https://rickswords.com/blog daily 0.75 2020-06-10 https://rickswords.com/blog/trees monthly 0.5 2020-05-06 https://rickswords.com/blog/its-always-something monthly 0.5 2020-05-30 https://rickswords.com/blog/the-heart-of-a-baseball-fan monthly 0.5 2020-05-30 https://rickswords.com/blog/first-few-chapters monthly 0.5 2020-05-06 https://rickswords.com/blog/the-alien-and-the-euphemism monthly 0.5 2020-05-29 https://rickswords.com/blog/teaching-healthy-skepticism monthly 0.5 2020-05-06 https://rickswords.com/blog/too-tuned-out monthly 0.5 2020-05-06 https://rickswords.com/blog/please-dont-define-me-by-my-politics monthly 0.5 2020-05-06 https://rickswords.com/blog/another-time monthly 0.5 2020-05-06 https://rickswords.com/blog/healthy-envy-admiration-amp-resentment monthly 0.5 2020-05-06 https://rickswords.com/blog/apples-and-oranges-from-curfews-to-abortion monthly 0.5 2020-05-06 https://rickswords.com/blog/a-gift-of-giving monthly 0.5 2020-05-06 https://rickswords.com/blog/a-sign-of-the-times monthly 0.5 2020-05-06 https://rickswords.com/blog/the-great-gathering-by-rick-alimonti monthly 0.5 2020-05-06 https://rickswords.com/blog/the-good-day monthly 0.5 2020-05-06 https://rickswords.com/blog/the-joys-of-transience monthly 0.5 2020-05-06 https://rickswords.com/blog/pearl-harbor-day monthly 0.5 2020-05-06 https://rickswords.com/blog/five-golden-rings-a-holiday-post monthly 0.5 2020-05-06 https://rickswords.com/blog/take-the-black-out-of-black-friday monthly 0.5 2020-05-06 https://rickswords.com/blog/some-comments-on-inside-out-as-it-hits-stores monthly 0.5 2020-05-06 https://rickswords.com/blog/on-religion-part-3 monthly 0.5 2020-05-06 https://rickswords.com/blog/malls-and-megastores monthly 0.5 2020-05-06 https://rickswords.com/blog/on-religion-part-2 monthly 0.5 2020-05-06 https://rickswords.com/blog/on-religion-part-1 monthly 0.5 2020-05-06 https://rickswords.com/blog/some-thoughts-on-intelligence-and-mental-illness monthly 0.5 2020-05-06 https://rickswords.com/blog/should-we-be-judged-by-our-choices monthly 0.5 2020-05-06 https://rickswords.com/blog/charity-from-not-for-the-depressed monthly 0.5 2020-05-06 https://rickswords.com/blog/short-thought-for-today-intelligence-inversion monthly 0.5 2020-05-06 https://rickswords.com/blog/a-word-on-star-trek-and-trekkers monthly 0.5 2020-05-06 https://rickswords.com/blog/writing-tip-write-with-humility-and-some-arrogance monthly 0.5 2020-05-06 https://rickswords.com/blog/when-did-respect-become-resentment monthly 0.5 2020-05-06 https://rickswords.com/blog/when-music-mattered monthly 0.5 2020-05-06 https://rickswords.com/blog/the-power-of-thank-you monthly 0.5 2020-05-06 https://rickswords.com/blog/ill-ask-but-please-dont-tell-how-we-keep-the-conversation-mundane monthly 0.5 2020-05-06 https://rickswords.com/blog/elevating-the-conversation monthly 0.5 2020-05-06 https://rickswords.com/blog/on-the-lighter-side-the-the-convo-meter-for-the-nonverbally-clueless monthly 0.5 2020-05-06 https://rickswords.com/blog/prejudice-and-arrogance-a-frightening-combination monthly 0.5 2020-05-06 https://rickswords.com/blog/magic-moments-remember-them-and-write-about-them monthly 0.5 2020-05-06 https://rickswords.com/blog/od5czgtpgdstbfm47sihpokvpwtuyr monthly 0.5 2020-05-06 https://rickswords.com/blog/back-to-baseball monthly 0.5 2020-06-10 https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5ea76b38e366e647bacac38e/t/5ed1b22d25a6bf670bb1ac05/1590801069477/baseball+in+snow Blog - Back to Baseball - More Baseball Withdrawal Feeling a little frozen out? Here’s to warmer days . . . https://rickswords.com/blog/poem-post-bubble-idiot monthly 0.5 2020-06-10 https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5ea76b38e366e647bacac38e/t/5edabcd43365b313419c006f/1591393497211/ Blog - Poem Post: Bubble Idiot - Bubble Idiot Some modest satire https://rickswords.com/in-the-works daily 0.75 2021-03-15 https://rickswords.com/in-the-works/blog-post-title-four-h4erf monthly 0.5 2020-05-28 https://rickswords.com/in-the-works/slices-of-rain monthly 0.5 2020-04-28 https://rickswords.com/in-the-works/robome monthly 0.5 2020-06-10 https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5ea76b38e366e647bacac38e/t/5edef5c777faa21f0afe23b4/1591670227169/ In The Works - Robome? - How well would you get along with a robot “Just Like You”? https://rickswords.com/faq daily 0.75 2020-05-27 https://rickswords.com/contact daily 0.75 2020-05-13 https://rickswords.com/about-rick daily 0.75 2020-05-29 https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5ea76b38e366e647bacac38e/t/5ea77ca715cee42407570acf/1588034739893/Screen+Shot+2020-04-27+at+8.45.04+PM.png About Rick - It starts with nothing more then a concept … or a handful of concepts. With these in hand, I simply let my imagination fill in the details. For example, my first book Not Everyone Is Nice is a fictionalized account of a young child’s brief encounter with a suspicious stranger. It was written as an ice-breaker for parents and children to discuss this difficult topic. It started with a search for a book on this subject for my own children. Not pleased with the selection, I decided to write one of my own. I was immediately drawn to the concept of nature as a metaphor for strangers: beautiful creatures that are nonetheless dangerous. With this concept in my mind, I set about creating a story and characters. I decided to write the story from the first-person perspective of a child. It was foremost in my mind that it not be frightening and that it end on the positive note that lots of people are really nice. In sum, the handful of concepts from which this book sprung were “nature”, “first-person” and “not frightening.” Concepts in hand, the real fun begins - writing! Once I am happy with a story, I love sharing it. If a child can enjoy a book, talk about it, and take some meaning from that story into her life, what more could an author ask? Books from my childhood still touch my life today. Who can forget Margery Williams' The Velveteen Rabbit? It contains some of the most beautiful dialogues ever committed to paper. Ms. Williams taught me the importance of characters’ thoughts and conversations. The Skin Horse’s explanation of what makes you “real” is simply perfection. When I wrote Tommy and the T Tops and the critical conversations between Tommy and his mentor Alexander, Margery was certainly whispering in my ear. Lastly, there is the joy of something written just right – little gems within the story. When I read a good book, I sometimes feel compelled to re-read a passage just because it captures a thought, an image, or a concept so marvelously. What a tribute to the author! Words that, like fine art, draw you back to them again and again. Always have room in your life for the wonderful! Thanks for reading. - RA https://rickswords.com/books daily 0.75 2020-06-11 https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5ea76b38e366e647bacac38e/t/5ea78fa76759e42aa9f0bd3c/1588041199589/The_Fitit_shop.jpg Books - FirstThe Fit-It Shop Taconic, New York is a sleepy town. In fact, it's practically dead. Tommy Jameson wonders what has happened to 'his town.' One day, an odd little man opens Ed's Fix-It Shop. Ed Lunden, its mysterious owner, seems able to fix everything even a hopelessly cracked baseball bat is returned to its owner 'better than new' and fit for play. Can this strange man fix only things? Do his abilities extend to people and perhaps even the whole 'broken' town? Find out in The Fix-It Shop: A Story of Music, Magic, a Baseball Bat, and a Toaster. Buy Now on Amazon.com https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5ea76b38e366e647bacac38e/t/5ea78b966759e42aa9eff2a3/1591910934463/InsideOut.jpg Books - Inside Out Tobias Keene, D.D.S. Hailing from Richmond, Virginia, Dr. Tobias Keene brings a bit of unabashed Southern hospitality to all his patients. He moved to Washington, D.C. over thirty years ago as a freshman at Ivy College. Right after graduation, he attended World University’s School of Dentistry. Before opening Keene Dental in 1994, he worked for free clinics and some of the finest practices in the District. He is part of the 123 Dental Association and stays up-to-date on the latest dental discoveries. When not striving to keep his patients happy and healthy, he’s enjoys hiking with his family in Rock Creek Park. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5ea76b38e366e647bacac38e/t/5ea792ec95523208bae41c6a/1588041199603/Not_everyone_is_nice.jpg Books - Not Everyone Is Nice Kathy is waiting for her mother outside of school when a strange car approaches. The smiling man inside offers to drive Kathy home, suggesting that her mother may be hurt or sick. Just before Kathy is ready to climb in, her mother arrives and the man speeds off. Kathy is confused and hurt that the nice man would leave so quickly. Later that night, Kathy's parents use examples from nature of pretty but lethal plants and fish to show her that animals and people that look or seem nice may be very dangerous. Not Everyone is Nice teaches children what to do if a stranger approaches and reminds them that looking or acting nice doesn't mean a person is safe. Buy Now on Amazon.com https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5ea76b38e366e647bacac38e/t/5ea7922866448b66c723f084/1588041199595/Tommy_andthe_t-tops.jpg Books - Tommy and the T-Tops Important issues of discrimination, prejudice, and tolerance are explored in this strikingly illustrated book about Tommy the triceratops. When Tommy and his friends chase new arrivals from their watering hole because they look different, their herd leader Alexander suggests a kinder approach. Soon, Tommy tries to repair the situation — but finds himself cornered by a hungry T-Rex! An unexpected hero comes to the rescue, teaching Tommy that he must value people not by appearance but by their character. Buy Now on Amazon.com https://rickswords.com/home daily 1.0 2020-06-11 https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5ea76b38e366e647bacac38e/t/5ee0f67480ac5f6a1f552ad6/1591801606726/ Home New Book: RoboMe! https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5ea76b38e366e647bacac38e/t/5ea785a979dd71446ef110ff/1591911378056/penwriting.jpg Home - In The Works Outlines, incomplete works, teasers and sundries. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5ea76b38e366e647bacac38e/t/5ea84266bb40b14152ab0484/1588788644866/ Home - Blog Thoughts, rants, and observations. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5ea76b38e366e647bacac38e/t/5ea7830f15cee4240758480e/1588788575846/Open_Book_HP.jpg Home - Rick’s Books Stuff that’s out there.