Thanks to the generosity of fiscal circumstance last year, Mr. W and I are getting a tax refund that will not only finance a pregnancy, but will afford a hedonistic vacation this spring. Maybe even a second one (we’re thinking Australia & New Zealand) this fall. I’m only going to address one item in this post.

TAHITI, HERE WE COME!
We have discovered Paul Gauguin Cruises. Seven sparkling nights and eight turquoise days cruising on a luxury five-star ship in and around the lagoons and islands of Papeete, Raiatea, Taha’a (more specifically, the private islet of Motu Mohana), Bora Bora, and Moorea! It truly is a dream vacation, something I’d looked into for a honeymoon (which we never took, opting instead to pay for the wedding and house) but crossed off the affordability list. We’re getting a great deal; 2 for 1 round-trip flight fares, a huge discount off brochure price for the cruise. I decided on this over Europe, Asia and Australia because I figure those are places we can go in the future and even take our kid to, and we’re probably hitting Australia for a high-adventure vacation later in the year anyway (our spring is their winter). But I know I won’t be able to justify spending this much money on Tahiti if we have a kid to pay for, plus I don’t figure I’d want to be seen in a swimsuit after pregnancy. Which brings me to something else I’m targeting right now.

I’m giving myself till May to get in bikini shape for this Tahitian vacation of a lifetime. It’s probably the last time I’ll be able to romp about in a bikini (unless it turns out that I’m not able to get pregnant, in which case I’m gonna buy myself a wardrobe of bikinis to make myself feel better) on an extended vacation, so this one matters. I’m not too badly off…I figure I can drop 10 lbs of fat and be happy. I’ve been primarily vegan since booking this trip last week, and I’m getting off my lazy butt where exercise is concerned. I try to do SOMETHING every day. I took last week off and spent the second half of it in Vegas with Mr. W visiting his relatives, and we even hit the gym twice while we were there, as well as eating well, buying groceries for salads and low-carb meals to prepare ourselves while staying at his parents’ (his parents prefer not to eat our “health foods” so we supply our own). College roommie Diana and her boyfriend Eric happened to be there at the same time for March Madness, so we met up. Diana’s a hardcore gymrat, so I felt OBESE next to her.

Although I don’t expect to ever have such a low bodyfat percentage or pop out washboard abs like Diana’s, it did inspire me to push a little harder to reach my 10 pound goal.
While at swanky new Vdara Hotel & Spa’s rooftop poolside hanging with Diana and Eric (where they were staying), I overheard a portion of a conversation between some 20-something guys that made the top-10 list of turnoffs for me.
Guy 1: (walking back to his male friends from the poolside bar) This one chick was checking me out, but I couldn’t see her face. She had a good body, tho.
[Some conversation ensued that I didn’t pay attention to.]
Guy 2: The difference between you and me is that I actually have game.
[More conversation of this ilk while I rolled my eyes]
Guy 1: No, that’s bullshit. Blue eyes are totally better than your stupid brown eyes!
[Were they actually putting down each others’ eye color?!]
Guy 2: You have a really high opinion of yourself.
Guy 1: Well of course! —
Guy 2: I’m not saying it’s irrationally high, I’m just saying it doesn’t work when you walk into a room and chicks can tell you think so highly of yourself.
Guy 1: No, you’re wrong. Chicks dig confidence —
Guy 2: But you’re like an old, fat black guy who still thinks he has game.
Guy 1: No I’m not, cuz I’m not old, I’m not fat, and I’m not black!
Guy 2: I’m not saying you ARE an old fat black guy…

I finally turned around. WOW, these guys need a non-warped, non-circus mirror.