Rant aka forget the nice pill, I need a bottle of vodka

Apparently Omega 3 isn't the nice pill I needed. I tried that this morning and grumbled my way through several baskets of filing while musing about the interesting shift in ideology where creativity is concerned, one I'm sure all artists experience.
It's not an easy field to choose because the greater population seems to take creativity for granted.
Some examples:
1) I worked for a photographer who went to kids' ball games and took action shots of the teams and sold the images to their parents. It wasn't that he went out with a $10 camera and took snapshots, these were clear, high-res images. How many times did a parent ask for the proof or buy the smallest/cheapest picture and tell him they'd just make copies of it at home, never once stopping to consider they just told him they blatantly practiced copyright infringement.

2) Speaking of copyright, 7 out of 10 visitors to my booths at craft shows will either scrutinize my work until they leave the area telling their friend they figured out how to make it or will forthright ask me how I've made something. I don't mind sharing information, but you know, I'm not walking into your workplace and asking for a handout, so please don't expect the same from me.
3) I have done some graphics work for both companies I work for. Let's take a moment to consider my background: I've got a lengthy resume of shows, a fair amount of awards under my belt, and spent more than the average bear on school and training. Someone in a professional field, say a trained anything with some experience, would make twice my secretarial salary. Granted, my creative services have amounted to about 10% of the last 2 years as a secretary, but my billable hours as a Graphic Designer, Illustrator, In-House Artist are apparently indiscernible from my secretary wages. . . because I am presumably using talent versus a learned, professional skill.
Is that a difference?
Talent, like any skill, must be honed and refined. There is certainly a great amount of learned skill to translate an idea into a Photoshop document of a logo. Who in their right mind thinks they're doing me a favor asking me to do creative services for them at half price, much less why would they think that when they'd laugh at me if I asked the same!?!
That's not to say I don't appreciate a good trade [my work for your work] or a reasonable offer [hey, I'm super poor right now, but I love your work, can we work out a payment plan?] but in my experience those moments are few and far between.

So, what are your experiences? What is your philosophy and approach? Am I just resentful because I've just finished an exciting project and I feel great about all aspects of it? Maybe my head's a little swollen. . .

But I am thinking about cutting back to part time work. . . Michelle give me strength!