Inspired by a recent movie called The Bucket List, my friend Brandon started referring to his own version of such a list. Unlike the stars of the movie (Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson), his list isn’t about what he wants to do before he dies (or “kicks the bucket”). Rather, he has what he calls a “Diaper List” containing things he wants to do or accomplish before he and his wife start having kids. It’s on the front page of his new website, which I linked above.
This is something that’s been in the back of my mind, too. Melissa and I have been married for over two years now, and we’re probably not as far away from having kids as I would sometimes like to think. I’m still pretty young, 24 to be exact, and she’s 25, but we both feel that biological clock ticking a little. For me, it’s more a matter of wanting to be around for my kids, since my dad’s health problems caused him to die “early” at 61, while I was just a year into college. Having older parents is a great advantage in a lot of ways, especially from a maturity standpoint, but it would have been nice for him to have seen me get married or have grandkids. At the same time, I’m in no hurry to have kids because there are lots of things I’d like to do.
In that spirit, I thought I’d share my own Diaper List, with some things I’d like to do before little ones come along. These are in no particular order, and I probably haven’t thought of everything yet.
The Diaper List
- Get CPA certified
- See the following groups live: Muse, Coldplay, Dave Matthews Band, and Switchfoot (at least one more time)
- See a Tennessee football game at Neyland Stadium
- Become a better whitewater paddler
- Keep going to at least 2-3 Braves games a year
- Keep going to at least one Harding basketball game a year (and if I can, go to one in Searcy)
- See a Duke basketball game at Cameron Indoor Stadium
- Go on a snow-skiing vacation to either West Virginia or Colorado
- Accomplish something important with my church family
- Finish my basement into a nice office/entertainment room and learn some useful home improvement skills in the process
- Start investing in the stock market in addition to keeping my 401k on track
- Do some kind of service activity on a regular basis
- Make the lifestyle changes necessary to start (or continue in some cases) good habits for eating, sleeping, exercise, and work
- Take a big trip with friends (to echo Brandon’s idea)
- Get out of the house more often
I don’t think that’s overly ambitious, although I’m probably behind the curve on CPA certification, since I haven’t taken any part of the exam yet. It’s important that the items on the list are at least somewhat ambitious, but not totally unattainable. I would love to go to a World Series game or some other huge sporting event, but that’s not likely to happen unless the event is somewhere nearby like Atlanta or Nashville. There are also a few things on the list, like going to Braves games, that are not out of the question after I have kids. None of it would be out of the question, I suppose. Just more difficult.
Some parts of the list are bound to change, like the bands I decide I want to see. I actively disliked Coldplay until recently, but I’m starting to come around on them, and I’m sure there will be others as my tastes keep changing. This weekend I’ll get to go ahead and cross of one of those bands, since Melissa and I are heading to Memphis tonight in order to see DMB tomorrow.
If anyone out there keeps up with a similar list, I’d be interested in seeing it. Perhaps you have something I need to add to my list before it’s too late.
jfwiii.net 
A Diaper List. What a glorious idea. This will take some thought.
You ought to consider seeing each of the Braves’ Minor League affiliates. Rome and Gwinnett County ’09 could easily be day trips.
Good excuse to take vacations to Myrtle Beach for the Pelicans and Disneyworld for GCL Braves.
Pearl’s a dump, and I have no idea how the Braves make money off a AA team there, but Choctaw, MS – about 90 minutes away – is a very affordable mini-Vegas and a good place to spend a weekend.
Danville can be done in a weekend, and it’s about an hour from Duke & UNC.
Though the catch would be the Dominican Summer League Braves. That’s not worth the flight and the hotel costs… though Doug, maybe you can use your UF athletic connections to see if the Horford family would let John crash at their place for a weekend. 🙂
To comment on a couple other things on the list:
Every non-Duke alum friend I know who scored tickets to Cameron Indoor was thoroughly unimpressed with their visits. It’s apparently like watching a game at a larger version of Baylor’s Duke Arena (no A/C, everyone’s cramped together, and both gyms leave a lot to be desired aesthetically … though the Cameron Crazies do make the atmosphere entertaining.
Coldplay used to be a musical punchline for me, but Viva La Vida is phenomenal. Brian Eno has been a really positive influence on their music. Amazon reviews have been rather lukewarm… however, I think a lot of people who gave low-star reviews were expecting the usual Coldplay formulaic 4-minute Top-40 radio friendly songs… the stuff I despised.
Low-risk Mutual Funds are the way to go right now… though I’m rather intrigued about diversifying in renewable energy stocks (assuming ones develop in the mainstream) within the next few years… T. Boone Pickens has really sold me on the viability of wind farms providing energy for the US.
Have fun at the DMB concert.
1. Attend BCS Championship Game and Final Four in same semester; see my school win both.
2. Figure out if there’s any way to top Item 1.
And yes Jay, I can probably set John up at Tito’s place in Puerto Plata for a couple of nights. I’ll tell him I was that guy who rubbed his son on the top of the head after the Kentucky game in ’05.
While we’re at it, John, if you can be more specific about when you might be having a kid, I can go ahead and book Tebow in advance for the circumcision in case it’s a boy.