I find it fascinating that it takes a $1.3 billion purse to make it worthwhile for so many people to consider taking a chance on the Powerball sweepstakes. I guess a mere $50 million-$60 million is not going to do it for a lot of us.

Having said that, I must admit to being one who does not usually buy tickets in the lower ranges but gets caught up in the lottery frenzy when amounts approach $1 billion. That’s one happened this past week when I finally succumbed and bought five tickets on Wednesday afternoon. From that time on until the drawing I mapped out exactly how my winnings would be spent, guessing that there might be one other winner with whom I would have to share the jackpot. I calculated that that would bring my winnings down to a paltry $400 million or so after taxes, give or take a couple mil.

Here’s the plan.

First, I would take care of family (immediate and first cousins) and close friends (would have to have known you for at least five years). Then set aside a good amount for a Foundation; think I’ll give Bill and Melinda a call on this one. Their foundation is doing great work and I see no need in starting from scratch.

I would also sponsor an Environmental Studies student to go on a fishing trip with a local fishing shop that arranges trips every year to places like New Zealand, British Columbia and the Bahamas. This would be an annual event and the student would need to write a paper before or after (maybe both) regarding conservation and what can be done to improve the world’s waters.

I would contribute to a handful of charities that I’ve supported over the years and maybe one or two others that I’ve wanted to contribute to, but haven’t.

I’m guessing that would leave me with about $20 million or so, which, given my strongest interests – spending time with my kids, traveling, swimming at Walden Pond, reading – would, I’m pretty sure, last a good, long while.

Alas, when the numbers were drawn Thursday night I found out that I had not taken home the big prize. In fact, of the five tickets I had bought, the best I had done was two numbers on one. Oh, well, as the saying goes: man plans, God laughs.

I’m not discouraged though and next time, when the pot gets up to around $1.5 billion or so, think I’ll also consider perhaps buying a minor league baseball team. Then I could play centerfield or maybe extend a long-term contract to myself. The most likely scenario, though, is that I would bench myself after going 0 for 103.