Wolves by Strangers

From David in Siauliai, Lithuania

This illustration was accompanied with the following letter:

You know, J, I really like the forest, but most of all I love colored lights, in the evenings when I hear the nightingale sing; it warns me of upcoming night. Then the forest gains new sounds. Windy nights remind me of the sea. I don’t know how, but I find myself going into the dark woods. Somehow I feel everything will be perfect; I’ll find the light, even though this forest looks mysterious and scary. Finally, the sounds of the forest connect with the lake and space around me to form the strange shape of a room: the place where I am at this moment… Before my eyes, I see a red glowing table. On this table is a cup of black coffee. This coffee is talking and it smells like fir trees.

Near the coffee is placed an envelope and a note: “My mind depends on this room, there are no mirrors, but it reflects you. Everyone of you.”

I ask myself: Where am I?

And the Coffee says: You’re in a strange shape room. Please, look at the cup. Watch it.  In a couple of minutes you’ll meet the woman: she’ll show you a gel. Then she’ll go out.

I: What women?

Coffee: There is something you cannot see. The blue light goes on and the wolf will come. He’ll watch you for a while. Light goes off. Light goes on.

I: No wolf, no wolf, no wolf.

Coffee: Now. Take the old small radio from behind the table. Do you see the door in a left corner of the room? Open it. There will be a
room with strange floors and the cross on the wall. Sit down in the chair. This chair saves people from vampires.

I: Whats next?

Voice of the Coffee from the radio: Look at the mirror. This is a mirror.

You’re the women.

The woman: Hi. I’m wearing black. Do you like me? There… Look! This is the white wolf. He is the owl. Ask him. (she runs away.)

I: What do I ask?! Wait!

Voice of the Coffee: You may be happy now. Get back in the strangely shaped room. Sit down.

Then all becomes dark. I can’t see.

To be continued.

From a stranger in Kearny, New Jersey

One of the aspects of this project that I have always been the most proud of is the fact that every artist (regardless of age, gender or talent) has the capacity to achieve true equality. All contributors are king or queen for a day at wolvesbystrangers.com as each work is granted its moment to shine in the spotlight as the star of its own unique post. Today is no different. I have no idea who this mysterious young artist from Kearny truly is, but I know that she’s a princess… even if only for this one day at Wolves by Strangers. Thanks for keeping the dream alive. Your contribution to WBS has made me feel like royalty.

From Alec in Ward, Arizona

Ahhh… meme-inspired wolf artwork, how I love you. Whether it’s Xhibit, the Nyan Cat, or Pedobear, all Internet memes have some sort of unique appeal. Each meme is strangely universal but also possesses the allure of an inside joke. On display today is a take on the Stare Dad meme. If you’ve never experienced the Stare Dad meme, check out the links below; they’ll take to some of the more famous installments of Stare Dad.

Memebase: Stare Dad

Know Your Meme: Stare Dad

From a stranger in Kearny, New Jersey

I am always pleased when I receive pictures that are accompanied with words of praise for this project (and even occasionally for myself). Everyone loves a compliment, and of course I am no different. I do have to say, however, that the real VIP of the WBS project was never intended to be me. The true stars are the contributors and their fantastic artwork. How can the person who asks a stranger for a favor be more worthy of praise than the individual who fulfills the request? Simply put, he cannot. The generosity of the one who fulfills the request will always reign supreme, and that’s why I must say now to the stranger in Kearny, New Jersey… “You Rock, Dude!”

From Billy

It’s an undeniable fact: Within all of us there lies a deep-seated yearning for action and adventure. No matter how faint, we all hear that call for excitement, and in no illustration is this innate desire for peril and danger more evident than this masterpiece by Billy. With his armed sidekick by his side (or rather on his back), this lupine warrior launches forward on some unknown escape, his breath as hot as fire. Will his journey bring him glory and honor or only disappointment? No one knows for sure, but there is one thing we do know: the call has been answered. The adventure has begun…

On May 1st of 2012, the Wolves by Strangers project will celebrate 1 year of continuous posting! That’s one new and unique illustration by a stranger everyday with no repeats. To celebrate this momentous occasion, WBS is offering a very special contest during the month of April. Any and all letters/emails postdated on or after April 1st will be eligible, and the winner will be revealed on May 1st. I’m keeping the contest prize a secret, but trust me, you don’t wanna miss out on this chance to win a supercool, wolf-themed prize to call your own. Submissions will be based on general uniqueness and creativity. Go wild!

Email with questions: wolvesbystrangers@gmail.com

From a stranger in Nashville, Tennessee

To some this illustration may look like just another example of a child’s simple yet imaginative rendering of a wolf in the wild: green grass; yellow sun; fluffy trees; smiling lupine subject. In many ways the simplest analysis of this illustration may very well be the best one, but at the same time I can’t help but be drawn to those thick-rooted trees when I look at this picture and feel that there is some symbolism there. Just as these roots reach deeply into the soil, this simple WBS project has also become firmly rooted into the hearts, minds, and souls of strangers the world over. At first the collection started as a lone sapling, but now- nearly a year later- a veritable forest has sprung up amongst us. And with Springtime in full bloom, the growth of this woodland shows no signs of slowing…

From Kelly in Phoenix, Arizona

From Rachel in Harrogate, Tennessee

Just as judgments about beauty are left uniquely in the eye of the beholder, so are appraisals of success and failure. Although Rachel makes a comment on her own piece suggesting that she views this work as a bit of an artistic debacle, I view the work as a triumph of creativity. Ducks, fish, whales and wolves swim together in a sea of imagination, each with its own unique voice and perspective on the interesting situation at hand. How could a work overflowing with so much inventiveness ever be anything but a complete success. In moments like these, I’m reminded of the words of Dale Carnegie who left us with this charge: “Develop success from failures. Discouragement and failure are the two surest stepping stones to success.”

From Joanne and Cody in Baton Rouge, Louisiana (both age 7)

With this note:

Joanne&Cody<3

From Jenn (?) in Hertfordshire, England

Enjoy these nice thoughts about hugs courtesy of poofcat.com. And don’t forget to hug the ones you love today!

fad

Hugging is natural, organic, naturally sweet, free of pesticides and

preservatives. Hugging contains no artificial ingredients. It’s

100% wholesome. No calories, no caffeine, no nicotine.

Hugging is nearly perfect. There are no removable parts, batteries to wear

out, no periodic checkups. It consumes little energy, while yielding a lot.

It’s inflation-proof. It’s nonfattening. There are no monthly payments.

No insurance requirements.

It’s theft-proof, nontaxable, nonpolluting,

and fully refundable. And it costs very little.

Hugging is healthy. It assists the body’s immune system, it cures depression,

it reduces stress, it induces sleep, it invigorates, it rejuvenates,

and it has no unpleasant side-effects.

Hugging is no less than a miracle drug.

From Damien in Phoenix, Arizona

The following is a selection from “Leader of the Pack” written by George Morton, Jeff Berry & Ellie Greenwhich; performed by The Shangri-Las.

Is she really going out with him?
Well, there she is. Let’s ask her.
Betty, is that Jimmy’s ring you’re wearing?
Mm-hmm
Gee, it must be great riding with him
Is he picking you up after school today?
Uh-uh
By the way, where’d you meet him?

I met him at the candy store
He turned around and smiled at me
You get the picture? (yes, we see)
That’s when I fell for (the leader of the pack)

My folks were always putting him down
They said he came from the wrong side of town
(whatcha mean when ya say that he came from the wrong side of town?)
They told me he was bad
But I knew he was sad
That’s why I fell for (the leader of the pack)

faf

From a stranger in an unknown place

The idea of the ancient/enduring wolf being outfitted with modern rocket technology led me on an interesting trip around the Internet where I ultimately stumbled upon this interesting fact. It certainly does make your head spin to realize how swiftly times are changing…

“The small chip inside today’s throwaway musical greeting card has more computing power in it than existed in the entire world prior to 1950.”

~ David D. Thornburg, Ph.D.

From Phaedra

“Careless shepherd make excellent dinner for wolf.”
~ Earl Derr Biggers

From a stranger in Australia

Courtesy of 247wallstreet.com, here are the top ten time wasters of the average employee. For more information about how often people spend goofing off in the work place, click here. Hmmm… you’re not at work right now are you?

Top 10 workplace time-wasters.

1. Social Networking
2. Online Games
3. Personal Emails
4. Using Portals
5. Instant Messaging
6. Fantasy Football
7. Pornography
8. Videos/Movies
9. Random Online Searching
10. Online Shopping

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From a stranger in reddit-land.

Pedobear is a meme that is meant to be humorous, but he does open the door for discussion about some very important issues. The facts below come courtesy of RAINN.org (RAINN = Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network). Please know that I appreciate the comical aspects of the picture but that these statistics are offered with serious (and not sarcastic) intent.

44% of sexual assault victims are under the age of 18.

Every 2 minutes, someone in the United States is sexually assaulted.

60% of sexual assaults are not reported to police.

15 out of 16 rapists never spend a day in jail.

Approx. 65% of assaults are committed by someone known to the victim.

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From a stranger in Birmingham, Alabama

The Dress Code Hypothetical:

You work in an office performing a job you find satisfying (and which compensates you adequately). The company that employs you is suddenly purchased by an eccentric millionaire who plans to immediately raise each person’s salary by 5 percent and extend an extra week of vacation to all full-time employees.

However, this new owner intends to enforce a somewhat radical dress code: everyday, men will have to wear tuxedos, tails, and top hats (during the summer months, male employees will be allowed to wear gray three-piece suits on “casual Fridays”). Women must exclusively work in formal wear, preferably ball gowns or prom dresses. Each employee will be given an annual $500 stipend to purchase necessary garments, but that money can only be spent on work clothing.

The new regime starts in three months.

Do you seek employment elsewhere?

~ Chuck Klosterman (Chuck Klosterman IV)

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From Clare in Hertfordshire, England

“What is the single most important thing for a company? Is it the building? Is it the stock? Is it the turnover? It’s the people, investment in people. My proudest moment here wasn’t when I increased profits by 17%, or cut expenditure without losing a single member of staff. No. It was a young Greek guy, first job in the country, hardly spoke a word of English, but he came to me and he went ‘Mr. Brent, will you be the Godfather to my child?’ Didn’t happen in the end. We had to let him go, he was rubbish.
He was rubbish!”

~ David Brent  (The Office)

From a stranger in St. Louis, Missouri

Chances are that after the parties and get-togethers tonight, a few of us are going to wind up in the same position as this wolf tomorrow morning. I don’t want to get too preachy, but I do want to encourage you (as well as myself) to practice moderation on this night of celebration. Nothing would make for a worse start to the new year than vomiting up cheap beer. Have fun, but start the year off right so you can wake up happy tomorrow morning. I’ll see you in 2012!

From Steven in Vasalia, California

After yesterday’s post which focused on the cathartic nature of saying goodbye to times gone by, I thought it would only be appropriate to examine the flip side of that same coin today and concentrate on the excitement of the future. I can’t help but to feel an overwhelming sense of optimism wash over me when I examine this illustration from Steven. This well-dressed creature seems ready to take on the world and displays a sense of jovial buoyancy which should be a lesson to all of us. With a cheery smile, an upright posture, and a friendly gesture, this wolf is ready to face whatever the future may have in store. Sometimes confidence and a positive attitude can make all the difference in life, and with an outlook like the one this wolf possesses, I think I can safely say that his future will be quite bright.

I’m not necessarily one for making New Year’s resolutions, but with the coming of the new year, I hope that we are all filled with the thrill of making a fresh start. While it’s true that the occasion for doing this may seem a bit arbitrary, any occasion to begin again is a valid one. So, as we prepare to begin this new year, I pray that the good cheer and sanguineness of this wolf will go with and guide your steps aright.

Best wishes,

“J”