Sunday, November 27, 2011

MORNING CUP OF COFFEE FOR NOVEMBER 27TH 2011

Good morning everyone and welcome to week number thirty of Morning Cup of Coffee.   Also, welcome to the holiday season.  I hope everyone had an enjoyable (and filling) Thanksgiving.  And I hope no one lost their minds on Black Friday.  I am sure you have heard the stories from around the country (including here in SoCal where a woman sprayed pepper spray into a crowd of shoppers.  Insane).  Anyway, our Thanksgiving was very nice, although this was the first without the children (after all, they have their own lives to live now L).  But we had a great time with our good friend Dianna and her family.  Great food, great company.  Who could ask for more?
Last week’s discussion was simple and timely. 
What are you thankful for?
First of all, everyone’s response was wonderful.  I mean EVERYONE’S.  It is hard to pick one that stood out, but if I were pressed to pick one, it would be this one from Paul.  Check it out:
“I am thankful that despite my ongoing battle with cancer, I can go to my treatments without the aid of a walker or wheelchair. When my treatment is over I can walk out with my wife and go home( one day I will run out). I am thankful for The Greatest Wife Ever. There is no doubt that without her, life as I know it would not be possible. I am thankful for three wonderful kids ( one deceased). I am thankful for the best childhood a person could have. I was allowed the freedom to explore and enjoy life to the fullest. I was blessed to have a Mother who instilled the values that would lead all of her children to be productive responsible adults. She gave us the skills to pass these things on to our children. I am thankful for a loving and caring family. Siblings, inlaws, and relatives.”
Can’t add anything to that.  Brilliant.
I hope we all took a moment to give thanks.  More important, let’s not wait until November of each year.  Let’s be thankful everyday.  This is not a religious or political comment.  Just something we should be doing all of the time, in my humble opinion.
Just a thought.
Ok, onto today’s topic.  As we do each week, we begin with the rules:
Rule #1 – Absolutely no politics allowed
Rule #2 – ABSOLUTELY NO POLITICS ALLOWED!
Breakfast today is going to be healthy.  We are going to start with turkey bacon, some egg whites and some fresh fruit.  Top that off with a nice cup of fresh-brewed coffee and let’s get started on this 27th day of November 2011.
Today’s topic will require you to think a little.  Maybe a lot.  Or maybe not at all.  Let’s see what happens.  Here is the scenario:
You are given $1 million.  You have one day to spend it on anything you want.  However - and it is a really big however – you cannot spend any of it on yourself.  So, no paying off the mortgage, no putting the money in the bank, no buying a Bentley.  Nothing on you.
First of all, $1 million does not go as far as you may think.  My first thought was to give a good portion, say $500,000 to my family (my real family and not distant relatives that I have never met), ensuring that their future (at least short-term future), would be financially easier.  I would donate $250,000 to begin a student arts program in the Inland Empire (a little dream of mine – well, maybe not so little dream).  Now it gets tough.  I think I would give $100,000 to Los Angeles High School – my alma mater and a once great school that has fallen way down from where it should be.  And the final $150,000 would go to a local food bank.  Make sure that people who need food would get food – even for a short time.
I know it does not sound very sexy, but that is what I would do with $1 million in 24 hours.
Now it’s on you. 
How would you spend $1 million in 24 hours – and it can’t be for you.
Take a bite of the turkey bacon (it’s better than it sounds) and take a good sip of the freshly-brewed coffee and start writing.  Give it some thought, be honest and start writing.  As always, have fun with it.
Catch you all on the flipside…..


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