I ran into the gym just in time for today's appointment with my trainer. Not time to stop. Or so I thought.

A woman in the locker room stopped me - "Hi Alison. I read about you in Newsday today." Whoa, I stopped. "Yeah? The Kidsday article came out today?"

Joyce brought me the tearsheet. Happy Surprise.

The kids were great. The whole article concise and upbeat. And most of all - the Title. Great writing, kids!

btw, it's not unusual for Joyce to know what's going on in Newsday or any other publications. As a professional writer, she's interested in it all. If you need "The Right Words For Your Business", you might want to call her at (516)485-2152.

I'm happy to be able to post this picture. Back in February, I wrote that I want to post some of the pictures I drew so Quickly as per my client's request. And I just got up to it. Here are some of the pictures I drew that night:

The Children were beautiful. They all had much fun at this Dance that the PTA had arranged. Made me wonder about my own childhood. Were we as adorable? As vivacious? As happy? Yes - the answer is Yes. I was There when I was a kid.

But it's hard to visualize what I really looked like. All I remember is how I felt. How I would have been surprised and self-conscious at such an event - not aware of what it was, not aware that I wanted it... But I went along, was led through my life, trained to become a teenager, then trained to become an adult. I remember being so impressed with my older brother. He was so cool. So confident. Trained to become the cool, confident teenager that he later became.

And now I'm wondering if it was such a good idea. I know the adults try to make things easier for us. Try to encourage self-esteem. Try to show us how to handle the events that we will be finding when we're older. But the personalities were so set - based on how we felt, based on what happened during those 'training Dances'. So instead of naturally handling whatever came up when we were 'of age' - based on the more mature convictions that we would have had when we were 'older', our teen years (which then affected how we approached dating, coupling up, marriage, our whole lives, actually), Instead of handling whatever came up when we were old enough to handle it, we ended up handling the things that came up based on how we fit in at the 'training Dance'. Is it good? Is it bad? It is what it is. Who was I? Who would I have been without this sort of care? Just something to ponder. As life goes on.

And on. Another School Dance. Another Graduation. Communion. Sweet 16. Bar Mitzvah. Office Party. Engagement Party. The beat goes on.

I do have an interesting job. I have to dream up all sorts of visions based on whatever my clients come up with. This one was for a client who wanted some pictures to perk up his Power Point Presentation.

At least the first picture was a Caricature. That is what I do. I just emailed him jpeg images of what I drew. A smart man in his office who works with numbers (did he say the guy was an actuary, maybe?) And very tall and skinny. And the man is also into meditating.

UPDATE 2017: Egads ~ When I remember how crude it felt to use those old styluses on the IPads, I feel thrilled about our New Technology. These days I've switched to the White Pencil and the ProCreate App, and I would never consider working with the Supplies that I had when I made these CARICATURES.

But the 2nd picture - It was different. My client wanted me to use his actual photos and create a Wanted Poster - like Bonnie and Clyde, he said. But then he was talking about something else. Sounded like he was thinking Mafia. Or Gangster. Trying to ascertain what's in my client's head, trying to do what he wants.... This is what I came up with. It's real camp. Real fun.

I'm hoping that the first picture of the man meditating, the picture with the bright pink background - I'm hoping that will catch his audience's attention. Make them sit up and notice.

I'm hoping that the 2nd picture will bring, the Wanted Poster, I'm hoping that it will lighten the atmosphere. Playfully drawn.

Which style is Better? Well, what's the Purpose of the Caricature. Sometimes one way is better, sometimes the other way is better.

I have recently been posting simply-drawn pictures. Nice. Very Very Quick production. But today I'm going to post some of my Caricatures that had been drawn with Intense Exaggeration.

Different skills are required of me for each type. But which is Better? Well, it depends on what the client wants.