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Oh dear. I am imagining a british accent, and it is just too funny.
In all seriousness, how did you cope with doing that? I am not having a go at you, I am interested. It is not often that I meet a man of that proffession...
I bet that would get them choking on their canapés !!
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federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
edited August 2005
I have done several jobs (Jackie of all trades, mistress of none!) But I'd have to go some to "beat" Simon's....! What fun! Go to plenty of different places, meet lots of interesting people and get paid for being ....friendly...!!
I used to be God once... No really, it's true.... that is, I worked on my grandad's farm and helped with the gleaning.... sorting the Wheat from the Chaff.... hey, if God can get credit for it in a big book, so can I -!!
Simon....the only reason I was so surprised is because you just don't generally talk to people that have had that occupation! I hope you don't think that I was being judgemental of you once I read that you have done that in the past. It's just not something that you hear people say very often!
I used to be God once... No really, it's true.... that is, I worked on my grandad's farm and helped with the gleaning.... sorting the Wheat from the Chaff.... hey, if God can get credit for it in a big book, so can I -!!
Me, I would rather have elected representatives, spiritual leaders, teachers, therapists, etc. who have had a taste of hell rather than some purer-than-pure individual who has never known despair and guilt.
Two leaders:
one a faithfully married man, didn't drink or take drugs- healthy living- and liked classical music and fully lived in his convictions
The other smoked like a chimney, suspected of smoking pot and taking the contemporary version of ecstacy and suffered severe bouts of depression/self-doubt.
I am a recent graduate of Interactive Arts and am now working towards getting my artwork noticed within the art world - not an easy task, by any means!
I also design and build cat condos/trees - which I am presently working on turning into a business!
Do let me know if you are ever coming to Gloucestershire. We have two, monthly Farmers' Markets, a monthly "Decorators' Market", as well as our usual weekly market. Plus, of course, Craft Fairs, particularly around Christmas.
Do let me know if you are ever coming to Gloucestershire. We have two, monthly Farmers' Markets, a monthly "Decorators' Market", as well as our usual weekly market. Plus, of course, Craft Fairs, particularly around Christmas.
I certainly will let you know! Gosh, you are very lucky to have so many markets on the go! I find that it is such a down side of city living - very few/bad quality markets!
Two cats currently share my life: Cuskey, a black-and-white moggy with a pink nose, and Sunya, a chocolate-point Siamese. Arriving in the Spring will be an elderly tortoise (after hibernation) and, possibly, two more cats (Sidney and Garfield) and a couple of gerbils as a friend moves in!
Two cats currently share my life: Cuskey, a black-and-white moggy with a pink nose, and Sunya, a chocolate-point Siamese. Arriving in the Spring will be an elderly tortoise (after hibernation) and, possibly, two more cats (Sidney and Garfield) and a couple of gerbils as a friend moves in!
That's great! :bigclap: So you're in the market for a condo then?!
Gosh, you certainly will have a bit of a menagerie if you do get your new friends into your home! I'd love to see pictures of Cuskey and Sunya if you have any!
Oh, what a shame! When your camera comes home to you, I'd love to see your cats!
This is my first prototype - I only have pictures of this one in photobucket (and my dial-up make uploading a real pain!)
There are now also sisal parts to it, but at the time, I was exploring materials, wear and tear and cat preference!
The next prototype is going to be massive! A kind of galleon style one! If I get the chance, I'll try to scan the designs!
I'm also working on making some that would be able to be shipped (ie a lot lighter than present ones!), but sadly, I think I would have to reduce the amount of recyclable parts to make it work
I want one of those! My kitties love the cat tree they have now (and it sure cost enough!), but we are taking care of my brother-in-law's kitty and she has a lame front leg so she can't get up it. She needs a ramp like on that condo. My hubby says he wants to make one eventually, but he's already so busy. Once he did make a kitty fort out of boxes and duct tape. We still have it and the cats love it. It has tunnels, flaps they can stick their paws through, a built in toy box - all sorts of cool things like that.
Wow,
Everyone else seems to have really important jobs. I look after the elderly in both high and low dependancy wards/villages.
I feel sad sometimes knowing that some of these people and their families really suffer endlessly and needlessly. I think that's why I have had a look at Buddhism and other religions...Death seems to be a real release for some people and their families.
Hope this answers the question?
As for me, I teach the basics of Zen practice and meditation, work with people with immune system problems, depression and other conditions, make and sell meditation supplies and Buddha statues and whatnot.
It's not what you do, but that you do it wholeheartedly, even when you don't do it wholeheartedly.
As for me, I teach the basics of Zen practice and meditation, work with people with immune system problems, depression and other conditions, make and sell meditation supplies and Buddha statues and whatnot.
It's not what you do, but that you do it wholeheartedly, even when you don't do it wholeheartedly.
I have been checking out your Ebay store! I love it! Can't wait to purchase a few things from you!
Well we do have this $1100 Kwan Yin reduced to $750. :tongue2: But seriously, thank you for the compliment YogaMama. One reason I started the store, apart from to help support myself and because the meditation is free, was because I needed Zafus and mats and so forth, and all the ones I saw were overpriced and mass produced. I thought there should be something available that has been produced by someone who practices and cares about what they do, but also reasonably priced. When you do order, let me know it's you and I'll put in a couple of goodies for you.
Well we do have this $1100 Kwan Yin reduced to $750. :tongue2: But seriously, thank you for the compliment YogaMama. One reason I started the store, apart from to help support myself and because the meditation is free, was because I needed Zafus and mats and so forth, and all the ones I saw were overpriced and mass produced. I thought there should be something available that has been produced by someone who practices and cares about what they do, but also reasonably priced. When you do order, let me know it's you and I'll put in a couple of goodies for you.
I just purchased the "Marylin Manson" collection from zenmonk and I'm really happy with it!
-bf
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federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
edited December 2005
:rant:
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federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
edited December 2005
:wtf:
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federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
I am going to tell my husband about your store to give him some Christmas gift ideas for me. Do you ever sell singing bowls? I am looking for one.
We will be selling singing bowls (and also traditional Japanese style gongs a little bit later on). The singing bowls aren't yet listed but let me know if you're interested.
I've worked as a litigation paralegal for over 25 years now. However, there was a number of years when I worked as an associate editor while recovering from an illness (a lot easier work than what is involved in a law firm). What's interesting is that the company I worked for (as an associate editor) was a non-demoninational Christian organization that published a monthly magazine. So here I was, confronted with the very things that had been forced on me as a child and which I later rejected as a teen. It was a wonderful opportunity to practice non-judgment and unconditional acceptance of others' belief systems. Although, at times in the beginning some of the information used to push my buttons, especially when I would read things like, "We're all wretched sinners," etc., but I eventually learned to view those things in a non-attached way. Once I graduated from the lessons involved in the experience, I no longer needed to work there anymore and was healthy enough to return to my life as a litigation paralegal -- work that I loved doing. I especially loved working on plaintiff personal injury and product liability cases, and I also enjoyed criminal defense work as well. It was so rewarding to be able to help others with their karmic situations like that, and yet challenging in terms of trying to stay non-attached to the outcome in each case.
At present, I am unemployed ... or I guess you could say retired. I have taken the past two years off due to personal issues, and a death in the family afforded me the ability to do so financially. However, even though I'll return to work in the near future, I feel a bit lost in my career direction at the moment. I can't seem to find anything I feel "jazzed" about career-wise, and it's really been bothering me. I didn't realize it was such an issue for me until I read this recently:
Does the job reflect your passion?
"What drives you in life? Is there anything that you love doing so much that you would continue to do it even if you were filthy rich?"
When I read that, I couldn't come up with anything I felt truly excited about doing for a career. In the past, I used to feel that way about the law, but I haven't really felt that way towards it in years. I'm sure I'll work through those issues eventually, but right now, I feel kind of lost, as though I'm not sure if I'll return to the law or move into another area entirely for my career. I feel the new direction is leading me into the creative arts, but I'm not quite sure if it involves writing or something else. I am working on my first screenplay, but right now I'm not so sure I have what it takes. Anyone else struggling (or struggled) with that sort of thing?
Hello all,
My jobs....worked in hospitality until it drove me insane, then went to work in a hospital as an orderly, then a morgue, ohh and have worked as a Buddhist Chaplin in Prison and finally working with the mentally ill and the elderly. Also am doing some stuff with Vision Australia.....Depending on my working life now and how much I can help others, I'm thinking of going back to being a Bhikkhu??????Who knows!!!!!
Since posting on the first page of this thread I have now changed jobs, but I still work for the same company.
I've now moved into a much smaller team that is responsible for maintaining and supporting our email and internet systems. There is a perception in our IT area that my previous department is one of the areas people most want to get into. For this reason I stuck it out even though I was bored to tears working there. Since moving into my new role I've been much happier as it is far more hands-on and reactive so the day just flys by. I do get people asking me why on earth I would want to move out of the network team but to be honest I'm far more interested in job satisfaction than status these days.
One of my roles as the "new boy" in the team is checking email that has been blocked by our systems for possible profanity, porn, etc and reporting any such violations to our HR department. Obviously because of this I have access to some quite sensitive information (people's business and private emails). I see this as an ideal opportunity to try and practice Right Speech as it would be so easy to start gossiping about what I've read. I must admit I do have a tendency to say things that perhaps I shouldn't so by immersing myself in this on a daily basis I'm hoping it will do me some good.
Like you, I worked as a litigation lawyer for many years. Like you (I think) when I started out I viewed this in a very idealistic way - helping those who had suffered injustice, righting wrongs etc. Even when experience taught me that my clients were not always "in the right" the principle that we resolve differences by argument and enquiry after the truth in court rather than by economic or physical "Might is Right" struck me as noble.
Over the years my view begun to change. I have rather lost faith, if that's the word, in both the concept of "justice" and the ability of the litigation process in the UK to deliver it. And when I met Buddhism reconcilling being a litigator with some of the precepts e.g. not to harm others, not to take that which is not freely given, also troubled me. I don't know if these issues may influence your decision as to whether to return to the law and I'd be interested to know how they impact on you (or how they don't!).
I'm now building a pratice as a Mediator, which I personally feel more comfortable with.
Like you, I worked as a litigation lawyer for many years. Like you (I think) when I started out I viewed this in a very idealistic way - helping those who had suffered injustice, righting wrongs etc. Even when experience taught me that my clients were not always "in the right" the principle that we resolve differences by argument and enquiry after the truth in court rather than by economic or physical "Might is Right" struck me as noble.
Over the years my view begun to change. I have rather lost faith, if that's the word, in both the concept of "justice" and the ability of the litigation process in the UK to deliver it. And when I met Buddhism reconcilling being a litigator with some of the precepts e.g. not to harm others, not to take that which is not freely given, also troubled me. I don't know if these issues may influence your decision as to whether to return to the law and I'd be interested to know how they impact on you (or how they don't!).
I'm now building a pratice as a Mediator, which I personally feel more comfortable with.
Martin.
Hi Martin,
Thanks for responding! I can't really comment about any differences between the practice of law in the UK and the U.S., as I'm not very knowledgeable in that area. But I can say that I didn't really start out with an idealistic picture of the law, per se, so I don't think the problems I have now are necessarily related to that issue. I think my problems have more to do with not finding my niche in the law, in that the type of firm and work I enjoy is not readily available, so I tend to get discouraged about the law in general as a result.
I worked in insurance defense at first, with a little bit of plaintiff work added to the mix, so I didn't really form an opinion one way or the other back then. But when I left that firm and went on to work for a plaintiff P.I. firm that also handled criminal defense, I fell in love with plaintiff work. Of course, some of that had to do with the fact that it was a very high-profile law firm, so we naturally had all the great cases. Almost every case that I heard about on TV or read about in the newspapers ended up in our office.
In addition, one of the attorneys I worked for was (and still is) considered one of the best trial lawyers in the nation, and his partner has become quite famous as well in recent years. A lot of our cases back then were in Time and Newsweek magazines, and I have since watched both of those attorneys on CourtTV, American Justice, Rivera Live, etc., commenting on cases such as O.J., Jon Benet, Tim McVeigh, Jim King, etc. So that was exciting.
While I found criminal defense cases fascinating, especially those involving homicide, I think catastrophic personal injury cases were by far the most rewarding. These were cases that movies were based on -- real life drama -- and there was always the chance to make a difference in people's lives. There was nothing more rewarding than being able to help a plaintiff who was injured by someone's negligence or defective product receive millions of dollars in compensation.
I also had great admiration for both attorneys, one of whom was an avid Marxist whose dream was to teach history to college students. But when he saw Ph.D.s being laid off during the Korean war, he decided he'd better find another career. He was a union organizer for three years, and his love of oratory eventually led him to law school. As an attorney, he has always tried to infuse the truth of social ideas and present the humanistic picture of his clients, and that always impressed me a great deal. He is a true artist in that respect.
When interviewed, he observed, "Pressure, revenge, jealousy, alcohol or drugs can turn any of us into a defendant." That's something I completely agree with. And he described trials as "morality plays" and "controlled drama." According to him, "The central character of the 'play' is the plaintiff, and the plaintiff’s character, motives, intentions, credibility, background, and appearance all weigh in to be considered by the jury, whether consciously or subconsciously. Likewise, the cast of other characters fill other roles, some as villains, victims, and unimpeachable observers. All of these elements must be taken into consideration when deciding which cases to try and which to close. Practitioners also need to take into account how a jury will respond to the plaintiff."
Naturally, I found that kind of philosophy and environment fascinating. So you can imagine how difficult it was for me to later work for large law firms, once again representing insurance companies and large corporations. I just couldn't get too excited over cases where one corporation had screwed over another, or where attorneys held black-and-white viewpoints about those involved in lawsuits, calling plaintiffs names like "psycho" and "wack job," in some self-righteous attempt to distance themselves from the emotion of the case. Very similar to the black-and-white and moralistic attitudes so prevalent of prosecutors involved in criminal cases. There didn't seem to be any humanity involved in that type of mindset, and it especially did not leave much room for creativity either.
I didn't have a problem with issues of guilt or innocence, since I knew that only a judge and jury can decide guilt or innocence, not lawyers. Lawyers are advocates, not judges. Unfortunately, there are a lot of people in the U.S. who do not seem to understand that and assume that lawyers are supposed to take sides or something. Sure, they can refuse to handle certain cases. In fact, as one example, quite a few lawyers refuse to work in insurance defense law, claiming that it's no different than criminal defense work. And I can't say that I disagree with that either. But everyone is entitled to representation, and that's what it's all about. Also, I viewed those involved in litigation as working through a karmic situation, so it became an opportunity for me to deepen my practice by staying as non-attached as possible about those involved and whatever outcome was achieved.
I've also struggled in the past with being a workaholic. Before adopting a Buddhist perspective, I used to approach work (as well as other things) with an "all or nothing" type of consciousness. And I could work incredible hours as a result, surpassing most attorneys! Sadly, I later realized that it wasn't really the work I was addicted to but the ego strokes of what everyone thought of my work, so that was an eye-opener, if not a definite kill-joy! Darn. Eventually, health problems caused me to finally see the damage that results from too much work and not enough balance in one's career and life in general.
In retrospect, I think what drew me to the law in the first place was the drama. I just think it would be healthier if I pursued drama in its most creative forms, such as theater, the arts, etc., rather than the conflict of cases that is oftentimes referred to as war. I mean, let's face it ... litigation is war. Filing a complaint is a declaration of war. I did enjoy the strategies involved in working cases, and I even enjoyed legal research, believe it or not. And I'm quite good at persuasive and legal writing. But like I said, I think it would be healthier for me to pursue my creative abilities to their fullest and apply them to the dramatic arts instead.
As I mentioned earlier, I have been working on a screenplay, and several years ago I was even in the process of developing a legal drama for TV. I set some of those things aside in order to take care of other issues in my life, but lately I have decided to pursue them once again. I'm just not sure I have what it takes to succeed in that area, that's all. So I think that's why I still have difficulty feeling "jazzed" about any of it. I'm more of an "idea" person, so that's another one of my problems. I come up with all kinds of great ideas but no way to carry them out!
I don't know if I'll return to working in the law or not. It's very difficult to find the kind of law firms and cases I'm interested in, so that's part of it. I never could get excited about corporate, bankruptcy, tax, or real estate law, or even a few other areas. But I'm also a bit burned out on the law in general. So it's more of a "been there, done that" type of thing. I just feel it's time to move on to another career area altogether. Probably similar to what you felt when you made the decision to move into mediation. Working in the law is intense and it's not for the squeamish, that's for sure. Plus, I've never found the idea of being "married" to the law very attractive either, so that's another thing. It demands so much from your life, I'm just not sure it's worth it anymore.
In any event, I don't know if that answered your question or not! But at least it will give you an idea of what I've been struggling with. I do believe my future lies in the creative arts more than the law, but only time will tell, I guess ...
Btw, if you're interested, here are a few articles on one of the attorneys I worked for that I mentioned above:
I am trained as a social worker and have worked for 14 years in the addictions field for our provincial treatment services. I developed a specialization working with older adults who are experiencing substance use issues.
I have worked for the last 5 years with the Calgary Health Region (our public healthcare system). I was a mental health therapist for 4 years and for the past year I have been a therapy specialist. My current position entails clincial support for staff as well as a lot of work with other agencies who are challenged by clients with mental health issues. In that regard, my focus is on building their capacity to better serve geriatric clients with mental health issues. This could involve education, case conferencing, resource development, and case consultations. I used to have an active caseload but it is now quite small. I really like my work but if there was a down size, it is that I do not have as much direct work with clients.
However, given limited funding for healthcare, my employer is advocating adopting a consultation model to expand our ability to address referrals. Our hope is that by building capacity, we will be able to reduce the number of referrals to our service to those clients who are most critical and needing medical/therapy interventions.
My specialty is geriatric mental health so all our clients are over the gae of 65.
Not sure if this topic has ever been brought up in it's own thread, I'm sure it has but...
What does everyone here do for work?
Up until my current job I have worked in graphic design, web design and specialize in fine art giclee reproduction. Unfortunatly where I just moved to does not have any businesses like that so I am currently assembling doors for walk-in coolers at a factory called Bally's.
read all about our boring, day-to-day humdrum little lives....
Actually, I am the Chief Agent for an International Spy Organisation... I actually sent Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie out on those missions.... I am such a cool person... I could order the elimination of every single World leader if I wanted to.....
Comments
In all seriousness, how did you cope with doing that? I am not having a go at you, I am interested. It is not often that I meet a man of that proffession...
I used to be God once... No really, it's true.... that is, I worked on my grandad's farm and helped with the gleaning.... sorting the Wheat from the Chaff.... hey, if God can get credit for it in a big book, so can I -!!
LOL!!!!
Two leaders:
one a faithfully married man, didn't drink or take drugs- healthy living- and liked classical music and fully lived in his convictions
The other smoked like a chimney, suspected of smoking pot and taking the contemporary version of ecstacy and suffered severe bouts of depression/self-doubt.
The former was Hitler the latter was Churchill.
I am a recent graduate of Interactive Arts and am now working towards getting my artwork noticed within the art world - not an easy task, by any means!
I also design and build cat condos/trees - which I am presently working on turning into a business!
I'm hoping to, very soon!
I am very excited about getting them on the market though!
I certainly will let you know!
Do you have cats?
That's great! :bigclap: So you're in the market for a condo then?!
Gosh, you certainly will have a bit of a menagerie if you do get your new friends into your home! I'd love to see pictures of Cuskey and Sunya if you have any!
Unfortunately, my camera has 'walked' and my 'phone is a bloody NEC and I can't download my pics!
This is my first prototype - I only have pictures of this one in photobucket (and my dial-up make uploading a real pain!)
There are now also sisal parts to it, but at the time, I was exploring materials, wear and tear and cat preference!
The next prototype is going to be massive! A kind of galleon style one! If I get the chance, I'll try to scan the designs!
I'm also working on making some that would be able to be shipped (ie a lot lighter than present ones!), but sadly, I think I would have to reduce the amount of recyclable parts to make it work
:rockon:
One day, I'd like to do something dealing with international relations, though.
Everyone else seems to have really important jobs. I look after the elderly in both high and low dependancy wards/villages.
I feel sad sometimes knowing that some of these people and their families really suffer endlessly and needlessly. I think that's why I have had a look at Buddhism and other religions...Death seems to be a real release for some people and their families.
Hope this answers the question?
Ross:-/
As for me, I teach the basics of Zen practice and meditation, work with people with immune system problems, depression and other conditions, make and sell meditation supplies and Buddha statues and whatnot.
It's not what you do, but that you do it wholeheartedly, even when you don't do it wholeheartedly.
Secondary School Student.
(Zenmonk - thanks for the link to this group)
Hello Inlytened1. I wish I could do that!
I have been checking out your Ebay store! I love it! Can't wait to purchase a few things from you!
(Just kidding.....!
I just purchased the "Marylin Manson" collection from zenmonk and I'm really happy with it!
-bf
I haven't heard that song since my days in a Catholic school!!!
We will be selling singing bowls (and also traditional Japanese style gongs a little bit later on). The singing bowls aren't yet listed but let me know if you're interested.
I'm a psychiatric nurse.
charla
At present, I am unemployed ... or I guess you could say retired. I have taken the past two years off due to personal issues, and a death in the family afforded me the ability to do so financially. However, even though I'll return to work in the near future, I feel a bit lost in my career direction at the moment. I can't seem to find anything I feel "jazzed" about career-wise, and it's really been bothering me. I didn't realize it was such an issue for me until I read this recently:
When I read that, I couldn't come up with anything I felt truly excited about doing for a career. In the past, I used to feel that way about the law, but I haven't really felt that way towards it in years. I'm sure I'll work through those issues eventually, but right now, I feel kind of lost, as though I'm not sure if I'll return to the law or move into another area entirely for my career. I feel the new direction is leading me into the creative arts, but I'm not quite sure if it involves writing or something else. I am working on my first screenplay, but right now I'm not so sure I have what it takes. Anyone else struggling (or struggled) with that sort of thing?
My jobs....worked in hospitality until it drove me insane, then went to work in a hospital as an orderly, then a morgue, ohh and have worked as a Buddhist Chaplin in Prison and finally working with the mentally ill and the elderly. Also am doing some stuff with Vision Australia.....Depending on my working life now and how much I can help others, I'm thinking of going back to being a Bhikkhu??????Who knows!!!!!
I've now moved into a much smaller team that is responsible for maintaining and supporting our email and internet systems. There is a perception in our IT area that my previous department is one of the areas people most want to get into. For this reason I stuck it out even though I was bored to tears working there. Since moving into my new role I've been much happier as it is far more hands-on and reactive so the day just flys by. I do get people asking me why on earth I would want to move out of the network team but to be honest I'm far more interested in job satisfaction than status these days.
One of my roles as the "new boy" in the team is checking email that has been blocked by our systems for possible profanity, porn, etc and reporting any such violations to our HR department. Obviously because of this I have access to some quite sensitive information (people's business and private emails). I see this as an ideal opportunity to try and practice Right Speech as it would be so easy to start gossiping about what I've read. I must admit I do have a tendency to say things that perhaps I shouldn't so by immersing myself in this on a daily basis I'm hoping it will do me some good.
Like you, I worked as a litigation lawyer for many years. Like you (I think) when I started out I viewed this in a very idealistic way - helping those who had suffered injustice, righting wrongs etc. Even when experience taught me that my clients were not always "in the right" the principle that we resolve differences by argument and enquiry after the truth in court rather than by economic or physical "Might is Right" struck me as noble.
Over the years my view begun to change. I have rather lost faith, if that's the word, in both the concept of "justice" and the ability of the litigation process in the UK to deliver it. And when I met Buddhism reconcilling being a litigator with some of the precepts e.g. not to harm others, not to take that which is not freely given, also troubled me. I don't know if these issues may influence your decision as to whether to return to the law and I'd be interested to know how they impact on you (or how they don't!).
I'm now building a pratice as a Mediator, which I personally feel more comfortable with.
Martin.
It doesn't sound as exciting as dome of these other careers...but I love it!!!
Hi Martin,
Thanks for responding! I can't really comment about any differences between the practice of law in the UK and the U.S., as I'm not very knowledgeable in that area. But I can say that I didn't really start out with an idealistic picture of the law, per se, so I don't think the problems I have now are necessarily related to that issue. I think my problems have more to do with not finding my niche in the law, in that the type of firm and work I enjoy is not readily available, so I tend to get discouraged about the law in general as a result.
I worked in insurance defense at first, with a little bit of plaintiff work added to the mix, so I didn't really form an opinion one way or the other back then. But when I left that firm and went on to work for a plaintiff P.I. firm that also handled criminal defense, I fell in love with plaintiff work. Of course, some of that had to do with the fact that it was a very high-profile law firm, so we naturally had all the great cases. Almost every case that I heard about on TV or read about in the newspapers ended up in our office.
In addition, one of the attorneys I worked for was (and still is) considered one of the best trial lawyers in the nation, and his partner has become quite famous as well in recent years. A lot of our cases back then were in Time and Newsweek magazines, and I have since watched both of those attorneys on CourtTV, American Justice, Rivera Live, etc., commenting on cases such as O.J., Jon Benet, Tim McVeigh, Jim King, etc. So that was exciting.
While I found criminal defense cases fascinating, especially those involving homicide, I think catastrophic personal injury cases were by far the most rewarding. These were cases that movies were based on -- real life drama -- and there was always the chance to make a difference in people's lives. There was nothing more rewarding than being able to help a plaintiff who was injured by someone's negligence or defective product receive millions of dollars in compensation.
I also had great admiration for both attorneys, one of whom was an avid Marxist whose dream was to teach history to college students. But when he saw Ph.D.s being laid off during the Korean war, he decided he'd better find another career. He was a union organizer for three years, and his love of oratory eventually led him to law school. As an attorney, he has always tried to infuse the truth of social ideas and present the humanistic picture of his clients, and that always impressed me a great deal. He is a true artist in that respect.
When interviewed, he observed, "Pressure, revenge, jealousy, alcohol or drugs can turn any of us into a defendant." That's something I completely agree with. And he described trials as "morality plays" and "controlled drama." According to him, "The central character of the 'play' is the plaintiff, and the plaintiff’s character, motives, intentions, credibility, background, and appearance all weigh in to be considered by the jury, whether consciously or subconsciously. Likewise, the cast of other characters fill other roles, some as villains, victims, and unimpeachable observers. All of these elements must be taken into consideration when deciding which cases to try and which to close. Practitioners also need to take into account how a jury will respond to the plaintiff."
Naturally, I found that kind of philosophy and environment fascinating. So you can imagine how difficult it was for me to later work for large law firms, once again representing insurance companies and large corporations. I just couldn't get too excited over cases where one corporation had screwed over another, or where attorneys held black-and-white viewpoints about those involved in lawsuits, calling plaintiffs names like "psycho" and "wack job," in some self-righteous attempt to distance themselves from the emotion of the case. Very similar to the black-and-white and moralistic attitudes so prevalent of prosecutors involved in criminal cases. There didn't seem to be any humanity involved in that type of mindset, and it especially did not leave much room for creativity either.
I didn't have a problem with issues of guilt or innocence, since I knew that only a judge and jury can decide guilt or innocence, not lawyers. Lawyers are advocates, not judges. Unfortunately, there are a lot of people in the U.S. who do not seem to understand that and assume that lawyers are supposed to take sides or something. Sure, they can refuse to handle certain cases. In fact, as one example, quite a few lawyers refuse to work in insurance defense law, claiming that it's no different than criminal defense work. And I can't say that I disagree with that either. But everyone is entitled to representation, and that's what it's all about. Also, I viewed those involved in litigation as working through a karmic situation, so it became an opportunity for me to deepen my practice by staying as non-attached as possible about those involved and whatever outcome was achieved.
I've also struggled in the past with being a workaholic. Before adopting a Buddhist perspective, I used to approach work (as well as other things) with an "all or nothing" type of consciousness. And I could work incredible hours as a result, surpassing most attorneys! Sadly, I later realized that it wasn't really the work I was addicted to but the ego strokes of what everyone thought of my work, so that was an eye-opener, if not a definite kill-joy!
In retrospect, I think what drew me to the law in the first place was the drama. I just think it would be healthier if I pursued drama in its most creative forms, such as theater, the arts, etc., rather than the conflict of cases that is oftentimes referred to as war. I mean, let's face it ... litigation is war. Filing a complaint is a declaration of war. I did enjoy the strategies involved in working cases, and I even enjoyed legal research, believe it or not. And I'm quite good at persuasive and legal writing. But like I said, I think it would be healthier for me to pursue my creative abilities to their fullest and apply them to the dramatic arts instead.
As I mentioned earlier, I have been working on a screenplay, and several years ago I was even in the process of developing a legal drama for TV. I set some of those things aside in order to take care of other issues in my life, but lately I have decided to pursue them once again. I'm just not sure I have what it takes to succeed in that area, that's all. So I think that's why I still have difficulty feeling "jazzed" about any of it. I'm more of an "idea" person, so that's another one of my problems. I come up with all kinds of great ideas but no way to carry them out!
I don't know if I'll return to working in the law or not. It's very difficult to find the kind of law firms and cases I'm interested in, so that's part of it. I never could get excited about corporate, bankruptcy, tax, or real estate law, or even a few other areas. But I'm also a bit burned out on the law in general. So it's more of a "been there, done that" type of thing. I just feel it's time to move on to another career area altogether. Probably similar to what you felt when you made the decision to move into mediation. Working in the law is intense and it's not for the squeamish, that's for sure. Plus, I've never found the idea of being "married" to the law very attractive either, so that's another thing. It demands so much from your life, I'm just not sure it's worth it anymore.
In any event, I don't know if that answered your question or not! But at least it will give you an idea of what I've been struggling with. I do believe my future lies in the creative arts more than the law, but only time will tell, I guess ...
Btw, if you're interested, here are a few articles on one of the attorneys I worked for that I mentioned above:
King of the Courtroom
Westword article
Denver Magazine article, 2/86
I have worked for the last 5 years with the Calgary Health Region (our public healthcare system). I was a mental health therapist for 4 years and for the past year I have been a therapy specialist. My current position entails clincial support for staff as well as a lot of work with other agencies who are challenged by clients with mental health issues. In that regard, my focus is on building their capacity to better serve geriatric clients with mental health issues. This could involve education, case conferencing, resource development, and case consultations. I used to have an active caseload but it is now quite small. I really like my work but if there was a down size, it is that I do not have as much direct work with clients.
However, given limited funding for healthcare, my employer is advocating adopting a consultation model to expand our ability to address referrals. Our hope is that by building capacity, we will be able to reduce the number of referrals to our service to those clients who are most critical and needing medical/therapy interventions.
My specialty is geriatric mental health so all our clients are over the gae of 65.
:canflag:
What does everyone here do for work?
Up until my current job I have worked in graphic design, web design and specialize in fine art giclee reproduction. Unfortunatly where I just moved to does not have any businesses like that so I am currently assembling doors for walk-in coolers at a factory called Bally's.
I'm a geek who runs a department of geeks.
-bf
There you go LookingForAnswers.....
read all about our boring, day-to-day humdrum little lives....
Actually, I am the Chief Agent for an International Spy Organisation... I actually sent Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie out on those missions.... I am such a cool person... I could order the elimination of every single World leader if I wanted to.....
But I don't.
So there. :tongue2: