I was listening to a local radio station the other day and they do hashtag challenges periodically where 
listeners call in with their most creative hashtag responses. Well, because I was on my way to work 
where we don’t get to listen to local radio stations because we have satellite radio that plays the same 
crummy music over and over, I didn’t get to listen to the responses. But it gave me an idea for this 
week’s blog…
I pondered the question most of the evening. What would I do if I had a billion dollars? Honestly, I don’t 
think I could ever spend a billion dollars. First on the list would be to walk in and hand in my resignation 
at work. Sayonara folks. This human resource person is tired of dealing with humans that quit acting like 
humans about ten years ago. Don’t get me wrong, I love my job and most of the people I work with…but 
the 80/20 rule is true…80 percent of my time has been spent dealing with the 20 percent of the people 
who would complain if someone handed them a million bucks because they would have to pay taxes. 
The next thing I would do would be to set up a bank account for each of my children to use for 
necessities such as buying their own home. Not mansions. Homes that they could have anywhere in the 
world that belonged to them and not a mortgage company or bank. Where they can do whatever they 
want to do.
I’d set up a charity for those forgotten folks who work their tails off and get nowhere fast. The ones who 
don’t live off the public assistance train. I’d put my oldest daughter in charge of deciding who would get 
money for college, housing, day care assistance, legal help…things that could put them ahead of the 
game instead of behind the eight ball. My oldest daughter would be the perfect administrator of such a 
charity because of the job she’s held investigating public assistance fraud. She knows a system leech 
when she sees one.
Because of my youngest daughter’s struggle with addiction, I’d put her in charge of setting up a 
treatment center for addicts who want to get better. And I’d put it smack dab in the middle of nowhere 
so that these folks can get the help they need to get clean and work through the issues that got them 
there in the first place without the outside world getting in. And I’d only charge what they could afford 
to pay. No insurance? No problem. Just get well and give back to other addicts by volunteering your 
time at the treatment center.
Me, I’d buy about two hundred acres of land with woods, pasture and tillable land. There, I would build 
a log cabin over the top of a bunker. There would be a nice big barn where I could raise my own meat, 
have horses to ride, and run a rescue for animals. I’d buy a tractor to plow my fields and grow all my 
own food. There would be a pond for fish. And the whole farm would be powered by a wind turbine. 
Sorry, electric company, you’ve gotten the last dollar out of me. 
Of course, I would have to buy a few vacation properties for when I want to get away from the utopia of 
my farm. I’m thinking a cottage in Ireland, a shotgun double in New Orleans, and a cabin in the 
wilderness of Alaska. Those, I would rent out by the week when I’m not in residence. 
I’d put my best friend in charge of investing the better portion of my money. He’s the only one I’d trust 
to make the right decisions. I jokingly told him when he gave me the idea for my current book that when 
we made a million dollars from our book, we’d have to just retire from our jobs early. He said it would 
be my money, not his and I assured him that if a book that he gave me the idea for ever made a million dollars he could damn sure count on me giving him half. His response? Just get him a $10,000 four-wheeler that he could put his dog box in and go hunting. Ok. If I had a billion dollars, he would damn sure be able to go hunting as often as he wanted and wherever he wanted. He may just have to take me every so often, though.
His son would benefit as well. This young man that I was fortunate enough to watch grow up from the 
time he was five would get his share of the billion the same as my daughters would. And, I know he 
would use the money wisely because he was raised by a man who taught him well. He could use his 
money for whatever he wanted. 
What would I do beside build my cabin and barn and start farming? I’d travel to places that I’ve never 
been. I’d explore the cliffs in Ireland and have dinner at the local pub where I could listen to Irish folk 
tunes. I’d stay in a castle. I’d go to Hawaii and stay in a beach house for a month and let the warm Pacific 
breezes lull me to sleep at night. I’d go fishing in Alaska and hunker down in front of a fire in a cabin in the wilderness. I’d go to the Australian outback and take photos of the animals. I’d go to Mardi Gras and 
stay in one of the hotels overlooking Bourbon Street. I’d explore haunted houses and take flying lessons. 
And when I settled back on my farm again…I’d write. After all this dreaming and planning, I see it’s almost time for me to go get ready for work. Back to my double life as a human resource professional and struggling author. But it sure was nice to dream. 
What would you do if you had a billion dollars? Think about it…take a trip through the field of dreams…it does a soul good.