How to Store Sperm in 4 Steps - Just in Case 130 Comments
Save the swimmies! (Photo: futurowoman)
I never thought I’d visit a sperm bank.
Perhaps it was flipping a motorcycle at 90 mph on Infineon Raceway.
Perhaps it was tearing my Achilles tendon in jiu-jitsu practice, then getting thrown on my head.
Maybe having my scuba mask fill with blood at 120 feet underwater in Belize?
That could have done it.
Or perhaps is was just crossing the 30-year age threshold and having friends who didn’t make it. 9/11, suicide, accidents — bad things happen to good people.
I came to realize in 2007: it’s really not that hard to die. And that’s when I started thinking about storing my genetic material.
Yes, my little swimmies.
In this post I’ll talk about the process, how I did it, and why it’s cheap insurance in an unpredictable world. I’ll also throw in some curious details (sexy time!) just for entertainment…
The Reasons to Store Sperm
Doing the research, the pros far outweighed the cons:
1) Men are becoming progressively infertile. Go munch on some soy for a mouthful of phytoestrogens, or just stick with preservatives. It’s hard to avoid testicle-unfriendly food and toxins. Talk to endocrinologists who do clinical meta-analysis and get your sperm count measured. It is probably less than your dad’s. Real-world Children of Men (for men) in full effect.
2) There are many medical conditions and procedures — cancer treatment, for example — that can render men infertile.
3) People who “know” they don’t want kids change their minds. A lot. Just look at the number of vasectomy reversal procedures. And no, these procedures do not work well. Failure rates are high.
4) Above all: Why not do it? If you can afford it, it just seems like a no-brainer for bloodline and peace of mind. The potential downside of doing it (cost) is recoverable; the potential downside of not doing it is irreversible.
I’m not a king looking to spread my seed across an empire, but part of me does want to leave a legacy in the form of a child. Call me old-fashioned. I want momma Ferriss to be grandmamma Ferriss at some point, even if I get hit by a cement truck or nailed by blue ice from an airplane.
Think it’s easy to get someone pregnant? Sometimes. Most of the time, after looking at the numbers, it seems surprisingly hit-or-miss.
Does this mean I wouldn’t adopt? Not at all. Several aunts and uncles have adopted, and it’s a beautiful thing. I just also want to have children who share my DNA. I see no reason not to ensure both can happen.
Is this ego-driven? On some level, of course. But so is owning a home or having a decent car, wearing clothing besides what will keep you warm and eating food besides what will keep you alive. Humans are ego-driven with anything past the base necessities for survival.
Sperm Storage - The Steps in Brief
1) Find a sperm storage facility. Google “sperm storage”, “sperm bank”, or “sperm donor” along with your state or city.
2) Make an initial appointment and get tested for infectious diseases.
Most reputable locations will require testing for common STDs prior to storage. I was tested for:
HIV 1 & 2
HTLV-I & II
RPR (for Syphilis, Al Capone’s farewell song)
HCV (for Hepatitis A)
HBsAG and HBcAB (for Hepatitis B)
It’s a romantic first date. And, yes, I cleared like a Mormon taking a drug test.
Cost of initial consult: $100-150
Cost of STD lab panel: $150-200
3) Warm up your wrists and get busy. Six sessions per kid.
Think it’s “one shot, one kill”, macho man? Think again. You’re no Peter North, and even if you were, 50%+ of your sperm count is annihilated from the freezing process.
You should make six sperm deposits for each child you’d like to have. It can take inseminations over eight months for a woman to get pregnant, although in vitro fertilization (IVF) ups the chances somewhat at much higher cost, generally $9,000-12,000 per attempt.
Oh, and forget about abstaining for long periods of time, oddly enough.
For best results in storage/fertilization/impregnation, abstain from ejaculation for at least 48 hours but no more than four days before each session. More than four days and dead sperm cells begin to accumulate and cause trouble, as you need a certain ratio of live sperm to dead sperm per 1 cc (cubic centimeter) of volume. I scheduled one deposit every fourth morning a la: Monday 10am, Friday 10am, Tuesday 10am.
Cost per sample frozen: $150-200 (x 6 = $900 - $1,200 per potential kid)
4) Store all the suspended swimmies somewhere safe.
This will usually be handled by the facility that did the initial freezing. This is also where the credit card comes out.
Cost per year: $300 - 600 (often for all samples)
The E-mail You Need to Read (and Perhaps Replicate)
After my first storage session, I sent the following e-mail to my brother and a number of my closest friends. All names have been changed, but it covers some very possible challenges and necessary sleight-of-hand:
Subject: Critical and Serious E-mail from Tim Ferriss - Please Save
Hello Bill, Bob, Dave, Lisa, and Sarah,So, after reading “The Last Lecture” and realizing that I have a fairly high-risk lifestyle with motorcycle accidents, jiu-jitsu and all else, I’ve decided to store sperm for potential future use, should something terrible happen to me.
Here’s the situation:
-Beginning today and over several months, I will make approx. 6 deposits at www.[donationfacility].com. I am not donating, just storing for worst-case scenarios.
-For a bunch of legal reasons, I had to designate a “partner,” who is the only person with access to the stored samples if something bad happens [Single males are generally unable to store for later use or "just in case"]. I chose Lisa, since she is A) female, and B) easier to reach than Sarah [who's overseas] via phone.I’m emailing the five of you because, if something happens to me, I kindly ask all of you to consider female candidates for receiving the samples. I’d be thrilled if this were Lisa or Sarah, but I certainly wouldn’t expect this. I’d just want you all to decide together if someone is someone I would approve of or not as the shepherd and missus for my sole progeny. Bill [my brother] has veto and executive power in the case consensus isn’t reached. 6 deposits gets you 2 impregnation attempts monthly for three months, which is good for one woman only, so please choose wisely if it comes to it. I would ideally want the resulting child to know my family and spend regular time with them, assuming my family feels the same way.
Again for a host of nonsense FDA and legal reasons, Lisa as “partner” is the only one who can get the samples. [Storage facility] could help her do procedures on herself with the samples, but if it were for someone else, she’d need to get the samples and you’d all need to figure the rest out. Sperm only survives for a few hours without freezing, so it would be quite the adventure.
I don’t expect anything to happen to me, of course, but I view this as the ultimate life-insurance policy. Momma Ferriss wants grandkids, so it’s a relatively cheap way to ensure that happens, no matter what :)
Please ask any questions you might have, and please save this e-mail somewhere safe. Good idea to print it as well.
Mahalo and see you all soon!
Tim
I would be hoping for quite the opposite, whether I play that role or a surrogate mother’s husband does. This entire process is damage control for a worst-case scenario: something catastrophic happening to me.
Sexy Time Details
So, cover the baby’s ears. I’m going to tell you something stunning and disgusting. Something you probably don’t want to hear. Ready? Most guys like pornography. And Santa Clause doesn’t exist. I’m sorry.
Here’s how the storage facility website sells the “donation” process:
“He [the donor/storer] is then shown to a private room where he can collect his specimen in a provided sterile cup.”
About as sexy as lethal injection, right?
Well, upon arrival, there were surprises in store. I was led to a cornucopia of porn DVDs around a secret corner. Right in front of a bunch of female lab technicians looking awkward. There was something for everyone in this motley selection. Norwegian juggler fetish? It would’ve been there. No expense was spared in covering all bases.
I grabbed a few titles (I’ll spare you the names) and headed to a small white room with a sliding door. I followed the lead of a quiet male Asian assistant in a white lab coat. He looked at his feet and departed with “please wash your hands when you finish.” I didn’t expect a call the next day.
The den of clinical sin was about the size of a hotel bathroom, with a paper-sheet-covered cot on the floor (yeah, baby!), a metal chair, a 13″ TV/DVD combo on a small stool, and a stack of magazines suspiciously adhered to one another.
So, I sat down, still quite content and ready to do my duty. A minute of “I can’t believe people want me to do this” and on goes the DVD. Then… my brain got sodomized.
See, I live in San Francisco, and — well — there are a lot of “alternative” sexual orientations. It also happens, sad times for Tim Ferriss, that Mr. Clean-Your-Hands was not good at matching DVDs to their cases.
I had already come to the realization that this room, with paper sheets in all their glory, had been used by hundreds of other donors. That alone required me to enter a state of focus reserved for Olympians and Iron Chef competitors. Then, I turn on the DVD and see two hairy boys doing something resembling wrestling. But not wrestling.
Second DVD, same story. Third time was the charm, but I was already supressing so many images and realities that it was like bending a spoon with my mind to get done what every guy has mastered by age 12.
Ah, Mr. Wash-Your-Hands. We will meet again, and I shall give you a judo chop.
Mentally prepare, gentlemen. It won’t be as easy as you think. These are tough, dangerous times. Good times to save your swimmies as cheap insurance.
And don’t forget to wash your hands.
Other posts on physical optimation and body games:
How to Lose 20 lbs. of Fat in 30 Days… Without Doing Any Exercise
From Geek to Freak: How I Gained 34 lbs. of Muscle in 4 Weeks
The Science of Fat-Loss: Why a Calorie Isn’t Always a Calorie
Real Life Extension: Caloric Restriction or Intermittent Fasting?
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Odds and Ends:
Timothy Ferriss vs. Gary Vaynerchuk - Two Approaches to Successful Blogging
Posted on November 20th, 2008
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130 Responses to “How to Store Sperm in 4 Steps - Just in Case”
3:24 am
You have got to be kidding me? People there take off with hairyboy’s videos?
Hilarious post Tim! Great read. I’ll keep this in mind 5 years into the future.
3:25 am
I kept thinking, “Man, is this going to show up in the new edition of the 4 Hour Work Week? Forget sex with the wife, be more efficient with your time and tell her to use the frozen stuff!”
But, no pitch on that front and for that I am thankful. Tim, this was useful and hilarious. Thank you.
3:27 am
Dude… where is your blog heading? Saving your sperm?! ;) On a serious note, I might be practically infertile myself, lol. I’ll spare you the details, as well, but my swimmies might not be swimming much. I’m gonna go ahead and get checked up. I’ll report back. Or not. :P
3:33 am
Ahem…now I have stopped chuckling at the pickle you must have been in, I do hope that men reading this in Australia will consider donating their sperm.
We in Australia have some issue with our men not wanting to give back, and so we outsource our sperm donations to somewhere like Norway (yep great working holiday for those guys).
Same as above but FREE and the country needs you!
3:43 am
Very funny article Tim. Personally though, I don’t think it should be used if you die. Fair enough if you have some non-lethal accident and loose the use of your wedding tackle then it’s handy to have the spare stuff on ice.
If you die and one of your friends does go ahead and make your baby, you are leaving that kid without a father from the very start. Secondly, you are not going to be there to have any input in the kids upbringing, nor are you going to be there to protect your own child. Do you really want to do that to your own kid?
If I were doing this I’d be writing into my will that if I remove myself from the gene pool then the frozen samples should die with me.
3:46 am
You had Tweeted recently about the topic for a new men’s magazine (not porn) column…? THIS type of adventure might be just the folly to capture our ADD-addled attention. “Awkward Moments in a 21st Century Life…” or some such.
In 15 years or so, you can write about your vasectomy. I’m sure that experience will be one to remember, too…
3:49 am
OMG I can’t believe you wrote this post!!
lol!
4:03 am
I went and did the deed… (they called it the green room at the clinic I went to), got the results back and discovered I had no sperm. So they did a bunch of tests on me, then operated. Turns out I just had a broken pipe! Apart from having both my testicles cut open and going through incredible pain (stitches and loose skin don’t go together well) - I came out with 12 straws now in cryogenic storage! Wifey and I now doing IVF - we have our 4th transfer tomorrow… fingers crossed.
@Alison - I live in Australia too - I believe it’s more to do with laws/politics/fear of having to pay maintenance, etc, rather than men not wanting to give back.
4:12 am
Hey Tim,
You did it again! Applying the 80/20 rule to the world of sperm (donation)- nice work! I did have a bit of trouble NOT making the mental pictures throughout a few parts of this post- but I’m OK now. Kim’s still laughing:)
P.S. Any musts while we’re in Buenos Aires this week?
Best,
Rob
5:56 am
Tim,
While this is all very informative, I wish that people could set aside their egos long enough to realize that there are huge numbers of children out there in need of adoption.
You can leave your legacy with a child you raise just as well as you can with one who shares your biology. Thousands do it each year. Going through all the discomfort, cost, and everything else associated with IVF just because you’re certain that your seed is better really does a disservice to children the world over in need of homes.
I have several friends who tried IVF for a while and gave up and adopted who say that they couldn’t be happier and that they wish they had saved the IVF money for college funds, etc.
Saving your sperm is about ego, not practicality. Give an unwanted child a chance at a happy life and you’ll be just as fulfilled as a father.
Just my $0.02.
6:20 am
What your post inspires me: Get a life !!
I know, it’s funny to say that to Tim Ferriss but man… what’s wrong with you ? Forget MommaFerriss, find yourself a nice girl who wants kids too and just do it the old way. Or don’t have kids. What’s the use of “having” kids if you don’t raise them ?
just my 2 cents
6:21 am
I’ve been thinking about storing my eggs: I’m at the peak of my fertility and not nearly ready for having kids. I don’t want to be 35 and desperate to conceive.
Maybe a surrogate can help me have kids later, if I take up precautions now.
It’s seems like a silly, chuckling subject but when looked at closely, it’s a very important one.
6:24 am
Bravo Tim!
You have taken two very important steps in what I call The Power of Mortality™. You’ve: a) realized and accepted that you are mortal and that no one owes you a certain amount of time on this planet; and b) you’ve taken some concrete action to address that reality. And to have come to this realization at the age of 30 is fantastic, because that’s when you have a much wider range of options available when it comes to choosing the life you really want. But, of course, I would expect nothing less from the master of conscious lifestyle design! Keep up the great work!
6:47 am
Tim - When I saw the title of this post and read the first paragraph I though “I can wait to hear how he is outsourcing this!”. Enjoyed the read, informative and amusing.
7:04 am
Boy can I relate to this post. :-)
Before getting a vasectomy I got my little guys frozen in facilities in two different cities (extra backups are always a good thing!).
So far I don’t want any kids while I’m alive (I need my time/money/attention for other things), but I wouldn’t mind leaving part of my inheritance to kids that are born after I’m gone. Also the samples could be useful for future medical treatments.
Your e-mail helps solve a problem that I was trying to address in a complicated will. Thanks!
7:19 am
Genious article!
I think this should be taken more serious than most people do, and maybe it`s a good thing to act on it and actually “insure” your kids future.
I think eating as much food as possible without chemicals and pesticides will make us keep our fertility a littlebit longer. *At least I hope!*
Norwegian Juggler fetish? That was insulting! haha
Reply to Allison Reynolds: Are you(Australian people) really outsourcing your sperm donations to here(Norway)?
Bendik.
7:49 am
Wow, Tim, just my 2 cents, but it seems you have a really messed up view of what fatherhood is.
8:04 am
Tim – love your blog but this article is TMI…
It’s your body and life and you can do what you want and I’m not going to tell you what to do. However, you are going to create a child and have no part in raising it whatsoever. Things happen and sometimes parents have to raise a child by themselves but purposely planning for that to happen just so your DNA can be passed down - I think that’s irresponsible.
8:12 am
Hi All,
A few very important points:
Does this mean I wouldn’t adopt? Not at all. Several aunts and uncles have adopted, and it’s a beautiful thing. I just also want to have children who share my DNA. I see no reason not to ensure both can happen.
Is this ego-driven? On some level, of course. But so is owning a home or having a decent car, wearing clothing besides what will keep you warm and eating food besides what will keep you alive. Humans are ego-driven with anything past the base necessities for survival.
Please note I am also not asking that a child be raised without a father.
I would be hoping for quite the opposite, whether I play that role or a surrogate mother’s husband does. This entire process is damage control for a worst-case scenario: something catastrophic happening to me.
Hope that helps!
Tim
8:42 am
Your sexy details was HILARIOUS (still laughing)
I wonder if you plan to pick some of your posts and put it in a book anytime in the future? Well, if not, now it’s an idea. Think about how many people who read The 4HWW; definitely a lot more than the number of subscribers to your blog (I assume) - a book would reach many more.
Thx for the inspiration, again.
Enjoy Mexico. Go dive at Santa Rosa Wall - BEAUTIFUL!
Tobias
9:08 am
[...] a post entitled “How to Store Sperm in 4 Steps - Just in Case”, he writes : I never thought I’d visit a sperm [...]
9:24 am
Very thought-provoking and funny post, Tim.
I think what’s worth noting for readers who might be lambasting you about this whole concept, is that it also provides you with an insurance policy should you not die, but find yourself unable to have children for some reason later in life.
Get ‘em while they’re good, is how I read it.
Talk about a candid. . .laying-it-on-the-line post!
9:29 am
ROTFL
I think you may actually have too much time on your hands (dont forget to wash them though).
I struggle with having a business on auto-pilot and often not having to work more than a few hours per day. Next time I am bored I will consider making a donation. Either that or I will take up pilates or something more socially acceptable.
9:40 am
Wow… this is not what I expected to see on your blog this morning! lol.
I wish Momma Ferriss good luck on getting her grandchild!
9:44 am
Hey Tim,
Funny post!
Why bother getting your hands dirty? The king of leverage could have outsourced the labor (and had a better time)! HA!
Charlie
9:51 am
I am going to have to do this.
Just one thing, there needs to be a quest involved. In order to eliminate unworthy recipients, I will create a series of quests that qualify the winner of my genetics. Basically, these quests will simulate what they would have to put up as if I were still alive. No easy feat.
9:52 am
Hola Tim y Buenos dias.
I did in vitro fertlization awhile back, I get you from a female perspective. It’s a awesome experience and the outcome is a blessing. Leave your legacy as you wish, I know I did with no regrets. Pass along your gifts, those children will be loved regardless. Embrace your decision, you’re an awesome father already.
Adios!
- Dinastia
9:52 am
Dave Allen is right: storage often indicates a deferred decision.
Are thoughts of mortality and legacy leading you to aspire to family? Then start a family. Sperm storage just defers a hard decision.
10:02 am
Save Ferriss!
10:05 am
Hilarious article. Don’t watch much tv, but have stumbled on BBC America show - Couping - incredible dialog and funniest thing I have seen on TV since early days of Seinfeld.
Anwyay, within the last three weeks, they had an episode on this - the guy going to the clinic, didn’t have porn he liked, texted friend to bring porn and pillow from home, etc etc. hilarious. If you haven’t seen it you should, they have them on BBC America on Demand, given your post this is a must see.
If this post had been a month ago, I would have said the writers stole your story!
10:13 am
What’s wrong with making a decision based on ego? Ego-based decisions and selfless decisions are not always mutually exclusive.
10:20 am
I guess it’s nature versus nurture, because passing on my DNA would be useless if I wasn’t around to impart wisdom and compassion on the youngster growing up.
Maybe they’ll have your DNA and look like you, but who’s to say what the prospective fill-in parents would teach the child?
DNA plays a small role compared to TLC.
I think this makes you the Burt Reynolds character from the movie ‘Paternity’, look it up.
10:24 am
Follow-up thought to myself.
If you’re goofy enough to off yourself early by whatever means, maybe nature is saying ‘We don’t want your stuff’…
Crashing a motorcycle, scuba diving, other less adventurous personal choices, I think that is the definition of Darwin’s idea…
10:48 am
There are more sides to this than have been explained. Let me start with the possibility of someone raising your child whom does like that he/she is not theirs. There may even be some resentment by the father. Life is not meant to be fool-proof but I respect your opinion. Some things are meant to be done by nature not a lab.
…… Oh why did you wait so long to post this?
Cheers
Jose
10:59 am
This conjured Austin Powers scenes to mind… Seriously, though, fertility is a fascinating subject. The more conscious options, the better, I believe.
@Iva - Let us know if you go through with freezing your eggs. I don’t think it’s as much fun as finding a little clinical seclusion with porn in hand. As far as I know, it requires a lot of hormonal injections to prep for ‘harvesting’ the eggs - which was enough to scare me off when I was looking into being a donor. I’m not scared of needles, but I don’t find the concept adequately compelling to subject my body to the largely unknown long-term effects of the hormones. I’m very confident in my own fertility - but even if I weren’t, since I’m a sucker for any baby I wouldn’t be too hung up on having my own.
11:01 am
Swimmies?! Rofl thats an incredible term.
While I do not personally understand the appeal of this activity, I give you props for having the courage to write about it.
I think this is more evidence that you write with the genuine intention to share your ideas, as opposed to writing purely out of ego.
11:06 am
Bravo Tim. Wish I had read advice like this about 16 years ago, before my journey of 4 kids & insane amounts of child support had started.
This is a post that should be ready by all men… I’m certain Dick Masterson would approve too.
11:07 am
Hey Tim,
Good for you. I do, however, hope that you stay alive and healthy, producing a family the more natural (and fun) way.
I wish it were as easy for women to have that insurance. Just step into a room with some romance novels and pictures of Johnny Depp to rub out some eggs.
Well, we’ll hope for the best for all of us. :)
~Erin
11:13 am
Interesting article, but I don’t see the point of storing “DNA” in case I die. I’m sure there will be plenty of other men alive to father more children, so why would I care about them being born with my genes if I’m not around?
11:37 am
Funny post. But on a serious note there is a really good book and a very scary book called “Hormone Deception” -by Lindsey Berkson that talks a lot about the chemical problems in the food supply that are screwing up fertility. I think this lady interviewed about every scientist in the world who works on these problems. If you want kids in the future it will make you get serious about eating as much organic food as you can get. Plus, many people underestimate how important fat is to hormone production. All your sex hormones that you need to make a baby and be a Viagra-free man in the future are made from cholesterol. Enjoy your eggs a little more.
11:40 am
A little strange to be reading about ’sperm storage’ on the blog of Tim Ferris, but since you brought it up, check out the documentary “The Disappearing Male”.
11:43 am
That was great Tim. Too funny at the end!!! LOL
12:40 pm
Tim, you never fail to deliver. Thank you for keeping my blog reading so much fun!
12:50 pm
Informative and Hillarious.
1:27 pm
Funny stuff Tim. I know what you mean about all the “High Risk” behaviours.. but that’s part of what makes Life fun!
I myself am the end of my genetic line. Lucked out with all the “it’s okay, I can’t get pregnants”, had the Vasectomy a couple years back, and have zero intention of reversing it. Although I understand if people change their minds.. not my choice tho.
1:31 pm
Surely the best place to deposit your sperm would be a womb?
1:45 pm
I can see the headline -
Tim Ferriss goes blind promoting sperm storage…
1:53 pm
Tim,
This was an interesting read to say the least - hillarious (just what I needed for the end of my workday)! Good for you, but I hope you’ll never have to use your stash!
Take care,
Jen Z
2:12 pm
gotta agree with Keskiya here…
Love reading your stuff, but that letter you sent to everyone - if I got a letter like that, I think id purposely flush your wrigglers if you keeled over just to ensure another ego doesn’t appear that large in the world again. Love reading your work - but lets not flatter yourself that simply your seed + anything = eternal God.
Nature vs Nurture buddy!
2:23 pm
Tim, if you’re dead, you’re not gonna care about your legacy…you’re dead.
2:25 pm
Hilarious story Tim!
Great topic, not every one would have the balls to talk about it :D
You raised a great point that never crossed my mind (I’m on 21) but that definitely got me thinking given that I’m writing this with my laptop on my laps…. definitely won’t help my sperm count!
Cheers
2:27 pm
I laughed so hard I slightly wet my pants! :) You never cease to amaze me… in more and more delightful ways.
I wrote about this very subject in my book “Every Single Girl’s Guide to Her Future Husband’s Last Divorce”. I also think it’s a good idea for guys who favor the “catch and release” program of dating to freeze their sperm and have a vasectomy as a form of Gold Digger Insurance. :)
3:12 pm
Hi Tim,
I am a regular reader of your blog (have read your book 4HWW as week) I am your big fan and your like my role model.
While I will hat off you for talking about such personal and sensitive issue, I have different perspective about storing your sperm. The point is, why not get married and have “natural” kids? What if there would be some biological disorder in your stored-sperm born kid?
Muhammad Fayyaz
3:32 pm
Tim,
Why resort to children as a method of immortality? Sign up to be cryopreserved. It’s not even all that expensive. I’m with Alcor Life Extension Foundation and pay $97.63 monthly for the chance to be revived in the future.
There are a lot of myths out there, take a look at the FAQ on Alcor’s website before you pass any judgments.
3:37 pm
I can’t be the only one seriously disgusted by this post.
It’s not even the egotism of storing your sperm “for posterity.” Whatever, you’re ponying up the money, etc…
What really disturbed me is your emailing your female friend to say, “Oh, btw, I designated you as my partner! In the event of my death, feel free to have my babies!… but don’t feel obligated.”
Yeah, like you’re doing her a real favor… seems like you’re guilting her into spreading your genes around.
3:39 pm
Ah hilarious, Tim. I laughed so much that I had to explain your scenario to my roommate… The Last Lecture is a great book. Randy was an amazing guy who left an incredible legacy for his children. Talk about courageous! His wife is so brave as well.
I can totally understand your POV as my mom has been reminding me since ohhh age 12 or so that I am her only chance at grandma-hood. Wonderful! You should see her face light up whenever I date someone.
Anyhow, I had friends who couldn’t have kids and it turns out that the husband just had one extra artery going down to, well his little swimmies (that weren’t swimming so well). One zap later (to singe the artery) left him completely fertile again and baby #2 is due in January. :)
Soak up some sun for me in Mexico.
3:56 pm
Somehow I don’t see Randy Pausch applauding the possibility of you leaving your future kids fatherless from the get-go.
Also, way to alienate us childfree people. As for vasectomy reversal procedures, maybe men should stop giving in to baby-rabid new girlfriends/wives.
4:26 pm
Great post Tim !! As usual you have an excellent sense of humor. Thank goodness I’m alone at the office, I was laughing out loud … Mind you, now every time I see your picture or read your book, I’m going to have an image of you in a white room with “something” in your hands … Ah !! I am going to have to find that section of the brain and erase that image … ha ha ha
Take care
5:08 pm
Thank you for being so alpha about the whole thing. Excellent post.
This totally fits into the FHWW lifestyle it think. Too many peoples are working so much they don’t even have time to think about what is important…Life.
Rock it brotha’.
5:08 pm
This is great. I’m just wondering if you were thinking of telling all of us about this while you were doing it… Brings new meaning to loving your fans, darling.
5:51 pm
Hi Tim,
I never realized soy/tofu lowered your sperm. I can’t afford to go to a sperm bank right now, but that tip certainly helps. Thanks!
Gordon
6:08 pm
Tim:
1) This was one of your most hilarious post! The pictorical precision of your words, esp. in the second part, made my day. =)
2) You’re damn courageous to expose yourself that much and with such lightness, so naturally. Thumbs up. You’ve dismythified the process, and probably helped many for whom the issue was a taboo or simply hadn’t realized the option existed.
3) Man, you’re more paranoid than I thought! But (a) as former Intel’s CEO Andrew Grove used to say: “Only the Paranoid Survive”, and (b) you’re a structured, results-oriented paranoid who knows precisely what you’re doing and why, so… thumbs up!
4) Finally, now commenting on some of the writters above who frowned on your not adopting or not starting a family right away, or called your attitude ego-driven: it *is* ego-driven.
So what? Shouldn’t it be? It’s your life, your swimmies. You do with them whatever you want, whenever you want, for whatever reason you want. Period. But I guess you know that. =)
Cheers, friend.
André Branco
6:32 pm
Tim, what disturbs me about your desire for a woman to bear your child after you die is that it does not consider how a child might feel to come into the world under those circumstances.
For one thing, the child is being denied the possibility of knowing his/her biological father. Even if the child is raised by an adoptive father, he/she is likely to experience that lack of connection to you, Tim, as a loss, possibly profound. The fact that you planned and intended for him/her to experience that loss would be even harder to take. That the loss was to serve your desire to leave a biological legacy … that makes it even worse.
Plus there’s the pressure of having your life “created” to carry on the legacy of your biological parent. It’s hard enough to fulfill one’s own purposes, but to know that you exist because your grandmother wanted a grandchild? Because your father wanted a part of him to carry on after his catastrophic death?
I have no problem storing sperm in the event of infertility if you want to use it for IVF with your partner. But for a child born after your death? That just strikes me as selfish–and you don’t even reap the benefits, because you’re dead.
I’m an adoptive parent, which is why I’ve thought a lot about how kids are affected by their loss of connection to biological parents. It’s a trauma I would never intentionally wish on a child. Yes, everything might work out fine, but is that a risk you want to take? The pay-off doesn’t seem worth it.
6:34 pm
“It’s your life, your swimmies. You do with them whatever you want, whenever you want, for whatever reason you want. Period. But I guess you know that.”
But that’s just the point … it’s not his life. It’s his CHILD’S life.
6:53 pm
Hehe, well written post mr Ferriss - judo chop indeed!
6:57 pm
Not sure whether to thank you or slap you. Interesting topic, although my past experience has told me that making babies is actually WAY too easy (insert ad for condoms). I guess I should consider myself lucky, looking at the odds.
I do agree that in most cases, people are driven by their ego.
Great comments and very entertaining.
Mahalos
7:51 pm
I like the idea! It accentuates our own sense of mortality. Makes us want to go out and do things - life’s too short to be dying, it’s to be lived. I once told a friend that my idea of the ‘meaning of life’ is to create life, in that way I can ensure life goes on with my descendants and knowing I have a part in preserving life - helping it continue. I believe you’re doing what is needed to help your ‘life’ continue in your legacy.
I wonder if the storage facilities worry about who pays their bills if the clients die. I mean if you pass on, you can’t exactly keep paying the facility to store your swimmies (I prefer the term ‘geneseeds’).
But heavens forbid! Don’t want your blog to discontinue anytime soon. Looking forward to blogs on your Mexico adventures.
8:40 pm
Ahh, man…
9:14 pm
Who says Santa Claus doesn’t exist?