Provence and Marseille in Pictures

The next stop on our cruise was Provence, France. I've never been much interested in France for some reason. Perhaps it's a result of a negative experience studying French as a freshman in high school, perhaps it's because fine art and religion is pretty much lost on me. But I was happy to go, as new experiences are always a big, fat WIN.

First we visited Aix en Provence, the capital of Provence, which was a charming town with very interesting architecture and fountains.

The Saint Sauveur Cathedral

After a walking tour of the town, we had one of the best meals at a courtyard cafe. AMAZING bruschetta.

Next we were off to visit the Notre Dame de la Garde. We spent a LOT of time on buses in Provence, and I think any return visits will be longer on walking and shorter on traffic.

The Notre Dame bell tower

I was impressed by the architecture at Notre Dame, as the buildings are beautiful, and the views spectacular.

A few of the bay, including the Château d'If

We drove past the the Château d'If, the setting for Alexandre Dumas novel The Count of Monte Cristo. They allow visitors now, and I wouldn't mind touring the fortress at some point.

I'm in no great hurry to return to France unless the opportunity presents itself in conjunction with some other travel opportunity I'm really excited about. Next stop: Barcelona!

Link Me Up, Scotty - Healthcare Edition

Mistrust after Tuskegee experiments may have taken years off of black men's lives. I find this utterly unsurprising. The way the medical establishment in this country has treated black Americans is appalling, and their mistrust is historically well-placed.
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Why I'm done asking my husband to "help me out." I love everything about this essay, especially the part when she points out that adopting the attitude that your male spouse is somehow your "helper" or "assistant" diminishes his value and infantilizes him. Sort of like assuming it's somehow a woman's sole responsibility to prevent rape, rather than assuming that men should be expected to manage and control their own impulses. Oh...wait.
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It's amazing to me that people are so utterly shameless in displaying their bigotry and racism so openly. In a way I actually prefer it this way - that way I know who needs to get the fuck off my world. But it's instances like this that make me scoff at the idea that somehow people's First Amendment rights are being compromised by "political correctness."
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This Giant Octopus Kite is mesmerizing.

H/T Steve
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If the Brexit debacle has proved anything, it's that voting matters. Which reminds me - if you're an American citizen, are you registered to vote? In case you missed it, we're having a pretty important election here in the U.S. in November, and if you're eligible to vote but not planning on doing so, then I'll just add you to the list of people who can get the fuck off my world. Register. Vote your conscience. Don't be a complacent, whiny dick.
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SCOTUS strikes down Texas' disingenuous abortion clinic requirements. Here's the thing about such laws: They're clearly intended to limit a woman's access to abortion, while masquerading as paternalistic concern for "women's health." I understand and am sympathetic to those who oppose abortion on moral grounds (although I don't come down on that side of the argument). But please do everyone the intellectual courtesy of allowing your moral arguments to stand on their own merit instead of enacting laws that obfuscate and mislead, but have the effect you want in limiting access to abortion. The majority of the Supreme Court obviously sees this to be the case, which makes me happy both as a citizen who wants our laws to be intellectually honest, and as a pro-choice citizen who supports a woman's right to self-determination.
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From the "Thank you, Captain Obvious" files: House report reveals no evidence of wrongdoing by then-Secretary of State Hilary Clinton in regards to the attack on the Embassy in Benghazi. Why are we still talking about this? I thought it had already been established that this so-called investigation is basically a witch hunt put in motion by House Republicans as a means to discredit Hillary Clinton in her bid for the Presidency. And yet, the money continues to roll out, as partisan bickering continues unabated, and in this case, they ended up blaming the armed forces. Klassy. 
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Jesse Williams wins the BET Humanitarian Award, and has some words about the struggle of black people in this country.
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Video of my Heart: A woman decides to run across Iran in an effort to promote understanding and break down stereotypes.

H/T The Superlative Carolyn

Pisa in Pictures

Our next stop on the cruise was Florence and Pisa. This was the only day we really had rain, which was kind of a bummer, but we had such nice weather the rest of the time, there was really nothing to complain about.

The ship actually pulled into Livorno, and then passengers had to take a bus to either Florence or Pisa. We chose Pisa.

The lighthouse on the sea wall in Livorno.

We went to the Piazzo del Duomo to see the Cathedral there, as well as the Baptistry. The Leaning Tower of Pisa is situated behind the Cathedral, and is the bell tower for the Piazzo de Duomo. It really does lean in a most alarming manner, although I understand the construction is stable now.

Lean in.

Next we went to a restaurant called Fattoria il Poggio in Tuscany, where they grow their own grapes and olives and then turns them into tasty, tasty products. this is the place where I had the only wine I've ever really liked, and that didn't give me a headache. And they take mail orders to the United States! Of course it costs over $100 to ship, but you can't have everything.

Baby olives.

Tuscany is another area we intend to revisit on our destination vacation to Italy, mostly because you can't eat all the foodz and drink all the winez in a single day. I'd also like to revisit Piazzo del Duomo when the weather is better and we have time to go inside the various structures and visit the Archeological Museum there.

Rome in Pictures

Our next stop on our Mediterranean cruise was Rome.

Rome was amazing. I mean, amazing. The historical significance of this city to Western culture cannot be over-emphasized, and our single day in the city was just a big ole tease. We're already planning to return to Italy in two years to see more of the city, as well as do some day trips outside Rome.

Our first stop was the Colosseum. Because we were in the city on a Saturday, the place was mobbed, and we didn't have time to stand in line to go inside. So we admired it from the outside, and made plans to visit first thing in the morning, on a weekday, on our next visit.

The Colosseum

Our next stop was Trevi Fountain. Like the tourists we were, we threw coins into the fountain to ensure a return visit to the city. I did wonder what happens to all the money thrown in there, and the Internet provided an answer:

Each day the gushing torrents of the Trevi Fountain are silenced for one hour while city workers sweep the coins from the fountain. Since 2006, the Roman Catholic charity Caritas has been sorting and cleaning the daily loot from the fountain. Caritas runs food and social programs for the needy and oppressed in 200 countries and territories worldwide. Somewhere around €3000 is collected nightly from the Trevi Fountain (about $1.26 million annually) and distributes it amongst the needy. Caritas even opened a low-cost supermarket in Rome in 2008 for the needy.

 We also walked up the Spanish Steps, which provided a nice (if sweaty) view of the city

A Fountain picture sans tourists

Perhaps the most amazing sight we saw on our day in Rome was the Pantheon.  Dedicated about 126 A.D., it has been in continuous use since that time. Originally a "Temple to every God," it's been dedicated to St Mary and the Martyrs since the 7th Century.

What made this so amazing was the fact that it's still standing, is still the world's largest unreinforced concrete dome, and it's still amazingly beautiful.

The view from the floor to the occulus.

I haven't yet mentioned the food in Italy. It was AMAZING. I'm not a big fan of Americanized Italian food, as I have a mild aversion to red sauce. But the food in Italy wasn't that. I can't wait to go back and EAT ALL THE FOODZ.

Link Me Up, Scotty - All guns, all the time edition

My favorite sarcastic attorneys on the topic of gun control and the need for precise, defined terms when discussing gun control legislation. This is one of the reasons I've been disengaged from social media and the Internet of late. Neither side of this argument seem to have cogent, defined arguments with terms that everyone can agree on. Instead what I hear is "Freedom!" and "The Children!" Both of these are knee-jerk, emotional responses, and neither provides a meaningful descriptor of what solutions (if any) the speaker proposes. You want better laws and regulations? Engage in better rhetoric.
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The life of a transgender Dad in pictures. It makes my heart happy to see members of a group who are often ridiculed, marginalized, and ostracized living happy, healthy, productive lives.
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Things you can do to be happier. I try to practice nine of these things in my own life for the purposes of managing my own mental health.
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Colorado Mom saves her son from a Mountain Lion with her bare hands. Are you listening, all you people who are considering moving to Colorado because it's such a wonderful place to live? The WILDLIFE HERE WILL LITERALLY TRY TO EAT YOUR CHILDREN. So unless your badassery is equal to fighting them off with your bare hands, you should probably reconsider. Just sayin'. 
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Houston celebrates Juneteeth with a parade and remembrance. I learned about this Texas tradition from my high school chum's amazing and authentic book, Tomlinson Hill, by Chris Tomlinson.
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From the archives: In the summer of 2013, NPR explored our nation's public libraries. Their legacy, traditions, and challenges. Love your local library, people - it's there for your benefit, and offers much more than just books.
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The "parent happiness gap" is real, and is directly related to a series of social policies that help parents care for, raise, and support their children in ways that doesn't make them want to light their hair on fire.
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Google employees are fighting sexism by adding "Lady" to their titles. I have been referred to as a "Lady/Female/Woman Engineer" so many times that I don't really find this funny.
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The President's opinion on radical Islam. The money quote:

The fundamental difference between Obama and Trump on issues related to Islamist extremism (apart from the obvious, such as that, unlike Trump, Obama a) has killed Islamist terrorists; b) regularly studies the problem and allows himself to be briefed by serious people about the problem; and c) is not racist or temperamentally unsuitable for national leadership) is that Trump apparently believes that two civilizations are in conflict. Obama believes that the clash is taking place within a single civilization, and that Americans are sometimes collateral damage in this fight between Muslim modernizers and Muslim fundamentalists.

I never thought of the conflict in the terms described, so this has given me something new to think about. I love The Atlantic. 

H/T Brother Eric
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Video of my Heart: Young Khloe provides a lesson in humanity, compassion and courage. THERE'S SOMETHING IN MY EYE.

H/T Random Michelle

Naples in Pictures

Our next port of call on our cruise was Naples, Italy.

Our first stop was Sorrento, a lovely tourist town with lots of shops that sell olive oil, balsamic vinegar, limoncello, and more. We picked up some items there and had them shipped back to the States. YUM-O.

An original Roman Bridge leading into the town of Sorrento.

Our next stop was an agro-tourist farm where we enjoyed a delicious lunch and learned how ricotta and mozzarella cheeses are made.

Next on the list was Pompeii. 

The ruins of Pompeii from the outside.

Pompeii was an amazing experience. Our tour guide, an 82 year old Sicilian named Roberto, was on the original surveying team, and provided amazing depth for someone who gives bus tours.

Some of the ruins from the inside, with Vesuvius lurking in the background.

We didn't have time to see the Herculaneum, but we fully intend to go back to Italy for a destination vacation in a few years, and that will be on our list.

I loved Naples. I wouldn't live there, mind you - the threat of Vesuvius is real, and ever-present, but I loved the landscape, the food, the history and archaeology. After all I saw in the far and middle East, it made me a bit wistful that I never got a chance to be stationed in Europe when I was on active duty.

Summer Reading Program - ANNOUNCED!

It's that time of year! Time for the Sixth Annual Maureen "AJ" Ramey Memorial Summer Reading Program, brought to you by Hot Chicks Dig Smart Men! 

Each year, Hot Chicks Dig Smart Men sponsors a summer reading program in honor of my beloved late daughter Moe. The one consistent thing in my daughter's life was her undying affection for the written word. So we'll read in her memory, and raise a book to honor her devotion to reading.

Moe came by her love honestly, as I LOVE reading. I read on my Kindle, on my iPad, on the Internet. I listen to Audiobooks whenever it's not practical to read words in a row. I'd read while I was sleeping if I could stay conscious. So once again, I'm sponsoring this reading program to benefit the Douglas County Library through the Douglas County Library Foundation,* in Moe-Moe's name. The proceeds from this program go to purchase the naming rights on the Parker Library's Maureen "A.J." Ramey Memorial Garden, which will be dedicated later this summer. 


Here's da rules:

1. The contest will run from June 20th (that's today! The summer solstice! Yay!) to September 6th (the first working day after Labor Day. Boo.).
2. When you finish a new book, post a comment on the "Hot Chicks and Smart Men Read!" page on this blog. There's even a link at the top of the blog for easy access! One comment, one book. PLEASE make sure you post your book titles on the page created for this purpose. If you post your books on THIS blog entry, they won't count, and that would be a big ole bummer.
3. Audiobooks count. eBooks count. ANY book counts, with the exception of picture books. If you are reading a chapter book to a youngster, by all means, enter it, but picture books juke the stats.
4. For each book that is read and registered in the comments by me and my readers, the Smart Man and I will donate $1 to the Douglas County Library Foundation, with a guaranteed donation of $500.00. This money is earmarked by the Foundation to secure the naming rights to the garden at the brand new Parker Library, scheduled to open this summer.
5. When the contest ends, I will use a random number generator to find THE WINNERS. THE WINNERS will each get either a $25.00 gift certificate to Amazon OR a selection of my Famous Home Made Jams. Each unique comment (one comment, one book) will be an entry for the gift certificate or the jam, so the more you read, the better chance you have to win. Please note that if you commit to donating to your OWN local library, you increase your chances of winning!
6. If the number of comments exceeds 500, the additional monies will be donated to the Douglas County Library Foundation general fund. 

READ! READ! READ!
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Do you want me to include a link to your summer reading program? Send me a note!
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ETA: Many people have asked if they can help fund the naming rights for the new Parker Library Garden. I can tell you how happy it makes me that people want to contribute, but the Smart Man and I have already fully funded this endeavor. It's something we wanted to do for our ourselves, and we're happy to earmark that money in our charity budget in perpetuity.

However, if you want to help us remember our Moe and do something fabulous for a cause she cared about, please sign up for a "matching donation" for the contest. Simply pick a local library in your community that is under-served or strapped for cash, and then commit to making a donation in whatever amount you wish in Moe's name after the contest ends. Then send me a note, letting me know the dollar amount and the Library you've chosen to support, and I'll post it to the contest page. For each dollar you commit to donate, I'll add another random number to your name for the prize drawing.

Thanks to everyone who volunteered to help with this important work. As a Social Justice Warrior and devoted reader, I can't think of a better way to honor our Beloved Moe's memory.


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*Full Disclosure: I am the Vice-President of the Douglas County Library Board of Trustees, and I am also on the Board of Directors for the Douglas County Libraries Foundation. So unlike in years past, when these organizations had no idea who I was, I'm now deeply involved with the beneficiary of my largess. However, this reading program (and the subsequent donation) are a private endeavor on my part, and have no connection to my volunteer work on behalf of the Library and its Foundation. I just loved them so much that in addition to my money, they're also now getting my time...also in memory of my Moe.