Interviews

CVs are redundant here. Interviewers want to see your CV in THEIR FORMS. You walk into a job interview only to be welcomed by a 5-page form. They want to know your I.C number, age, gender, religion, race, your parents' name and occupation. Do you have a car? What type? Is your spouse working?

Today, there was even an IQ test. Yes this is exactly how they put it - "IQ" test. Not just any test, IQ. Haha. Tell me that is not absurd.

I wonder what employers look for in an architect. First of all you need to be able to reproduce long and repetitive information. Then you have to be either very young and sexy if you are a girl, or old and snobby if you are a guy. You better be religious. It will be a plus if you are of a superior race, and if your parents are somehow related to a minister. And you better remember the answers for the IQ questions you have done all of your life.

Some companies think it should be your privillage to work for them, and "their name says it all". Sorry but this really doesn't work for architecture. This is a creative industry that needs a constant spark. The name says very little.

Very few interviewers, either directors or associates, are enthusiastic about what they do. I looked at them and thought "I really don't want to be you in 5 or 10 years." On the other hand, I adore the passionate ones.

I am grateful for the interviews. All are inspiring and educational, one way or another. I think I am more certain about what I want now.

没事的

只因我们是他人生命中的过客, 我们太常忽略, 我们也在他人生活中留痕.

今天妈妈说了一个我觉得值得记下来的故事.

多年前的初中统考考场. 考生们的压力, 在寂静的考场, 从考生们分秒必争的笔触和急促的心跳听得出来. 考试结束, 考生们要用棉线将考卷系在一起才交上. 一名考生因紧张而双手不停颤抖, 怎么努力, 都无法将柔软的棉线穿过考卷上的小洞. 眼看其他考生纷纷交卷, 这名考生的手, 抖得更凶.

"没事的, 我来帮你." 监考老师安抚了他的情绪, 也替他系好考卷. 为了避免偏袒作弊的行为, 监考老师都是从其他学校调过来的, 师生彼此并不认识, 因此事后监考老师也把这件事忘了.

反而是这名学生, 一直把这份情, 收得好好的. 这位监考老师, 是我妈妈, 这名考生, 多年后在我妈妈的学校执教, 并把这件事重述. "我一直都很想跟您说谢谢!"

每一个平凡的过客, 在另一个人的生命, 都可能举足轻重. 我们多少次因为事情的微不足道, 或不想多管闲事, 而低估了自己随时行善的重要性? "不以善小而不为". 我虽然一直知道, 但现在才懂.

Venice Bienalle 2008

Same old Gehry

Same old Hadid (NOT THAT CHIC, the design)

Happy Birthday to me

Today, I turn 26. I was going to say 21, but then I realized I don't mind being 26. Not anymore. Actually, now that I think about it, I don't mind being 30 either. Or 40.

Nowadays, we fear getting older, younger. I remember being so envious of 21y.o. girls when I was 23. I almost fainted when I first discovered neck wrinkles at 23. the Thanks to the "fear-of-age" marketting, we salute youth. Age seems to be merely something we have to resist and triumph over. Thus the multi billion business of anti-ageing products.

The good thing about being an architect, is that a 40y.o. architect is a "young architect". It doesn't matter if I am becoming an old woman. I am becoming a young architect. How cool is that.