sigh here, please

If I had a million dollars....
No, I'd have $114 million, thanks!

What would I do? What would I do?

First: I'd invest it to make more money. Not that I don't think I have enough, but to ensure that what I want to do can continue long after I am gone.

All debt; mine, my families, friends, probably even all of yours, as of right now those on my blogroll and those who answered the question, debt gone! (Who loves you? Uh, who?) However, this is a one time payment, get out of jail free card. Any and all debt aquired after payment is made, is yours to keep. I love ya, but I ain't gonna be an ATM. Here's my theory, learn to manage your own money and your own debt. I have some family members (step-sister) who is very slow on the uptake on this one. (Didn't make her house payment for a year because she just didn't want to. Yeah, she's living in an apartment now.)

College funds for niece and nephew. However, they must maintain at least a 2.5 GPA. Trust funds for them also, but they can't touch them until they are 25 and it won't be in one lump sum. They also won't know about it until they are 25.

I will travel the globe. Anywhere and everywhere I have always wanted to go. Friends and family please, join me.

Build a house, or restore an old two-story farm house, in the country on an acreage. Huge garden of vegetables. Backyard is nothing but flowers. I have a least two, maybe three, dogs. A barn on the property. An old Ford pickup, circa, 1930's, fully restored, but the door still squeaks when I open the driver's door. New model Mustang in the garage.
Build a second house by the ocean. As close as I possibly can make it to the shore. Nothing fancy. Just a nice little cottage.

Paint, write, photograph, design.

Now for my life's mission:
I will start an organization that promotes women's issues. In all countries, not just in the Third World. Something has happened to women's self-esteem and self-worth. The stories I hear everyday of a young women not valuing herself breaks my heart and makes me mad.
Education in terms of teaching young girls, starting in pre-adolescence, to value themselves.

Market ads that show real women, who have real bodies. Not bodies that are a size 2 or 0 with fake boobs. That isn't what we look like. Show bodies with natural curves, all shapes, all sizes.

Go to Third World countries and teach/educate that women do have self-worth, value. Female infantgenocide is still very much happening. Women are not valued. However, I think that the same thing can be said in this country as well. I'm not saying we are killing our baby girls as soon as they are born, but we are teaching them not to value themselves. The images that are shown everyday of what a 'real' women is aren't accurate. We are told what we are supposed to look like, how stupid and sexual we are to act, and how smart we aren't supposed to be. These are all thrown at us constantly and we wonder why we aren't happy and why we can't achieve it.
I would promote and educate in terms of: birth control, education, safe sex practices, values, health care. This includes all things big and small all things that can be thought of.

Promote education.
Start schools in other countries and improve the schools in the U.S. Education is freedom, however our education system needs to improve greatly so that freedom can be achieved.

Promote literacy.
The number one thing a parent can do to help their child in terms of development is to read to their child. Ta dah!
Yep, reading. The easiest and simpliest thing a person can do to help ensure a child's future. I would scream that loud all over the world. (Wait, did I just do that? Okay, not all over the world, but within a twelve-state area?)
I would have book drives, book sales, reading programs, ad campaigns all over the country.

I would open a:
Book store.
A coffee shop.
A gay disco.
A great little neighborhood bar.
A cafe'.
An independent film movie theater.
A sex club.

I would travel, travel, travel, travel, travel, travel, travel, travel, travel,travel, travel, travel!!!!!!

Last, but damn sure not least, I would throw one hell of a party, the likes of which none of us have ever been witness to. Yes, all of you are invited. Pack a bag. Because who knows where we will all end up.