What would you do with a million dollars?

Good evening all!

One of my all time, no holds barred, favorite movies is "Office Space."   Not only is the movie a beautiful, and hilarious, commentary on life in an office, especially a large office at the dawn of the era of "downsizing" it's also includes some great nuggets of life-altering wisdom.

One of the best, and generally over looked, conversations is the one about "what would you do with a million dollars?"  The conversation goes like this:

WARNING:  Salty language ahead!

Peter Gibbons: Our high school guidance counselor used to ask us what you would do if you had a million dollars and didn't have to work. And invariably, whatever you'd say, that was supposed to be your career. So if you wanted to fix old cars, then you're supposed to be an auto mechanic.

Samir Nagheenanajar: So what did you say?

Peter Gibbons: I never had an answer. I guess that's why I'm working at Initech.

Michael Bolton: No, you're working at Initech 'cause that question is bullshit to begin with. If that quiz worked, there would be no janitors, because no one would clean shit up if they had a million dollars.

Samir Nagheenanajar: You know what I would do if I had a million dollars? I would invest half of it in mutual funds and then take the other half over to my friend Sadulach who works in Securities.

Michael Bolton: Samir. Samir, you're missing the point. The point of the exercise is that you're supposed to figure out what you would want to do . . . (reads the printer's display). PC load letter?!! What the fuck does that mean?!!

What follows after that is the far better known argument with the fax machine, a running gag that ends up in a field with the boys destroying said fax machine.  

Another conversation about the million dollars follows a bit later in the movie.  Again, WARNING:  Salty language.

Peter Gibbons: What would you do if you had a million dollars?

Lawrence: I'll tell you what I'd do, man: two chicks at the same time, man.

Peter Gibbons: [laughs] That's it? If you had a million dollars, you'd do two chicks at the same time?

Lawrence: Damn straight. I always wanted to do that, man. And I think if I had a million dollars I could hook that up, 'cause chicks dig a dude with money.

Peter Gibbons: Well, not all chicks.

Lawrence: Well the kind of chicks that'd double up on a dude like me do.

Peter Gibbons: Good point.

Lawrence: Well what about you now? what would you do?

Peter Gibbons: Besides two chicks at the same time?

Lawrence: Well yeah.

Peter Gibbons: Nothing.

Lawrence: Nothing, huh?

Peter Gibbons: I'd relax, I would sit on my ass all day, I would do nothing.

Lawrence: Well you don't need a million dollars to do nothing, man. Just take a look at my cousin, he's broke, don't do shit.

The question about what we'd do if we won the lottery, if we had a million dollars, came up at an informal meeting for work today.  Since I work from home, having a meeting is a question of logistics...as in, which coffee shop and when.  The boss, who is a really good guy and therefore will not be getting any fun nicknames from me, and my other coworker meet on occasion to go over some things from time to time.  Today the idea of having all the money we'd ever need came up.  The boss, it turns out, would open a pizza restaurant.  The coworker would find a spot on a beach and never move.

Me?

I'd be writing.  I'd be doing exactly what I do for fun now because it's what I love. The only difference in my day would be that I would be writing MORE because I wouldn't have to stop for things like laundry, and dishes, and cleaning the bathrooms, and visiting the extended family because i would pay people to do that. 

Oh sure, I'd pay for superb college educations for my kids, and I'd travel, and I'd send my husband to culinary school.  But I'd be writing. I'd be writing, and reading, and watching movies and eating something fun my husband cooked.

In short, my life might not change all that much, except I would be able to relax about following my dreams and not hide it in the corners of the day, writing when everything else was done and no one was looking.  

So, what would you do with a million dollars?  Would your life change dramatically or are you already doing what you love to do, you'd just do it better?