If I were a billionaire

If I were a billionaire

One thing I would definitely do would be to design my own home. But I'd hire some star architect like Mario Botta or Kishi Kurokawa to help me out with it.

The design would be influenced and inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright's later works and some Spanish eclectic Architecture, and some of my own ideas. It would be located on an elevation with an overlooking view, make use of introverted circular spaces like those seen by Tadao Ando, and have a private observatory, and a dojo for Kendo practice.

Another thing I'd do is travel around the world, see as much as I can, anonymously. The more one tavels, the more one wisens up, the old saying goes.

I'd finance a PhD level education for myself and the people around me. What a relief to freely study and become an academic without having to worry about shitty problems like funding.

I'd definitely set up a need based college scholarship fund for kids with backgrounds like myself.

I'd buy a large house in Ft. Sanders in Knoxville Tennessee next to the UT campus. The house would provide free room and board to Iranian students coming from Iran to study at The University of Tennessee. That way, they wont have to go through the same shit I did when I was a student (selling parking spots on game days to football fans, and delivering pizzas to make ends meet).

I'd help out the Physics department at ASU, the NE dept at UTK, and my own current dept at UTHSCSA. And the Dolph Briscoe Library. Maybe $5 million each.

I'd make sure my parents live a good life close to myself. They deserve a happy quiet life after all the turmoil I've caused them growing up.

I'd make large donations to Iranian universities, more in the form of non-monetary donations, so that I can be sure they dont go down the drain. Iranian students are such a bunch of talented warm people, and yet always under-funded and under-appreciated by everyone. I remember what ridiculous pains I had to go to just to register for 2 hours per week in a crowded swimming pool at Tehran University.

I'd put some money into lobbying for Iranian American interests. Maybe set up a foundation for collecting old manuscripts, and fund departments (like the one in UT Austin) that offer Persian cultural studies. Things like this should not be happening.

I'd live somewhere sunny and warm. Maybe Texas, California, New Mexico. I dont know. Somewhere where an observatory will have an un-interrupted view. Or maybe I'll just stay in good ole Memphis.

I'd sponsor Iranian artists and cultural ambassadors to the US. Maybe hook up with the Carnegie Foundation or something to sponsor events. The American public has no idea how culturally embedded Iranians are. Maybe that will help eradicate the negative stereotypes prevalent in the media.

I'd sponsor the production of several Hollywood movies depicting some aspect of Persian culture, which in my opinion is badly needed. Think of Hollywood blockbusters with titles like "Prince of Persia", "Cyrus The Great", "Omar Khayam", "Zahak The Dragon King", "Veis o Ramin", Khosrow o Shirin", "1001 Nights", "A Pesian fairy tale", ...

Oh yeh, and I'd hire a private tutor to teach me proficiency in Bossa Nova guitar.