For an educated non-gambler, I am like the proverbial Professor of Mathematics. The Professor was interviewed on the odds of winning Toto. He uses all the mathematical formulae and logic. The odds of winning a Toto is 1 in 20 millions or worse. The chance is basically neligible. The final question from the interviewer is "do you buy Toto?" The answer is he does buy occassionally even though he knows the chance is dismal. "You never know about Lady Luck, she may smile on you!"
So I just bought 50 cents Toto for two draws which come up to a Dollar. This Dollar may win me SIX million dollars. Now for my daydreaming session. If my 50cent ticket has the one-in-20 million chance of the winning numbers, I will be $6 million dollar richer provided I am the only winner.
Now, what will I do?
1. Put it in a bank and live on the interest. Now with interest rate near zero, I have almost zero to spend. This is a no-good option.
2. Quit my work and live happily everafter just like a fairy tale. The stories of lottery winners doing this have a common ending. They all end up in destitute and worse than before winning the lottery. So no good again.
3. I like the story in India about a man begging Buddha to help him as he is in desperate state of hunger and needed money. Buddha gave him a package and told him if you are ever in a REAL desperate state, open up the package and it will help you tide over it. The man was happy and took the package. He went through a lot of hard times. However, he felt it was never desperate enough to open the package. Slowly as he go through life and pass middle age, he became a weathy businessman. He became so rich that he felt he has no use of the package anymore. So he decides to open it. The rich businessman completely understood the wisdom of Buddha when he saw what he thought would be a gold bar. It was an ordinary brick!
4. With Six Million, it will buy freedom and give me many choices. I need not worry about working for money. I must make money works for me. A couple of apartments to collect rent or invest in stock. How about going for a round the world trip. Maybe live in Australia or Canada.
5. My boys will be able to go to any school they like without worrying about tuition fees and cost of living in a different country.
6. I can learn to enjoy the joys of idleness as Bertrand Russell or Lin Yutang suggest. Free from worries.
7. I can build a zero energy home i.e. using solar energy and capturing rain water for my own use.
8. I will build some public toilets in India.
9. I should set aside a fixed amount to sponsor kids in World Vision. I believe they are helping the underprivilege.
I love to dream my Toto dream. It is good to feel rich and write about it.
No comments:
Post a Comment