Is it a passion or an alarm clock that gets you out of bed in the morning? For many years I had this taped to my monitor. One day I realized the message always arrived late. By the time I sat down at my desk, I was already out of bed. I decided to combine the two answers into one. I created a phone alarm named Passion.

This morning I awoke 5 minutes ahead of the alarm, so I guess today is about passion. I've decided to add a field to my contact database, (I know, totally geeky). I'm going to name it Gift. In the past, I've sent gifts to clients to mark special event milestones like a set of taxicab salt and pepper shakers for a book launch or Chinese chopsticks for accepting a Voice of America in China gig. I'll use this field to focus on capturing the perfect gift idea.

Sometimes these crazy ideas come out of nowhere. Not this one. I'm sure it had something to do with Karina. While driving home from Tampa I stopped for lunch. I ate in the restaurant, instead of on the road. It put me behind schedule, or so I thought. Apparently I was right on time. I passed her tiny Nissan in the grassy shoulder on SR 301. She was on the phone, no need for me to stop.

I passed three U-turn opportunities before I received the message. I turned around and arrived as she opened the trunk. Good spare, miss-matched jack and handle. There was no way she could have changed it herself. I used my jack and crossbar lug wrench.

It happened so fast I didn't get a photo, but if you zoom in, you'll see her getting back into traffic, heading home to Hawthorne. Before she left, Karina tried to give me money. I told her I had already received my gift for the day.

It was last May when I found myself in the hospital, wondering how much of my leg I would have to give up. I received a bunch of gifts last year.

What I am most grateful for is I woke up this morning thinking about all of you instead of myself.

Thanks for the gift Karina...