Imagine yourself being a millionaire, how would you lead your life....

[Missy M]

I have thought about this many times. Would I be greedy and want more and more. Would I want every material thing there is to have, would I want more tax cuts, the estate tax eliminated, more money than I already had. Would I help the needy, give large amounts of money to charity, care about poverty; at this stage of my life I am sure I would do these things and I have always been a bleeding heart liberal but would I have been this way had I been born to the wealthy.

[Maple]

1. A million isn't much

these days. Imagine 10 million.

[Missy M]

2. I should have been more specific and said many millions.....

or extremely wealthy.

[B Calm]

3. I would move to the South Pacfic and have my bare butt swatted

with palm leaves by half naked hula girls the rest of my life..

[Taxloss]

13. Ah, simple pleasures.

I wouldn't object to that, either.

[iconoclastic cat]

4. I'd use it as seed money to start a *real* charter school,

one that actually tried innovation instead of hucksterism. It would also be 100% union friendly.

[bryant69]

5. I don't know

But I have humble tastes - I would imagine I would just get an ok condo in new york, invest a certain amount, and visit record shops regularly. And not worry about the rest.

Bryant
check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[Dorian Gray]

42. Hah!

An "okay" condo in New York (I'm talking two bedrooms) in Manhattan can cost almost a cool million! :)

Sorry, even millions don't go far in THIS city! Trust me! I live here! :(

[Waya]

6. Well, as the saying goes....

Those who are born with a Silver sppon in their mouth will spend their lives licking it.
If I was a millionaire, I wouldn't donate to charity groups. I would have one - a non profit Organization to help those who have been forgotten by almost everyone. The People on the Reservations.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

7. part of me (cowardly) would move to Oz. other parts of me

would say stay, and prepare for total desolation and destruction because of the House of Bush.
Still other parts say, stay the course. (gawd, that sounds so lame)

[newscott]

8. The way I handle my own finances

I'd probably be dead by now.

[HEyHEY]

9. I'd start a kick ass newspaper empire

And spend the rest of my time with CanuckAmok's mom

[KamaAina]

10. A stake in the New New Orleans

I could keep Bush**co's greedy little mitts off at least a portion of the World's Most Interesting City, depending on how many millions we're talking about here.

edit: off

[Dogmudgeon]

11. I would eat Chinese Food every Saturday

--p!

[napi21]

12. It's very difficult to guess. I don't think I would be greedy as

you described. Before I had to quit working about 8 years ago, our household income was $80,000/yr. Both my husband and I drove 5+ year old cars, our house was valued at about $135,000, and we really never splurged on anything. I felt like I was on top of the world because I didn't HAVE to stick strictly to my grocery list when shopping, and if I didn't feel like cooking, we went out to eat maybe twice a month. Neither of us had a balance on a credit card, and I can't say that I was clamoring for more then. I THINK if I won the lottery, I'd probably feel the same.

[wryter2000]

14. I can honestly say I wouldn't get greedy

At one point, I had more money than I needed to get by. I simply stopped thinking about money. When bills came, I paid them and that was that.

As others have said, a million isn't much these days. If someone gave me a million dollars, I'd pay the taxes on it and then pay off my house. At that point, I'd sit down and figure out how much I had to save to retire as early as I possibly could.

If I were as wealthy as Bill Gates, I'd open a small university or college and make it open to deserving students who couldn't afford college otherwise. They'd probably be students who had less than stellar test scores but had special talents. I'd fund it well enough and provide such good research facilities and a relatively low teaching load so that I'd attract a great faculty. I think pretty soon the world would learn what kinds of progress inner city and rural poor young people could achieve if given the opportunity.

[maine_raptor]

15. Rebuild my house,

give my wife enough so that she can start her own school, and

create one hell of a playroom (video games, fully functional flight sims - love virtual dogfighting, pool tables, pinball machines, beer taps, etc.) :evilgrin:

Then set up a trust fund for my town that would help reduce annual local property taxes for my neighbors. (not to kick in until I die and until they erect a BIG statue of me....gotta feed the ego, ya know).

[Democrats_win]

16. I'd give a camel liposuction so he could pass through the eye of a needle.

[Missy M]

40. The responses were interesting and fun to read....

but I guess yours was the only possible answer to my question.

[KatyaR]

17. After Katrina, I think I'd find a place out in the middle of nowhere

and build a little log cabin powered on solar and wind power. I'd make myself as self sufficient as possible with a garden and such. I've learned over the last few years that I really don't need that many things, so other than having a ham radio setup and internet access (which I don't have a clue how I'd do--satellite, maybe?), once I was outfitted and stocked up, I wouldn't need much--except wine. I'd need lots of wine--and yarn and fiber to spin--and satellite radio. The dog and I could live like that easily.

The stuff of dreams . . . .

I don't think I trust anyone for help anymore--certainly not our government.

[LeftyMom]

18. I'd get a place somewhere out of the way and live modestly

My only real extravagance would be hiring somebody to decorate (not with really expensive furniture, just to coordinate colors and styles of basic stuff) 'cause I suck at that type of thing. I'd make sure my immediate family members were comfortably cared for, then I'd donate money to causes I care about.

[stillcool]

19. i would start...

..a self-sustaining community

[Inspired]

20. Quit my day job

and move to my favorite city in the world, New York, NY. Then I'd buy property in Santa Fe, NM, where I could chill.

Other than that I think I'd like to donate a substantial amount of time and money to mentoring less fortunate teenage girls, among other causes dear to my heart.

[dbt]

21. I wish I had eleven billion dollars.

I'd buy a cable network to call mine.
I'd put my nekkid ass on television
So Republicans could kiss it all the time.

Remember New Orleans

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

22. 50,000 Bibles.

:shrug:

[killbotfactory]

23. I'm taking a vow of poverty

okay... maybe not, but if I ever get obscenely rich I'm going to put myself to the guillotine. Or just give my money to charities.

[eaprez]

24. When I think of being a millionaire I don't think of "stuff"...I think of

....living without an alarm clock!!!!!!!!!!!!
Reminds me, I need to go buy a lottery ticket.

[zalinda]

25. I would start a econ think tank

and start getting towns into self suffiency, as regards to energy. Then I'd try to fix the world. I know, big plans, but I don't need a lot to live on.

zalinda

[nevergiveup]

26. I would declare my candidacy against my

congressman, Denny Hastert. After announcing, I would for starters plaster this district with billboards showing Denny holding a turkey. There is symbolism here that many in this district wouldn't understand but I would educate them. I would also cut a sizable check to the guy running against Santorum.

[Inspired]

33. You might not even need to donate

it looks right now like Santorum is going to get his ass kicked. Watch for Santorum to drop out and announce a run for pres.

[abluelady]

27. I would try to buy out Bush.

I know George Soros didn't have luck, but I would try to follow his lead and get the Repubs out of office in every state.

[stlsaxman]

28. If money weren't an issue, I'd put a great band together and tour.

The band and I would be salaried- splitting equally the profits from gigs and merchandise. Recording live and composing with digital multi-tracking equipment... living for touching The Muse.

Sure, some songs might suck, but we wouldn't have corporate executives deciding our fate.

[erinlough]

29. I would set up a trust

for any of my family who still need to or want to attend college.
Then I would pay off the remaining mortgages of all my family members or start the ones who don't have houses into one.

I would set up a lending trust for family and friends legally to allow them start up loans on new businesses and hire a manager to handle it and collect paybacks.

Once my family was secure I would move to my community and donate to organizations who are actually working to help people move out of poverty. Then I would donate to politicians I personally know and believe are progressive.

I would not move, but I would quit my job (I could retire now, I have enough time in). I would buy my husband any tool he needed for woodworking. I would travel to the whole world and finally buy a vacation home in Ireland. I would spend one entire year in Alaska.

[LoZoccolo]

30. --- ------ -- --- ---- ----. n/t

[TheCentepedeShoes]

31. Make improvements

on the house we're in now. Sell it and get a "better" place in the same neighborhood. Buy a Jag (always wanted one). Travel.

Or, just move to NZ like my Dad wanted to back when.

[AnnieBW]

32. I'd Fund a REAL Science Fiction Channel!

One that shows real science fiction instead of stupid-ass killer bug movies. Travel all over the world, and see all of the stuff I've only seen in books and on TV. I'd want to do something like Project Greenlight, only for "progressive" movies. I'd buy some land and develop a big Pagan retreat center and old-age home. I'd establish scholarships at my alma mater and my husband's.

[cornermouse]

34. What to do? What to do?

1. Buy a small business in a small town and a farm nearby.

2. Set up a scholarship fund for my nieces and nephews.

3. Set up a regular scholarship fund at a local college.

4. Buy infrared devices for the area small town fire departments.

5. Price out the costs of building a camp for disabled adults. Its difficult to find a camp for disabled adults. If you're lucky, you can find a camp for the disabled that reserves one week or maybe two during the summer for adults. Unfortunately, they usually have a waiting list for those one or two weeks that is years long.

Edit.

And maybe take a vacation in Europe. I've always wanted to see a real castle.

[briang5000]

35. I'd like to think I wouldn't change...

I think I'd still vote for the most liberal candidates.
I realize with money the republicans might pass tax cuts that would be more valuable to me, personally. I'd like to think that my ideals wouldn't change.

I've had a friend tell me that nobody ever votes against what is best for them. This friend was watching a well known celebrity talking about the tax cuts for the rich and then commented to me that this only talk and most certainly the person probably is really a republican. I think this is cynical belief, but could be quite true.

If I were suddenly wealthy (mega million tonight is 250-million).
I'd build a new house for me and probably build new houses or pay off existing mortages for as many family and friends as I could.

I'd form a trust and pay myself a modest annual stipend. I'd want to live well but within reason.

[devilgrrl]

36. I'd buy a little house...

put some away, give some away... :shrug:

[BlueIris]

37. What I'd do: Part time writer/full time bitch on far right's back.

That would probably help keep me in perspective.

[jmowreader]

38. I'd start a series of businesses

This assumes you're a millionaire, which really means you're sitting on five to ten million. If you have one million dollars, you're no millionaire because the first hamburger you buy drops you below a million.

Okay, so let's screw around and say I won the Powerball on Saturday, which will put $23 million in my bank account. First thing we'll do is bury $5 million in the back yard, so to speak--put away $5 million in various investments, so we'll always have it to fall back on.

Next, send $2 million to Katrina relief. How I'd do it is pretty simple: I'd buy $2 million worth of $500 Home Depot gift cards, split them up into 40 envelopes, and issue one envelope to each Home Depot in the disaster area. Instructions are simple: anyone who comes in here and buys at least $500 worth of materials to repair hurricane damage to their home gets one of these cards. I was first thinking $5000 cards or buying all of the materials for homeowners until the money ran out, but I think $500 cards to anyone who buys at least that much stuff would spread out the relief in the most equitable manner.

Then we'll start quite a few businesses. These will be fully funded, so we don't have to screw the employees just so we can make our equipment payment this month. My wife loves to do yarn crafts but can't find the yarns she likes, so she'll get a yarn shop. That will only employ a few people, but I want to start a couple restaurants (see below), a place that sells parts for old German cars and that's open on Sunday (because that's when the car decides to break down, since the place that sells the frammis you need isn't open on Sunday), a store that sells nothing but plastic sheets, and probably a few other places. I figure that if we can gainfully employ a couple hundred people, a very large percentage of whom will be victims of the Marijuana Laws, that'll be better than just giving the whole thing to charity. You know, give a man a fish and he eats for a day, teach him to fish and he eats for life, but open a fish-packing plant and the whole town eats.

Below: When I was in Idaho last year, my freeper brother had this big grandiose scheme for total domination of the fast-food business. He was going to make burgers with things mixed into the patties like onion soup mix and bacon bits--anything you wanted, even if they had to go to the store to get it. Obviously that won't work, but I figure that a custom meat packing plant could make you four or five different kinds of patties--one with onion, one with bacon bits, one with mushroom bits and so on--and deliver them to your restaurant. We'll call the place "Bob's Hot Rod Cafe." You know, a hot rod is a custom car, right? Well, we just make "custom" burgers--patty A on bun B with condiments C--and name them after different kinds of classic cars. Like a mushroom burger on an onion roll with mozzarella cheese and pepperonis on it will be a "Bel Air Burger" or a bacon burger on a Kaiser roll with cheddar cheese will be a "De Ville Burger." We fix the place up to look like the diner in Back To The Future or Arnold's in Happy Days, and we dress the waitresses in 1950's-style waitress uniforms. No bullshit "memorabilia" on the walls like they have at all the cookie-cutter restaurants, just a straight 1950s presentation. We'd have a real soda jerk too. I think people would like it a lot and it would do really well.

[solinvictus]

39. Auric Goldfinger..n/t

[Horse with no Name]

41. Well first of all I would move to another country

before Bush and his evil cabal could figure out how to steal every bit of it.:evilgrin:

[hippywife]

43. I would want my life

to stay just like it is with one exception. I would quit my job and begin volunteering and funding worthwhile charities.