Work / University

Propädeutikum Recap

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In the last days, we had 2 units Maths, 2 units Algorithm Introduction, 2 units General Introductions and 2 units of Introduction into Programming. Each has a “?” in its title, to show that the units should prepare us to what is coming forth during the next weeks and months. Whew.

Yesterday, I not only bought the script for the Maths units (again, the whole thing is NOT compulsory!), but also had a look into the exercises given. As the Propädeutikum was shortened by 50 % from last year to now, the script contains more information than the actual lectures. And that’s good. Because if the script contained only what the professor told us so far and will tell us during the next days, there would be a lot I would have to search for in my Maths stuff from school. And those documents are well hidden in some dark corner of my cellar back home in Tirol, if they still exist.

I will have to repeat Maths. A lot.

That’s one thing I learned during those days. Another thing: professors are at least as geeky and nerdy as their students. During these introductionary lessons, there’s been a lot of jokes on viral videos (double rainbow!), BBT, Futurama and the even The Hitchhiker’s Guide.

I like these people.

Other

Eierlegende Wollmilchsau

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This is one point where the english language is short a word compared to German. “Eierlegende Wollmilchsau” is fantasy animal that is able to produce eggs, wool, milk and ham. The english translation for it is “swiss army knife”. It’s a bit poor, in my opinion.

But that’s not what I wanted to say.

What I wanted to say is that there is a solution to my agonising problem that came up some time ago!

It is the Kindle 3G.

Able to read eBooks (newspapers, books), to download them directly from the store via WiFi or (free!) 3G, and even able to work with PDF files.

Wait a minute, you might say. PDF files?

Yes! Although they look horrible when used in original format, there is a way to convert them: simply email them to a certain amazon mail address, put “convert” in the subject, and then wait some minutes. And there it comes! Converted, so you can zoom in and out, make your notes, and so on and so on.

Great. I’ll get me one as soon as I get all the money from my old company. And I am SO looking forward to the first book to be downloaded and read in pretty much one go …

Other

Couchburg @ Augsburg

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One might get the impression that there is some Couchsurfing Invasion every weekend.

And this is right!

Some Couchsurfers literally spend their summers traveling from one big meeting to the next. Some do work in between, some just take as much days off as possible and have one huge summer holiday surfin’ through the world.

As we met some of the organizers at the Sounds of Salzburg, Georg and I decided to give it a try and go for Augsburg. We already know some people who live there, but have never been to the city.

The event will take place from September 30 to October 2nd, so just before my life as a student really starts. Georg will hitch hike there, starting in the morning. As I will have to attend some information event at the University already, I will leave at 4 pm. Hopefully, I will arrive before midnight 😉

Work / University

Propädeutikum

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It took me some time to pronounce this right, and also to remember the name of it. A nicer, shorter and better-to-understand name for it is “Prolog”.

This is what will occoupy me throughout the first week at University. It is kind of mandatory for all students who start studying information technology at UT Vienna, so I will have to go, too.

Most of the programme sounds interesting or at least good-to-know, like explaining the level of mathematics they want to work with or build on; also, first steps of programming and the introduction to algorithms sound interesting. The only question is: at what level will they start – in programming, but especially in maths? Programming we ought to start at the beginning, as many people did not attend special technical schools before. But for maths, there should be “Maturaniveau” – but I never took A-levels in maths.

I am getting nervous.

Other

Very nice.

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I just handed in my application forms for the Selbsterhalterstipendium (the grant I hope to receive as I have worked full-time during the last 4.5 years). The people at the agency are very nice and helped me complete the forms where I was not sure what to fill in. Also, I can ask to receive a subvention for the public transport annual ticket, they just need a copy of it. As I forgot to mentio that when I was there, I called to ask if they needed to see the original, but the lady on the phone said that a copy of the ticket with my name on it was enough. And as my parents are living in Tirol, I might even receive a subvention for visiting them – called “Heimfahrtkostenzuschuss”.

Austria’s just great 🙂

So let’s wait and see. Should not take too long, according to the clerk who took the forms over from me.

Work / University

Farewell

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The last 16 months have been great. In private, but also in working life. The team at the Software Company is way more a team than I have experienced before. There is more chatting, more fun, more laughter, and more “let’s do something after work”. I’ve watched a soccer game with my boss and the graphics designer during the World Cup last year, we’ve had some glasses of wine after work either for birthdays or just because we could, we’ve had a great skiing weekend together, and so on and so on.

The only way to end this, of course, is with another get2gether. On Thursday, I will bring some wine, Severin said he’d bring Strudel, and then we will have some drinks on my becoming a student and Tanja being a new part of the team.

That’s the spirit.

Family, GeoCaching

Short visit

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My brother came to visit a friend in Vienna on Saturday and Sunday. As his friend had lame plans for Saturday (shopping and going to a museum – with the great weather we had!), he agreed on going to Lainzer Tiergarten with me and some couchsurfers.

The plan – which I had not told him fully – was to hike through half of the park, and then have lunch at Hirschgstemm restaurant. This would have taken about 5 hours, but Chris did not want to hike for that long, so we decided to cut it short and took a left back to the entrance where the others took a right. This way, we only walked for about 2.5 hours, but still had the chance to go for 2 geocaches I already knew.

Back at Georg’s place, who did not join because he had hurt his foot the night before, we changed and then went for lunch all together. Afterwards, Georg went home again and we continued to search for some geocaches. As I already found pretty every traditional geocache around Mariahilfer Strasse, we did not have much need of Chris’ new GPS.

Within another 2 hours, we had followed Mariahilfer Strasse until MQ, went on to Heldenplatz, from there to Rathaus and, following the Ring southwards, back to Museumsquartier. Besides of showing him all the geocaches I know in that area, I also had the chance of giving Chris a short sight seeing tour which he very much liked (at least he told me so). For Saturday evening he already had plans with his friends, so we parted in late afternoon.

Hopefully he will have lots of time to visit again during Winter, so we can do some more walks like this and also visit some museums together 🙂

Other

The Agony!!

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Some 2 weeks have already passed since I finished “A Feast for Crows”, part 4 of the “A Song of Ice and Fire” series. And ever since, I am waiting for the message from Amazon relieving me from not knowing how all the stories will go on, and how some of them might end.

Today, I – once more – took a look at the listings on amazon. And there, it is totally unbelievable, it said: planned for July 2nd, 2012!!

I’m afraid I’ll have to borrow a hardback.

Other

Motivational

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The last days are the hardest.

Today I discovered a way to get through. It all started out with “Killer Queen” (by Queen) coming up in my head again and again. To be done with it, I searched for the video on youtube, and after watching saw that there was a live version, too. So I clicked that one, too. It’s better by far, in my opinion.

But after watching the Rock Montreal version, I saw there is the whole freaking concert to be watched on youtube. Well, of course I’m at work, so I’m only listening, but YES, it’s greatly motivational right now 🙂

Click and enjoy. 23 songs, recorded live at Montreal in 1981.

Work / University

Six.

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That’s it. Six working days to go: Friday, and then one more week. And then I’m off. Off to University!

I promised to keep you updated about my successor … so here’s the promised update!

Tanja is a nice, young girl. A bit shy and not too self-confident, as this is her first real job. She’s clever and attentive, so I think she will also soon improve her technical understanding and skills. My impression upon first sight was – and I am really ashamed for that – full of prejudice: Tanja is a pretty girly girl, with fake fingernails, colored hair, her total style and appearance very different from mine. I did not think she could make it. But after working together during the last 2 weeks, I think she for sure has the potential to get this job done!