It's the first Friday of a New Year. Resolutions are either being kept or have been abandoned alongside the trash can waiting for pick up. The decorations are put away, the baking is eaten, the turkey destroyed. Time for fun!
Let's imagine, just for a moment, that you have all the money you've ever wanted. What would you do? Now, let's be clear, this is for you. Altruistic tendencies must be avoided for this exercise. This is just fun. Let your mind unwind and soar.
As for me...
Travel: I have often told those near and dear to me that if I had the funds they couldn't see me in the mist of jet fuel. I love traveling and I haven't been able to do it for a long time. I'm back in Europe! I'm in England and then, (if I can pry myself away) I'm in France and Italy. A cruise around the Greek Islands doesn't sound too bad.
Houses: I realized a while ago that if I had loads of money, I'd collect houses like others collect stamps. Now, it doesn't have to be a house; there are some places I'd be perfectly happy with a condo. Give me a flat in London looking out on the Thames where I can see Tower Bridge. But I also crave a cottage in Warwickshire (close enough to Stratford), that is so old Elizabeth I could have seen it. Give me an old villa in Tuscany and an apartment in Venice. A cottage in Provence. A farmhouse in the Okanagan where my family has vacationed for the last few years. (this year's post here). I could go on and on and on...
Renovations: The house we're in now gets a complete overhaul. New bathroom. New kitchen. New flooring. New bedrooms. (more books....)
Shoes: For once in my life, I want a pair of designer shoes. I want a pair of Manolo Blahniks or Jimmy Choos. I know it's frivolous. I know I don't have the lifestyle these shoes should have. I don't care. I want them.
I could go on, but I don't want to appear too shallow! How about you? Imagine you've just won the mother of all lotteries. Indulge yourself. It's Friday!
Fun question, Elspeth -- With lots of money...I'd hire a fulltime housekeeper/cook, completely renovate/redecorate our house, and spend at least three months a year in the South of France. And that's just the beginning!
ReplyDeleteAfter giving to charity (seriously) and helping out my family, I'd travel to Turkey, Greece, and then England.
ReplyDeleteNext, I'd buy a condo in the mountains so we can ski and not worry about accomodations (or traffic). In the summer, I'd use it as a writing retreat.
Finally, I'd get the Macbook Pro I've had my eye on.
This was fun :)
Elspeth - Oh, what fun!! Hmmm....I would spend money on the perfect writing room. State-of-the-art computer system (w/ printer, fax, etc..), ultra-comfy chair, the perfect, gorgeous desk and shelves and shelves of books. A huge window, too. I would spend money on some travel, too. I love visiting interesting places, and I have a special fondness for a few places to which I'd like to return.
ReplyDeleteHmmm...what else... hmmm.. I would buy a lovely little home (to hold my perfect writing room : ) ) in Southeastern Pennsylvania - gorgeous country there. And a "weekend" apartment in Manhattan for when I go to good theaer openings.
Oh, now you've got me going, but I'd better stop before I completely take over your blog : ).
Patricia; Let's see if we can be near each other in the South of France! Morning cafe au laits in a small village sound quite nice.
ReplyDeleteCarolyn; Turkey? Interesting! I've always been very Euro-centric. A mountain condo sounds nice...wonder if I should use some of the riches and get one in Whistler...
Margot; Your writing room sounds wonderful! Mine, of course, would be looking out at England's green and pleasant land. It's easy to get carried away, isn't it? But fun!
I'd buy a new toaster oven. A really, really good one.
ReplyDeleteOoh, don't get me started...
ReplyDeleteA house in Sag Harbor, right on the water. It doesn't have to be a big house. But it needs a loft and a spiral staircase -- the kind in old playhouse theatres.
An apartment in Harvard Square (if I can tear myself away from my Sag Harbor beach house)
A town house in Raleigh (if I can dig out from under the snow either in Sag Harbor or Harvard Square). Yes, I still like it here.
A Volkswagon New Beetle. Convertible.
A 71' GTO, also convertible (or was the '72 the cool one?).
(I like those retro Ford T-birds, too)
Shoes. Lots and lots of shoes.
Finally, I'd buy my own coffeeshop and have other people run it so I'd have someplace to go hang out, read, and write all day.
A modern tv, but not one so obnoxiously big.
Did I mention the shoes?
Am I coming off as overly materialistic? I hope not. The scary thing is that I can think of lots more. Maybe I'll just stop here...
:P
Alan; You wild man.
ReplyDeleteElisa; Your dreams sound wonderful. I'd like to come and visit you in Sag Harbor and aren't circular staircases wonderful? I had to stop myself too. I'm with you on the shoes (or didn't I make that clear?)
"Oh, having ooodles of money wouldn't change me at all. I'd keep on living exactly the same way as I do now," said The Old Silly in a bald faced lie. (wink)
ReplyDeleteOld Silly; And I believe you (she says with a wink)
ReplyDeleteKaren; What's wrong with shallow? Who knows where dreams may take us? And who knows, they might not turn out to be shallow at all.
Okay, I'd like to travel the States. Overseas is fun, but kinda been there done that. But, mostly, I'd want tickets to every major league ballpark, football stadium, and basketball arena to see each team. Then, tickets to the Super Bowl, NCAA championships, etc.
ReplyDeleteBest Regards, Galen.
Imagineering Fiction Blog
I'd travel. And have a daily maid service. :)
ReplyDeleteElizabeth
Mystery Writing is Murder
Mystery Lovers’ Kitchen
I'd hire two maids and maybe a dog wrangler/groomer on call. I'd buy a beach house in Del Mar, a condo is Colorado Springs to be near my daughter, the condo next door to my sister in Victoria B.C. (it's for sale!) And we'd travel. Fun stuff.
ReplyDeleteI'd hire the best publicist I could find and buy huge ads for my book in all those glossy magazines and on TV! Oh…and move to Sanibel Island.
ReplyDeleteGalen; You'll BE traveling to go to all those games! What about the Masters?
ReplyDeleteElizabeth SC; How could I forget the daily maid service? Wise woman.
Elizabeth B; With that condo in Victoria, we could get together for tea! Nifty. Is there such a thing as a cat wrangler? If so, I'll have one, please.
Jane; You're practical. Congratulations. I'm now ending my ignorance and discovering where Sanibel Island is.
Travel everywhere - starting with the Serengeti, Italy, France, Greece & Hong Kong.
ReplyDeleteHire a housekeeper & never clean a toilet again :) She/he could do the laundry too :)
Build a farmhouse with a wrap around porch and a library room with floor to ceiling shelves.
Heaven!
Oh I want to be shallow for just a little snippet of time. Shoes! A little spot to call my own in every place I love. Stocked cupboards, fridges, and wine cellars. Housekeepers everywhere. More shoes!! Money left over to charter a jet when I move from place to place. Or a yacht. OK, I'm awake now. Darn. But it was fun while it lasted :)
ReplyDeleteWell to start with I'd buy the ranch that we used to live on (in an isolated area of the Fraser Canyon) I miss the killer view I had from my kitchen window. And hmmm, I'd probably try and grab a pair of those shoes before the ranch chewed through the rest of the money :D
ReplyDeleteHappy enough as I am, but if I do have unlimited funds, I would love to travel, travel and travel some more. But, where do I park the kids when I do that?
ReplyDeleteAh, a fantasy break - perfect. I'd buy time, time not filled up with worry about money would be so nice. I'd buy the house we built and live in from the bank, I'd pay off the house we rent and give it to a friend of mine who will never have any money. She can rent one half (duplex) and live in the other. I would go when I liked with my friends to Italy - a dream we've had for quite a few years now but that none of us can really afford. But mostly - I'd use the relief from money stress to write, meditate and enjoy my lovely guy!
ReplyDeleteeh, if I had all the money in the world, I would probably move to New York or Paris, open my fashion house, enjoy life through a dream job, and then spread my money and happiness on all the deserving creatures of this world :)
ReplyDelete