$690 million lotto

Y'know, if everyone put as much money as they did on a lotto ticket toward a charity we could've all done something really amazing today.
Seriously... think about. It sort of breaks my heart that we've become a pretty selfish culture.
...
It's been an interesting week or two in lottery land in California. The mega millions are at a super high, and tonight's lotto was for $690 million... seriously? what?! That's wild! How did all that money get to one place?! It's just absurd. I mean, if that money got there, why doesn't even half of that, hell a quarter of that go towards other things? um... the homeless, the hungry, education, health problems, abuse, animals, etc...

First off, these charities need to find a way to be more effective in getting people to line up and give them money instead of people lining up at every gas station in hysteria to buy a lottery ticket.

In absolute seriousness, I was one of those people who figured "Hell, this only comes once in a lifetime. I'll try for the jackpot." And, thus, last week I got 5 tickets and again this week.
And, I'll say it again, could've done better things with my money. My roommate was telling me that a person's got a better chance injuring themselves with a right-handed utensil if they're left-handed than winning the lottery... now that's silly, and probably true, but I still went ahead and figured that You Never Know. That's true, as well... Maybe I could've won it. And then I'd probably vomit and not know what to do with myself.
I prefer that a few hundred people win the jackpot and it's split among many people. I think that would be best :) I mean, what could a person possibly do with so much money? Unless they have a very clear financial plan to help the world, which is what I would like to do if I was loaded.
All I'd want to win in a lottery is a nice million or two... I plan to make my millions, but if I was lucky enough to win the lotto, I don't see why I'd need more.

But really, the point of my writing at 2 am is that I can imagine what good we could have done in the world today if we all just put that money and effort into a charity or important cause. If I had spent $5 buying a homeless person a lunch today, or donating it to the ASPCA one less person (or puppy) would be in pain for a moment... and isn't that what we should all be striving for? To help others. To make a difference.

I think it's important to think what you would do if you had this massive jackpot, because it'll tell you a lot about yourself. Or ask your friends... do it!... are they still your friends? ;)
I know that I'd likely throw up, as I mentioned above, and then buy a house in LA, one in NYC, one in Italy, travel some, and donate an absurd load of it to causes that I am inspired by. I would definitely help to fund the National Women's Museum that Meryl Streep is helping to start up :)

So next week when you're off to buy your lottery ticket for what will now be over one BILLION dollars, I ask that you just think about it, and maybe get $5 worth of lotto tickets and then donate $5 to a cause you care about.

Good night, and in the words of Ellen DeGeneres, BE KIND TO ONE ANOTHER :)

~Tal