A Dollar and a Dream!

I read a blog the other day about a man who knew a co-worker who won $38 million in their state lottery and after she collected her winnings, no one ever saw or heard from her again. I imagine that must happen a lot because the winners don't want every Tom, Dick and Harry hitting them up for money. Why do I bring this up?

I am sure we've all had this thought, "if only I would win the lottery..." Last night, I had stopped in a local convenience store and saw that the Powerball jackpot was $245 million and I figured "what the heck" and plunked down a couple of bucks. I don't play the lottery often but that didn't stop me from spending last night and today dreaming about what I would do if I won $245 million. I definitely would not be working a ruddy office job - GUARANTEED, but otherwise what would I do? Would I up and disappear? Not a chance! But I would have no problems whatsoever telling people "no" when being asked for money. First, I'd buy a new car. Nothing fancy, nothing outrageously expensive, just newer than my '95 Jeep. Next, I'd pay off my debts (okay, maybe that should be done first). I would give a decent chunk to various charities. Then, I'd invest the rest of it in something that would give me a steady rate of return. After that, I'm not sure. 

Would I travel? Wwwwwwwell, I do love to travel, but traveling on my own has gotten old and my cat might not like me being away so much. Okay, some limited travel. Buy a house? Probably. No McMansions for me - something small. After all, how much room does one person with a cat need? How about starting my own theatre company and perform every show I've ever dreamed of performing? That's a possibility. I'd call it Vanity Productions. Hamlet played by a 40-something plus-sized woman. Hmmm. Perhaps I'd open up a business. Owning a little bookstore has been a long time wish (which really is just an excuse to spend my day reading). Maybe start my own charitable organization, like Alison did in At Home With The Braithwaites (a British comedy-drama television show which ran in the early 2000s).  Go back to school and get my Master's and PhD degrees? Truth is, with enough money, I could do all these things (except maybe the Hamlet part). The possibilities are endless when you have the funds. Most of these wishes I probably could to do without the funding but it would be much more difficult.

The reality: I have the world's worse luck therefore I know I will not be winning the $245 million, but it's nice to spend some time just thinking about the good you could do with that kind of money. The other reality is that I don't need $245 million. I would settle for a couple hundred thousand which would be enough to change my life for the better.

What would you do if you won the lottery?

[Follow up - 11/3: I was right, I did not win the $245 million, but there is someone in Connecticut who can make that claim.  Lucky dog!]