From Paul Buchheit’s blog post What to do with your millions:
Many people with jobs have a fantasy about all the amazing things they would do if they didn’t need to work. In reality, if they had the drive and commitment to actually do those things, they wouldn’t let a job get in the way. Unfortunately, if given a lot of money, they are much more likely to end up addicted to crack, or even worse, World of Warcraft. If you’ve been institutionalized your entire life (school, work, etc.), it can be very difficult to adjust to life on “the outside”.
I like what Jacques Cousteau did. After making a fortune by inventing SCUBA he bought an old minesweeper, renamed it ‘Calypso’ and turned it into a research vessel. His subsequent films inspired my generation with a fascination for marine science.
I think Blaise has it right. I need meaningful work, and I think that pure research that I enjoy is a good way to put a windfall to work. In addition, there is a volunteer organisations that would probably take a more prominent role in my life (a particular Search and Rescue team).