If I had a million dollars....

We all know what we would do if we had a million dollars, right? Of course we do. Something like we'd buy a house, furniture for that house, and a fur coat (but not a real fur coat, that's cruel). But what about $20? What would we do with 20, count 'em, 2-0 big ones?

An Earth Day surprise was just chilling in the middle of the sidewalk waiting for me as I was walking home from my class on Tuesday night. It was a crisp $20 bill. I looked around at the empty sidewalk, let out a tiny squeal, picked it up, and continued on my journey home while contemplating the endless possibilities on how to spend the money.

I thought it'd be fun to track how the unexpected money is being spent and record the stories that go along with it for everyone's reading pleasure. Here it goes...

1st stop Kwik Star gas station-$20
After a very excellent late-night bike ride and tree climbing Earth Day adventure with my pal David (quick shout out to David: you're super awesome) we remember I have $20 to spend and naturally head to Kwik Star on the Hill. I'm checking out the goods and seeing nothing spectacular expect the best banana bargain in town. A rockin' 25 cents a lb! As compared to 69 cents at Hy-Vee. It's true folks-who-are-paying-way-too-much-for-bananas. Shop at Kwik Star. Then David spots it....the first purchase of the night...milk in a bag!
(with a complimentary plastic pitcher) The Five Iron Frenzy song immediately is cued in my head:
They've got trees, and mooses, and sled dogs
Lots of lumber, and lumberjacks, and logs
We all think it's kind of a drag
That you have to go there to get milk in a bag
They say "eh?" instead of "what?" or "duh?"
That's the mighty power of Canada.

BUT NOT TRUE!! Kwik Star has milk in a bag too!! And it's tasty...

Kwik Star purchases: milk in a bag, 2 ripe bananas, and a bag of gummy worms ~$4

With a remaining $16 and the night still fairly young, we head to our second site of purchase: Hy-Vee.

We find Hy-Vee in mess of shelf stocking and floor waxing. Looking for something to strike our fancy we don't really get excited about anything we are seeing down the aisles. Probably appearing rather lost and confused a friendly lady worker asks if we need any help. I tell her no but continue with the story of how I found $20 on the sidewalk earlier in the night and how we had already bought milk in a bag. She immediately begins throwing out ideas of foods that would go good with chocolate milk and gets really excited about this 3 layer Chocolate Fudge Cake as she takes us over to the frozen treats aisle (only on sale for one more day!) to point it out as she describes it to us. Neither Dave nor I were feeling chocolate cake but found it hard to tell the lady. So we thanked her, waited until she went on to something else and slowly walked away from the frozen treats.

Feeling like I had to buy something, we look down the blocked off (for waxing) candy aisle. Half-joking about how the one thing we want is down that aisle with another customer one of the waxer men must have heard us and offers to get us whatever we need. Feeling like a jerk and kind of guilty that he had stopped just for us, I without thinking, shout that I'd like Dots. Dots? What was I thinking? Dots and chocolate milk? Horrible decision. Anyway, Mr. Awesome Waxer brings over the Dots for me and that sealed the deal. I had to buy them.

Hy-Vee purchase: Dots~$1.50

Now as we are unlocking our bikes we look through the big glass windows in the cafe area and see the friendly lady sitting with her co-workers on what appears to be a break. We are jokingly commenting on her enthusiasm about the cake and I say, "Jeez we should have just bought her the cake!" David brilliantly responds, "It's not too late." Done and done.

2nd Hy-Vee purchase: 3 Layer Chocolate Fudge cake~$3.50

Shout out #2-Friendly Hy-Vee lady, I hope you enjoyed your cake. And I hope you shared with your fellow late-night workers.

Remainder ~$12

Two days later I'm in the Union after my morning class that I was (of course) a few minutes late to without breakfast. Resulting in a selfish purchase...

Pumpkin bread slices and hot green tea ~$2

Sorry, no great story. Except that the bread was delicious and the tea burnt my tongue a lil bit on the first sip.

Remainder ~$10

Later that day I get all the way to work (at the radio station) and realize that the next day was the birthday of my boss. I had intended on getting or making her a card but had completely forgotten! Rats! Having arrived a few minutes early for work I quickly changed directions and scurried to the closest campus convenience store (Biscotti's) to find they had NO birthday cards. Blast! So onward back to the store in the Union and success! I found a card, a perfect one for her and a tasty treat to go with it.

Birthday card and Kit Kat Bar ~$4

I arrived 15 min. late for work but my boss didn't seem to notice. Or at least didn't say anything about it. Later I successfully slipped the goodies into her purse like a professional birthday bandit while she was on the air and left feeling pretty good.

Remainder ~$6

.....To be continued as spending events occur....

Here's a teaser though....plans are currently in the works for a fun little sociology experiment involving money and trash....