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[ChairmanPoo]

I know that back at uni many people erased their accounts during exam periods.

[Criptfeind]

My grandfather, who I never got to know, is going to die.

[Cthulhu]

Dungeons and Dragons really is evil.  Years of playing games with non-human races has caused me to, every once in a while, refer to real life races as "humans," inadvertently implying other races aren't human.

It's the devil

[Truean]

So at some point in conversation, people just ask "what do you do for a living." "Attorney," I say, knowing shit will all go downhill from here....

I've found a couple of common responses:

1.) Some variant of "You're a greedy bastard."
2.) "Can you give me (free) legal advice (which if it isn't tailored to my individual situation I'm not gonna tell you about, I'll try to sue you for malpractice even though I really can't and have no case.
3.) "How do I avoid paying a lawyer for ________."

I have some clever little quips in response stocked up. These responses match the above questions:
1.) "I'm glad you're able to judge me so quickly." [because I'm not here to take unwarranted bullshit]
2.) "Well actually here's my card, the initial consultation is free but...."
3.) "You accept that you'll screw up terribly if you do it yourself and then do it yourself."

It is immensely tiring. People ask me how they can get me to do what I do and not pay me for it, really? [facepalm].

Unfortunately, I don't think it would be strictly legal or ethical to say "I sell drywall for a living," just to avoid this bullshit, but sometimes I would really, really like to. I am very, very tired. I am sad that I am beginning to understand why other attorneys act like "fuck everyone, I'm charging you through the nose...."

[goes to bed]

[Aqizzar]

I am very, very tired. I am sad that I am beginning to understand why other attorneys act like "fuck everyone, I'm charging you through the nose...."

I have this sneaking suspicion that no small number of them did not take a long dark slide into the jade mines, but rather, began their careers there.

And I've said my peace before about what you seem to think is "reasonable" in price.

[Heron TSG]

Dungeons and Dragons really is evil.  Years of playing games with non-human races has caused me to, every once in a while, refer to real life races as "humans," inadvertently implying other races aren't human.

It's the devil.

Just because B is A doesn't mean C cannot also be A, amirite?

[Duke 2.0]

 I don't totally understand what Cfoofoo is going at, unless he means some subliminal racism going on.

[Cthulhu]

I mean, I'm so used to saying stuff like "The orcs invaded Neverwinter but were eventually defeated by the humans" that occasionally I'll say "The British invaded America but were eventually defeated by the humans"

It's rare, I can only think of it happening twice, and never in a context where it would make me look racist.

[fqllve]

People ask me how they can get me to do what I do and not pay me for it, really? [facepalm].

If it's any consolation it isn't just lawyers that get asked that. People will take any opportunity to get a service for free and it seems that a lot of them think being acquainted with a professional is a perfect opportunity. I have an internet friend who is a graphic designer. I... feel sorry for the fellow.

[SalmonGod]

To be fair, I can see how law and graphic design could be very different.  I don't understand the lawyer side of it, but I can imagine having a friendly conversation with someone, finding out they're a lawyer, and asking, "Hey I have this problem.  Could you point me in the right direction, because I don't have a clue."  Where with graphic design people are like, "Hey could you make this for me?"  Not to marginalize your frustration, Truean.  I understand people are complete jerks to lawyers.  I never exactly hated lawyers previously, but I am still another person on this forum whose outlook on the profession you have had a major impact on.

[fqllve]

I dunno, I'd consider giving, in all probability, lengthy explanations on the legality of things to be hard work. I'm not particularly proud of this, but I tend not to give explanations to strangers any more simply because of how frustrating an experience it so often ends up being, and the subjects I'm likely to give explanations on are rarely as complicated as law. The best thing a lawyer could do in that situation is direct the person to another lawyer which probably isn't going to be the answer they were looking for.

[Criptfeind]

We all know you are racist against Orcs anyway Cfoofoo.

[Euld]

Truean you have helped improve my opinions of lawyers immeasurably.  I'm starting to think every profession gets crap, but lawyers probably get the worst of it.

Right now I technically have two different skills under my belt: I can write fairly well, and now I can draw fairly well.  And people seem to expect some pretty absurd things from me because of that.  People like to give me book ideas, for example.  Or, like my crazy design teacher, will attempt to draw a line (haha wow that was awful) between a drawing I'm working on and something they heard that writers can do.  No matter how you attempt to rationalize it, telling a story in words is NOTHING like telling a story in pictures.

[Truean]

Thanks guys, I do appreciate it. I dunno, I try to be the best person I can be to the extent my numerous flaws allow me to be.

I've said repeatedly that professional fees, doctors/lawyers, are unfortunately unsustainable and unattainable for most, yet due to the cost of becoming either of these, it's really hard to lower them with student loans alone. I would honestly like to and have tried to find ways to do so. I've gotten into some of them here too. The only real answer seems to be for  people to make higher wages. I'll leave it at that for now.

Really I was more complaining about the social side of it I guess. I don't understand people; their priorities are all mixed up to me. They will vehemently protest anything they don't find perfect--every minor inconvenience. I can't understand what I see as petty squabbles of a married couple over who did what with a toothpaste tube, because I talked to someone today who shot another human being.... Next to that, meh.... Nevermind that half the planet is starving, etc, your husband squeezed from the middle of the tube and everyone within earshot will know about it whether they want to or not.... If I wanted to hear fighting, I'd have talked to my parents instead of going to a get together....

Regardless of the profession, I think its about asking a professional for stuff they do professionally for free.... The graphics designer being asked to design something for free is basically being told their work has no value. I just can't help but imagine that artist is thinking, "$0 that's what you'd pay me for the work you want me to do...?" I could even understand a little of that but people seem to love going wayyyy past the point of it being ridiculous.

[Lord Shonus]

I can't understand what I see as petty squabbles of a married couple over who did what with a toothpaste tube,

It's never about the toothpaste tube, or the toilet seat, or whatever the apparent issue at hand is. It's the accumulated wear and tear that crops up whenever two people spend a lot of time together.