How Big is a Trillion?

   I pondered this today, and what boggles me is how the U.S. deficit could get so big in the first place.  I mean, a million dollars is a huge amount of money.  If I had $1 million, I would live quite comfortably for the rest of my life, and probably have some money left to pass on to my descendants.
   If I had $1 billion, I would have way too much money and would have to give most of it away.  I imagine I could help a lot of people and still have more than enough for my descendants to live in comfort.
   But $1 trillion?  That is beyond ridiculous.  That, to me, is approaching "having all the money in the world."  How can we owe multi-trillions of dollars, and who do we owe it to?
   Here's what triggered my thinking about this huge debt crisis:  If some being with unlimited wealth gave me $1 billion told me to go out and spend $1 million a day and not come back until I'd spent it all, I'd be gone for less than three years.  If that same being gave me $1 trillion and told me to spend $1 million a day until it was gone, I would be gone for over 2700 years.
   I think a multi-trillion dollar deficit is beyond comprehension.  Maybe Congress and the President should focus on the here and now.  This whole money thing is ridiculous.  Printed on all our currency is "In God We Trust." 
   Doesn't anybody believe that any more?

"I live for my dreams, and a pocketful of gold"

   I heard a story on NPR yesterday morning about how many dollar coins are stored away by the Federal Reserve, because Americans apparently don't want them.
   I'm one American who loves these coins.  They are nice and heavy and gold in color.  They are a conversation starter.  I'll put them in a tip jar and find that my service gets a little better.  They make wonderful treasures to hide to make a potentially boring present more memorable.  Since 2007, they have been minted with the face of each President - U.S. Grant being the latest.  And they jingle just like any other coins.
   Maybe most people don't like them, but I do.  And I find that they are hard to find, which makes each one more of a treasure to me.  I finally do have a place where I can get them.  There is a vending machine that accepts dollar coins, and I found that if I put $1.00 in smaller denomination coins (nickels, dimes, quarters) and push the coin return, the machine will spit out a nice, shiny dollar coin.  I have several Presidents and a few Sacajawea ones as well.
   I think it's cool to have a pocketful of gold jingling a merry tune as I stroll through life.