<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?><?xml-stylesheet href="http://www.blogger.com/styles/atom.css" type="text/css"?><feed xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom' xmlns:openSearch='http://a9.com/-/spec/opensearchrss/1.0/' xmlns:georss='http://www.georss.org/georss' xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5322534188273124437</id><updated>2012-01-18T12:58:06.735-08:00</updated><category term='god'/><category term='shopping'/><category term='Alyssa'/><category term='Angelo'/><category term='Navy'/><category term='blackfriday'/><category term='words'/><category term='rant'/><title type='text'>RottingRoom</title><subtitle type='html'></subtitle><link rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#feed' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://rottingroom.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5322534188273124437/posts/default?max-results=100'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://rottingroom.blogspot.com/'/><link rel='hub' href='http://pubsubhubbub.appspot.com/'/><author><name>Tony Raffini</name><uri>https://profiles.google.com/103702107713131261800</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='32' src='//lh3.googleusercontent.com/-DMhyBnMC50Q/AAAAAAAAAAI/AAAAAAAABhY/up0R-KtKcPM/s512-c/photo.jpg'/></author><generator version='7.00' uri='http://www.blogger.com'>Blogger</generator><openSearch:totalResults>18</openSearch:totalResults><openSearch:startIndex>1</openSearch:startIndex><openSearch:itemsPerPage>100</openSearch:itemsPerPage><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5322534188273124437.post-8745706860698263176</id><published>2011-12-10T20:43:00.001-08:00</published><updated>2011-12-10T20:43:49.296-08:00</updated><title type='text'>Say yes.</title><content type='html'>"They want you or they don't... say yes."&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5322534188273124437-8745706860698263176?l=rottingroom.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://rottingroom.blogspot.com/feeds/8745706860698263176/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://rottingroom.blogspot.com/2011/12/say-yes.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5322534188273124437/posts/default/8745706860698263176'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5322534188273124437/posts/default/8745706860698263176'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://rottingroom.blogspot.com/2011/12/say-yes.html' title='Say yes.'/><author><name>Tony Raffini</name><uri>https://profiles.google.com/103702107713131261800</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='32' src='//lh3.googleusercontent.com/-DMhyBnMC50Q/AAAAAAAAAAI/AAAAAAAABhY/up0R-KtKcPM/s512-c/photo.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5322534188273124437.post-8219290045957147778</id><published>2011-10-28T14:48:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2011-11-06T20:27:58.340-08:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Navy'/><title type='text'>Out to sea</title><content type='html'>&lt;div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;Underway for the first time and it's not as bad as I imagined. Still, time moved slow even if it was so short for a first time out. I'm not looking forward to the longer ones. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5322534188273124437-8219290045957147778?l=rottingroom.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://rottingroom.blogspot.com/feeds/8219290045957147778/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://rottingroom.blogspot.com/2011/10/out-to-sea.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5322534188273124437/posts/default/8219290045957147778'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5322534188273124437/posts/default/8219290045957147778'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://rottingroom.blogspot.com/2011/10/out-to-sea.html' title='Out to sea'/><author><name>Tony Raffini</name><uri>https://profiles.google.com/103702107713131261800</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='32' src='//lh3.googleusercontent.com/-DMhyBnMC50Q/AAAAAAAAAAI/AAAAAAAABhY/up0R-KtKcPM/s512-c/photo.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5322534188273124437.post-1123669119778295249</id><published>2011-07-05T16:41:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2011-07-05T16:41:03.984-07:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Navy'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Angelo'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Alyssa'/><title type='text'>Looking for the west.</title><content type='html'>&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;Well. My world has changed... and as I write this and attempt to think of things to complain about I remember that I'm not the only one dealing with drastic change. I'm unsure about what I've gotten myself into and I wonder if I can trust this company and my many bosses. I play out the worst in my head and have to convince myself that this will get better... that right now, this is as bad as it gets. The worst of it is the longing to be with my wife and my son. I miss them so much. &lt;br&gt;In three weeks the second stage of these adventures will end and I hear the next will have me living again with some normalcy which includes the company of my family. Currently however... with unknown destinations and a sense of answers coming any day now I'm insecure and distraught at the possibilities. Please say I'll arrive somewhere we can bare. Please say we'll reside in the west.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5322534188273124437-1123669119778295249?l=rottingroom.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://rottingroom.blogspot.com/feeds/1123669119778295249/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://rottingroom.blogspot.com/2011/07/looking-for-west.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5322534188273124437/posts/default/1123669119778295249'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5322534188273124437/posts/default/1123669119778295249'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://rottingroom.blogspot.com/2011/07/looking-for-west.html' title='Looking for the west.'/><author><name>Tony Raffini</name><uri>https://profiles.google.com/103702107713131261800</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='32' src='//lh3.googleusercontent.com/-DMhyBnMC50Q/AAAAAAAAAAI/AAAAAAAABhY/up0R-KtKcPM/s512-c/photo.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5322534188273124437.post-5922205176878494306</id><published>2011-02-08T19:15:00.001-08:00</published><updated>2011-02-08T19:15:30.297-08:00</updated><title type='text'>Hoping for the best</title><content type='html'>&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;In a week I will find out if I finally get the chance to live up to all of my promises. I've ironically been burdened by an unlucky condition that I shouldn't have to be embarrassed about. It's ridiculous that the well-being and future of my family depends on trivial things. All I can do is hope for the best...&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5322534188273124437-5922205176878494306?l=rottingroom.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://rottingroom.blogspot.com/feeds/5922205176878494306/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://rottingroom.blogspot.com/2011/02/hoping-for-best.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5322534188273124437/posts/default/5922205176878494306'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5322534188273124437/posts/default/5922205176878494306'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://rottingroom.blogspot.com/2011/02/hoping-for-best.html' title='Hoping for the best'/><author><name>Tony Raffini</name><uri>https://profiles.google.com/103702107713131261800</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='32' src='//lh3.googleusercontent.com/-DMhyBnMC50Q/AAAAAAAAAAI/AAAAAAAABhY/up0R-KtKcPM/s512-c/photo.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5322534188273124437.post-6143797117908555570</id><published>2010-12-05T14:31:00.001-08:00</published><updated>2010-12-05T14:31:53.361-08:00</updated><title type='text'>Oh Charlie Brown...</title><content type='html'>Barack Obama is Charlie Brown and the Republicans are Lucy. Charlie keeps trusting that Lucy is going to hold the football steady so that he can kick it away but time and time again Lucy takes the ball away at the last second and he falls flat on his face. Charlie, Lucy is not to be trusted. She will disappoint you every single time.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5322534188273124437-6143797117908555570?l=rottingroom.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://rottingroom.blogspot.com/feeds/6143797117908555570/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://rottingroom.blogspot.com/2010/12/oh-charlie-brown.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5322534188273124437/posts/default/6143797117908555570'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5322534188273124437/posts/default/6143797117908555570'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://rottingroom.blogspot.com/2010/12/oh-charlie-brown.html' title='Oh Charlie Brown...'/><author><name>Tony Raffini</name><uri>https://profiles.google.com/103702107713131261800</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='32' src='//lh3.googleusercontent.com/-DMhyBnMC50Q/AAAAAAAAAAI/AAAAAAAABhY/up0R-KtKcPM/s512-c/photo.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5322534188273124437.post-1460482030085402849</id><published>2010-11-26T18:37:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2010-11-26T18:37:19.668-08:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='shopping'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='blackfriday'/><title type='text'>Black Friday!!!</title><content type='html'>After resting from a doubly thanksgiving with first Alyssa's family and then my own, me and my mom woke up at 4am to head out and check out this years consumer deals for the biggest shopping day of the year. There was an attempt to convince Alyssa to join us but after the experience I'm sure she would have been just as irritated as she told me she would be if she had gone. It was crowded and cold but crowd's don't get to me as much as her so I wasn't really bothered by that. My mom was in awe over her first Black Friday experience and she's a sucker for a good deal so off we went. She went on somewhat of a spending spree but made off with some great deals and I'm thinking she'll be a Black Friday shopper from now on. We hit Wal-mart and Best Buy and I have to say Wal-mart's experience was much worse than the latter. I was just glad to get home afterward and get back to sleep.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5322534188273124437-1460482030085402849?l=rottingroom.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://rottingroom.blogspot.com/feeds/1460482030085402849/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://rottingroom.blogspot.com/2010/11/black-friday.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5322534188273124437/posts/default/1460482030085402849'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5322534188273124437/posts/default/1460482030085402849'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://rottingroom.blogspot.com/2010/11/black-friday.html' title='Black Friday!!!'/><author><name>Tony Raffini</name><uri>https://profiles.google.com/103702107713131261800</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='32' src='//lh3.googleusercontent.com/-DMhyBnMC50Q/AAAAAAAAAAI/AAAAAAAABhY/up0R-KtKcPM/s512-c/photo.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5322534188273124437.post-643200789609450089</id><published>2010-11-15T23:28:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2010-11-15T23:28:57.947-08:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='rant'/><title type='text'>A head so clear and lost.</title><content type='html'>So soon enough all the promises and there there's will be put to the test. I will be watched from afar and my great self-made expectations will, with crossed fingers be nothing short of successful endeavors. I go into these new chapters with reluctant hope and exaggerated strength but I will hold this head high and expect tall challenges. I know there will be times when I want to give up but I must always remember that this time, I can't. There is no panic button anymore and any attempt at pressing it this time would surely mean that I am not worth as much as I or anyone else had ever hoped. I want nothing more in these final months than to forget my journey ahead and entertain myself with the usual tools of distracting things but no longer do I have the ability to remove myself from those thoughts with my new clear head.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5322534188273124437-643200789609450089?l=rottingroom.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://rottingroom.blogspot.com/feeds/643200789609450089/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://rottingroom.blogspot.com/2010/11/head-so-clear-and-lost.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5322534188273124437/posts/default/643200789609450089'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5322534188273124437/posts/default/643200789609450089'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://rottingroom.blogspot.com/2010/11/head-so-clear-and-lost.html' title='A head so clear and lost.'/><author><name>Tony Raffini</name><uri>https://profiles.google.com/103702107713131261800</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='32' src='//lh3.googleusercontent.com/-DMhyBnMC50Q/AAAAAAAAAAI/AAAAAAAABhY/up0R-KtKcPM/s512-c/photo.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5322534188273124437.post-118684853571109323</id><published>2010-08-12T22:36:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2010-11-06T18:05:27.315-07:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='rant'/><title type='text'>Wash me away</title><content type='html'>I just love the rain and not just because I miss it. I like the smell of a drenched earth. The absence of dust. The tapping of sheds. The sense that its acceptable to seek shelter.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5322534188273124437-118684853571109323?l=rottingroom.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://rottingroom.blogspot.com/feeds/118684853571109323/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://rottingroom.blogspot.com/2010/08/wash-me-away.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5322534188273124437/posts/default/118684853571109323'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5322534188273124437/posts/default/118684853571109323'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://rottingroom.blogspot.com/2010/08/wash-me-away.html' title='Wash me away'/><author><name>Tony Raffini</name><uri>https://profiles.google.com/103702107713131261800</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='32' src='//lh3.googleusercontent.com/-DMhyBnMC50Q/AAAAAAAAAAI/AAAAAAAABhY/up0R-KtKcPM/s512-c/photo.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5322534188273124437.post-6888820486130873169</id><published>2010-05-13T14:26:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2010-11-06T18:05:55.835-07:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='words'/><title type='text'>shoulders up</title><content type='html'>shoulders up, head down&lt;br /&gt;to that place that i found&lt;br /&gt;in the start, when my heart&lt;br /&gt;was bulletproof, but now&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;against the walls with my fears stacked up around me&lt;br /&gt;she wont gamble on me&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;i renovated, my escape its&lt;br /&gt;hard enough to lose the first&lt;br /&gt;as i burst this little curse&lt;br /&gt;it could we worse they spoke in tongues&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;that i'd embrace him so i read about the future&lt;br /&gt;turns out better than that&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;so much better than that.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5322534188273124437-6888820486130873169?l=rottingroom.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://rottingroom.blogspot.com/feeds/6888820486130873169/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://rottingroom.blogspot.com/2010/05/shoulders-up.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5322534188273124437/posts/default/6888820486130873169'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5322534188273124437/posts/default/6888820486130873169'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://rottingroom.blogspot.com/2010/05/shoulders-up.html' title='shoulders up'/><author><name>Tony Raffini</name><uri>https://profiles.google.com/103702107713131261800</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='32' src='//lh3.googleusercontent.com/-DMhyBnMC50Q/AAAAAAAAAAI/AAAAAAAABhY/up0R-KtKcPM/s512-c/photo.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5322534188273124437.post-6369022964717888614</id><published>2009-08-07T02:31:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2010-11-06T18:07:29.372-07:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='words'/><title type='text'>Like Sand</title><content type='html'>my heart struggles with the roar of trumpets.&lt;br /&gt;our greatest moments are in the shadows.&lt;br /&gt;our worst are jotted down to memory.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;a perfect white canvas in queue to download the bipolarness of the world.&lt;br /&gt;can i teach my wonder of it and expect there to be any joy left?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;my beloved companion who forced herself with me...&lt;br /&gt;i do love you.&lt;br /&gt;but my tainted and criss-crossing legacy fills me with regret.&lt;br /&gt;i cant correct my pasts and in him I wont. &lt;br /&gt;his quest isn't mine.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;these drifiting thoughts of drivel often fly like sand.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5322534188273124437-6369022964717888614?l=rottingroom.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://rottingroom.blogspot.com/feeds/6369022964717888614/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://rottingroom.blogspot.com/2009/08/my-heart-struggles-with-roar-of.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5322534188273124437/posts/default/6369022964717888614'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5322534188273124437/posts/default/6369022964717888614'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://rottingroom.blogspot.com/2009/08/my-heart-struggles-with-roar-of.html' title='Like Sand'/><author><name>Tony Raffini</name><uri>https://profiles.google.com/103702107713131261800</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='32' src='//lh3.googleusercontent.com/-DMhyBnMC50Q/AAAAAAAAAAI/AAAAAAAABhY/up0R-KtKcPM/s512-c/photo.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5322534188273124437.post-5856613483475782508</id><published>2009-05-04T21:27:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2010-11-06T18:07:49.135-07:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='rant'/><title type='text'>Transparency</title><content type='html'>as the the future becomes more or less known its inevitability is exponentially less transparent. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;what voice becomes my guide when my reign of tourism ends. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;who will play me lullabies when i refuse to lose myself in those dark rooms. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;those thoughts that baked me in the oven of my self-provoking demise are just obstacles i recall in memory. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;i still see myself as a canvas and this world wouldn't be so close to me if it was for wasting.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;i am unafraid of risk. i just ---- for those that get in its way.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5322534188273124437-5856613483475782508?l=rottingroom.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://rottingroom.blogspot.com/feeds/5856613483475782508/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://rottingroom.blogspot.com/2009/05/as-the-future-becomes-more-or-less.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5322534188273124437/posts/default/5856613483475782508'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5322534188273124437/posts/default/5856613483475782508'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://rottingroom.blogspot.com/2009/05/as-the-future-becomes-more-or-less.html' title='Transparency'/><author><name>Tony Raffini</name><uri>https://profiles.google.com/103702107713131261800</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='32' src='//lh3.googleusercontent.com/-DMhyBnMC50Q/AAAAAAAAAAI/AAAAAAAABhY/up0R-KtKcPM/s512-c/photo.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5322534188273124437.post-2135022473742174173</id><published>2009-04-22T09:26:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2010-11-06T18:08:11.204-07:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='words'/><title type='text'>leveling out.</title><content type='html'>sense grows as dust settles at the feet of doubt.&lt;br /&gt;a few stray specs hover to remind me of how i was so weary.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;then she casts the word perpetual and i am taken.&lt;br /&gt;forever forgiving we meet wisdom in our mutual futures and their unknown branches. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;let me frame these moments in forever so that they may guide us to the sturdiest limb.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5322534188273124437-2135022473742174173?l=rottingroom.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://rottingroom.blogspot.com/feeds/2135022473742174173/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://rottingroom.blogspot.com/2009/04/leveling-out.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5322534188273124437/posts/default/2135022473742174173'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5322534188273124437/posts/default/2135022473742174173'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://rottingroom.blogspot.com/2009/04/leveling-out.html' title='leveling out.'/><author><name>Tony Raffini</name><uri>https://profiles.google.com/103702107713131261800</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='32' src='//lh3.googleusercontent.com/-DMhyBnMC50Q/AAAAAAAAAAI/AAAAAAAABhY/up0R-KtKcPM/s512-c/photo.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5322534188273124437.post-8514205669774081765</id><published>2009-04-12T22:54:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2010-11-06T18:08:33.323-07:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='rant'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='god'/><title type='text'>I didn't go to church, church came to me</title><content type='html'>I took a smoke break from dinner at the Mongolian Grill. A mustached-guy came outside to join me and he seemed friendly enough. "Happy Easter", he said. I repeated the words back to him. Then he started to ask me questions about how I felt about the holiday and I replied, "I'm not particularly fond of it but it's a good excuse to get dinner with the family." For some reason this sort of angered him. He told me I should be thankful because Jesus Christ died for our sins. He went on for about a minute before I decided I'd had enough and cut my cigarette time short. I left him with a "Hope your Easter ends well."&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5322534188273124437-8514205669774081765?l=rottingroom.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://rottingroom.blogspot.com/feeds/8514205669774081765/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://rottingroom.blogspot.com/2009/04/i-didnt-go-to-church-church-came-to-me.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5322534188273124437/posts/default/8514205669774081765'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5322534188273124437/posts/default/8514205669774081765'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://rottingroom.blogspot.com/2009/04/i-didnt-go-to-church-church-came-to-me.html' title='I didn&apos;t go to church, church came to me'/><author><name>Tony Raffini</name><uri>https://profiles.google.com/103702107713131261800</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='32' src='//lh3.googleusercontent.com/-DMhyBnMC50Q/AAAAAAAAAAI/AAAAAAAABhY/up0R-KtKcPM/s512-c/photo.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5322534188273124437.post-2881243823511881426</id><published>2009-04-12T10:05:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2010-11-06T18:09:34.915-07:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='words'/><title type='text'>and YOU digress.</title><content type='html'>I look upon your digression as a block of ice for which I press my heart to thaw.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5322534188273124437-2881243823511881426?l=rottingroom.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://rottingroom.blogspot.com/feeds/2881243823511881426/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://rottingroom.blogspot.com/2009/04/i-look-upon-your-dismissal-as-block-of.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5322534188273124437/posts/default/2881243823511881426'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5322534188273124437/posts/default/2881243823511881426'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://rottingroom.blogspot.com/2009/04/i-look-upon-your-dismissal-as-block-of.html' title='and YOU digress.'/><author><name>Tony Raffini</name><uri>https://profiles.google.com/103702107713131261800</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='32' src='//lh3.googleusercontent.com/-DMhyBnMC50Q/AAAAAAAAAAI/AAAAAAAABhY/up0R-KtKcPM/s512-c/photo.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5322534188273124437.post-6618514201315747890</id><published>2009-04-04T08:37:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2010-11-05T17:04:40.581-07:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Angelo'/><title type='text'>Oh Glory...</title><content type='html'>he will wake up in the light.&lt;br /&gt;with a future full and bright.&lt;br /&gt;high above all our remains.&lt;br /&gt;he'll remember us and say.&lt;br /&gt;that they're the ones who brought me up.&lt;br /&gt;they won't let go they won't give up on me.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;p&gt;soon enough your peers will see.&lt;br /&gt;i'm here for you and you for he.&lt;br /&gt;and even mama will agree.&lt;br /&gt;that it's the way this all should be.&lt;br /&gt;so baby don't you give me up.&lt;br /&gt;we love you so we need your touch. don't we?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;there's so much to learn and say.&lt;br /&gt;pour cement to pave the way.&lt;br /&gt;in our boy we promise him.&lt;br /&gt;life and love and all within.&lt;br /&gt;so let's decide if this is fate.&lt;br /&gt;or prove to them it's what we make. don't we?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5322534188273124437-6618514201315747890?l=rottingroom.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://rottingroom.blogspot.com/feeds/6618514201315747890/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://rottingroom.blogspot.com/2009/04/oh-glory_6975.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5322534188273124437/posts/default/6618514201315747890'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5322534188273124437/posts/default/6618514201315747890'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://rottingroom.blogspot.com/2009/04/oh-glory_6975.html' title='Oh Glory...'/><author><name>Tony Raffini</name><uri>https://profiles.google.com/103702107713131261800</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='32' src='//lh3.googleusercontent.com/-DMhyBnMC50Q/AAAAAAAAAAI/AAAAAAAABhY/up0R-KtKcPM/s512-c/photo.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5322534188273124437.post-853082720388270030</id><published>2009-04-01T09:42:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2010-11-06T18:08:56.616-07:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='words'/><title type='text'>A Step up.</title><content type='html'>Up an escalator with foreshadowed thoughts of engulfment by a sharp-toothed mouth at the top. I avoid bacteria left on fingerprint stained guard rails. My arms flail during ascent and nearly cause me to breach the doom trodden edge, but then with a proper shifting of mass I find a steady balance. A calm asserts itself as the inevitable is approached. Its just a simple little step.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5322534188273124437-853082720388270030?l=rottingroom.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://rottingroom.blogspot.com/feeds/853082720388270030/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://rottingroom.blogspot.com/2009/04/step.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5322534188273124437/posts/default/853082720388270030'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5322534188273124437/posts/default/853082720388270030'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://rottingroom.blogspot.com/2009/04/step.html' title='A Step up.'/><author><name>Tony Raffini</name><uri>https://profiles.google.com/103702107713131261800</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='32' src='//lh3.googleusercontent.com/-DMhyBnMC50Q/AAAAAAAAAAI/AAAAAAAABhY/up0R-KtKcPM/s512-c/photo.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5322534188273124437.post-7818901927077123119</id><published>2009-04-01T07:53:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2010-11-06T18:09:53.562-07:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='words'/><title type='text'>Wooden Blocks</title><content type='html'>From this point an image reoccurs that reminds me of potential loss. My revolving position changes as a flashing light unveils angles of her that I had never noticed. A pile of alphabet blocks stacks itself mountain high with resonant phrases about responsibility and love. When taking heed of these surroundings we'll discover a lack of earth to support the physicality of that scenario. Nothing but the whitest void would affirm itself as the outer casing of our world and the blocks would buckle and crack without an adequate substructure.  To be addressed...&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5322534188273124437-7818901927077123119?l=rottingroom.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://rottingroom.blogspot.com/feeds/7818901927077123119/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://rottingroom.blogspot.com/2009/04/wooden-blocks.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5322534188273124437/posts/default/7818901927077123119'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5322534188273124437/posts/default/7818901927077123119'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://rottingroom.blogspot.com/2009/04/wooden-blocks.html' title='Wooden Blocks'/><author><name>Tony Raffini</name><uri>https://profiles.google.com/103702107713131261800</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='32' src='//lh3.googleusercontent.com/-DMhyBnMC50Q/AAAAAAAAAAI/AAAAAAAABhY/up0R-KtKcPM/s512-c/photo.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5322534188273124437.post-1136181116414619892</id><published>2009-04-01T02:01:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2010-11-06T18:10:27.351-07:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='words'/><title type='text'>Take it from me</title><content type='html'>At the midpoint the path becomes less clear. A light barely flickers in the distance but beckons me like a major chord. Gasoline smears my skin and I gain momentum. The friction ignites me into a flame and now, as I close in its intervals accelerate. &lt;div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;How familiar.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;It temptingly dangles before me like strung meat. Peers and new authorities push it away from me but I prevail and feast on its forbidden chips leaving nothing behind but a final bite. Just as I'm about to finish I'&lt;span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"&gt;m&lt;/span&gt; restrained and freed from that path. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;At least I stopped that fucking flicker.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5322534188273124437-1136181116414619892?l=rottingroom.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://rottingroom.blogspot.com/feeds/1136181116414619892/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://rottingroom.blogspot.com/2009/04/take-it-from-me.html#comment-form' title='1 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5322534188273124437/posts/default/1136181116414619892'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5322534188273124437/posts/default/1136181116414619892'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://rottingroom.blogspot.com/2009/04/take-it-from-me.html' title='Take it from me'/><author><name>Tony Raffini</name><uri>https://profiles.google.com/103702107713131261800</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='32' src='//lh3.googleusercontent.com/-DMhyBnMC50Q/AAAAAAAAAAI/AAAAAAAABhY/up0R-KtKcPM/s512-c/photo.jpg'/></author><thr:total>1</thr:total></entry></feed>
