Take a look at our October newsletter!
OCTOBER 2021
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5 Tips to Strengthen Your Mental Wellness FAI’s Kristi Laporte Shares Lessons From the COVID-19 Pandemic
4. DISCOVER WHAT YOU LOVE AND MAKE TIME FOR IT. For me, the thing I love is spending time with my family, including my sons, Henry and Ethan. I was fortunate to decompress with them this summer in Northern Michigan as well as catch a Detroit Tigers game with my niece. It is worth it to get away from the everyday life and find the time to relax. 5. DO SOMETHING FOR OTHERS. Not only is helping others a great way to connect and build relationships, but it also creates positive feelings and gives you a sense of accomplishment! This month, try volunteering, donating to a meaningful cause, “paying it forward” in the grocery line, or pitching in to help a family member with a chore. As I write this, the COVID-19 pandemic is picking up again and threatening our mental and physical health. Financial Architects is taking steps to create an even safer work environment for our team and our clients. We’re continuing to offer virtual meetings, not only to limit exposure for health reasons but also to better accommodate clients’ busy schedules. For meetings in the office, we regularly clean and disinfect all areas to keep everyone healthy. Our goal is to ensure you’re comfortable — but most importantly safe!
It’s been a while since I’ve contributed to the newsletter! I hope you’re doing well considering all of the chaos in the world. I’ve been busy in my role as FAI’s operations manager. My job is to keep our office running smoothly so we can help clients quickly and effectively. As you can imagine, the COVID-19 pandemic made that more complicated over the last year and a half! Our team pivoted to a majority work-from-home model last year, and for the safety of our clients and our team, we began to rely more on virtual meetings. It was interesting to balance running an office virtually while also helping my 7 year old son, Henry, with virtual schooling. Fortunately, I received a lot of support from my sister, Wendy, and niece, Holly. The FAI support team was amazing as well! Everyone adapted quickly and implemented any changes seamlessly. One of our company core values is to Think in Terms of Possibilities, and that’s exactly what we did! I know not everyone has been so lucky. The last year was rough on many people’s mental health, maybe including yours. That’s why I’ve gathered a few of the things that have helped me maintain my positivity. You’ve probably heard these tips before, but I think we can all use a reminder of the basics right now. It’s easy to get caught up in the news and to forget to take care of ourselves. 1. FOCUS ON YOUR FOOD. It’s amazing how much my physical and mental well-being improve when I eat healthier foods like leafy greens, fresh fruit, and lean protein. Also, if you’re pressed for time and can’t change your diet, just adding a multivitamin is a step in the right direction. 2. PUT ON YOUR WALKING SHOES. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), exercise keeps our brains healthy, reduces disease, strengthens our bones and muscles, and improves our mobility. It can also relieve stress and put you in a better mood! 3. PRIORITIZE A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP. Like exercise, sleep is a panacea. It lowers our risk of heart disease and infection while also sharpening our minds and improving our moods. It can be tempting to cut out sleep if you have a busy schedule, but that will only hurt your mental health.
Wishing you a happy, healthy October,
–Kristi Laporte
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Exploring a corn maze is a great way to get outside and enjoy the fall season with friends and family — but who came up with the idea of wandering around a corn field for fun? As it turns out, outdoor mazes are an ancient tradition, and the American corn maze of the ‘90s sprouted from the mazes of 17th-century European gardens. Don’t believe it? Here’s a quick tour of corn maze history. CornMazes Date Back to Ancient Greece? A HISTORICAL LOOK AT THIS WACKY FALL TRADITION
Book Reviews With Chris Ball EYE ON THE BALL
My first memory of Jimi Hendrix is from watching the movie “Woodstock” with my father. I can still remember being in awe of his showmanship and skill on the guitar. As I got older and more interested in classic rock, I began to truly appreciate what an innovative and brilliant musician he was.
There is so much mythology around Hendrix, and it’s sometimes hard to determine what is fact and what is fiction. Author Charles Cross does a great job telling the story of Hendrix’s brief and often turbulent life. What emerges is a picture of a shy and lonely young man who had a very difficult upbringing. The only consistent companion in his life was his guitar. Like so many people who achieve superstardom, Hendrix’s meteoric rise to fame was built on hard work and a few good breaks. After a brief stint in the Army, he decided to form a band and make a living in music. He cut his teeth on the nightclub circuit in the South, playing gigs for legends like the Isley Brothers, Sam Cooke, and Little Richard. He eventually ended up in New York City and, during a performance, was noticed by Keith Richards’ girlfriend, Linda Keith. Linda recommended him to some of her musical connections, and the rest is history. What followed was one of the most exciting and creative four years in rock-and-roll history. From burning his guitar at the 1967 Monterrey Pop Festival to his triumph at Woodstock, by 1969, Hendrix became the highest-paid musician in the world. Despite his fame and fortune, Hendrix often lived a sad and lonely life. Shy and quiet when offstage, he dealt with his insecurities through alcohol and drugs. He felt uncomfortable with fame and privately craved the family life he never had. The pressures of the music business, bad business deals, and unscrupulous promoters all took their toll. Sadly, on Sept. 18, 1970, Jimi died at only 27 years old. “Room Full of Mirrors” gives us insight into Hendrix’s personality and ambition. It is also another story of someone who seemingly had it all yet struggled to deal with the fame and fortune he achieved. Part of his mystique is due to the fact he was with us for such a short time. He is one of the great “what if” stories in music history.
THE MINOTAUR AND THE MAZE Have you heard of Theseus and the Minotaur? This ancient Greek legend tells the story of the hero Theseus, who ventured into an elaborate maze to kill the half-man, half-bull imprisoned there. The monstrous Minotaur was known to eat heroes, and the labyrinth was known to trap them, but Theseus managed to slay the Minotaur and find his way home with the help of a string that he unspooled as he walked.
This story isn’t the first recorded example of a maze or labyrinth — according to the World History encyclopedia, “[L]abyrinths and labyrinthine symbols have been dated to the Neolithic Age in regions as diverse as modern-day Turkey, Ireland, Greece, and India, among others” — but it’s perhaps the most famous ancient tale. If you’ve ever navigated a Halloween corn maze staffed by ghouls and ghosts, you can see the parallels! GARDEN ART TO GET LOST IN Mazes formed from bushes began popping up European gardens in the 17th century. They were a popular artistic feature of upper-class gardens in England, more for looking at than solving. One famous example is the half-mile-long Hampton Maze, which was planted in 1690 and still stands today. THE CORN MAZE: AN AMERICAN INVENTION Garden mazes eventually hopped the pond to America but didn’t become interactive puzzles until Don Frantz, Creative Director of the American Maze Company, came on the scene. In 1993, Frantz created the “first ever cornfield maze for private and public entertainment” to attract college kids in Pennsylvania. Today, every small-town corn maze is a descendant of his “Amazing Maize Maze.” To learn more about that wacky history, visit AmericanMaze.com.
The information contained in this newsletter is derived from sources believed to be accurate. You should discuss any legal, tax, or financial matters with the appropriate professional. Neither the information presented nor any opinion expressed constitutes a solicitation for the purchase or sale of any security. Registered Representatives offer Securities through The O.N. Equity Sales Company, Member FINRA/SIPC (www.FINRA.org/ and www.SIPC.org). Investment Advisory Services offered through O.N. Investment Management Company and FAI Advisors, Inc., Financial Architects, Inc., FAI Advisors, Inc., and The LifeMethod are not subsidiaries or affiliates of The O.N. Equity Sales Company or O.N. Investment Management Company. We have representatives currently registered in the following states: AL, AZ, CA, CO, DC, FL, GA, IL, IN, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, NC, NH, NV, NY, OH, OR, PA, SC, TX, VA, WA, and WI.
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Take a Break
Chat With a Client JEFF HASTEDT
TELL US HOW YOU GOT CONNECTED WITH FINANCIAL ARCHITECTS?
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Jon Hans cold-called me in 2011. I think he found my business card at a networking event. As a salesperson myself, I appreciated the cold outreach. Ten years ago, I really had no idea what he was pitching, but I agreed to a meeting. The rest is history. It’s been mutually beneficial since then, and I’m glad he called me out of the blue. WHAT MAKES YOUR DIGITAL MARKETING COMPANY STAND OUT FROM THE COMPETITION? What makes our digital marketing company stand out are the Brkthru services for advertisers who may have small media budgets. Many agencies in our space only want to work with clients who will spend hundreds of thousands (or more) right away. We begin a relationship with an advertiser and grow it over time, much like an investment. We have clients we started with who spent $800 a month who now spend in the millions. It’s relationship-based instead of transactional, which is the industry norm. WHAT WAS THE HIGHLIGHT OF YOUR SUMMER FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY? My brother and his family came to visit us for the first two weeks of August. My 1-year-old son was able to hang out and play with his 7- and 3-year-old cousins. As a father and uncle, I loved having the kids together and doing all sorts of fun things in the area. We went to the pool, zoo, Legoland at Great Lakes Crossing, and out on the boat in Lake St. Clair. I was looking forward to it all summer, and we had a great time.
OKTOBERFEST SOFT PRETZELS Inspired by Tasty.co
INGREDIENTS • 1 1/2 cups warm water • 1 tbsp salt • 1 tbsp sugar • 1 packet active dry yeast
• 4 1/2 cups flour • 3 tbsp oil, divided • 2/3 cup baking soda
• 2 eggs, beaten • Coarse salt, for sprinkling
DIRECTIONS
1. In a bowl, combine water, salt, and sugar. Add yeast and let rest for 5 minutes. Add flour and 2 tbsp oil, then mix thoroughly into a dough. 2. Remove the dough from the bowl. Coat bowl with remaining oil, then return the dough, cover with plastic wrap, and set it aside in a warm place for 1 hour. 3. Preheat oven to 450 F. 4. Cut dough into 8 pieces. Roll them into thin ropes, then twist ropes into pretzel shapes. 5. In a large pot, boil water. Add baking soda, then boil each pretzel for 1 minute, flipping halfway through. 6. Transfer pretzels to a baking sheet. Brush them with egg and sprinkle with salt. Bake for 10–15 minutes. Enjoy!
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Inside This Issue 1 | 5 Wellness Tips to Get You Through the Holidays
2 | Corn Mazes Date Back to Ancient Greece?
2 | A Biography of Jimi Hendrix
3 | Chat With a Client
3 | Oktoberfest Soft Pretzels
4 | 3 Haunted Destinations to Visit This October
3 Haunted Spots Every Ghost Believer Will Love GHOSTS ACROSS AMERICA
STAY A WHILE AT HOTEL MONTE VISTA IN FLAGSTAFF, ARIZONA.
October is one of the best months for travel in the U.S. With mild temperatures and gorgeous, colorful leaves everywhere, there’s no better time for a cross-country road trip. Add some Halloween flair to your October vacation with these three ghostly attractions.
Guests at Hotel Monte Vista have often enjoyed long stays at the downtown Flagstaff, Arizona, hotel, but not everyone leaves. Constructed in 1927, the hotel is host to a number of reported ghosts. The most well-known is an elderly woman who would spend hours rocking in the chair in her room. Today, her chair can be found moving on its own. Another popular visitor is the ghost of a bellboy who knocks on doors and announces that room service has arrived — only, no one’s there. IS THERE A MONSTER IN PINE BARRENS, NEW JERSEY? This one’s for those who love mysterious creatures. Pine Barrens is a mass of forested land that spreads across seven counties in New Jersey — and its most famous resident isn’t human. The Jersey Devil has a long, storied history and is said to be a combination of many animals: Its body is shaped like a kangaroo with wings. It has the head of a dog but the face
VISIT THE MOST HAUNTED TOWN IN THE U.S. — WAYNESVILLE, OHIO. Sure, New Orleans may have a spooky past, but it doesn’t compare to Waynesville. Many residents and visitors think this Ohio town is rife with ghosts. You may hear cries to “hurry up” at The Hammel House Inn, where many tunnels for the underground railroad came through, or you could see the apparition of a businessman from the 1800s who “never checked out.” Other sources report hauntings at the town’s historical society, Museum at the Friends Home, including a little girl who moves toys and sits on the porch. The society leans into the local fascination and hosts regular walking ghost tours and ghost hunting classes.
of a horse. The creature is believed to have had a sickly start to life in 1735 and has stayed to haunt the forest’s inhabitants and even those who visit the area today.
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