$355 Million?

Since Texas, like Kentucky is one of the states that participates in both mega jackpot multistate lottery games, every now and then I drop a dollar or two on either a Powerball ticket or a Mega Millions one when the jackpots get into the triple digit range.

Tonight's jackpot is worth as I write this $355 million dollars.   I know I have better odds of getting hit by lightning than winning it, but the key words in that sentence are 'winning it'.

People do win these things, and I have just as good a chance as the peeps lined up at the thousands of outlets selling tickets and hoping they get five numbers and a megaball when it draws at 11 PM EST later tonight.

The way I look at it, I can't win it if I'm not in it, and all I need to do to make up for the money I've spent on non winning tickets is hit the big jackpot just one time.


But what would I do if I woke up tomorrow morning and discovered I was blessed with the winning ticket?

Assuming I was the only winner, I'm definitely taking the cash value option, which cuts it to $224.5 million before the federal taxes come out of it.  Texas doesn't have a state income tax  

First order of business would be to change my phone number.    All people inside and outside the family who didn't know me before January 4, 2011 or weren't calling me on a regular basis would be considered suspect after that.

I'd set up an educational trust fund for my niece and soon to be born niece (or nephew) put some money aside for me and my parents, put a sizable chunk of it in a mix of CD's, bonds and safe investments, donate some to my old church in Da Ville, set up a foundation and then pull $1 million out just to blow it and get that out of my system.

I'd donate to some charities and organizations, with ones who helped trans people being at the top of the list.

There are some people who are on my list who have helped me at various times in my life who would get varying amounts,  but I'd consider that kind of money as a huge blessing..

It would change my life in profound ways, and I'd love to be blessed enough to find out how.

We'll find out at 11 PM EST