Days of grant research and writing grant proposals (with at least a month and a half of it ahead of me), makes me think about money.  What would I do with a million (heck, I’m dreaming, I’ll go bigger) a BILLION dollars?  Most of you might think, “Quit my job!”  I’d actually use it to enhance what I can do at JDRF, because first, I’d buy myself out writing grants.  Don’t take it the wrong way, I love writing up projects and why they are imporant and crafting budgets and strategy, but, uh, if I had money to give, I wouldn’t have do it.  So, yay! 

I would TRAVEL, oh my yes!  I would visit my friends all over the world and really immerse myself in different cultures.  Then I’d blog about it, so you, my reader, wouldn’t have to read blogs about my dreaming and thought processes.  Nice change, right?

I want to go back to school.  I want my MBA, and I want to enroll in an intensive one year program.  I know a lot of people go back to school to get the bigger bucks, and I’ll already  have big bucks, but I am an academic at heart.  Books + sense of accomplishment = me happy.  I would leave my staff position for education, then come back and try to find a job again.  I would have the luxury of not working while I wait for a position to open up.  I would volunteer of course.  No seriously, I would. 

I’d have to work, because helping people helps a person feel good about themselves!  So along with being able to keep regular hair appointments, I’d be feeling good about myself inside and out! 

I could attend a gala instead of working one.  This would be a moment for me.  I would give a giant Fund A Cure gift,  which goes directly to research.  I would also get to….wait for it…sit down.     Actually being seated for the program would be a fantasy within a fantasy.  I can just see me walking in and hearing, “Oh good you’re here, can you…”  Volunteers and staff, you  know what I mean. 

I’d buy a house with a yard so I could have a puppy.  I’d then train the puppy to attack on command.  Did I just lose the cute vote with that last sentence?

Omigosh!  I would be able to do a lot!  I would give to missions!  I would send kids to camp, help people meet their fundraising expectations by donating towards individual fundraising goals, I could pay for events and resources, I could further medical research, and the list goes on!  It would be awesome, and I would have nice hair and a puppy. 

Now, money DOES NOT buy happiness.  No, not at all.  So, I write my grant proposals to those who are able to do these incredible things and let them know about wonderful ways to give back.  Even though it can be draining, this makes me feel good.  Makes me feel good even though my roots are showing and the cat hates me.