borrowed from the Weekly Wrap-up

1. What would be the first purchase you make with your newly-won fortune? Why?
I would trade in my little car for a brand new, fully loaded Toyota Tacoma. I would then pay off my mortgage. Beyond that, I would HOPE that I would save the money and put it somewhere were it can build up interest and help out whenever it's absolutely needed.

2. What charities would benefit from your lottery winnings? Why?
I honestly don't know. I know that I would donate to SOME charity or charities...but it would take a lot of research and thinking to decide who would use the money in the most efficient, honest, intelligent way. I would probably focus on some kind of alternative energy research.

3. How would you handle the instant celebrity nature of your life, once lottery officials announced your name and shared your photograph with the world?
I would be terrified. I am sure that there are requirements - you have to do a certain number of talk shows or something, but I would do as little as possible and hope that my fifteen minutes were up quickly. To speed the process along I would probably obnoxiously promote education, alternative energy and peace. Nothing gets you shunted to the back of the room faster!

4. Would you expect long-long relatives or friends to resurface once you obtained the winnings? If so, what would you do? If not, why?
Of course. That is how people are. They will use whomever they can in whatever way suits them best. I would use the chance to re-build my emotional relationship with them WITHOUT giving them any money. If they are still interested in me after a year of that then I would have to decide on an individual basis. In fact, now that I think about it, setting up a "no spending" policy for the first year or so might do alot to cut down on all the insanity. It's something to remember.

5. Many lottery winners state that their lives will not change despite winning a huge sum of money... do you think yours would? Why or why not?
Yes. I expect things would change in ways that I can't even fathom. I would hope that the basics would stay the same. I would still have my Mikey and my family and friends. I would still live in my little house for a few more years. I would still teach. I would be able to eat out more tho! I like that idea. AND I would be able to go home whenever I wanted. : )