MY 758
MILLION DOLLAR SELF
I
did not win the $758.7 million Powerball jackpot recently. Mavis Wanczyk had the honor. Of all of us who played the lottery for
weeks, waiting and hoping to win the enormous jackpot of money, Mavis was the
lucky one who actually did.
Every
time I invested in the Powerball, week after week as it grew larger and larger,
I had to imagine and ultimately plan on what I would do with such overwhelming
wealth. Naturally, my first thoughts
were about helping my family members and ensuring their safety and
welfare. Strangely, at first, I was not concerned
with my own stability.
I
don’t know why.
Surprisingly,
once I allowed myself to consider such a probability, my thoughts for self were
simply focused on the fun aspects of how to spend the money once my safety,
health, financial security and well-being were in order [would have to hire a lawyer, a financial accountant, financial
consultant, and a bodyguard immediately].
I guess for once, I wanted to dream about not having to do anything on a
schedule or when it was appropriate. I
wanted to know what fantasy life would be and how it would look. So, deciding to forego my normal three blogs
per month devoted to my favorite “Grand” Person, Place and Thing, I’m writing
three blogs in one and revealing my fantasy life of living my “758 Million
Dollar Self.” Naturally, throughout this
entry I will reveal a few fantasy places and most lavish of things.
Strap
yourself in…my multi-millionaire dreams await.
HOUSING
A
woman has to have a place to lay her head.
For me, I will spend most nights in one of two areas in North
America. From November 1 to April 30, I
will spend these winter months on the western side of the United States at my penthouse
in Las Vegas, Nevada.
I
love Las Vegas! The city has action and
life 24 hours a day. If I want to
gamble, see a show, see an exhibit, crash a convention, shop in designer
stores, wear ridiculously expensive clothing or sport rare jewels, Las Vegas is
the place to do it. If I want to eat the
finest of foods, at any hour of the day, I can find whatever I want in Las
Vegas. If I’m bored and want to experience
the excitement of joyous crowds, Las Vegas is the place for non-stop music,
dancing, celebrating and people-watching.
My home base during Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Eve, Valentine’s
Day and my birthday will be in the one and only, Sin City, USA.
Having
an address which implies the life of luxury, my private domain will be a
custom-built and designed penthouse at a casino location. I am not one who likes to clean or cook, so
the advantage of having top-level security and household staffing at my
pleasure and request, is probably one of the main reasons for choosing to live
such a resort hotel-based life.
Most
of my other needs are met by just venturing out into the city. Yeah, baby.
Give me Vegas any day.
As
winter makes living in the eastern part of North America a rather harsh
challenge, I will have run of the eastern terrain from May 1-October 31st. I have to see the leaves changing and feel the
breeze from the Atlantic Ocean during the summers and early Fall. So, my ideal location for these six months is
Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
I
love everything French and North American.
If you combine the two, you get Montreal!
Some
deep recess in me has always felt close to water. Perhaps, it’s the Pisces in me. Perhaps, it’s the respect I have of water
since childhood. For some reason, I have
envisioned a house either located overlooking water or built in a city where
water runs through it for most of my life.
With a golden pot of roughly 200 million dollars to play with after the
serious stuff is handled, I’m pretty sure I’d have enough to buy my dream villa
overlooking the Saint Lawrence River in Montreal.
This
is the city where my heart would relax, where I would cross my legs in front of
a warm fireplace and simply listen to the sounds of the night. Or on a starry night, I would stand on my elongated
balcony and peer at the people along the water.
Having no
job to rush to. No house to clean or
grocery to buy. For at this location is
where my devoted staff would be in charge of the daily operations of my charity
and businesses. In Montreal is you would
find my core concentrations.
STAFF
As
the only person in history to hit such a high jackpot--as a single winner--I
would become an over-night celebrity.
Whether I would like it or not, people would be curious about me so I
would have to create order from the inevitable chaos.
Enter
a staff.
Being
a quick learner and having so many other celebrities as role models in this
situation, I would first have to hire a Personal Assistant, Manager, and an Agent
to keep my life on track. Next, as I
would not be able to always drive and work simultaneously, I would have to hire
a part-time Driver. Then, of course,
since I don’t plan on cleaning and cooking, I would hire a part-time Maid and
part-time Chef. Since my household staff
would be complete, the next staffing need would be to run my charity and
businesses.
My
charity work would be limited to a private foundation with the goal of funding
the educational desires of specific descendants from the Griffith and Brantley families.
My
businesses would include companies focused on manufacturing and retailing
products (household, food, beverage and apparel) under my self-entitled brands.
TRANSPORTATION
On
those cool nights in Las Vegas or Montreal, when I feel like driving and seeing
the sights, I want to cruise in one of my three cars. Parked in Las Vegas for my convenience is a taupe-colored
Mulsanne Bentley. Protected in
Montreal and at the ready for business along with my driver is the gold C-5
Aircross by Citroen. Both cars will
be upgraded every other year to the current model.
My
one classic automobile, reserved for important engagements and those
long drives, is the two-toned black and silver 1959 Rolls Royce Phantom (V). It will be parked at the Montreal house.
CLOTHING
Most
of you know my passion in life has been apparel. I am fascinated with all things textile-based
and apparel-oriented. Having the funds
to fulfill my wildest apparel dreams is like receiving a gold star from the
heavens above.
To
avoid a heart-attack during my first shopping spree, I would limit my wardrobe
style to a few basic designers and an annual featured designer. The basic designers would include Chanel,
Ralph Lauren Collection, Valentino and Cartier. My featured 2017-2018 designer label is Dolce
and Gabbana.
SOCIAL LIFE
As
I am no longer a young lady, but a well-seasoned woman, I have no need for
nightly parties at mass populated nightclubs.
My nightlife of choice is that of gambling. It is my one vice for I do not smoke or drink
much alcohol, maybe one drink per year.
I like the excitement of walking through casinos, socializing in
casinos, betting on the horses, playing bingo and pressing buttons for slot
machine jackpots. I love the sounds and
thrills!
Yet,
even I will take focused time each year to attend a few conferences and
balls. Yes, I will attend conventions for the NAACP, Rainbow Coalition and National Action Network. Yes, I will support the Balls for the
American Heart and Stroke Associations.
And yes, I will lend my support to some political campaigns.
At
my core, I do have very serious convictions about life on this planet as a
Black woman.
BUCKET LIST (Top 10)
Last
and gratefully so, here are the ten things I pray to do before I leave this
planet (in no particular order):
1. Spend at least 24 hours in the 7 remaining
U.S. states I have not been visited.
2. Spend 3-5 days at the casino in Sun City,
South Africa.
3. Spend 3-5 days at the casino in Macau, China
4. Go back to Monte Carlo for a week.
5. Spend a week in Toronto, Canada.
6. Spend a week in Victoria, Canada.
7. Spend a week in Vancouver, Canada.
8. Spend a week in Sweden.
9. Spend a week in Switzerland.
10. Get Lasix eye surgery. Maybe.
Well,
I have finished my plan. You know how I
would have spent the $758.7 million. The
pending question now is…how would you have spent the money? What is your plan when it happens?
Enjoy
fantasizing! I sure did.
*Vanessa Brantley Style395.blogspot.com, August 27, 2017, “My 700 Million Dollar Self”, Volume 9, Blogs 1a-c [vol. 9, 1a-1c].
