02
More money than God
Posted by Denise on September 2, 2008 under Animals, For Writers, Life, TravelWhat would you do if you had more money than God? More money than you could ever spend, no matter what you did with it? So much money that it just kept making more of itself?
What William Randolph Hearst did (among other things) was to build the house to end all houses, with every luxury imaginable (and more!). He then invited everyone entertaining, beautiful or important - Cary Grant, Charlie Chaplin, Joan Crawford, Winston Churchill, Charles Lindbergh, Greta Garbo, Errol Flynn. Even George Bernard Shaw. And lots of others.
Hearst Castle is at San Simeon, near Cambria, overlooking the Big Sur coast of California. Hearst was one of the first great media moguls, but he also inherited a mining fortune. The film Citizen Kane, starring Orson Welles, was loosely based on his life.
First thing to say is - I’m not posting any pictures. Why? you may ask. It’s not permitted, that’s why. *sigh* But I found this short film on Youtube. Just spend a few moments with it. The weather we had was very similar. Or go to the official website for Hearst Castle. The Wikipedia entry is also excellent and it has a great photo gallery. (Scroll down.)
But just to give you some idea. The house/s took almost 30 years to build. Architect Julia Morgan (that’s right, a woman) travelled by train and car down to the site from San Francisco every weekend from the beginning. Casa Grande, the main house, was modelled on a Spanish cathedral. It has 38 bedrooms and 30 fireplaces. The whole concept (there are two guest houses as well) was intended to be Mediterranean Renaissance in feel. To this end, Hearst purchased antiquities like there was no tomorrow - there are coffered ceilings, medieval tapestries, paintings and statues ranging from classical Greek and Roman to Renaissance and Egyptian. Where you see gold gilding, it’s real gold. The gardens are exquisite and impeccably maintained.
I didn’t much care for the bedrooms, too heavy and dark for my taste. But I loved the two pools - the outdoor Neptune Pool and the indoor Roman Pool. Johnny Weissmuller (probably the most famous Tarzan) is supposed to have swum laps there.
What my writerly mind found most intriguing was the insights into the character of William Randolph Hearst. He was a workaholic, a man of tremendous energy, vision and focus. He was involved in every facet of the building project, right down to the design of teeny-tiny tiles and his word was law. He also changed his mind a lot. Projects were continually modified and some abandoned.
He had very definite ideas of how he wanted his guests to behave. No drunkenness - and no bed-hopping either! Everyone was to be bright, happy and energetic - horse-riding, playing tennis, swimming etc. In the big dining room or refectory, where guests gathered for meals, was a long table. As you fell further from favour, or new guests arrived, your place card was moved further and further away from the centre of the table, where Hearst and his mistress, Marion Davies, sat. After a while, you realised it was time to go!
Immediately, I could see a character like that in a book, a strong, driving personality blessed with both money and power. Don’t you think someone like that would end up with an “emperor complex”? Imagine where that could take a character! Oooh, from good guy to villain, one slip at a time. A villain we could understand. Not psychotic, not a serial killer or a sociopath, but spoiled in a particular kind of way. Like Orson Welles, I’m inspired by the whole concept of a “Hearst” character.
In complete contrast, we visited the beach that afternoon and watched the adolescent elephant seals snoozing on the beach. Huge piles of mouldy blubber - they come at this time of year to moult and to practise their huffing and puffing.
You can see that this one hasn’t grown his nose properly yet. But they were already ginormous! And these were just the teenage boys! I couldn’t imagine the size of a full grown male. Sheesh! A dose of reality from Mother Nature.
So - what would you do if you had as much money as William Randolph Hearst? Build? Donate? Travel? Buy?
I know I’d love to travel and to have homes in several different places. Somewhere near Florence, in London, maybe Vancouver Island, here in Oz, of course. And I’d love to be able to donate to support the arts. I love glass and textile arts and I adore opera, but it’s such an expensive art form. Then there are literacy programs and libraries and education programs. Oh yes, and archaeological digs. And goddess, what about animals? And medical research? It would be totally involving. Plus, I admit I’d love to be able to afford handmade underwear and shoes. Ah…
What about you?
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Well, first thing I’d do if I had more money than god is get all of Denise Rossetti’s books tree-printed and distributed as widely as possible.
Then I’d fund a network of non-sectarian schools in all of the desperate regions of the world and hire Blackwater to protect the teachers and children. I’d also contribute capital to the various micro-loan agencies that provide working capital to the disenfranchised to help start businesses.
Once my altruistic side has been properly financed, I’d then be free to indulge my hedonistic side. First off would be a home in the Queen Charlotte Islands, a villa on Lake Como, a brownstone in Gramercy Park, New York City, something similar in Kensington, London, a penthouse in Sydney overlooking the Harbor, and a Lear jet to take me anywhere I’d want to go, because dealing with the airlines (even first class) is just too awful for words.
I do have a funny story to tell about sea lions and the Pacific Coast - well sort of funny. About 5 years ago, I took a vacation to California - particularly Monterey and Pacific Grove. One day, without any plans, I decided to just drive down US1 - the Pacific Coast Highway. The goal in the back of my brain was to make it to Hearst Castle. As I am driving south on US 1, I’m stopping at nearly every scenic point to take pictures and admire the scenery. About two hours into the drive, I stopped at a turnout that’s over a hundred feet above the shoreline, and when I get out of the car, all I can hear is this really, really loud party going on. Even though I don’t have the greatest head for heights (which is odd, since I love mountain vistas), I looked over the cliff edge and instead of seeing a group of kids and teenagers partying, there was a colony of about 200 sea lions making a huge racket.
I would invest in land, and make some donations to charitable organizations I feel a connection to.
Buy lots of books, lots of yarn, and probably a small house or two… because I’m rather materialistic.
Obviously I’d pay off my debts to my parents, banks and other people I owe money.
And then? I’d do my best to ignore that money. I wouldn’t want the presence of money to affect my life in a noticeable way. I’d probably pay people to manage it, and other people to keep an eye on people that manage it, but… you have to work for happiness and money can’t buy it. IF you’re not careful it can do the opposite, and I wouldn’t want that to happen.
You know, I’ve had this kind of discussion with my mom before and I told her that if I ever came into a huge amount of money, won the lottery, etc. I would pay off all my bills, her bills (house and cars included). I’d also donate some to my church, some to the different organizations out there that touch me (like Autism Speaks, WWF, Pediatric AIDS Foundation to name a few), I’d invest a bit, put some away for my son’s college (if he goes) and to help with anything he’ll need for the future, and put some away for me. I’d also buy a new car and a house that could better fit my family.
First of all, welcome home! Can’t wait to see the photos.
Secondly, if I had that much money I too would be traveling. I’d love to see every inch of the world. The idea of having an endless supply of money to discover and experience all kinds of cultures would be just wonderful. Of course I’d help charities and friends and family, but I’d be on that jetline quicker than you can say, well, jetplane.
D
Aw, Lita - all my books? You sweetie!
Then I would have more money than God!
I really like the idea of helping people to help themselves. Giving them independence and self-respect. Much better than hand-outs.
And loved your story about the elephant seals. Yes, they completely ignore the gawking humans and go about their own blubbery business.
Wonderful to see.
Jen, those are wise words. You have to keep what makes you real, gives you life and soul purpose. I don’t think I’d give up writing, for instance, though I might slow down a tad. (Yes, even more so!) I also hadn’t thought of the need to keep an eye on those managing the money, but yes, that would be necessary. It might be quite so carefree, after all, might it?
But a house or two? Oh yeah, mama! Bring! it on
Hi Dani, it would be so good to “go clear” wouldn’t it? Just to be able to give yourself that peace of mind would be awesome and to provide for your loved ones. That would be a precious gift indeed.
Danielle, I’d be packing myself in your suitcase! don’t you think, though, that Lita’s idea of your own jet is a brilliant one? It was the airlines and making the connections that stressed me to the max, not the travelling as such. Of course, it’s pretty well un-PC to have your own jet these days, no matter how much money you have.
Maybe first-class, all the way…
As for the photos - be afraid, my dear, be very afraid… Oh wait, I forgot you’re a horror writer and not scared of anything!
I’d keep enough money - a few mil to keep me and my travel bug happy for the rest of my life with the interest etc and then I’d spend it all on family, friends and charity.
And I’d never work again. I’d write, sure. But that’s not work. That’s a compulsion.
AA, totally understand about the writing thing. In fact, aren’t we going to set ourselves up in a Tuscan village? If we had squillions, we could afford a pool boy - or two. And a chauffeur, and a gardener, and… Hoo boy, hyper-ventilating here.
Oh, random note totally off topic, but are you aware of Vigeland’s statues in Oslo, Norway. There’s one in particular that reminds me of the Goddess and the Lust Dragon that I think you should see.
Here’s a link… http://www.flickr.com/photos/15807985@N08/2798892816/in/set-72157607091779769/
Why…I do them all…
Donate, travel, shop, payoff etc…
I’d love to buy a little old cottage in every corner of england. and I’d spend my time traveling and living between each one over the year. Until I was so soaked up in history that I’d then have to go to the mediterranean coast for a few months at a time to dry out! (sigh) moon-wishes…
Oh Jen, THANK YOU! Um, I think… I spent hours looking at photos of the Vigeland statues. Somewhere else I need to go. *sigh*
And yes, you’re right - that particular sculpture made me think of the statue of Lufra in the outdoor temple of the Feolin. Forgive me, I can’t resist…
The goddess embraced a dragon, not much bigger than She. Her smooth limbs were twined around the scaly torso. The creature’s gold-tipped claws dug into the soft flesh of Her hip and its leathery wings wrapped Her up. At first glance, it appeared the beast was devouring Her, but a more careful inspection revealed that Lufra was laughing, Her head thrown back. One hand the clasped the dragon’s rigid, pointed phallus, while its forked tongue slid over Her milky throat.
It was the most beautiful, frankly sensual thing Anje had ever seen. A deep burning warmth suffused her belly. Trey’s arm curled around her waist. “The Lust Dragon,” he murmured. “Her most popular aspect.”
Everyone, you really do need to go look. Here’s the link again, thanks to Jen - http://www.flickr.com/photos/15807985@N08/2798892816/in/set-72157607091779769/
Mary, that’s a great idea! You’d get to “do” one country really thoroughly, then move on to another. If there’s one thing I don’t like, it’s those whistle-stop tours where if you blink you’ve missed it. There’s no substitute for living somewhere to get a real “feel” for the culture. *sigh*
Just went to view the statues.
Aren’t they amazing??? There’s so much out there that we all would miss if others did not have the heart to share…
Thank you JC. and thanks Denise for bringing it to my attention…
Mary, they’re wonderful, aren’t they? And yes, it’s thanks to JC we got to see them…
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