No, I Didn't Win, But I Love My Life

Yep, the Powerball draw was last night and I didn't win. I didn't even win a $5 consolation prize, but that's okay.

Thinking about it on my way to work today, it really is okay. Those aren't just empty words because I am no worse off today than I was yesterday. In fact, thinking of it, in some ways it's a blessing.

After all, I don't have to stand in front of a bunch of cameras and microphones and go off on my snarky responses. I am still me, still employed and still happy in who I am and what I do, and I don't have the added pressure of all that money.

Yeah, it is good and I'm happy and that plays right into something I heard yesterday on the drive to work. Having a lot of money isn't going to make you happy. If you're miserable without money, you'll probably be miserable with money. If you're happy without money, you'll be even happier with money. 'Money doesn't buy happiness' is a true statement. Get happy first, then win a bunch of money.

In different news, today is The Day of Assimilation. It's kind of like the Borg in Star Trek: "Resistance is futile." But that's okay, too. More than anything it's the unknown that's got me nervous, the 'what is it all about' and 'am I up to this'. Given my approach to life and living, I am up to it.

After all, if Joe Over There can do the job, why can't I? Is Joe Over There smarter than me? Maybe. But maybe it's just because he's had training and experience. If it is just because Joe Over There has training and experience, that should not prevent me from learning and gaining the experience. Then I can do the job, too.

Regardless of whether it's because someone else is smarter than me, I have a lunch meeting today with the VP of Finance, the Director of Finance and the A/R Clerk to discuss what's needed. This raises a number of questions:

1) Is this an interview? If it is, that's okay. Heck, I've interviewed often enough and across enough different industries (dental, banking, leasing, engineering, contracting, accounting/bookkeeping, etc.) that interviews don't intimidate me. Heck, I didn't even dress for an interview. I'm sitting here in blue jeans and tennies because, quite frankly, if they're looking to hire me because of my fashion sense, they'll be sadly disappointed. If they're looking to hire me because of my smarts and skills, we'll strike a deal.

2) Is this a simple 'get to know you better'? That's possible. I've been here for a bit more than two years now but I haven't worked closely with this group before and, if they're considering bringing me into the fold, they'll want to get to know me and they'll want me to get to know them.

3) Is this simply an overview conversation: 'here's what's needed' in broad strokes? Possibly but I doubt it because I don't think the VP of Finance has his fingers in this particular pie. The Director does through overseeing the person who's going to train me on this task.

Maybe it's a combination of all three. No matter. I'll go to lunch, get fed, come back and get trained and it will all be fine. I just have to learn what's required, figure out how to do it most efficiently, and make it happen.

It seems there's a bit of a backlog, but that's okay. I just came through a "bit" of a backlog with other things and they're cleared to the point where they're only taking a portion of my time now. I'm sure I can do the same here, and then I'll have attention to pay to other things.

The Stack has shrunk in the past week, and I have wrestled my database into submission. It is now doing what I wanted it to do oh those many months ago. It's still not doing what I want it to do automatically, but it's close enough that it's acceptable. I do still have one more point to deal with, some more reading, another tweak or two, and then I should be 'golden'. Or I'll have to find another solution, but that's okay. That's do-able, too.

So, no, I didn't win the lottery, except in the sense that I am still happy, still working and still as I was yesterday and I do love my life.

I hope you love your life, too, because it sure as heck beats the alternative!

Best~
Philippa

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Lottery Fever?

Does anyone in the United States not have Powerball Lottery fever? I don't know of anyone, even among the rational and staid. If they're not rushing out to buy tickets, they're at least paying attention and speculating - 'what would I do if...'

Given the sheer number of people who are in on tonight's drawing, it's probably 1:300,000,000 against that no one will win while the odds are 1:293,000,000 that someone will. With the jackpot at $900M it's pretty sure that there are 300M tickets sold in the forty-four states that participate.

Confession: I have mine. I bought two plays at one vendor, two at another and will buy one more at a third today. Superstition? Perhaps it is, but I do notice there are differences in the numbers - and not just a little difference. Out of the four plays three are pretty similar, which is one of the problems with the quick picks. However, if you don't have time to stand at the kiosk and fill in your tickets it's the only good choice. Or don't play, which is also a choice.

What would I do if I won? I have plans. Nothing big and I am very good at saying 'no'. I know which groups would get money and I know how I would structure my donations. I know who my family are so newbies showing up and declaring familial relations will be given short shrift.

Depending on how far that jackpot went would affect my plans, but the basic idea would remain the same because who needs more than they need to live comfortably?

Let's say I'm one of four winners. After all of the dust settles I would end up with almost $62M. Honestly, why would I need any more than $120k per year to live? Why could I not live well on $10,000 per month? Even on my bucket trip I'm not planning on spending more than $9,000 per month or $300 per day. One person traveling alone, staying in places for long periods and doing most of their own cooking should be able to make that work. So $10k per month is still far more than I would need, because my overall lifestyle wouldn't change.

I would happily accept $120k per year. Assuming I live another thirty-five years (unlikely, but possible), that would be $4.2M I would need to keep that pace. Since it's unlikely I would spend even $120k per year, it would roll over and I would have that much more available when I really need it.

Immediately, I would spend about $1.5m on myself. A new home locally and my future home on acreage over there. Land + site improvements + the home I've already identified and visualized that I would start on immediately so it would be ready when it's wanted.

I would buy the pickup truck I've always wanted, and a bicycle. Yep, a bicycle. A desktop computer and some clothes - Lee jeans in a variety of shades of blue (based on dye lot). Not Nordstrom or Macy's or any of the expensive places. Kohl's needs my business just as much and their prices are better. So are Target's. Why pay premium price for something I can get for less even if I have the money to spend?

Based on $6M taken from that $62M for myself and my future needs and wants, I would have a cool $56M to offer up to charity. Eleven charities and $5M each with $1M left over for the 'one-offs'? I would have choices, lots of choices and, looking at CharityWatch.org there are a lot of worthy charities out there.


And CharityWatch is worth a donation, too. If a charity uses more than 25% of the received donations on salaries and overhead, they are not spending their money wisely. Who gives money to charity to see it go for high salaries, lush offices, massive overhead and general nest feathering instead of going to help those who need help?

Aside from the winning, I would still get up and go to my job every day because I enjoy what I do (mostly). It gives me something to strive for, to do and look forward to each day. And that would offset some of the need for that $10k from my lottery nest egg so I would save for the future, just as I do now.

Why not retire? Why keep working?

Well, I don't play golf and how many rounds of golf can one play per week anyway? Even hobbies become chores if they're overdone. The pleasure departs and leaves work behind.

I might buy a horse or colt for training, but how many hours per week can one spend working with their horse or colt? I had horses before and spent twice as much time caring for them than I did riding or enjoying them, particularly the colt I was bringing along. Halter training, handling, accepting blankets laid across his back preparatory to the time he would be ready for the saddle, etc. was time consuming and required a lot of patience because he's prey and I'm predator (the position of the eyes in the skull are a giveaway to that).

One thing I have thought of is buying acreage and setting up a boarding stable where people would take care of their own horses. I would have the pleasure of having them there, seeing them every day, but I would hire people to feed them and muck stalls and haul doofle (poop). That would be funded primarily by the boarding fees I would charge, so I would have the pleasure without much pain.

I would also handle this in three stages.

Stage One is drop out of sight. Ditch the cell phone and go into hiding as far as possible. I would not announce my windfall to anyone who isn't in a position of 'Need To Know' because I have no interest in having people seeping out of the woodwork to declare family relationships or beg for money for their sick Aunt Tillie.

I would hire a CPA and meet with representatives of the charities I have already identified. My CPA and I would work with them to establish annuities or trust funds managed by an outside, unaffiliated party of their choice. Not a lump sum payout, but a steady stream of revenue.

I would buy the new house, truck and other things. For the time being I would keep my current car and use that for commuting but the truck would be there, ready to go, for Stage Three which would obviously come after Stage Two.

Stage Two, several years down the road, I would take my bucket trip.

Stage Three would be returning from my bucket trip and retiring to my cabin in the woods.

Those are far enough off, though, that I won't lock myself in by saying 'I'll do this, this, this and this.' I'll leave Stage Two for Stage Two and Stage Three to Stage Three.

Now, all I have to do is win. Even one quarter of that $900M would work.

$900M/4=$225M*.55=$123.75/2=$61.875M. Not too bad. Not too bad at all. Yep, I could manage on that.

Now I'm going to go pick out my house and truck. Here I am, wishing you sweet dreams!

Best~
Philippa

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Dejunking & Other Stuff

This weekend was a continuation of last in the dejunking effort. We've made it downstairs and have started at the front of the house.

It's amazing how much junk we've got. Coffee table books, a robotic myna bird, an old turntable, a desk lamp that doesn't work. It's just collected and neither of us have stopped to think, 'what's that doing there?' It was there and it sat and gathered dust. Now it's in the garage, gathering dust.

There's still a lot to go, and our primary agreement of 'we both have to agree' is in force. He's keeping the stupid carved and painted wood parrot sculpture that I hate, and I rescued the quartz cats that he didn't think either of us wanted. I also rescued the glass duck. We have a duck collection - different ducks, one wicker, one steel, a couple ceramic, one glass and one wood. I love my ducks, so when I found the one that had been in his office in the donate pile, I pulled it out, washed it, and now it's on the shelf with its brothers.

Because of his rotten attitude yesterday, I went to dream-state and spent a couple of hours there. I didn't accomplish anything, but it was nice. Frankly, I looked at real estate online. I found two places, one a condo with HOA and restrictions, but a nice looking place for one person. The other is the cutest little place, all dressed up inside like something from a magazine. Both are in about the same price range - affordable, if. And it's that 'if' that's the sticking point.

Enough of that, though. Hubby's mood has passed, we're friends again, as much as we ever are, and things are back to normal. I expect, in less than five minutes, that he'll be bellowing that I need to come down and watch tonight's football game.

The good news, and one thing that really is telling for me, is that Michigan State beat Michigan yesterday. That made hubby happy, but the tell is in his reaction to it. It isn't normal.

See, he'd been watching the game. Because of his irritation / annoyance at things here, he blew out of the house yesterday and disappeared in his car. I found out last night, once we started talking again, that he'd gone to the local casino to watch it. Personally, I think that's great - if it gives him a chance to get out and see the world, at least a little, it'll be easier for him when he's here. It's like a release valve.

So he was watching the game and then decided to come home. Michigan State was trailing, it was the fourth quarter, but he still kept hoping until it seemed a foregone conclusion that they were going to lose. He went outside to do some work and missed the miracle.

Michigan went to punt the ball - and muffed it. The kicker dropped it. Michigan State picked it up and ran it into the end zone for a game winning touchdown. It was, really, a miracle. That kick should have been the game winner - even though it wouldn't score points. It would seal the deal - but the kicker dropped the ball, and...

Then hubby was all depressed, until we saw the score. Then, for a solid two hours, he moped about it. He didn't even go to Michigan State! He just likes their coach, but for two hours he kept saying, 'why didn't I watch it? Why did I leave?' He was distracted and distant and it was... weird.

Honey, I have news for you. It was a football game. It was not a cure for cancer. It was not the final moments of World War III. It was a meaningless sporting event. But he moped and pondered and talked to himself about it.

Now that, to me, seems a bit obsessive. And weird. And worrisome. But at least they won, so he had a good moment, and we're talking again and he's not mad.

And, yes, there's the call for dinner, so I'll wrap this up and just say that the house is cleaner than it was and things are back on track. Thank goodness!

I hope your life is straight and comfy - with no moping or obsessing.

Best~
Philippa

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