityPlace. It was a very festive atmosphere, and my son forgot all about his admiration for the Radio City Rockettes, and has since replaced it with his new favorite kickline!

Check out the photos.

Carousel Can Can Cafe

700 S Rosemary Ave.

West Palm Beach, FL

(561)833-6001

How To Quickly Scroll To Your Most Current Message ON Your Blackberry?

How do I quickly scroll to my most current message, when I have found that my Blackberry has been rolling around in my purse all morning without it's cover? Well I am ashamed to say that I didn't know the answer for 3 years as a Blackberry owner, but I finally found out this week!

Do you ever find that your Blackberry scroll button has you about 2,000 emails back, and you have to scroll your way up to the top with the scroll ball to get to your most current message? Isn't that the most annoying thing?

I remember talking to a Realtor about it almost 3 years ago. I asked her if she knew how to scroll to the top, and she told me she didn't,but while she is driving, she has her teenager scroll to the top for her. Is that considered slavery? Well, anyway, who am I to pass judgement!

Seriously though,aren't we all so darn lazy when it comes to reading owner manuals?

In the past, I have found myself slapping that scroll ball in a frenzy for ten minutes trying to get to my current message. Well I will save you scroll ball slappers some extra time, the next time it happens to you......

Pay attention! INSTRUCTIONS BELOW!

Get ready for this:

How To Quickly Scroll To Your Most Current Message ON Your Blackberry?

Press T for Top, to get to your current messages.

Press B for Bottom, to get to your oldest messages.

SIMPLE!

Hope you find this little tidbit helpful!

Ciao 4 Now,

Mona Montanino

Mason Title Insurance

mmontanino@masontitle.com

You can modify your own mortgage!

For those of you that haven't had success trying to modify your own mortgage in Florida, I can tell you that it is possible! I know this for a fact.

As a title company rep, the majority of my business coming from South Florida. I have come across so many of my colleagues in the real estate and mortgage business, as well as their clients, feeling the pain of the market conditions.

We are all faced with some form of it, whether it be lack of income, increased expenses, loss of job, situations, decreased revenue...

It is difficult to watch your neighbor fear losing his or her home. One neighbor in particular, a single mother and I were talking. She has been paying her mortgage on time for the past three years since she moved into her townhouse, but now at the end of her "nest egg." Her income has decreased, her expenses increased, she had been asking her lender for assistance for 1 1/2 years, but the bank continued ignoring her requests.

She knew her townhouse was upside down, worth half of what her purchase price was. She couldn't refinance, of course, since the house wouldn't appraise!

Everyone else was getting their loan modifications, but she kept hearing from the bank, "Sorry Ms. Smith, I hate to say this, but unless you are late on your mortgage payment, past 30-60 days, there really is nothing we can do for you." She was so angry.

She continued to call, being the responsible person she was, still using her credit cards to pay bills, draining her savings, why weren't they helping her?

Finally, it became a business decision. She decided that she could rent someplace else, short sale her townhouse, then maybe stop the bleeding! One mid September day, we sat in her kitchen as she called the bank. She told her lender, "I will not be sending in my mortgage payment as of October 1st. I have called the bank for 1 1/2 years, asking for help. I have drained my savings, used my credit cards, and now my back is against the wall. This is my home, the property is completely upside down, I have no choice but to do a short sale!

Guess what happened? Before she was even late, they actually put her through to someone in the Making Home Affordable Dept., she went through her financials over the phone, was eligible, and sent her modification papers. She was not happy with the first mod they sent her, she called back, went over her financials again, and found that the bank was truly willing to help her.

The lender knocked off 4% off her interest for the first 5 years, and she can now afford to live in her home, with some additional room to breathe!

So the moral of this story is "Do not give up!" You can modify your own mortgage, talk to your bank, know what to say, and be able to substantiate your request.