The Ideal Man.

As I live in this city of complicated social interactions, many questions come to mind, especially about dealing with the opposite sex. It seems that there is whole agenda when it comes to finding the appropriate lover or potential partner. A secret list exists between the collective of Sydney’s female elite, which most men do not measure up to. You have to be intelligent, passionate, athletic, career-focused: and beyond all that you have to be wealthy.

So were does this leave the rest of us?

Well, some of us choose to live in isolation, amusing ourselves with the simple pleasures- video games, movies, music and a good group of friends of the masculine persuasion, with whom we find solace in sharing our burden about this untouchable species that we know as “Woman”. While this group has resigned itself to the fact that there may not be a perfect woman and are content in the bubble that they reside in, the other half keeps on getting back up with ever-broken hearts and another notch on the bedpost.

It’s hard to know what is the right combination of attributes needed to be the perfect man. Usually the first couple of weeks of courtship are the best, as they have only seen a glimpse into the person that you really are. But as the weeks roll on, the chapters unfold and suddenly they have seen too much. The way you gurgle your mouthwash, fold the corner of a page to mark your place or even the slightest mannerism can be the catalyst for the inevitable break up.

But as one book closes, another reopens with the prospect of a more fulfilling interaction. Maybe this is why we reminisce about our carefree youth. The relationships that we developed during university seemed more fulfilling, with the only agenda being to have fun, socialise and have endless hours of mindless sex, with no consideration for the person you are going to be. But as you hit the wall of the final year, people start changing, pairing off in different directions and suddenly you start planning for the future as you stop living your life one day at a time.

The dynamic of the workplace is another nail in the coffin, as most of us fresh from the academic hub bring the principles we have lived by into the real world. Its one thing sleeping with a fellow student, but getting involved with a work colleague can be the end of a career before it’s even begun. However as lessons are to learnt, we slowly navigate our way through the labyrinth of social etiquette with every encounter, interactions and relationship building for the foundation of the person you eventually become.

At the end of the day we hope that all the stale relationships, awkward interaction and embarrassing encounters contribute to this so-called perfect man...