If I had a million dollars

I love the musical group The Bare Naked Ladies. I even went to see them live last month. They put on an excellent show. They have a funny and thought provoking song that has been creeping into my brain a bit lately: "If I had a Million Dollars" The song totally collided with my appreciation/love/fascination with the movie "Office Space", in which there is a scene where the characters discuss the tactic of some high school guidance counselor helping you figure out your ultimate career by asking you what you would do if you had a million dollars. One of the characters points out that "the question is bull shit to begin with. If everyone listened to her there would be no one to be janitors because no on would clean shit up if they had a million dollars."

What would you do if you had a million dollars? Does this desire point to your ultimate career?

For me, it doesn't. A million dollars just isn't what it used to be. As much as I love the music of the Bare Naked Ladies, the final line from their song just doesn't hold water: "I'd be rich." Nope. A million dollars in the bank really doesn't make you rich. It takes a lot of the daily economic stress off of you, but it doesn't make you 'rich'.

I would pay off some stupid consumer debt, for starters. I would definitely quite my current job that is 60 minutes from my house. I'd set aside at least 10% of the million for my son's higher education and related expenses. I'd probably finish all the remodeling that my house desperetly needs. Having a million dollars probably wouldn't give me enough financial cushion to work where I'd really like to work, in a book store or library. I could probably take some less intense geek job in NH, where I wouldn't have to spend two hours a day in my car. But, it is enough to think about working just enough to get by.

What would qualify as 'rich'? 'Rich' would be owning a comfortable home in a semi-rural area, without a mortgage. 'Rich' would be having a nest egg in a low risk investment that would net you at least $200k/year. 'Rich' would be being able to part with 10% of your income each year to charities you value and not to feel the bite on your standard of living, in any way. 'Rich' would be being able to look your child in the eye and tell him/her that he should apply to any college and not worry about the cost of tuition, room, or board, that it was already set aside.

'Rich' definitely takes more than a million dollars. What is 'Rich'? I'll take 'comfortable wealth' for ten million dollars, Alex.