Happy Independence Day! It's a great day to reflect on how lucky we are to live in this great, free nation. Yes, our national soccer team had a disappointing World Cup, but I'm still proud to be an American. As much as I enjoyed my recent trip to Italy, I still have so much to see right here in the USA. And when I need a little taste of Europe, in just a few minutes I can head over to Waterfire in Providence during the summer. Speaking of Italy, my best friend and his new bride are in Rome right now celebrating their honeymoon. I was lucky enough to have been bestowed the honor of being his best man at the wedding. It was wonderful to stand with him on such a joyous occasion. They are two of the nicest people I have ever met and I was so happy for them that I couldn't stop smiling.

P.S. Italy won an exciting World Cup semi-final match today against Germany, 2-0 in overtime. They scored the first goal with only a couple minutes left in the OT. ESPN showed video of a crowd watching a big screen at the Circus Maximus in Rome and it looked like an exciting time. I hope the honeymooners were part of the fun!