Merlocke

Something I always ask people when I get the chance to: What is your dream?
If you had all the money in the world, what would you do? What is your passion? Something that you would do if you had the time and energy and didn't have the weight of making a mortgage payment or other bills to worry about?

Travel is a cop out because EVERYONE says travel at first. But once you've settled down - how would you live your life?

I tried the beach idea sitting around and doing nothing at first, but that got boring quickly. I've done the travel thing, and that was a lot of fun - but as I said - cop out because I had to go home eventually to live life.

Now I opened up an office and just teach classes (for free) to show others how to make their first million and just the basics of investing and saving money on tax (in Canada for the Tax side). My goal eventually (I still have no idea how to obtain it) would be to make a historical difference significant enough to earn "immortality" either in statue form in some park someplace, or maybe just being the answer to some test question in grade 6 elementary school. So far the thoughts are creating some sort of huge foundation, or perhaps solving the crime/homeless issues in the worst part of my city.

So now I open it up to you folks - what's your dream? What's your version of a great life?

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-=[ Merlocke ]=-

SSJTWIZTA

travel. (Ha!)
play music around this great globe. maybe get myself a sail boat and just go.

i never want to settle down..ever.
but since that's a "cop out" answer, i guess ill go with dream number two...

...to live a care free existence. No stress, no worries, just a great life. i know its a far stretch, but it would be the best thing that could ever happen to one.

oh well, like most dreams this will never happen.

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First they came for the Jews and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for the communists and I did not speak out because I was not a communist.
Then they came for the trade unionists and I did not speak out because I was not a trade unionist
Then they came for me And there was no one left to speak out for me.
-Pastor Martin Niemoller

Charlatan

If I had the money and didn't have to work, I would make a life of travelling. I don't say this to be glib. I would move from place to place, living there for up to a year at a time. I would explore the planet and try to go to as many places as I could.

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"My hands are on fire. Hands are on fire. Ain't got no more time for all you charlatans and liars."
- Old Man Luedecke

Nisses

Start up a chain of something that really interests me.

Acquire enough funds to start the equivalent of the Nobel Prize should get you some degree of immortality

Start a multibillion dollar corporate bastard company that buys everybody out and call it Merlocke.

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Moderation should be moderately moderated.

dlish

end world hunger
solve the middle east conflict
learn 5 more languages
walk across the globe from continent to continent. dont know how ill walk to australia though

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An injustice anywhere, is an injustice everywhere

I always sign my facebook comments with ()()===========(}. Does that make me gay?
- Filthy

Poppinjay

I would go back to school forever. First, I'd get a B.A. in comm from Southern Vermont College, then a M.A. in English from East Carolina, then a B.A. in American History from Pfeiffer University, then I'll figure out where to go from there. Maybe a degree in anthropology.

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I think the Apocalypse is happening all around us. We go on eating desserts and watching TV. I know I do. I wish we were more capable of sustained passion and sustained resistance. We should be screaming and what we do is gossip. -Lydia Millet

Baraka_Guru

I'd study literature at various universities around the world. I'd take in the culture and the food.

I'd finally become fluent in French, and maybe pick up Spanish and/or Italian.

I would become a satirical novelist and a political essayist.

...if only I had the time and money....

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Knowing that death is certain and that the time of death is uncertain, what's the most important thing?
—Bhikkhuni Pema Chödrön

Humankind cannot bear very much reality.
—From "Burnt Norton," Four Quartets (1936), T. S. Eliot

playdohh22

To become an astronomer. And my ambition to travel to outer space!

Yeah and its about time I wake up.

LoganSnake

To have a dream.

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Maturity is knowing you were an idiot in the past. Wisdom is knowing that you'll be an idiot in the future. Common sense is knowing that you should try not to be an idiot now. - J. Jacques

Glory's Sun

to rule the world and own an army of ninja midgets.

seriously.

and.. for my kids to have a successful life.

oh yeah.. and to see the Sarah Palin sex tape.

Punk.of.Ages

Go on tour with my band and never stop.

I'd buy a plane and play every city in the world.

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"The fact is that censorship always defeats its own purpose, for it creates, in the end, the kind of society that is incapable of exercising real discretion..." - Henry Steel Commager

"Punk rock music is great music played by really bad, drunk musicians." -Fat Mike

snowy

First, to travel, and to see the rest of the world. I've been to Europe but would like to see more of it. I'd like to do a barge trip through the various canals in France and Germany. I've seen most of the United States. I want to travel across Canada, and I want to live in New Zealand for a while. I want to eat my way through Japan, France, and Italy. There are a lot of other places I'd like to see--Dubai, Turkey, Jordan (dlish has inspired me!), and Uzbekistan (especially Samarkand). Morocco. I want to sail the South Pacific. Really, I'm open to travel anywhere.

Then, I want to come back here and own some acreage not too far out of town and live a sustainable lifestyle on said acreage. I want to build my own home per my own design there, and to be as self-sufficient as possible. Here I would settle down and have my family.

Then, at retirement age, I want to join the Peace Corps. Though this could happen sooner and that would be fine too.

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If I am not better, at least I am different. --Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Cynthetiq

I don't see travel as a cop out, well maybe if you're just "touring"

Like Charl, I'd like to live around the world. I'd like to pick places to live for extended periods of time. There's nothing that explains life better than living in another country. You see that people are all the same, no matter the skin color, flag flying, or religious artifacts.

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I don't care if you are black, white, purple, green, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, hippie, cop, bum, admin, user, English, Irish, French, Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, indian, cowboy, tall, short, fat, skinny, emo, punk, mod, rocker, straight, gay, lesbian, jock, nerd, geek, Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Independent, driver, pedestrian, or bicyclist, either you're an asshole or you're not.

Glory's Sun

I'd like to live in Ibiza, but I won't because there's way too much temptation there.

Vigilante

I'd move to Brazil and live like a king. I'd set up a massive aquarium greenhouse to spend my time collecting and observing fish, and fish the amazon's tributaries as often as possible. I'd have a massive fiber backbone brought in so I could also set up a datacenter for game hosting, and host for clients I like as opposed to any dumbass clan that wants a server.

Naturally, I would have lots of hot female employees....in thongs.

My wife would choke at the thought of my dream, and then promptly shoot me

Oh yeah, and I would definitely open up a chain of schools for students to learn computing and literacy. I don't like ignorance of such a simple device, and I hate it when people can't type worth a damn, such as "cos" for because, "wat" for what (except as a joke), and they make plurals owners, like tire's and wheel's instead of tires and wheels.

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We contend that for a nation to try to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle.
-Winston Churchill

lotsofmagnets

happiness.

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mother nature made the aeroplane, and the submarine sandwich, with the steady hands and dead eye of a remarkable sculptor.
she shed her mountain turning training wheels, for the convenience of the moving sidewalk, that delivers the magnetic monkey children through the mouth of impossible calendar clock, into the devil's manhole cauldron.
physics of a bicycle, isn't it remarkable?

Willravel

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal."

Seriously.

Dammitall

I dream of:

Being inspired in and by what I do in my daily life
Overcoming anxiety
Feeling confident in the decisions I make
Overcoming frustration
Embracing my achievements
Never losing sight of my goals
Believing that I can meet them

None of these requires limitless money or time, just the right frame of mind.

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If one million people replaced a two mile car trip once a week with a bike ride, carbon dioxide emissions would be reduced by 50,000 tons per year. If one out of ten car commuters switched to a bike, carbon dioxide emissions would be reduced by 25.4 million tons per year. [2milechallenge.com]

Tirian

Spend my days composing music.

Merlocke

Thanks to everyone that's replied thus far. If only my blogs were this popular .
Thank you for sharing your dreams - but what's the next step in achieving them? The book that changed my life is Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki. That's the one I read and implemented to escape the rat race. It's more of an inspirational story and a bit of a mindset change in ways to thinking about money rather than a how to, but it's what got me off the couch to actually get started. Then again, I read a book a week to keep my inspiration up and spirits high.

Well since you all took the time to answer, I guess I should throw out a few words to everyone.

Well - traveling around in a sail boat is much more creative than what most other people talk about - just hitting the traditional beaches in the Bahamas, or Puerto Vallarta and all of the other touristy areas I don't really count as much of an adventure, but the sail boat thing would be cool if I could swim - Go figure, I was in sea cadets - I can tread water so I don't die, but I just can't actually get anywhere
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Wouldn't it be weird never really having a place to call "home" though? I got sick of living out of a suitcase pretty quick when I had to travel a ton for work.
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I like the chain idea. I'm not sure if I'd ever make enough money to create a Nobel type prize, or catch up to the likes of say Carnegie. Donating libraries everywhere to have multiple "Carnegie Halls' in places... although that'd be great if I could attain that level.

lol @ multibillion dollar corporate bastard company :P - I'm only in the millions... billions seem lightyears away yet. It's not as hard as you think to hit the million mark.
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Sad note I learned is that the richer folks could end world hunger at the drop of a hat, it's just that the powers that be choose not to. Fixing conflict worldwide is a noble idea, but difficult due to human nature (my belief anyway). I think my brain would explode if I tried learning 5 languages. And I suppose you could always just waterski partway to Australia
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Isn't the purpose of schooling though to give you enough to get out there and live life? Or do you really find that much joy in study? I do read a lot though, and would love the thought of going back to school again someday, but I don't know if I could be a full time student again. I suppose you could always star in the next National Treasure movie
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definitely suits you Baraka_Guru - lovely dream.
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Well, the astronomer part on requires a telescope doesn't it? Not everyone is cut out for space travel, but have you ever tried the whole NASA training thing - or just portions of it just for fun? I think that'd be a great experience. Even if you don't get propelled into space one day, just the training alone sounds like an adventure.
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For the longest time, I didn't know what to do with my life. It took awhile for me to figure out what I wanted to do, and I still get into those phases where I feel like I've lost my direction and need to slow down and get my bearings. I hope you find your dream and inspiration someday soon.
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Simple goals and wishes to attain cept maybe that army of ninja midgets but I suppose that's what cloning is for
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You know, I'd love to go back to playing the piano again - even better having a piano on a plane!
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I've been involved in a lot of green projects. ICF (Insulated concrete form) and solar panels were used once in an Extreme Makeover Home Edition site once, but I think it was missing wind turbines.

I never really looked into the peace corps before, but I always hear so much about them.
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Well yeah, the touring thing was a cop out because it's so short lived. Living around the world is a total complete change of lifestyle, so that's a more solid dream to me. Everyone wants to see the general wonders of the world, but living there for extended periods of time would definitely be interesting. I wonder how different my life would be if I didn't settle down and start a family. No regrets, but it's just interesting to wonder what life would've been like.
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I guess people using the incorrect versions of there, their and they're would drive you insane huh? I agree about the level of education as it definitely needs a rehaul. Nice touch with the females in thongs though but I don't think my wife would approve of a harem either
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Money may not be able to buy happiness, but it can rent it . Seriously though - isn't what everyone has been posting so far their version of happiness? I was at a seminar once and the speaker explained that money was just a portable form of happiness to be used at a later date.
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Utopia is something we all wish for, but there's always going to be inequalities in this world during our lifetime. What specific inequalities would you seek to balance first?
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It's a beautiful dream, and definitely achievable. Ever try meditation?
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I'm curious - what kind of music?

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-=[ Merlocke ]=-

Tirian

I like jazz and classical. I'd likely work on larger ensemble works. Big bands for jazz, and concert band or symphony for classical. Probably more jazz than classical style.

guy44

The first thing I would do is travel the country one summer with my brother, attending a Major League Baseball game at each of the 30 stadiums.

Would I also travel the world? Probably. Yeah, whatever, its a cop-out, but who wouldn't?

After that? Who knows? I've honestly never really wanted to be rich - solidly middle class, good job, pension, retirement at 65, yes, but being rich never sounded like much fun. It's not so much about things beyond what I have as experiences that I'd like to accrue.

That being said, if I got filthy stinkin' rich I'd see if I could pay for one of those trips into space (and, of course, I'd have to see if I could even hack such a thing).

P.S. That's not to say I'd turn down the opportunity to be rich. But it's not a goal of mine.

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"You have reached Ritual Sacrifice. For goats press one, or say 'goats.'"

thespian86

Work continuously in the field I'm studying in
Work with people who inspire me and with whom I grow
Continue my education in schools people told me I was never good enough to go (like the one I'm in right now)
Start and/or work as an AD for a exclusive but successful contemporary company
Write something beyond Fringe worthy status

And, fuck it, open a show on broadway after originating out of town previews and off broadway runs; hopefully something I helped shape.

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EX: Whats new?
ME: I officially love coffee more then you now.
EX: uh...
ME: So, not much.

dd3953

I'd have to agree with LoganSnake, I'd like to have a dream, or at least find something I am passionate about. I have a great job, and I'm good at it, but there is a passion for it, that's missing.

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[Technically, I'm not possible, I'm made of exceptions. ]