Then he died happy!!!

I haven’t read any of the previous post, not even the original post.

I’ve never bought a lottery ticket. I’ve been in one casino, one time, because a coworker insisted. He gave me a $20 bill to blow. It was a weekday, midday, and it appeared everyone there was gambling the car payment to win the house payment. That was 23 years ago in Tunica Mississippi.

Back at home today, I walked into a gas station/convenience store this morning to lay my money down for my gas. I can usually walk in, lay my money down, and be back out before the door closes.

Today was different; there were two, appeared to be a 30ish year old woman with her 60ish year old dad, both buying lottery tickets. Around here, 90% of folks buying tickets cannot afford to buy tickets. You can thank these two folks for my post.

So, I can’t win if I don’t play. But if I did…….

The first thing I’d do is trade in my open station tractor for a cab tractor. Might even keep my old tractor and just go all in for a brand new cab, heat and air, and satellite music.

My reluctance is grounded in the idea that it’s not my money; I did not earn it, so I’m charged with using it wisely. This is not to be taken lightly.

Next up, probably in conjunction, will be to build a house for, and hire a person/family to manage the farm, while I’m away (I don’t want to be away, it’s just comforting to know I could take off anytime).

Most important is my community. I would engage the pillars of our community and we will develop a plan to improve the local infrastructure. Big deal, so I would have to surround myself with smart people.

The idea will be to make this rural area desirable to industry, so that the benefit of this windfall will be maximized among those locals who want to work, and of course, to many who don’t.

Improved roads and bridges……..finishing the damn interstate! Bring in high speed internet! Build another water treatment plant to increase our water supply to industry. I might even pave my driveway.

Of course, I’d need to do a combination of vetting, and grooming. I do not have that experience, so I will have to digest a lot in a short time and lean on people that do. Hey, there is no better time to learn about these things. I perform better under pressure.

Oh, I almost forgot the aviation theme. I’ll buy a later model King Air to fly the pillars of our community to wheel and deal. I’ll likely go with them most of the time because I like to observe, and I like to fly. I also like Animal Crackers and luke warm coffee.

When I’m not with the pillars, I’ll probably be coaching the farm hand, so I can go on vacation with my wife. It’ll be our first vacation over nine days ever, and I’ll be monitoring the head cheese via satellite internet. I’ll be smoking a cigar, with a bourbon in my new cab tractor. Tina will be sitting in her new two man ladder stand telling me that I missed a spot.

I can almost taste it.

Truthfully, if I won, the things I'd do:

One last no cost matters run at having a kid.. IVF has basically been like lighting money on fire, and we just burnt a year and $$$$ with a surrogate that didn't work out.

Pay off my house, my mother's house and probably my brothers house.

Invest the large portion of it so we could just live off investment income.

Donate to a few charities that we have worked with before. I know every single last charity will be blowing up my phone, knocking on my door, but the ones that we give to already are going to get help first.

I want to buy a proper mad scientist lair. But use it for motorcycles, airplanes, etc.

I have a ticket... with the drawing on the day my flying club arranged a tour of the Falcon Jet completion facility in Little Rock. Crazy story (starts with Fedex), wonderful tour, 1.2M sq ft of aviation production and I left knowing you can get a really nice plane for $55-75M.

But if you want to own it and operate it... you might need to win the Powerball.

I might spring for the XI version the Garmin 650 for the Skipper.

Or heck, I might just purchase the whole Musketeer line from Textron and and call the company "Beachcraft" and name the various models after famous beaches.

Best,
Rich

Casey, when the dust settles in Ukraine there are going to be a lot of orphans. I don’t know your situation and don’t mean to pry, just a thought.

We've tried adoption twice. Tons of money spent and nothing to show for it. Wife is ethnically a Russian Jew, but her family has been here since the 30s.

Virginia makes it a huge obstacle to foster if you have a job. Wife and I tried that but they want you in their office on random days fir six weeks and I can't guarantee I won't be rerouted into a trip even though I work less days than a 9-5 job.

My hunch is Ukraine is gonna kibosh us from adopting Ukrainian kids because Russian and Latvian. Me being 1/2 Latvian derailed adoption from over there years ago.

Then you have the religious adoption agencies. Jewish ones won't touch us because I'm not Jewish (and not converting) and ones from my side freak out about Abby being Jewish and not being interested in converting.

No Powerball winner last night. Time to buy another ticket and upgrade my wish list.

Upgrading my list is going to keep me busy today! The first two planes to add: P-47 Thunderbolt and F-4 Phantom II.

If you live in a state with no income tax and you're the only winner, you'll take home a lump sum of over $1 billion.

I think that I'd go with a Gulfstream or Citation for long trips, Pilatus PC-12 for short trips, a P-51 just because, and a helicopter because I've always wanted one.

This is insane. I’m not talking about you.
I’m not talking about a lottery, or winning a bunch of money.
Anyone winning a billion dollars is insane. Unless you’re already a very well grounded multi-millionaire, no way this turns out okay. This is nucking futs. No way this ends well. Many people will get hurt. Some will die. This is not a game for the majority of those who may win.

I volunteer to be the test subject.

I know it will be a huge sacrifice, but I'm willing to take one for the team on this one.

Best,
Rich

I wouldn’t wish this on anyone, so if you win I’d gladly take your place.

New updated list.

Still -10s for my two MU-2s
Small single pilot jet 501, m2?
Bigger hangar and house at Alpine

Not sure I’ll need the full billion so I guess I’ll buy some airplanes for my friends too. After all what’s money if you can’t enjoy it with friends.

Totally agree. Very few people of limited means and ability to succeed on their own will do well with the windfall. Most likely will turn out epically BAD.

Upgrading my list is going to keep me busy today! The first two planes to add: P-47 Thunderbolt and F-4 Phantom II.