10 things I'd do with 10 million dollars

Why is it that some people are luckier than others? Do they just have a knack for being in the right place at the right time? Or is being lucky something you learn, knowing when to take chances and when to hold back?

Sometimes I'm lucky but most of the time I think we make our own luck... but then there's a story like this one, where someone won $10 million playing Oz Lotto. They live in a town of just 4,000 people and the ticket was bought from the local news agency where another ticket won $100,000 just weeks earlier. That's some run of luck!

Of course that's great for them, but it's made me wonder what I'd do if that ever happened to me (I can dream). The first thing I'd do is go crazy, but $10 million is a lot of money, enough to change my life and others... this is what I'd try to do with it.

• Buy a house That's the first thing I'd do. Just a small house, maybe three bedrooms, somewhere in Sydney but away from the crowds and noise. Plus some furnishings and a new TV.
• InvestmentsNext I'd pay off family debts and make sure we all had enough savings to live off comfortably. I'd give some money to friends and invest in a property for my parents to live in as well.
• Self-publishI'd also put some money aside for when I wanted to send my work away. If it was repeatedly knocked back then at least I'd have the option to self-publish.
• DonationsI'd give 15% to charities and look at starting a scholarship fund for disadvantaged children; the interest alone could pay for several scholarships each year.
• Pay it forwardFor this I'd draw up a contract, then find 3 people and give them $500,000 each to start a small business. They could keep the profits, but once they'd made $1 million they'd give $500,000 to help someone else. Hopefully it would keep being paid forward to help new people.
• Start a bookshopThis is something I've always wanted to do, start a secondhand bookshop somewhere in Sydney, with a small coffee shop and weekly poetry readings... it'd be a nice business to keep in family hands. How's New Leaf Books sound?
• TravelFirst I'd take my family on a vacation and then put some aside to see more of the world later on. Hopefully I'd get to see Egypt and more of Europe... and Wimbledon, of course.
• CopyrightsThis idea I've liked since I heard Jimmy Wales from Wikipedia mention it. I'd look at some of the old copyrighted works which are still under licence (texts, music) and buy them out to release into the community. Realistically a few million dollars wouldn't buy much but it might help to raise awareness for Project Gutenberg and similar projects.
• MusicAnother thing I've always wanted to do is to learn to play the guitar and piano. I'd set up an area where someone could teach me without bothering anyone else. I'd also buy all the CDs I've wanted over the years.
• Rainforest preservationFinally I'd purchase several acres of land for habitat preservation and do more to support The Rainforest Conservation Fund and the World Wildlife Fund.

So that's my list. I wonder what you'd do with $10 million? ;)