Since the lockout is back in its full mind-numbing effect, it’s time to jump back to our list of doom.

#76. DO SOME RESEARCH ON THE SACRED CONCEPT OF MARRIAGE (AND THE PERSON WHO YOU ARE MARRYING).

I’ll start this off with a simple disclaimer. I’m not married and never have been. Yet, I feel very confident in explaining this particular subject since I am the proud owner of numerous married friends.

When two wild and crazy kids decide to tie the knot, perhaps both parties should ask themselves some of the following meaningful questions:

1. Can I afford this engagement ring? – Reese Witherspoon recently received a $250,000 engagement ring. I’m still cackling over that one. 

2. Does he/she have good credit? – You’re not an ATM or a loan officer. Make sure he/she can handle financial issues. 

3. Can I afford this wedding? – The average wedding costs $27,800 according to theknot.com (yeah, I can’t believe I went to that site either).

4. Will my significant other hate me after the wedding once he/she realizes we went all in financially on one day just to impress our Aunt Peg and now we are broke? – For some, weddings boil down to showing off. If you’re marrying someone who wants to show off, make like Pink Floyd and run like hell.

5. Will my future spouse mind if I sit on the couch from 1pm to midnight (with breaks for food, bathroom usage, etc.) on Sundays during the NFL season? – This is a big one. Guys/gals should not be dragged away from the NFL on a consistent basis.

6. Can I tolerate the in-laws? – Remember, when you say “I do” you get a spouse and their immediate family. Hope you like them.

7. Does he/she support my career? – If he/she doesn’t support what you do, it’ll be over before it starts.

8. Kids? – If they keep throwing hints about not knowing whether they can handle being a mother or father, don’t force them into it.

9. Does my significant other have over 500 friends on Facebook? – If your significant other has over 500 friends on Facebook, there is a high probability at least 50 of their “friends” wouldn’t mind if your relationship met an untimely demise so that they could assist in the “grieving process.”

10. By chance, would my significant other have any interest in marrying someone else on a whim right before we were to be married? – Yep.

Pay special attention to question 10. This issue popped up recently when a 22-year-old Chinese woman tried to jump from a seventh-story apartment in a wedding dress after her fiancé left her and married another woman days before the couple was to marry.

Luckily, the young lady was grabbed before committing suicide.

While this incident happened in China, the point is a universal one. Weddings drive people to do illogical things whether they be emotional or financial.

Thanks to over two million marriages occurring annually in the states, the wedding industry generates over $80 billion in revenue.

If you really have to pour thousands upon thousands of dollars into one day, make sure you pick the right person.

Remember the sage wisdom of the late John Wooden. “Failing to prepare is preparing to fail.”

Do your homework.

Don’t be a statistic.