$1.4 Billion

Winning the lottery and specifying what we would do with the winnings is a conversational topic that has entertained my husband and I on numerous road trips over the course of our marriage.  Knowing that the odds are not in our favor, we still find it fun to contemplate what we would do with $10 or $20 million, like where we would live, what we would buy, what philanthropic endeavors we would pursue, etc.  Historically, my list of what I would do hasn't changed much over the years.  

The first thing I would do is...

...faint.

After I was revived and came to, I would...

...do a little happy dance.

After joyously happy dancing for a few minutes hours, I'd call up my boss and be like..   

..."Peace out. I'm outta here!"

That's when the real fun would begin.  I'd buy a new house...in Hawaii.

I'd fulfill my lifelong passion to see the world...

When I travelled, I'd sit in those nice, roomy, first class seats instead of sitting shoulder to should with people back in coach.

I would set up some scholarships for kids from my hometown to attend college or some technical training school and I would do the same for kids in the county where I currently work.  I would also set up scholarships for undergrads and graduates who were attending my alma mater, Marshall University. 

I would pay off my debts as well as the debts of those in my family, thus giving them a clean slate.  If they owed no debt, I would give them the average amount of what the rest of the family owed (that I paid off).

And, last, but not least, I'd establish trust funds for my husband's kids.

That's what I would do if I won $10 or $20 million.  

It is predicated that the jackpot will reach $1.4 billion by Wednesday night.

That's right.  One. Point. Three. BILLION.  Dollars.  That's Billion with a B!  

Here's something I've learned over the past few days - I can't wrap my head around $1.3 billion.  I can't begin to fathom what that amount of money even looks like.  Truth be told, I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around $500 million (the approximate cash payout one would receive after paying taxes).

Seriously, what in the world would I do with half a billion dollars?  After fulfilling my meager little list above, I have not a clue.

So, I have several questions for you today.

1. What would you do with half a billion dollars?
2. It's no surprise that there are many pitfalls that come to lottery winners (Jack Whittaker from WV, for example).  Would winning that amount of money be worth the headaches and possible heartaches that would come along with the money?

If you are playing the lottery tomorrow night, good luck to you.  If I happen to win the lottery, well, I'll probably be incognito for awhile and laying low.  As always, thanks for stopping by.