Reader Question Box is a series where we answer questions that show up in our website traffic monitoring statistics as Google search terms that led people to us. Copious oddities are to be found in the search term logs, and some worthwhile questions. (In case you missed our previous editions: #1, #2, and #3.)
Question: “is it harder to be an lawyer or architect”
Answer: I’m going to throw this one to the audience. Please note that our audience consists almost entirely of lawyers (see posts here and here), and interpret the result accordingly.
Question: “byu chemistry tutors”
Answer: True story: I met my husband when the Institute director recommended him to me as a calculus tutor. Good luck, dear reader!
Question: “how often does cynthia l look at traffic statistics”
Answer: Haha, very funny.
Question: “when you’re frustrated with motherhood”
Answer: Mostly each morning at 8:15, when we have to be out the door or they’ll be late for school. Thanks for asking.
Question: “what kung fu panda character is thomas s. monson most like?”
Answer: Dear reader, This is truly a pressing issue for our time, and I’m glad you brought it to the fore. The turtle, Master Oogway, is in fact Thomas S. Monson.
Question: “top mormon christmas party themes”
Answer: Does a Christmas party really need a theme? Isn’t ‘Christmas’ the theme?
Question: “mormon friend not going to school on fridays in september”
Answer: Nope, there is no religion-related excuse for that. Your friend is probably just going boating or backpacking or something. Actually, there is a semi-religion-related reason for this–your friend has to be at church every Sunday, and so if he or she wants a 2-day weekend for said outdoor activities, it has to start on Friday.
Question: “what are the disadvantages of being a mormon”
Answer: The real question is, are there more disadvantages to being a lawyer, or an architect, or a Mormon? I’ll let the readers judge:
Question: “sopho-spagyric”
Answer: I thought this was a typo or something, but, turns out, it is a word, and BCC is your source for information on Sopho-Spagyric!
Question: “content not suitable for children”
Answer: I resent that BCC, out of the whole internet, is considered a good destination for this search. (Update: Kris W. actually has a great post about this topic)
Question: “what do you tell a faithful tithe payer who has lost employment”
Answer: I’m sorry. You’re not alone–both in terms of others like you who are suffering, and that we will be here to help you. Good luck.
Question: “is stapley the one both mighty and strong”
Answer: Indeed he is.
Question: “is it adultery if your spouse says its okay”
Answer: Dude.
By Common Consent, a Mormon Blog 
the search for the disadvantages of being mormon results in this post as the top search in Google.
It’s possible the Christmas party one was looking for this post:
https://bycommonconsent.com/2009/12/12/the-best-ward-christmas-party-ever/
[admin: thanks, added the link!]
“content not suitable for children”
The sad thing is that people not only searched for it but clicked on it too.
I think if I was searching for content that was not suitable for children, that I would use search terms more specific to the type of non-suitable content I was looking for.
My plans are almost complete.
Hey Ron, I actually wrote that post which among other things led to Eve’s great comment:
“Strangely, I’ve never encountered a single Ensign story or General Conference talk that mentioned having to explain prostitution to an eight-year-old as one of the outcomes of family scripture study.”
Sorry BCC, I actually do care an awful lot about content that is suitable for children :)
Seriously architect is winning for being harder? Its really not hard being an architect, well except for not getting paid very well for your trade. Everybody loves architects and everybody wanted to be an architect as a kid. You just can’t say the same thing about lawyers.
“everybody wanted to be an architect as a kid”
Oh, (wiping tears) I needed a good laugh this morning.
Don’t forget the wannabe lawyers who didn’t decide until they already had decent jobs AND a family to support that they wanted to go to law school so their wonderful wife said, “um, hell no you’re not quitting your job for three years to go to law school.” Or am I the only one?
I chose architects. “Never build a building ’till you’re fifty – what kind of life is that?”
Whoa Kris. Link please? I HAVE to read it now.
There’s no way Stapley is the one mighty and strong. No way. I’ve seen him. And I’m really interested in an honest answer to question… oh you didn’t number them. Can we have a little oversight here?
Wow, I missed John C’s Monson = Mogwai post back then, and it was really a gem.
I voted lawyer because they have to endure more mean jokes about them. When was the last time you heard an architect joke? And if you have an architect joke, please share it.
I just want to meet the guy who typed the last inquiry question.
J., quit asking that question. Steve or gst is the one both mighty and strong. I’ll let them fight it out with their man-purses.
Any job that has to deal with other people’s taste is hard enough.
Lawyers and Mormons can BS their way out of anything, Architects have to actually provide a sound and functional structure and make cohesive sense if their projects are going to become reality.
Stapley as the one mighty and strong FTW.
14 Ray
if only there was a “lecherous” font. I’d respond to you with I want to meet his wife.
disclaimer: I am happily married and I have no desire to meet anybody’s wife in that context. (or husband)
I said it is harder to be an architect because with an architect you have to actually have some skill and ability in your trade.
Lawyer: You screw up, somebody else goes to jail.
Architect: You screw up, potentially thousands of people die, you go to jail.
Mormon: You screw up, you go to second or third degree of glory (screw up big time, though . . . outer darkness).
Mike Brady was an architect and had 6 kids, the youngest one in curls. Can’t be that hard! He was sent on architecture trips with his kids to Hawaii. Definitely not a tough job….
As for lawyers, it depends on the type of lawyer. Do you mean trial lawyers, tax attorneys, bankruptcy lawyers, corporate lawyers, or Kevin Barney? Seems to me, they are all pretty easy, with the exception of being Kevin Barney. It is so difficult, there is only one of him.
Seems like they are both pretty easy, so a TIE.
Now, had you asked which one was most boring, treacherous, flattering, etc., THEN we could have distinguished them apart.
Cynthia L., I believe I blew the lid off the mormon spy disadvantage a few years ago: https://bycommonconsent.com/2006/03/12/does-being-a-mormon-help-or-hinder-your-career/
The other disadvantage is being too nice. I had a fan of Ole Miss tell me that a few weeks ago.
As Elder Oaks has taught, what we are is less important that what we are becoming. Therefore, the question should be, “What is harder to become? A Mormon, an Architect, or a Lawyer?”
In this case, the answer is clearly Mormon–while I’m sure that law school/bar exams and the drafting/engineering training required for lawyers and architects are burdensome, they simply do not stand up to the difficulty of enduring TWO FULL Sacrament meetings.
I never figured Stapley to be the owner of a Liahona.
I’m sorry Scott B #24. I just cannot believe your statement about the two full Sacrament Meetings. Unless, of course, the main speaker is from the high council. Then, you are definitely correct.
“Does a Christmas party really need a theme?”
There was an episode of the Avengers where John Steed and Emma Peel attend a Christmas party with a Dickens theme. Steed dresses as Sydney Carton, and Mrs. Peel as Oliver Twist. Some of the other guests were mind readers attacking Steed in his dreams, and in the end he shoots and kills Father Christmas. I’ve never been invited to a party like that, though.
I wanted to be an architect from 3rd grade to 8th grade. Besides, if it’s good enough for George Costanza…
I thought he was a marine biologist.
I thought he was a latex salesman.
Yes, for Vandelay Industries. Just don’t try to call them.
I always do an Easter Theme for my Christmas parties, because I believe remembering the resuscitation and atonement (literally at-one-ment) are more important than blah blah blah wise men, blah blah blah manger etc. What did Baby Jesus do that was so great? What did baby Jesus say that makes these mortal lives more particular and peculiar? He was just birthed, like you nad me. I wasn’t born in a manger, but I was born in the county hospital, which is no cake walk. I also celebrate Easter on my birthday.
#24 FTW
Thomas Parkin for perma!
Hear, hear!
I say all my prayers to Baby Jesus.
So the poll results are:
Architect > Lawyer
Mormon > Lawyer > Architect
So Mormon draws more votes from Architect than from Lawyer. Somebody mine this data for some deep latent meaning.
I love this series Cynthia. Hilarious.
Wrong! The answer is Ronan.
Little known fact: the M in Tracy M stands for McLaughlin.
Even littler known fact, the M in Tracy M stands for McNaughton.
Sorry, Tracy M, the answer is always 42.
If I had a nickel for every person who told me they at one time wanted to be an architect, I wouldn’t need to be an architect………
@Greg–I took a drafting class for one quarter in Jr. High. The teacher complimented my excellent neatness and how I figured out the pencil-twirling trick to make my lines nice and even thickness. All those compliments went to my head and and for a time I thought I wanted to be an architect.