If you had money to burn

[Random]

I’m too embarrassed to say what got me thinking about this. But something made me make a list. I look at it alternately contented with my simple life and troubled by the lack of imagination and adventure. I wonder how different--save some new backpacking toys--it would be if I had no physical impediments to fully inhabiting Me. I’m too weary to go there, but feel free. I’m interested in your list.

If I had money to burn, I’d
--Put on an addition with a roll-in shower.
--Finally get a new computer or two, with voice recognition, and people to help me make it all work ergonomically and technically where I need it in my house.
--Buy the house next door to give Vgrafen’s Brazilian caregiver a home while she ends my caregiver nightmares.
--Invest enough for long term security, to pay for a cure when it comes, and to try some recovery programs. I’m not sure how quickly I’d stop working and start writing, but doing so would let me try a recovery program sooner, and get closer to my public destiny.
--Give my parents whatever they need to invest enough to be able to stop working and play happily for their remaining 30-40 years (faith I have in our hardy stock).
--Start a college fund for my expected niece, debuting in a few months.
--Give my sisters each a couple hundred thousand and hope it works for them.
--Send smaller smiles to a few other friends and family.
--Sponsor a bunch of kids through one of those child sponsorship agencies (are they legit, anyone know?). Or maybe fund replication in Afghanistan of Oprah’s school for girls in (I forge where) in Africa.
--Give the rest to Wise to use or donate however he thinks it would do the most good toward a cure. If less than 50% was left over I’d scale other stuff back (maybe the school would take too big a bite), though my idea of ‘money to burn’ would leave enough at least for work on a number of new stem cell lines and a full scale clinical trials network. …I’m having some trouble here with proportion. I guess ‘money to burn’ should allow me to meet all but the last two with a very small percentage.

I reserve the right to revise upon further reflection.

[Tufelhunden]

Exactly how much cheese are we talking here?

[Le Type Français]

I'd travel the world and pay for an extensive education.

[Kratos]

i would buy myselfe a ducati 1098fr and give the rest of it to wise. the end.

[smokymtn memories]

Money to burn............. I don't have many, set all of my relatives up once. Make sure I'd have enough to live comfortable the rest of my life, and my husband.

Then.......... I've always wanted to do something for the kids/families in our country that should'nt, but God help us, go to sleep every nite hungry. I've always liked the idea of doing something where you could "pass it forward".

Giving to sci research is a given.

Maybe I'd even finally get a better vehicle. One that does'nt have 280,000 miles on it and even has a drivers window and ac that works!

[Random]

Originally Posted by Tufelhunden

Exactly how much cheese are we talking here?

Yeah, i got stuck there too. Maybe this is a pointless exercise without a real number. I admit i'm surprised it posted. When I submitted it asked me to sign on again and then wouldn't let me. I figured that was the powers intervening to keep me from embarrassing myself.

But I was eager to hear others' more imaginative ideas. Leaving cure on the table was probably stupid (unless your priorities would be different). Presume you (and the other sources that be) had the money on a whole different dimension for whatever was needed to accomplish your SCI goals, and make a meaningful contribution to your top two domestic or foreign social action priorities (and I’m curious what those are), and then you had another $15 million. What would you do with that?

[Eileen]

I would buy some huge condo with an ocean view, roll in shower, and push button everything. I would set up a foundation to purchase wheelchairs, cushions, ramps, whatever for those who can not afford it themselves or who do not have insurance. I would donate a good chunk to SCI research too. With what is left over I would buy a second house, also with an ocean view, on the west coast of Ireland.

[WonderDerek]

I'd buy a HUGE supply of protein containing food to keep in my dorm, buy some chrome spinners for my chair, pay my dad the $700 left I owe him from my laptop(I've been paying him $300 per month for a while now), pay off the fines I have from my accident, pay off the hospital bills, and buy some new clothes.

[Kendell]

I have big money daydreams where we could buy a house with accessible everything and plenty of room for our flea market treasures and lots of critters, as well as a backup powerchair for Debbie, new van with a ramp, pay privately for healthcare and meds so Debbie could get what she needs when she needs it , and allow us to help our friends, families and various charitable organizations (dont' think I need to say it but of course that would include sci organizations) We'd love to start our own charitable organization which would give a home to senior or ill or disabled cats and dogs , with part of their needs being provided by youth in danger -hopefully helping to keep them busy, out of trouble , and teaching them about love and responsibility at the same time.

The smaller money daydreams involve being able to pay off the mortgage, get out of debt, buy a somewhat newer van, and be able to go to the flea market with a little money in the pocket and not feeling guilty about spending that.

The big money daydream is great, but we'd both be quite content with the smaller money dream.

Guess I need to get busy writing that best-selling book.

[november]

Originally Posted by Le Type Français

I'd travel the world and pay for an extensive education.

Hey Todd,
I was wondering lately if you ever got started in college? You're very intelligent. If money is the issue, Voc Rehab would probably pay all the costs that grants and scholarships don't cover.