Now, according to the resident guru with the newest weekend assignment, Mr. John Scalzi has proposed that I have somehow come into some considerable change. His suggestion is that I have come into one million dollars to be exact. As daunting as that might be for me to even dream about it, here are my thoughts on how it would be spent.
I have very little debt so my first thought would be to pay my car off and purchase some play things for the house. (You know, a new kitchen, a pool, the master bathroom redone.) That would probably come to about 50,000 (mol). I would help my parents and sister reduce some of their debt and provide for a cushion (25,000 each), and give about 10,000 to each of the nieces and nephews to help them (50,000). That accounts for about 150,000 so far leaving me with plenty to figure out. My dream is to own a home on the coast of Maine for the summers, and I am assuming that might cost up to 450,000 to 500,000. I would like to take some of the money and set up a nonprofit organization to pair young adults who are trying to make it in school and in life on their own, with seniors who have no one to be there for them. Sort of like a big brother for seniors and young adults. The rest I would invest for a rainy day. I would continue to work, I love what I do, and I don't do it for the pay as it is.
Now Mr. Scalzi has also proposed that I have somehow been so good that I have a second million in addition to the first, would I do anything different with the second? I would probably take more vacations and include my friends and family in the plans. More money would go into my nonprofit to offer such things as housing assistance to my blended families as it is needed, money set aside to cover emergency situations that might arise, transportation assistance, etc. Give more to homeless shelters and food banks.
Now to the extra credit portion of this ... the proposal is that we have two million that must all be donated, where would I donate it and why?
1). My blended family idea above would be first. Why... These are the two groups of people in our society who desperately need to know that someone cares about them, and need the resources to assist them to help each other.
2). Stem cell research. Why: I have lost 2 members of my family to Lou Gherigs disease ... and that was 2 too many. I treat patients with Parkinson's Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Diabetes, Dementia and Alzheimer's, among many others ... and many of these patients are way too young to be so burdened. We have the knowledge to cure within our grasp, we just need to reach for it.
3). College stipends for 2 or 3 students per year who want to go into Physical Therapy at my alma mater, University of Florida, that need help financially with books, labs, housing and food. Why: I was the recipient of just such an award and without that money I would not have been able to afford to stay in college.
4). I would donate to local homeless shelters to increase their number of beds and have food and clothing enough, and stock the local food banks with the necessities. Why: One of my oldest friends froze to death in his van waiting for room in a shelter 12 years ago.
There you have it Mr. Scalzi, my homework assignment is complete. Now to go to bed and dream of my inheritance...
lab2401 at 2:33:00 AM EDT Link to this entry
I posted your haiku comment (late, but oh well) for Father's Day in IH--but I still gave myself top billing. I've noticed lotsa haiku in lotsa journal comments from you! You are, indeed, hooked.
Send as many contest entries as ya like, by the way.
Let's kick Alzheimer's in the butt, k? (although I am so fascinated by it...)
Comment from haikulike - 6/21/04 12:14 AM
V
Comment from deabvt - 6/20/04 4:37 AM
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