Powerball Out

This evening on my drive home from work, I had plenty of time to think - actually, I had too much time to think thanks to my 60 mile round trip commute.  Anyway, as I was saying, I had some idle time while dodging crazy drivers on I-77 in Charlotte to process stuff.  Now typically, my thoughts center around getting home and making beats in my studio or editing pictures from a shoot, but today was different.  Today was something more.



It seemed like every time a car went by, it was either super expensive or looked damn good.  And here I am in the Red Saturn VUE wondering why the motor on my rear window decided to break after more than 10 years of ownership.  Simply put, I was vexed.  In that moment I felt like the entire world was just passing me by and I had no clue how to catch up - actually, I still feel that way even as I type this post.

It wasn't until I was on the Brookshire Freeway and saw that $360 million dollar NC Powerball billboard that I had my moment of clarity and my momentary depression was cured.  Actually, the sign simply interrupted my thoughts, but it was a well-timed interruption.

As I approached the billboard I did what most people probably do, I began to imagine what I'd do if I were $360 million richer.  Oddly enough I didn't immediately come up with too many ideas other than the fact that I'd ditch the VUE and my employer would never near from me again, but still, nothing groundbreaking came to mind.  So this triggered another thought - what would day one be like if my Powerball ticket hit?  Hmmmmm...

Obviously, I wouldn't make any real estate purchases and it's not like I live right around the corner from the Maybach factory so that huge mansion and fleet of luxury cars is probably be a few months down the road.  I doubt I'll be able to make reservations at any of the swank restaurants around town and Michael Jordan still wouldn't care who I was, so really, my day one would probably look much like any other day in my life.  It was this thought process that motivated me to write this article and for the first time on www.StevenandJ.tv pose to question to readers with the hopes of receiving responses:

What would you do on your first day if you won $360 million in the state lottery?

Be more creative than me and hit us up on our facebook fan page and on twitter @steveandjtv.

By the way, here is what my first day would look like:

• After receiving the bank deposit, I would holler at my father, who is a preacher, and figure out the best way to handle my tithing.  I'm thinking build him a church then hit the church with my 10% in some kind of trust fund cause just dropping $36 million off in a little yellow envelope on a Sunday morning may be a bit much.
• If you see the VUE sitting on the side of the road by the Range Rover dealership on Independence just know they can still get $4,000 out of her despite my issue with my rear window because I took great care of her all these years!  I'd cop a Range first but only because I like SUVs and I still have to consider my dog when I travel.  But trust me, the car collection would grow over time.  Also, I'd really only have the patience to buy one care in a day.
• With my new Range rover, I'd scoop up the GF and slide away to a nearby hide-away so I could decompress for a week and start making plans to manage my new wealth.  Obviously, during that time, I'd address some household management issues and start making plans to help some family members.  But again, on day one, I'm just trying to order room service and play in the hot tub of a luxury hotel suite somewhere.
• I wouldn't worry about changing my phone number but only because nobody calls me anyway.  98% of my friends wouldn't even know I was rich.  Unfortunately that same 98% wouldn't know if I got abducted by aliens tonight either - shame.  I would simply upgrade my phone to an unlimited plan since I can afford it now.
• Drop some bills in the bank accounts of my brothers, parents and a few close friends - even the GF.  The way I see it, after 9 years of being with me, she's earned a cut!  I'll even turn my head if she wants to use some of it to get a tattoo as long as it is my name!  She can even pick the location as long as its on the small of her back!  For a couple million, that's not unreasonable...
• Head to the Apple store and buy a new Macbook Pro, but only because my cheap Compaq has a busted hinge and I would need a computer for the week that I was chilling in the luxury suite.  

-J

Disclaimer: Steve is an employee of Turner Broadcasting, a division of Time Warner, however the views expressed in this post are of my own.