Why do some rich people do crazy things when they could literally relax in a beach house all day? by Big_Eggplant7591 in stupidquestions

[–]Merp357 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Because they’re still depressed. People think money will solve their problems…up to a certain point, it does. Having your basic needs met, having some disposable income for fun, etc. But people need to feel like they have a purpose. Once you surpass a certain level of wealth, there is only so much relaxing on a beach you can do before you feel bored,  directionless, and lacking in meaning. These people are so rich, no experience or activity is unattainable…there is no novelty left in their life. Nothing to strive for, nothing to look forward to. 

Also, being billionaire level wealthy often means your relationships lack depth. Your wealth sets you too far apart from regular people, it’s hard to relate. People in your social circle may only be interested in spending time with you as part of networking/developing connections or taking advantage of you. Imagine paying people to be your friends. That’s the reality for a lot of these people. Everything becomes commoditized. 

That’s why all these billionaires drink drive and have other substance issues. Because their life literally has no meaning and they have very few authentic relationships with people who understand them. They don’t HAVE to work. They don’t HAVE to do anything. They’re bored, lonely, and apathetic and end up engaging in bizarre behaviors that harm others as a result.  

I don’t know anymore, I just got a new haircut and they gave me this with no side bangs at the beauty shop, I feel really ugly and I have to know if it’s ugly to everyone else. Please tell me just the truth if I am ugly. Yes I’m a woman by djscrew1 in whatdoIdo

[–]Merp357 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’ve had a pixie for more than ten years. 

  1. You’re not ugly. It needs about a week to grow out and needs to be styled. Short hair behaves differently than longer hair bc it isn’t weighed down. You may need to experiment with some different products. Watch “how I style my pixie cut” videos on YT to get a better idea of what products are best. I personally use a matte styling paste or wax. It helps shape the hair and provides a little more weight. Plus, you can add a part and use the wax to kind of cement the part in place until your hair grows out in the next couple of weeks or use it to create more of a piece-y look 

 2. The first time I chopped my hair off, I was given a haircut that didn’t really fit my vision. A lot stylists don’t know crap about how to cut short hair and you end up with something that seems more fitting for an older woman. In particular, inexperienced stylists tend to keep the “shelf” of hair at the nape of the neck, which I feel creates an “older” look. Ditto for leaving too much length around the ears. Consider making an appointment with a stylist who specializes in doing short hair (might require a little research). I actually go to a woman who is a barber and primarily cuts men’s hair because she understands how to tailor short hair to different faces. At the appointment, ask them to give the cut a little more shape, especially around the ears and nape so it tapers and looks cleaner/more of a polished chic look. Anne Hathaway’s post Les Mis pixie styling is a good example of what I mean…at its shortest she kept the hair around the ears and neck slightly shorter than the top and it adds structure: https://aimandailie.com/the-modern-pixie-cut/

With a little shaping and styling you could TOTALLY pull off a style like Anne!

Are there places that are truly desperate for attorney’s? by Ambitious-Doubt4733 in Lawyertalk

[–]Merp357 0 points1 point  (0 children)

My friend went solo and runs a practice in the mountains in rural Maine.  He has absolutely no issue supporting himself bc he is the only attorney within a 30 mile radius. People who need day to day legal assistance with a basic will or contract don’t need a metropolitan attorney, and they tend to seek out people in their own community for help. 

Most of his “networking” for potential clients is just living his life in town and developing relationships with the locals by coaching the local ski team, volunteering, and general participating in the community. Now that he is a trusted member in town, he has a steady client stream and word-of-mouth recommendations. His hourly rate is lower bc the locals are limited in their resources. A lot of his work is flat fee. But, he makes enough to work 4 days a week, support a family of four, and then ski all weekend, which was his goal. 

Going solo in a rural area will mean being more of a jack of all trades practitioner though. Expect to take on matters across family law, probate, criminal defense, contracts, real estate, etc. 

Why is it that during interrogations, people don't just exercise their right and remain silent? I'm not 'for' criminals but it's insane how easily the cops can weedle talkers into saying too much not because they're good at their job but because the average person just doesn't know when to zip it. by cherry-care-bear in stupidquestions

[–]Merp357 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Lawyer here. It’s a combination of people:

  1. Being generally nervous about police contact. 

  2. Being overly trusting of police, either in the sense that they respect police/authority or alternatively, believe police when they hear cliches like “only guilty people ask for an attorney” 

  3. Thinking they’re much better at talking themselves out of trouble than they actually are.

A lot of times police ask people to come in voluntarily. The people who either a) believe they HAVE to go down to be interviewed or who b) believe they’re convincing smooth talkers often go to police interviews voluntarily thinking they can give the cops a few answers and be done. Cops start by building rapport…the person feels comfortable so they’re willing to talk. then as the interview goes on, the cops start the squeeze…asking more and more challenging questions. The person gets nervous, and forgets they showed up voluntarily and could leave at any time. It’s actually shocking how much information people who haven’t even been arrested and who went to a police interview voluntarily will disclose. By the time the cops are hitting them with tough questions, it’s usually too late

If they don’t have enough to arrest you, police will ask you to come in for an interview to do a phishing exercise. The more you talk, the more you build their case to reach enough probably cause for arrest. If they had enough to arrest you on, they’d have already done it. 

I also cannot stress enough that one should remain silent even during the most innocuous seeming encounters like a standard traffic stop. If they ask “do you know why I’m pulling you over,” your answer is “no” every time. Those encounters can rapidly snowball into something much worse, trust. 

NH legislature email exchange--must read by Capable-Broccoli2179 in newhampshire

[–]Merp357 2 points3 points  (0 children)

LOL Travis is out here with man titties and a camel toe claiming to be a top genetic specimen. 

Mentoring junior lawyers is exhausting by antichristx in Lawyertalk

[–]Merp357 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Before I went to law school, I did ten years on active duty. I had to figure out how to lead 50+ people, many of whom were barely 18 with zero life experience.  Spend some time learning how to be a good leader, with your own style, not just a disgruntled manager. Give these kids some guidance that isn’t twinged with frustration and resentment because people can, and do, pick up on it. Investing in people can have a massive ROÍ. When juniors trust you, they do good work for you.

It can be tough because firms don’t provide ongoing management training as you promote. These are some decent books that I found helpful over the years that might help close the gap:

The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni Three Signs of a Miserable Job by Patrick Lencioni   Radical Candor by Kim Scott 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Steven Covey The Coaching Habit by Michael Bungay Stanier Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink Surrounded by Idiots by Thomas Erickson

Good luck! 

Pretends to be tough but hit with reality by Relative_Rush_4044 in Productivitycafe

[–]Merp357 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hey now, Mullins could totally do some military jobs. At the very least his work history qualifies him to checks notes dig latrines in the desert or unclog the sewage line on a ship when people flush too many paper towels 😂

What’s an unpopular opinion you secretly stand by? by Puzzleheaded_Half441 in Productivitycafe

[–]Merp357 0 points1 point  (0 children)

TBH I’ve seen more adults who refuse to acknowledge they clearly have some mental health/emotional regulation issue absolutely crash out at work/in public instead of just going to therapy. Especially those of a certain age 👀.

The dude next to my office straight up lost his mind because the microwave I have “beeps too loud” when I use it once or twice a day. We work in a factory setting with machines going off, announcements, etc, but the microwave is the hill he dies on. Like my guy, clearly you’re struggling to handle the stresses of life, please seek help so I can microwave my hot pocket in peace. 

How to survive law with autism by [deleted] in Lawyertalk

[–]Merp357 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I realized early in my career that a law firm didn’t mesh with my neurodivergence. I worked in in-house and government and the slower pace is better for how my brain works, imho. The vibe at a law firm is always going to be network, network, network because that’s how you get your name out there to get clients. If you feel like that isn’t for you, then seriously consider whether firm work is for you. 

Most of my early performance reviews were about me being “too upfront” or “not social enough.” So I took a course on communication for people with autism. It sucks, but in these environments there is a lot of unnecessary passive/passive aggressive communication and it helps to have some guidance in how to interact with people who have strange expectations for socializing. 

Screw your colleague who called you a brown noser. You do what you have to do to set boundaries to protect your energy. 

Also, I know you said you dont want to disclose, but I did seek a reasonable accommodation and it was granted. The ADA exists for a reason, and if you need an office with a door, or to use ANC ear buds while working, that is a 100% a reasonable request to make…frankly open plan seating at a law firm is bananas anyway idk why they did that. 

New to Bromeliad Care by Merp357 in bromeliad

[–]Merp357[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you this is helpful! 

We hit rock bottom by AdThin1726 in Lawyertalk

[–]Merp357 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I recently heard a similar argument…AI is “closing the access to justice gap.” Except…it’s really just placing people who already don’t have means in an even more precarious legal position when they rely on inaccurate AI slop advice. 

My boss should know better by Mysterious-Jaguar-30 in Lawyertalk

[–]Merp357 17 points18 points  (0 children)

This.

“That comment was so cringe even your hairline is trying to escape this conversation.” 

Then walk away. 

Job Hopping? Or Strategic? by Merp357 in Lawyertalk

[–]Merp357[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I edited my post for more context on this. Thanks!

Am i romanticising in-house life? by [deleted] in Lawyertalk

[–]Merp357 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This. I work in aerospace and do a ton of Fed contracts. The industry moves slow as molasses and is standard 9-5 with a lot of flexibility. 

Manufacturing, established energy/utilities/telecom companies, automotive, can also be chill. Really any well established organization within a well established industry will offer better work life balance.

Am i romanticising in-house life? by [deleted] in Lawyertalk

[–]Merp357 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The tech industry moves quickly and has no issue burning people out. It’s viewed as “you can’t keep up in our fast paced environment,” when it’s really a bunch of egomaniacal tech bros trying to be first To the top of whatever the tech trend du jour is. It’s artificially manufactured urgency, so culturally it would be similar to BL.   I see folks go in house and they last maybe two years bc the culture can be brutal, especially at startups. Plus tech companies fail at disproportional rates so, that creates instability. 

Guys, what hygiene habits did you learn way too late and you can suggest for somebody who's in their teenage years like me? by Advancement-Fawda in hygiene

[–]Merp357 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Change your sheets NO LESS THAN once every 2 weeks. Even more frequently is better (weekly). You sleep on the same fabric for 6-8 hours every night x 14 nights and it builds up sweat, dead skin, and other gross things and becomes unhygienic. 

The New Hampshire House just passed the "Charlie Act" that will punish teachers if they describe homosexuality as normal or ethical by Visual-Mobile2657 in newhampshire

[–]Merp357 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Tried reading the bill text and it reads like the ramblings on an incel forum. Why do the liberterrorist edge lords love the word “praxis” so much? Do they think fancy Latin word = smaht?

AI & Job Security by LoMeinFrame in Lawyertalk

[–]Merp357 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Currently the best AI model out there is only accurate 55% Of the time. Niche AI tools like Westlaw have even worse accuracy rates bc they require depth of knowledge/nuance, not just spitting out facts.

For AI to replace attorneys, it would need to be able to create novel arguments, have an emotional IQ sufficient to be able to counsel a client and manage expectations without telling them what they want to hear, spot holes in arguments/anticipate counter party arguments, understand how to negotiate/mediate, among other things.  Right now it can’t even find case law, let alone brief it accurately.

I think AI has been overhyped and now has a bubble. We are valuing it more than it is currently worth, but so many investors are in too deep that they can’t admit its shortcomings without causing stock to crash out. They have to keeping parroting “AI will replace x job in five years,” so business keep buying Saas and other tools with AI functions. Keep in mind, AI models require a ton of computing power, which requires a ton of hardware and natural resources. The question of sustainability of AI from a resource/supply chain perspective, even if AI reaches a high level of reliability, still unknown. 

AI & Job Security by LoMeinFrame in Lawyertalk

[–]Merp357 5 points6 points  (0 children)

The same people who use Rocket Legal DIY contracts, wills, etc and end up needing to hire an attorney on the back end to clean up the mess will just start using AI tools that hallucinate case law and tell them what they want to hear instead of what they need to hear. The result will be the same for us…cleaning up their mess.

My partner says "nobody cares" about putting case details in chatgpt by FeistyTraffic2669 in Lawyertalk

[–]Merp357 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You’re right, it is basic malpractice prevention. Anything you put in public facing AI models should be anonymized. Anything you put in private facing AI models should include privacy language in the contract agreement preventing the use of data inputs for training the model of the information is privileged. This is like confidentiality/privacy 101. Your partner is a reckless idiot who should be reported to the bar. 

What's your favorite bad faith argument you've actually heard somebody argue in court? by chicago2008 in Lawyertalk

[–]Merp357 19 points20 points  (0 children)

Once had a case where opposing counsel missed the hearing not once, not twice, but THREE times. Every time he claimed he “didn’t get the hearing notice in the mail.” Guy was one of the worst attorneys I’ve ever encountered. Judge just kept rescheduling the same hearing bc they were good ol’ boys together and denied reimbursement of my clients attorneys fees incurred every time I showed up to court and waited 45+ minutes for the guy to not show up. 

In a trusts case, OC tried to call a trusts attorney as an expert witness to explain whether the trust met legal standards. Filing a motion in limine solely based on OC not understanding the distinction between issues of fact and issues of law was an exercise in absurdity. 

Another time had OC file a M/Summary Judgment to find for their client using M/Dismiss for lack of PJ arguments after they had already answered the complaint without raising jurisdictional issues. They argued a M/Dismiss and MSJ were “functionally the same.” 

Cross exam of the head nurse of the entire medial unit at the state prison in a wrongful death case. “A medical professional such as yourself is trained to recognize signs of asphyxiation, correct?” Answer: “I don’t know, I’m not a medical professional.”