Let's play this out, tomorrow night’s jackpot is 91 million (cash value of 53.5 million - they tell you that on the website, I did not figure it out). All of our winner fairytales begin with a controversy about how and when we would tell the kids. My theory, a phone call is not worthy, we ultimately decide that there will be face to face delivery involving limos and airplanes (I did say there would be impulse expenditures). Of late, we have also discussed the caveat that perhaps we should keep it under wraps until David's graduation in May (it used to include Scott too, but that milestone has passed); lifetime financial security could put that cap and gown at risk. I'll finance their dreams, but first they have to fulfill mine. Not worrying about Andrew at the moment, he'll be comfortable with his fortune by the time he settles in on a campus. Ok, so however that happens, the 5 of us are all on board. Next comes the family, we think a big vacation; grandmother (she's coming at 96), parents, siblings, nieces, nephews. We struggle about a destination, lots of ages and stages involved, and decide on a villa or private island somewhere with a chef and full staff. Our friends will get the same treatment (without children), adding in more liquor and entertainment. What good is all that money if you can't share the fun with the people you love the most? So now the initial "new multi-millionaire" spending spree is over. I’m sure the kids will want new cars, nothing ridiculous, but I'll allow a trade up from Nana P's 2000 Camry. Same for Jeffrey and me, not really fancy car people, but we'll live a little. We know we don't want to move, sentimental about this house and moving isn't fun, but a few upgrades would be nice. We'd rather have a vacation home, someplace the kids will want to bring their families. I'd love to throw a boat for Jeffrey into the mix, but I'm afraid he'd spend too much time away (unless it has a/c and enough bedrooms for friends and family). Not sure where I am with the math (good spender, never good with the checkbook ledger), but let's just say I am down to about 40 million. This part's easy, 1 million each (maybe more) to my father’s fund at the Jewish Federation (because nothing would make him, or me, happier), the JCC (because every day I go to work I see things I'd like to make happen) and Camp Tevya (because, you know, it's in my DNA). So much more good I'd like to do, but those are always the first 3 on the list.
Hard to believe, but not one of the above is all about me. I have everything I want and need, except perhaps the security that it will always be this way. I don't have any desire for a Birkin bag (not judging if it's your thing, but I'd probably throw the 10,000 bag on the shelf next to the ones from Canal Street). More than likely you'd still find me at J.Crew, maybe I wouldn't wait for my favorites to go on sale (but I probably still would). Pretty sure my legs would not get any longer with a closet full of Manolo's, but I'd like to give it a shot. I see myself shopping the same way I do now, less the anxiety of Jeffrey knowing how much I spend. My fashion roots were planted in the communal dressing room at Loehmann's (if you're old enough, right now you have a disturbing image of old ladies in stockings and nothing else); I never feel like I fit in at Bergdorfs. One more thing, no major surgery, but a few touch ups before 50 might be nice. Hopefully, you won't even notice, but I will.
I will spend the next 24 hours waiting for the magic numbers to arrive in my brain. If they do, I'll make dreams come true. If they don't; I already hit one jackpot, maybe that's enough. 
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