I didn't get to sleep at all last night, I can tell that it's not because I'm worried because I ran out of things to think about. When I worry, I never run out of new scenarios to concern myself with. I could say it's from pain, but frankly, I'm kind of use to that so even though I exhausted my remedies I remained awake, though resting in bed - more or less comfortable, whatever. Anyway, I have a few pet ideas that I take out to think about when I can't sleep. These are questions that have no obvious answer or no correct answer.
For example: What is the perfect amount of money to win in the lottery? Research has shown that lottery winners to the majority, end up in the same proportional financial position they were in before they won. This means that if they carried a 35% debt load before they won, they will after-leaving them in a much more difficult position because they do not have the earning power associated with their winnings. The winners that did not end up in this position all had one thing in common. They all had a plan for their winnings including how they were going to handle the charities that besieged them after winning. This is the research that parented my question, and it was my favorite mental toy until this summer, when I actually solved it -for me.
Needless to say, I think my idea is brilliant and it should be because I've been thinking about it for almost twenty years. Don't fret,I won't make you wait that long for my answer, and it isn't 42 (just in case you're a Hitch hiker's Guide to the Galaxy folk). My answer is $142 million. Now to some of you that may seem quite high, to greedy folk it may seem quite modest. If you follow the lottery you know that it often exceeds this amount, it doesn't matter because I rarely buy a ticket, I just want to be prepared so I'm not one of those winners that ends up deeper in debt (I shudder at the thought).
My calculation goes like this: The day I win the lottery, I inform all those I know and love that I have won the lottery and being the generous person that I am, I want to pay off all of their debts, including the mortgage on their homes and autos, etc. The debts must all have preexisted my winning the lottery. I will also pay the taxes on the financial gift they are receiving so as of one month after the lottery, they all have their income to spend as they will and I will not bail anyone out beyond these funds. That's final by the way, if you know me, you know that I can hold a line and that is my line. The only exception to this rule are the people I know who are homeless, they just get a house, median priced in their community (yeah, I'll furnish it). As for the charities, I've already selected the ones that I support and that's the end of that.
As for myself, well I will be buying four houses, one in New York by my family, one in Santa Monica which is my happy place, one in Colorado where I feel good and one in an undisclosed location that I have always loved but don't want any intruders to my paradise.
For me, the next part is my absolute favorite, if you've ever seen the television show Highway to Heaven, where Michael Landon and another guy travel the country and solve one person's problems in each episode. That's my plan, though I don't expect to spend a half hour on each person. I'm thinking, a check up from the neck up for each, and a friend (being me) who is willing to help them do whatever they need to fix their life. It's such a cool idea, I don't mind if Michael Landon had the job first. I can deal with it.
Now that this issue has been resolved, I just need to win the lottery, which means that I have to start buying tickets...hmm. Oh well, it will happen if it will happen. In the meantime, I needed a new nearly unsolvable problem to occupy my mind while I'm not sleeping (and usually in pain). The new issue is just as individual in it's solution so I guess I'll share that idea with you in a future writing.
No comments:
Post a Comment