Sunday, July 13, 2008

ARCHITECTS ‘ARE SEXIEST’

Architects have been voted the sexiest male professionals, in a survey of women’s ideal partners.

The survey, conducted by introduction agency Drawing Down the Moon, found that women favoured architects “due to the esteem associated with the profession”.

Architects are seen as being “balanced and rounded individuals who combine a creative approach with a caring, thoughtful disposition,” the survey found. It concluded: “Their ability to cope with pressure of work in a relaxed manner was also deemed to be a significant plus.”

Male architects beat stockbrokers, doctors, film directors and teachers to the top spot.
However, female members of the profession fared less well and did not feature in the top 10 of male preferences.

RIBA president David Rock commented that architects were probably unaware of their own animal magnetism: “Architects are probably the only group on the list whose self-image is lower than their public image,” he said, but added: “Mind you, you have to question the veracity of any list that includes drama teachers.”

RIBA Architecture Gallery director Alicia Pivaro, who is married to architect Paul Monaghan, said the thought male architects were highly attractive: “Being married to architecture’s Mr Sexy, I would have to agree.”

But she was surprised at the failure of women architects to appear on the list. “All the ones I know are very sexy,” she said.

Men instead voted PR executives the sexiest profession for females, followed by actresses and journalists.

jOhn thought at 11:43 PM

Epiphany

I used to be someone who would talk a lot, always have an opinion about something, and not be afraid to voice it as if it were law.

But now as I grow a little older towards the roaring 20’s (though it’s not very old at all), I find that there are always two sides to a coin, and that morality is in fact a very grey topic. Instead of trying to say my piece, I’ve taken to fading into the background, listening and observing. I’ve turned into a gatherer, always collecting ideas and others’ opinions, and rarely voicing out my own.

I’ve started to look with disdain at middle-aged men who think they’re ‘strong’ and ‘knowledgeable’ when they lead a conversation with their own intellect, and debate as if their life depended on that weak streak of self-delusion. True, the world is led by strong-willed men who believe in what they do, but I find foolishness in their glory. I look with disdain at all the well-groomed men with thickly-gelled hair and tight business shirts running around the Tanjong Pagar, at all the slick sales executives of suppliers who come into my office to give sales presentations. What a sad life, to do a job trying to sell someone else’s products. No wonder you squander time and money at pubs and “girls’ night out” sessions and shopping trips, trying to ‘let loose’ after work. Can’t you let loose during work and go home to a night of peace? Is your job so sad that you can’t?

I admire the creative class of people, whose lives are filled with items of their own design. I feel that a person is not made whole unless he has brought something of his own art into the world (notice I said ‘art’), and the creative class (graphic artists, fashion designers, sculptors, painters, product designers... and most of all, architects). I find art to be an imitation of God’s work itself, because art arises out of nothing; no precedents, no purpose. It exists only because it’s creator wants it to, not because other people need it. This is beauty epitomised, and only students of design have this ability to do this in their everyday working lives.

I admire people who lead balanced lives, who take care of all aspects. I also admire people who border on the insane, who are creative at heart and would suddenly do something crazy that would pleasantly scare and surprise you. For example, when my bosses ranted about how much they hated this Chinese artist, they printed the ugliest photo of him they could find and made it into a sling bag.

In this search for a perfect life, I always try to find a few truths that seem to hold true regardless. A 90 year-old dying man, a distant relative with an illustrious and well-led life, taught his son, ‘If all you have if something negative, don’t voice it out in public. If you want to criticise someone, do it face to face with that person. Only speak in public if you have good things to say.” What about my own ‘truths’? Let’s start with these familiar nuggets:

-Believe you can do anything... because mostly, you can. You just don’t know it yet.
-Don’t squander money and time on the transient.
-Lead a balanced life.
-Always be cautious.
-Be passionate about things that are worth your passion.

Architects are required to see things from all angles, to pre-empt and solve problems even before they occur, and this ‘job requirement’ has moulded me into someone who voraciously sucks in every idea and morsel of information that he chances upon, telling myself that someday I will ‘process’ it and form an opinion out of it, but so far that day hasn’t come.

Reading a book called ‘100 Inspiring Rafflesians’, I find the the people most likely to succeed in life are people with passion. In their school days, they would participate in activities and not be afraid to discuss issues beyond their age, such as politics and religion. They do not treasure slacking, and have the energy and drive to accomplish something noteworthy in life. They did something useful with their days of youth... Which leads me to note, if you enjoy yourself now, be prepared to suffer for it years later.

And so as to not make this whole article an oxymoron in itself, well. Well.

Anyway, if you knew you’d die in a week’s time, what would you be doing right now? If you're 20 years old, can you still smile and say 'it was a life well lived'?

jOhn thought at 11:42 PM