If these demands are not met... well, I'll keep on living...

$500,000
Corny? Obvious answer? Yeah, I know. Most people demand more. Or play the Lotto hoping for more. Too much money though is just as bad as too little money. People don't understand the effect of too much money, but if you follow what happens to pro athletes or Lotto winners you'll soon learn too much money is just as bad. Maybe even worse.

On the news the other, they had a contributor who writes for Sports Illustrated. He was talking about how so many of our pro athletes are bankrupt within 5 years of retirement. The number was astonishing. If I recall correctly, it was 60%. The athletes put the money in things that they physically see value in -- like homes, cars, jewelry, clothes, shoes, clubs -- but they fail to invest it or they trust others to invest it for them and they get ripped off. In the end, none of those physical things held their value. I suppose if they bought enough jewelry and the right kind of jewelry, then it would hold its value. Homes, unfortunately, did not hold their value.

The other thing the SI guy mentioned was they were careless in other ways too. They were careless with people. They have these broods of children from different women who suck the money right out of them. Yes, it is their fault for having unprotected sex and exposing themselves to this sort of fiscal risk. But they used the people, had children and moved on. People are not throwaways.

But a similar thing often happens with Lotto winners. They don't really know what to do with all that money. They trust people who can't be trusted. People come out of the woodwork looking for a handout. Often times, these Lotto winners are so grateful that they really do want to do good and spread the wealth. They spend some time living an extravagant life they never would have had. They give money away to people who need it. And then they are back to broke again themselves.

So I demand $500,000. It is more than enough. It would pay off the mortgage and the one car we have. It would buy us a second car in full and not create anymore debt. It would pay off the loan and the HELOC. It would also provide a good down payment or maybe even outright buy us a new larger home where we can comfortably fit two kids, two dogs, and visiting family and friends. It would also put a little $$ in the bank for our emergency fund.

Then our regular earned income maintains everything. It affords the property taxes, the food, the trips to Starbucks, the circus school classes and swim lessons and guitar lessons... and any number of other things that kids want/need to grow up as well-rounded, well-educated, self-sustaining adults.

It's enough to make some financial worries go away, but not so much that we create new ones.

Warm weather and a cure for seasonal allergies
These two must go hand in hand. Warm weather! I need warmer weather! For the first time since I've been to MN, I am sick and tired of winter. Sick, sick, sick of it! The temp this morning was 18F. The wind chill was 8F. Monday evening in to Tuesday morning, we are supposed to have measurable, plowable snow. Really? I'm done. Winter this year started early. I was completely off of allergy meds in October. That means, the living plants were dormant in October. October, November, December, January, February, and now all of March... have been Winter months.

Now, warm weather brings those allergies on again. I'd love to be able to go to the Como Conservatory and see all the lovely blooming flowers without needing 50mg of Benadryl within an hour which causes a 3 hour drug induced coma for me. I'd like to be able to go for a daily walk or two without having to make sure that I've taken ClaritinD 12 hour and Flonase. I need a one time shot (or even an annual shot) that cures me of the allergies so I don't go through Spring and Summer in a haze.