When Death Comes Knocking, Look Busy
On a hot July afternoon nearly 15 years ago, I was having a frustrating day at work (yes, even estate planning attorneys have bad days at the office!), so I took off a little early to ride my bike down to the Sanibel causeway. A few moments later, I heard a loud CRACK, which caused me to turn around. I saw flashes of lightning among dark, ominous clouds heading toward me. As most
Luckily, I survived despite having skull fractures (my helmet saved my life) and problems with my neck and spine that would require neurosurgery. To this day, titanium pins and screws hold my neck in place. None of us knows when our time will come or how it will come; I was only 40 years old at the time of my near-death experience. I’m reminded of the quote out of a scene from Woody Allen’s movie, “Love and Death”: “When death comes knocking, look busy …” Boris, the lead character, encourages us to “not think of death as an end, but think of it more as a very effective way of cutting down on your expenses.” Since my accident, my priority has been always be working on something big and encouraging others to do the same … even after we’ve achieved great things. “Big” is a relative term, yet we all need something to keep us busy so the Grim Reaper stays away. I’ve represented several clients who have cashed out of their careers in a big way, but once they were on the “other side” with nothing to do, they wilted and died figuratively and literally. So, always plan your next achievement. Keep death at bay. And don’t worry about those expenses.
of you know, our summer thunderstorms build in the east and then head toward the coast, which can be dangerous.
Realizing I had 13 miles heading directly into the storm to get home, I amped it up.
On the Summerlin bike path, I remember looking down at my Garmin bike computer mounted on my handlebars, which registered at 23 mph as I crossed in front of the Siesta Bay RV Resort. That’s when it happened. I don’t remember much, only waking up with paramedics hovering over me. I’d been hit by a car and was seriously injured. It was a hit-and-run, apparently, but someone noticed me lying unconscious just off the bike path and called 911. A medevac helicopter landed on Summerlin Road to transport me to Lee Memorial’s trauma center downtown.
–Craig Hersch
INGREDIENTS
TAKE A BREAK!
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1 1/2 cups almond flour 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
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3 1/2 tbsp lime juice 1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp baking soda
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1/2 cup granulated sugar
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2 qts fresh strawberries, quartered 1 cup plain whole-milk Greek yogurt
4 large eggs
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tsp lime zest
1/4 cup honey
DIRECTIONS 1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly grease 8-inch springform pan. Line with parchment paper and lightly grease. 2. In medium bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder, and baking soda. 3. In a stand mixer, whisk sugar and eggs on medium-high, about 3 minutes. Add oil, lime zest, lime juice, and vanilla. On low, gradually add flour mixture until just incorporated. 4. Pour batter into pan. Bake until golden brown and toothpick comes out with crumbs, 40–45 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes. Invert cake out of pan onto wire rack and let cool completely. 5. Whisk yogurt, cream, and honey. Top each cake slice with spoonfuls of yogurt mixture and strawberries.
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