Monday, December 29, 2008

Lottery Dreams

The people in my mom's office pool their money each week. And they buy lottery tickets. Each week. Hoping that one day their numbers will come in. And they can all call in and have a group retiring party.

The other night, Mom said to me "OH! I forgot to check our lottery numbers!" I can't believe she didn't check. We could have spent the day in leisure. Rather than doing errands and chores.

And as she made this declaration, Katie's friend asked her: "So...Katie...what would you do if you won the lottery?"

I can immediately go into reverie. Do you all do this? Think about what you might do with your winnings?

I have already planned the trips that I want to take. To Europe. To homeschool on the road. For an entire year. To safari in Africa. To see the Taj Mahal. Cruise the South Pacific. To actually go to Antarctica.

I have bought vehicles. Paid off bills. Paid off bills for family members.

I have already re-decorated my house. Figured out where I want to add on. And wonder if a demolition a la Extreme-home-make over might be a better option.

I have given to charity. Saved for retirement. Saved for college.

And then my fantasy bubble burst.

Because Katie answered her friend's question. And told her what she'd do with her lottery winnings. "I'd get a llama."

So...what about you? Do you have lottery fantasies? Have you ever won money from the lottery? Is there anything that you want that is a little odd? Have you entered my very own version of the lottery?

post signature

Theme song: Bare Naked Ladies - If I had a Million Dollars

44 comments:

Aubrey said...

LOL
A llama...that's ummm, neat??

Nah, don't play. But my ILs do the same with their office. They can play because I know if they win, we win! LOL

Becca Watson said...

I would pay off my house, do the remodels we want and travel, travel, travel! And of course help out family aand friends.

I Love Purple More Than You said...

Really? You'd go to Antarctica? I hear it's very cold there.

We never play the lotto, but it sure is fun to think about winning! Of course one could argue that you can't win without playing. And they would be right.

Michelle said...

I'd redo my kitchen and both baths (you have to see them to understand but rose tile and b/w diamond floor tile are involved in a single bathroom as a start). And I'd hire an interior decorator to make the whole house look nice. And I'd buy a horse and start riding again seriously. And I'd donate a lot of the money to the school district specifically to the special needs preschool that they desperately need to "rebuild" (read build a whole new one) because it isn't ADA compliant (think about that one), has mold, doesn't have A/C (only school in district w/o it), has classrooms that are too small to hold the number of children the state requires, get more classrooms, etc etc. And I'd probably travel a few fun places. And eat at TRU a few times :)

Julie H said...

LOL on the llama! I'd add on to my house and get it all fixed up nice, have someone come landscape it all and have central ac and heat. Not too exciting but it would be nice!

Mrs Anne said...

i.want.a.llama!

i love love love it!

:)

Swirl Girl said...

I have better 'lottery' dreams than I have sex dreams. (can I say that here?)

I wanna win life changing money - not just a million dollars.

I would go on a shopping spree the likes of which have never been seen. Never looking at a price tag.

Of course I would pay off EVERY bill that I have - set up college , help out family , charity etc...But the shopping , oh- the shoppiing!

Trish said...

Pay off debt, mine and others.
Put money away for kids for college, mine and others.
Give lots of money away to charities like Pregnancy Resource Center and Open House Ministries.
Cover the remaining balance for my friend Eryn's adoption of a baby girl from Ethiopia.
Travel lots of places with my husband, sometimes w/ kids, sometimes w/out kids.
Pay for my sister and I to go to Hawaii.

Shall I continue?

I probably would not buy a llama, maybe an Alpaca ranch though.

Decor To Adore said...

I would quit having sleepless nights about how to pay for my daughter's private college. :)

Runner Girl said...

I'd march straight to DSW and buy the $59 pair of Anne Klein shoes I was too cheap to buy yesterday!!!

Shalee- Be Speechless said...

Hmmm a llama huh? I am pretty sure that is a good idea. :D

I have never entered the lotto but I have done those instant scratch and win things. I never win... haha

I would probably invest most of it. I know the markets are bad now but they won't be forever. I of course would pull about a half a million out for just fun. (obviously the lotto is always over a million)
Buy a nice mommy-car. Pay for our house in cash, that type of thing. :D

PS Did you get my e mail with my address?

John Deere Mom said...

This probably sounds lazy but I don't think travel would be on the top of my list. I am more of a homebody. I would DEFINITELY demolish this house and build a new one on or near this property. I would pay off bills, put away a bunch for college and retirement, then I would savor the rest knowing it was there if/when it was needed.

Rhea said...

A llama?! Good lord, where does she come up with that stuff? haha

I'm like you. I've come up with a million ideas of ways to spend the money.

A trip somewhere would be one of my first choices...as would paying stuff off.

Unknown said...

Well DUH a llama!!!

I would:

Give a WHOLE BUNCH to charaties. BUNCHES AND BUNCHES AND BUNCHES. Especially March of Dimes, Cancer Research, United Cerebral Palsy and to Alzheimers research. And put aside a WHOLE lot of money to continue to contribute for years to come. AND invest wisely so that I can live off my investments and can spend time volunteering rather than working.
Pay off my bills
Pay off my parents bills
Buy a new car
Pay for a destination wedding for me & mr. b and like 25 friends/family and 100 bloggy friends.
Travel travel travel - finally get to every state. Do a castle tour of Europe. Take a cruise no where that a pirate might get me.

Mama Dawg said...

Yeah, I dream about this constantly.

I'd pay off any debts for myself, my family and close friends.

I'd buy houses and cars for any one in my family that needed or wanted them. Same for close friends.

I'd host some awesome blog contests for major prizes.

I'd donate kazillions (or at least lots) to animal charities.

If I won a really big lottery, I'd try to open a non-profit no-kill animal shelter on my family's land.

I'd travel. I'd start off with a minimum of a week at every Disney park in the world.

Then I'd go to all the places in the U.S. I wanted to visit.

Then, baby, the world!

Gladys said...

the first thing I would do is call Kahuna from the airport and tell him to drop what he's doing and meet me there. Next would be my daddy and othermother they would be told which airport to go to and where to go. Then I would figure out what to do.

Brian and Staci said...

Ah yes!!! We've even gone as far as how we'd give our family their cut :) When we were in Philly while Brian was going through his residency...it was our "treat" to ourselves. We would go buy lottery tickets....then go to church. Is that wrong?? hee hee...hey, all the money went to help the elderly with transportation service :) Hmmm, anything odd...can't think of anything that tops a llama! Love your Katie :)

Elena said...

I'm with Katie, I'd get a llama, alpaca and maybe a zebra too. And of course a place to keep them all. And yes, vacation, bills, families' bills, charity, and all the other stuff that could come with millions. Love this song today.

jennifersusan said...

First. LOVE the song--the boys and I always start talking about what we'd do with a million dollars when we hear it. Of course we go through everything they list in the song before anything else. I've actually asked the kids, recently, what they'd do with a million dollars. Todd says he'd buy a lot of Pokemon cards. Sam and Chris say they would buy all the manga and anime they could get and then go to Japan to learn, from the best, to make their own. Me, on the other hand...I would pay off bills for everyone I know. I'd buy my parents a house in which they only knew the location. I'd have homes everywhere so I could follow warm weather. I'd have the ultimate scrapbook/craft room. I'd travel with the kids, and with my parents. Put money back for the kids futures. I'd share. I have a huge list.

Cassie said...

I have endless thoughts about winning the lottery! I have it all planned out! I would set up a fund for my Mother with an accountant (she can't be trusted with lots of dough), give my Brother and Aunt a set amount, set up a couple of funds for my nieces, then I would make like a baby, and head out!

Alicia @ Oh2122 said...

This is one of my favorite daydreams. Assuming I won an obscene amount, we get a financial planner and start securing the funds for the future. I would want Monkey to never worry, but never be "entitled." Secure yes, spoiled, no.

As for spending:

First, houses and student loans get paid off for my immediate family and Hubby's.

Next, college funds all around. This includes cousins and even the adults who never got to go.

Anyone in financial need gets a loan. Dad, who thinks about this a lot too came up with that. You have to pay taxes on a gift, but not on a loan with a $1 payment schedule and next to nothing interest!

Charitable contributions are next. My high school. Scolarships. Make a Wish. American Cancer Society. Kids and families first. Then random acts. Like Nicholas Cage in It Could Happen To You.

... Yeah, I've given it a little thought...

kalea_kane said...

My husband and I play about once a week. We play the powerball and the pick. I think we have won three dollars. :)

I keep trying to a small degree because for some reason I have this total suspension of reality and really feel like this time I have the right number. :)

If I won the lottery, I would love to help my family and others. Once I got finished paying off homes and donating to charity, I would totally take a cross-country trip with my husband, my son, and a trailer. I used to do that when I was a kid with my family, and I would love to do that now. :) I love checking out little seen places.

Jen said...

Oh yes, I have thought about what I would do if I won the lottery. I think about it a lot. I have such big plans. It is going to be so cool when I win. Oh wait, I really should start playing the lottery first.

Briya said...

Llama? Well, I can't imagine what I would do, except for maybe piss my pants. After that, who knows?

Lo said...

mama dawg said the best thing. a week, minimum, at every single disney park in the world. sigh. i would LOVE THAT.

of course, i would make sure everyone i loved was taken care of.

and of COURSE i'd hit up nordstrom. who wouldn't???

oh and i'd buy horses. and ride them. cuz i'm crazy like that, yo!

KimmyJ said...

I've won $2.50 from a split lottery in my office. Whoopee! If I won, I would build my dream home, open a bakery and help some single parents to start with.

Aileigh said...

I would pay off my bills, family member's bills, and build my dream house. I would also donate to the March of Dimes and St. Jude's. :)

Michelle said...

There's a group just like that at my office. They buy the Powerball tickets which are like $30 each. I wonder how much they've spent on every ticket and how much they'll spend in the future... why not just give ME your lottery ticket money??

Mariah said...

I'd buy a boat and travel the seven seas. And I'd build a gigantic homeless shelter

Shannon said...

Seriously? A llama?!??!!? Doesn't she know they spit??!!?!?!

To each his own, I guess... ;)


And yes, I have thought about this, too. Pay off our bills. Set aside some for the girls' college. I've even told the girls that if we won the lottery, we'd be taking a no-holds-barred-go-all-the-way trip to Disney World. For the whole family.

The Joye of Teaching said...

All the boring stuff first and then fun- Vegas, Grand Canyon, cruise, and maybe a little nip/tuck. hehehe

DiPaola Momma said...

Oh I LOVE this game. We do it all the time. I think the first thing I'd do is hire an assistant. Wha? Well I figure everyone who ever heard my name would call wanting something or just to say congrats. So I'd like someone else to deal with that and the filling out of paper work and such. Maybe he/she could do some house cleaning and baby sitting too! Come to think of it that is a great new marketing idea.. you see the person with the giant check. find out who they are and offer your services.. you KNOW they can afford it.. he he

I think running off on a whirl wind trip with the whole family (and new girl/boy friday in tow so I could get some me time) would be our ideal.

Then deal with the bills, cars and llamas!

HiHoOhio said...

move back to a warmer place in texas likely...Austin probably.
also, give 10% to a couple key charities I love and support.
live debt and credit card free!

ChicagoLady said...

A llama isn't the first thing I'd buy, but it's an apropriate answer for a 10 yr old.

I only play the lottery when it's at $100 million, which means I don't play very often. I figure if I'm going to win, I want to win BIG!

After paying off all my bills and some bills of others that are important to me, I'd move closer to some family members that I wish I lived closer to. Cause I could afford to do it. And of course I'd do all the traveling that I've wanted to do. See every state in the U.S., tour Europe. I'd love to see every country in the world.

Susie said...

We are building a 300 acre compound:-)

Belle (from Life of a...) said...

I'd pass on the llama idea...a house on the water would be at the top of my list.

Grand Pooba said...

Seriously? A llama?

I've never entered a lottery, since there is no such thing in Utah! But, if I ever did, and I ever won, I'd probably take the money and use it for law school for my husband!

Handsome's wife said...

I have a friend, her work pooled their money, one week she forgot her money so she passed that week. They won and she got nothing! She was shown on the news as the lottery loser! It was sad.

Just Lisa said...

(This is my favorite Bare Naked Ladies Song)

A million dollars isn't nearly enough to do all things I want to do, so let's I won BIG-- $728 million sounds right!

Wylee and I would, of course, quit our jobs.

A million would go in the bank instantly, in case I blew the rest. Always good to have a safety net.

I would pay off my house, and then give it to my mother. I would ask me father which he prefers: his house paid off, or a new house.

I would build the home of my dreams, in the location of Wylee's dreams.

Everyone would get a new vehicle.

College would be paid for.

That's all I got for now.

WheresMyAngels said...

World travel and I have a teacher whom i would offer her a salary to travel with us so she could teach the kids and of course babysit also.

I would constantly travel so relatives could never find us! lol

Anonymous said...

Right now, I will pay off our house, medical debt, donate to charity, travel and sit back and enjoy life.
In the past when I worked at the post office, my coworkers and I decided that if we hit the lottery, we were going to go to work and moon Ted our supervisor. I'm LMAO thinking about this now.
Rhonda

Brandy said...

I've never won and my chances are very small since I don't play. I think everyone has those fanasties of winning big, but since I don't buy tickets mine are more far fetched than most.

I should really buy one.

Rhea said...

Why am I still not even showing up on the darn list?! This is soooooo wrong. I've always been at the top.

Rhea said...

I comment every single time you post. Where did I go wrong? Where?! WHERE?!