I pass this everyday. I finally got out to take a picture. What really struck me, was at first how shiny the truck frames were in the morning. Fresh out of the factory! Then everyday I began to notice more things, such as these frames haven't moved in weeks, due to the American axle strike. How can you make trucks without axles??? We have had a very long winter, the vines on the decaying bridge haven't bloomed, this has been the longest winter ever it seems, with record snowfalls. After a while I also noticed the contrast of the decaying bridge missing chunks of cement...hope one doesn't fall on my truck. Then to get just slightly more metaphoric on you. The bridge is like this system of things we live in, ever decaying and no one wants to fix it they just want the new and shiny stuff that sits on it. The guard rails, do they keep people in the mire, or keep us driving on the path to destruction?

this has been entered in the beauty of emptiness contest
rules: "Beauty In Emptiness" Contest Begins!!
Journal Entry: Wed Dec 17, 2008, 12:35 PM
UPDATE We already have a bunch of beautiful entries! Check them out! CONTEST ENTRIES HERE!


Welcome one and all!

It's official: AbuseOfReason's first contest has begun! Thanks to your wonderful input on my latest poll, I have decided to host the Beauty In Emptiness Contest!

FYI: Because of my inability to do any art for the last 2 months (computer problems), if anyone would like to donate stamps or anything to help promote this contest, I will make it worth your while!

Here's the details!


BEAUTY IN EMPTINESS CONTEST

RULES
Contest begins Friday, December 12, 2008. All entries must be submitted to DA after this date.
Contest ends Friday, January 30th, 2008.
Entries must be submitted before or on this date to qualify.
Entry must be made specifically for this contest, and must, in the Artist’s Comments, include a link to the contest rules (either in News or my journal).
Entries may be in the following categories: Digital Art, Photomanipulation, Traditional Art and Photography.
One entry per artist, though you are allowed to switch out your entry for a new one as long as it abides by all contest rules and is within the contest time limits. Just note me if this is the case.
Donators may participate, but of course, Judges may not.
If you would like to be a Judge or Donor, please contact me via note! I will take up to 9 Judges (8 including myself) and as many Donors/donations as we can get.
We will also be including a Viewers’ Vote to help decide our winner.


Video by Billy Joel:
[link]

Lyrics to Allentown, Song By Billy Joel :

Well we're living here in Allentown
And they're closing all the factories down
Out in Bethlehem they're killing time
Filling out forms
Standing in line
Well our fathers fought the Second World War
Spent their weekends on the Jersey Shore
Met our mothers in the USO
Asked them to dance
Danced with them slow
And we're living here in Allentown
But the restlessness was handed down
And it's getting very hard to stay
Well we're waiting here in Allentown
For the Pennsylvania we never found
For the promises our teachers gave
If we worked hard
If we behaved
So the graduations hang on the wall
But they
never really helped us at all
No they never taught us what was real
Iron and coke
And chromium steel
And we're waiting here in Allentown
But they've taken all the coal from the ground
And the union people crawled away
Every child has a pretty good shot
To get at least as far as their old man got
But something happened on the way to that place
They threw an American flag in our place
Well I'm living here in Allentown
And it's hard to keep a good man down
But I won't be getting very hard to stay
And we're living here in Allentown