Lottery Dreams

Yes, I am a lottery player.  When I started in my current position, the entire Financial Reporting team participated in a pool and told me I could not join because they were already full.  I pitched a fit (yes, I do sometimes revert to the age of 5) until they allowed me to join.  Basically, I am not going to be the only one left behind when they win.

When I worked in Institutional Finance (career #1 of 3 so far) at a major company, our secretary (yes, yes, they are now known as administrative assistants, although she would have hollered if you called her that then. She was proud of her job as secretary!) called in rich one day.  Her son had won the lottery and she was retiring immediately.  We could send anything personal from her desk to her home address or throw it away. Either way, she wasn't coming back.  I aspire to be her one day.

At $1.5 billion dollars, even splitting it 11 ways, I think I would have enough to quit.  Or at least work on my own terms.  I used to say I would always work, at least part time.  As I get older, the more I think "yeah right!".  I will always work, but I will not always work in an office on someone else's terms.  I mean, that would be about $136 million a person.  Even with taxes, I could take a lump sum payout of something like $40 million.  (yes, I overestimate taxes and lump fees.  It makes everything seem like a bonus!)  What would I do with that money?

• I would pay off my truck.  It's less than $2K, but hey, I like that truck.  And I would get the back light fixed and the dent from my tree incident pulled.  I'd pay off all my debt.  I'd pay off the boy's truck, sell it and get him his jeep.  I'd buy my older brother a little place for him or give him the house I just bought, and get my mom a car, since her truck is 30+ years old (not kidding).  

Very good rendition of Mom's truck

• I would watch the boy get back into road biking and support him from the sidelines.  I'd put him through school for whatever he wants to do next.  I'd help him figure out what his passion is and then figure out how to make that work for him.

Road biking

• I would get myself a rig.  Something I could travel in with the ponies.  I may not even show them, but I would be able to take them wherever I want, and take a shower afterwards!  I think that is my idea of luxury.  To have at my disposal the ability to go where I want and take a shower when I'm done.  To not have to sleep on the sofa in someone else's trailer, or beg to share a room with someone in a cheap motel where I won't sleep because I'm worried I'll snore.

Yes please.  And a truck to haul it.

• I would buy land.  Lots of it.  In North Florida, because I can't think of anywhere else I should be.  Maybe not too far from the beach.  I would pay someone ridiculous money to come and build a cross country course for all levels, rings for all uses, barns, housing for persons who work there, etc.  I would turn it into the home of Market Street Equestrian and simply be the financial person and accountant, who may be called upon to occasionally muck stalls. I would bring in clinicians of all disciplines to teach at the farm.  I would put a trailer on the back of the property for my mother, because that has always been her dream.

This might work.

• I would be an owner.  An owner for people of varying levels; professionals, kids, etc. I would own for other people, so they could follow their dreams.  I love the ponies, but I am not competitive.  There is nothing I like better than to cheer on the people I know that are following their dreams. Violet would be given the chance to find a girl who would love to compete with her, which is what I intended when I bought her in the first place, and I would cheer for her like the mother that I was always meant to be.  

• I would volunteer every chance I could.  I would go from Rocking Horse to Ocala to Red Hills and Chat Hills.  I'd volunteer at Rolex and then at WEG in Bromont.  I would chase points for volunteering.  I would volunteer in multiple positions and not just jump judge; bit check, scribe, runner, timer, etc.   

October jump judging

• I would lease myself a schoolmaster to teach me how to do this thing called cross country to help me decide once and for all if I want to be an eventer.  I would ride a reiner because I think that would be cool.  I would go on a ride at the beach.  I would go to another country and ride a horse there.  I would do some competitive trail riding.  I would hill-top.  I would basically do all the things, just because I could.

Bucket list item.  Just not with Violet.

So that's what I would do with my share if I won the lottery.  Maybe I should go buy some more tickets...