Introducing Phil
May I Introduce Myself? My name is Philipp Aschauer, a 19-year-old Austrian who is just about to be a student in Vienna in fall 2008. Until I hit off my studies (what branch is yet to be decided), I’m passing my community service as an ambulance man in Krems. I live in a lovely small town called Dross in Lower Austria. However there seems to be something dictating me to discover the world, aka the compulsory globe-trotting Columbus syndrome. In my sparetime, I tend to hang with friends; whether it is in clubs or pubs, a coffee meet up or a BBQ fest on a hot summer evening at my place (I’m a barbequetionist). Outdoor activities, yay - indoor nay.
Austria - Australia, you mean? When people hear Austria they either associate a country either packed with snow-capped mountain tops (clichés of the Sound of Music) or populated by hopping kangaroos (continential disorientation). Both associations are equally likely to happen, however, neither of this is true in the causa PHA, since I live in Lower Austria, a province that lacks gorgeously high mountains. During winter, however, we get some snow that basically means major nuisance when driving a car. Summer is my favorite season where it gets quite warm and allows more activities.
Sport aka Physical Recreation I don’t consider myself as very sportsy, but I do like some social activities that include physical exertion. Snowboarding or playing volleyball with friends is just awesome. I recently started running by myself. My iPod provides me with music and kind of made me realize that running isn’t that bad after all. I’ve tried surfing (and would do it again, if Austria had a freaking ocean!), which made me a Californian Surfer dude for a day. That was like totally awesome. Like seriously, dude.
Addictions As I said above: I like going out, hanging in Cafés (Ulrich or Cafe Wachau) having a chat with friends. I am an semi-officially registered coffee-oholic (My Starbucks name is Francis, by the way). In general I don’t think that quitting is a solution. I don’t smoke (only passively - ban public smoking in Austria).
United States Affection Since I spent two summers in the States - CA to be precise - I kind of developed a sense of fondness to this beautiful and diverse place and its people. I just adore the way people are laid back and open. I love California’s beaches, I love the cities (San Francisco, Santa Cruz, Santa Barbara among my faves).
IF, which is a big if (therefore capitalized) I could just choose a place to live - without the fuss of moving and immigration, of course - I’d pick the San (May I call it Frisco? Don’t call it Frisco.) Francisco or Santa Cruz. The ocean, the people and the Californian Way continuously pull me across the big pond like a magnet. Just like my Austrian companion Arnold, I told them with a deep voice “I’ll be back!” when waving Good Bye . On my agenda for further US related traveling: New York City, Seattle, Miami and a Canadian town Vancouver and Toronto.
Go Europe Europe is THE place to travel and thanks to school trips I’ve seen a bunch of places. I have been to Greece (in 2005), Rome (in 2006), Scotland (in 2007). In future I want to visit places like Paris, London, Prague, Budapest and many more.
Want to know more about traveling and how to escape your everyday life. Read my German series on Going Abroad as a foreign exchange student (as they call it).
Taste In TV & Movies Or The Lack Of It My taste in movies and TV series is weird: A long time I have been into comedies only. Meet The Fockers is still on my #1 list of fun movies and I know the scripts by heart. I kind of dig Ben Stiller and his role of the ever so clumsy loser (Note: a quality that is not reflected by me).
My favorite movies apart from Meet The Fockers are Lucky Number Slevin (Lucy Lui!), Crash, Everything is Illuminated and The Bucket List. Plus, I am into the music-overloaded Hairspray or Sweeny Todd. Now that’s what I call contrast. Old school movies like Space Ball, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and Dirty Dancing are classy. Kinky Boots I’d file under funny and awkward. Plus, I confess, I like Star Wars and dream of a weekend of non-stop Star Wars marathons. Matrix would be fine with me, too. Geeky, I know.
If possible I watch American TV shows in English (for educational and entertainment factors only). Here’s a list of shows that I follow religiously: Desperate Housewives, The OC (It gets annoying after the second rerun marathon), Monk (Me monkish? Nahh.), ’til Death, Grey’s Anatomy, The Big Bang Theory, Heroes, Weeds (Personally, I don’t cuss, no, not at all), Nip/Tuck (all seasons on DVD).
Music Is My Hot Hot … Just like my taste in movies, the bands I dig may appear random (Thus don’t panic if my iPod comes up with a Tina Turner song). I can’t honestly say that I despise one single genre (except for useless Techno Krocha crap). My favorites are Modest Mouse, the Fratellis, the Killers, Nada Surf, the Editors, the Faint, the Stars, Tegan and Sarah, the Postal Service, the Eels, Spoon, Bloc Party, Rooney, the Hoosiers, the Distillers, Queen (classy!), M.I.A., Róisín Murphy, Scott Matthew, the Futureheads, Madonna, the Rakes, the New Pornographers, Coldplay, Architecture In Helsinki, the Beach Boys (classy!), Beck, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Youth Group, The 88, the Subways, Red Hot Chilly Peppers, Corey Hart, Fantastischen Vier (German), Fettes Brot (German), MGMT, Scissors Sisters, Keane, Regina Spector, the Verve, Placebo, Phantom Planet, die Ärzte (German), Tina Turner and last but not least U2.
If I don’t have my own play lists run up and down, then I tuned in to any kind of FM4 radio show, like The Morning Show that helps me out of bed and FM4 Update (with Riem) to get started. Oh FM4,…
Occasional Bookworm Reading books does take in most of my weekend spare time on a infrequent basis. During the week I just can’t open a book without immediate distraction anyway. Since I tend to read them in their original language (preferably English), all it takes is concentration and time. Here some books that I’d rate as a very good read: The Kite Runner, Everything is Illuminated, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, High Fidelity, Apex Hides The Hurt, The Deception Point, Digital Fortress, The Da Vinci Code (A loyal Dan Brown fan), The Terrorist, Never Let Me Go, Im Schatten des Windes, die Schachnovelle, Narziss und Goldmund, …
Eve Couldn’t Resist Either Once you get to know me, you’ll soon realize that I am kind of into Apple products. I do not obsess over Apple products (do I?), but I have to admit that I dig iPods, Macs and all the other gadgets that you can purchase with the “bitten apple.” Since mid November ‘07 I’m the proud owner of a Macbook 13″ (2.2 Ghz, Core 2 Duo) - check my review. When I’m not on the go, I prefer a bigger screen, say my 20″ Cinema Display.
More about my life? Read a collection of questions my liebe reader are posting? Ask yours, too!
Questions in regards of my blog? Look if I can answer them in this extra Tech Specs page dealing with software, header images, plugins and tips.
Trivia
- I adore fountains (Vaillancourt Fountain at Justin Herman Plaza, SF — Bellagio Hotel Fountains, LV — Rome’s fountains)
- Yet Another Embarcadero Fan
- I use this excuse on a regular basis: I can’t, I have invisalign.
- When I was young, Pluto was considered as a planet. Size does matter.
- I shared an awkward moment with the Pink Umbrella Man in Santa Cruz.
- I Will Go Out of My Way To Step On a Leaf That Looks Particularly Crunchy
- I am not some Indian food… I have to disappoint you, you are way wrong for a recipe…
- I was introduced to the real meaning of Shotgun in my late teens. I therefore need to catch up.
- Bloggers Are The Better Lovers.
- I took the red pill. Matrix reference.
- No computers were harmed in the maintaining of this blog.
- There is more to Vienna than a Wiener snitzel.
