If I Won the Lotto Tomorrow...

I was walking out of the grocery store today and as I saw the lottery machine, I wondered, what would I do with that money?

In the musical, In The Heights, the lottery sum is $96,000, which is "not enough to retire." In real life (because as we all know, people don't randomly break out in song and dance...), the sum is $1.25 billion.

So, if I won the lotto tomorrow, I'd have a choice: $1.25 billion over 30 years or $625.3 million as a lump sum, according to Forbes Magazine. I'm partial to the first option. While both would offer lifetime financial stability, an annual sum would be like receiving a gift every January and would provide a hefty yearly budget.

Accounting for the 24% federal lottery tax and the 4.8% state lottery tax, I'd have more than "a knapsack full of jack after taxes." I'd receive around $39.5 million every year for 30 years. 

And what would I do with the money? "Esa pregunta es tricky."

Of course I wouldn't complain if someone gave me $39.5 million every year for 30 years. On the other hand, it would totally change my world. Money takes time to manage, especially deciding how much to give away and to whom. 

Before I get too far into other hypotheticals, let me share one of the things I would do first. I'd help fulfill my grandpa's hypothetical. If he won the lotto tomorrow, he has said he'd build/buy a cul-de-sac with a big community center in the middle. He would invite all his family to live there, having holiday and birthday gatherings in the community center, and I think that's super cool. 

With the rest of the money, who knows? There's spending, saving/investing, donating, and gifting. I don't have an accountant brain (which is why I'd definitely want to spend some of this money to hire someone to help me manage the rest of it), but here are just some of my thoughts.

SPENDING:

In my head, I wouldn't want my way of life to change much. While I wouldn't need to have a career, I would definitely still want to pursue my interests in writing and music making. I didn't grow up in a big house and while I could get a nice house, I wouldn't necessarily want a mansion.

I would travel to see people (friends and family) more. I would spend money on my hobbies (anything from a music studio space to a racquetball court). I would eat more expensive food, though still falling back on some simple homemade tacos now and again.

Finally, I'd buy my dream car--a truck. I don't know which one, but this one looks pretty sweet (Ford Maverick XLT Hybrid Truck).

SAVING/INVESTING:

I'm (hopefully) going to live for more than 30 years after tomorrow, so... yup, gotta do this.

DONATING:

This is also a priority. I'd want to support organizations that I've been a part of (schools and churches) and I'd want to seek out and support organizations whose mission I believe in. The amount of money I'd receive if I won the lotto tomorrow would definitely change my life--I'd want to change other people's lives too, especially those people who need the money more than I do.

GIFTING:

In a similar vein, I'd want to gift money to my friends and family. Not only will my birthday and Christmas game be stepped up, I could help my favorite people in the world accomplish their goals and fulfill their dreams. That's cool.

But how do I decide how much money and to whom it goes? Well, tell me what you need and I'll consider it! It's kind of like a scholarship application, except I'm not a college, I don't require essays and I know who all of the people applying are... so, not much like a scholarship application.

Suffice it to say, if I won the lotto tomorrow, a lot would change. But, in the great state of Arizona, I'm not old enough to buy a ticket, so I didn't. Maybe one year I'll give it a shot. I'll revisit this blog if I win.

Do I Secretly Want To Be a Tenor?

For those of you who have never heard me sing, let me tell you that I am a bass--a low bass. Let me also tell you to go listen to any cover on my YouTube channel so you can hear me sing (shameless plug). When I first started singing I was a soprano, but those days are long over. Since 8th grade, my voice has been low and getting lower. 

I do love being a bass. There's nothing quite like the low rumble of the bass voices in a harmony-filled choral work or the soft intensity of a walking bass line sung in a vocal jazz ensemble. The bass voice can ground an a cappella ensemble, have a country twang like no other, and give an air of wisdom and importance to a character in an opera.

But, if you're not also a bass singer, you might miss or fail to fully appreciate many of these things. I would also wager a bet that your favorite artist is not a bass (unless, of course, you are a bass).

The reason for this is that most famous male singers are tenors, or even baritones, but not usually basses. I Googled "famous bass singers" and clicked on an article entitled "11 Of The Greatest And Most Famous Bass Singers Of All Time." Singers listed include the legendary Johnny Cash, the opera star Boris Christoff, and former Pentatonix member Avi Kaplan. 

This is all well and good, but the same site also wrote a piece on famous tenors. Instead of just 11, they list "28 Of The Greatest And Most Famous Tenors Of All Time." A few singers not included in this list are Billy Joel, Bono (U2), and Adam Levine (Maroon 5).

There are likely many reasons why popular culture has chosen tenors. Tenors are even infiltrating country music more, a genre that used to be more dominated by basses and baritones. One interesting reason why we as a culture prefer tenors is that it is easier for the untrained human ear to determine the difference from pitch to pitch in the tenor range than between pitches in the bass range due to the slower frequency of the lower notes.

So, do I wish I were a tenor? Sometimes. I love the sound of an impressive tenor run and I would love to sing right along with some of my favorite artists. One more practical reason I sometimes wish I were a tenor is because of the doors it can open for roles in musical theatre. Many of the bass roles in musical theatre are the fathers or the bad guys, and while my voice fits the bill for some of these roles, my height and age do not. 

But, to become a tenor is to lose notes I would hate to lose. That's the thing--a tenor can sing as high as an alto, but so can a bass (albeit in falsetto, but we can). There are very few real tenors who can sing as low as a bass. It is a physical impossibility. The bass range is often unmatched.

Tenors have a lot going for them. It seems as if basses only have those notes to relish as their own, but they are our own and they serve to make our voices, like every voice, wonderfully unique.

If I were a tenor, my life might look different. I might be a musical theatre major. I might have recorded more music in the original key. But, in the end, I love my wonderfully unique voice and I wouldn't trade the low life for anything.

Tell Me I Ain't Turnin' Texan

I have lived my whole life in Gilbert, AZ, but now that I go to college at Texas Christian University, I'm (clap, clap, clap, clap) deep in the heart of Texas. And, with how enormous the state of Texas is, that is deep into Texas. But, does being in Texas for a whole semester of school make me Texan? Do I really have to like Whataburger? Over In-N-Out?! Let's look at a sampling of the quintessential Texan traits to see...

Boots - Now, I do know that not every Texan owns a pair of cowboy boots, but I've seen a couple Texas-natives on the receiving ends of judgmental looks from other Texans when they reveal they do not own boots. I did buy a pair of boots since going out to TCU, and I've walked out on the rodeo dirt with 'em on. 

Texan Pride - I certainly don't have enough Texas pride yet! I have a mug that says "Don't Mess With Texas," but I still don't know if I've gotten used to how many Texas flags are flying around me. Interesting fact: the Lone Star Flag is the only American state flag to have been also recognized as the flag of an independent country. 

Y'all - Yes, I do say "y'all." Then again, my sister goes to college in California and she says "y'all," too. 

Football - I love that football is such a big event in Texas. Being able to go to Big12 football games was a treat all season, and my love for college football will never die (see my blog post entitled "#GoFrogs #GoBucks"). When it comes to the Cowboys, however, I am much less committed than most. If I'm anything, I'm a Cardinals fan, so keeping up with the Cowboys is certainly not my first priority. 

Barbecue - The best barbecue I've ever had is from Joe's Real BBQ in Gilbert, AZ. For anyone from Fort Worth reading this and doubting that I've had good Texas barbecue, yes, I have had Heim Barbecue and Cooper's Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que. 

Well, I don't think I'm a full Texan, yet, but maybe I'm fixin' to turn a bit Texan in my four years at TCU. Why not, right? My heart, however, is still firmly in the Grand Canyon State. And one more thing--I don't care how many people call it a gas station, but Buc-ee's is not just a normal gas station!

Check out my mashup of Blue Ain't Your Color and Tennessee Whiskey over on my YouTube Channel!