Sunday Stealing

The $80,000 Meme

Premise: A philanthropist awards you $80,000 with the stipulation that you must spend half on yourself and half for the benefit of others. 

1. Of the $40,000 you must spend on yourself: 

a. First you throw yourself a lavish birthday party. Tell us about it. This is hard because it's not something I can imagine myself doing. Also, my friends tend to be in factions. For example, my friends Nancy and Paul have never met my friend Elaine. So I think what I would rather do is plan a getaway with just one friend and do New York right. Starting with first class airfare to and fro. We'll each have our own room at The Four Seasons, have spa treatments right there in the hotel, then go to a Broadway show. Dinner at Sardi's because that just sounds so glam. I'd love to see a game at Yankee Stadium, too.

b. Then you take off on a cruise. Where are you headed? I'm not really attracted to the idea of a cruise, either. But I know I'd enjoy the TCM Classic Cruise because it's all about the movies. Because money is no object, I'm booking a deluxe oceanview stateroom all to myself.

2. Of the $40,000 you must spend for the benefit of others: 

a. Who would be on your gift list? What would buy them? I'd love to help my oldest friend find a new living arrangement and get her healthcare ironed out. Her life is a mess, and it would be great if my money could help her find her way out.

b. Which charities would you support? Oh, wouldn't this be fun? I think what I would like to do is sponsor shelter animals. So many organizations have dogs and cats that have been there forever and are, let's face it, not going to be adopted. They're too old, they aren't cute, they have chronic medical issues ... I would find tremendous satisfaction in providing these animals with safety and comfort for life, and enabling the shelters to use their resources to helping more dogs and cats.