Meet the IF - Dominik Schiener
[Interview by Mart]
Tangleverse Times: You said that you once hacked your way to the number one spot of the Call of Duty leaderboard, what other games did you enjoy playing or still play?
Dominik Schiener: I was a huge fan of The Last of Us (Part 1). The story and the gameplay was just simply so captivating and beautiful. Not gonna deny that I got a little emotional when the game ended. I guess all of us enjoy escaping into a post-apocalyptic survival game (at least sometimes haha). Since then, I’ve been trying to recreate those emotions and memories from playing video games in the past, but it’s sadly simply not the same anymore. Whenever I pick up a new game, I become too impatient after 5 minutes and simply can’t invest into the story as it either feels like I’m wasting my time or don’t get excited enough to continue. I can’t wait to play some of the GameFi projects on Shimmer though.
TvT: It’s a pretty well-known fact that you love the mountains and hiking. What are some other destinations you love? Anywhere you haven’t been yet, but really need to go to? (Subtle Costa Rica nudge here, amazing country!)
DS: I very much like Mallorca, as it has a great combination of tranquility, amazing weather, hiking and the ocean and beaches which I miss in Südtirol. One of my most favorite countries is Japan, and I hope I will be able to spend more time there in the future (just the timezone sucks for work). I very much enjoy being in Abu Dhabi and will spend at least part time there moving forward (especially in the winters where it’s warm there). I haven’t been to any of the amazing beach / ocean destinations like the Maldives, Seychelles, Costa Rica (like you recommended) or anywhere in Africa. Will need to check it out in the future!
TvT: What would you say is the funniest story you've experienced on your IOTA business travels?
DS: Probably one of the funniest experiences (in hindsight) was in 2018 when I had to present at an IOTA Meetup with a hickey on my neck and one of the community members in the audience asked me with a big smile if I was “healthy” haha. It’s still on YouTube somewhere if you want to find it.
TvT: Do you see this? Spec sees everything, Spec never forgets! How do you intend to defend yourself against the “No alcohol until ATH thing? :P
DS: Hahaha I love having fun with the community, and I think we all troll each other a lot. Why take yourself so seriously anyways? I did actually stop drinking more than 6 months ago now, and it was one of the best decisions I’ve made. I can highly recommend others to try it out as well. All these positive habits will compound and will make us more disciplined and capable of taking on even bigger challenges. Which is why I’ve been trying to really change a lot about my lifestyle in the past 2 years.
TvT: What is your opinion about the age-old question of “Nutella with or without butter”?
DS: Honestly, it tastes a lot better with butter.
TvT: How is your vegetarian diet going? Was it easy from the get-go, or is there something that you miss?
DS: I was already mostly vegetarian for the last year. The main reason why I switched completely was obviously because of the ethical reasons and the impact it has on the climate. I do want to mention that I’m not a food maximalist and that I do eat fish sometimes, but I completely abstain from any red meats.
TvT: Let’s share some nice recipes! What’s your favorite vegetarian (or vegan) meal? In the best case, something you already cooked by yourself.
DS: The simplest recipes are the best. The credit to this one goes to my lovely partner Ayelet :P Greek yogurt, with honey, berries, nuts (almond, cashew, and walnuts) and honey on top.
TvT: You used to share some music and playlists in Discord. What have you been listening to recently? Anything you can’t get out of your mind?
DS: I honestly don’t listen to too much music anymore as it can be quite distracting when thinking about complex topics. I usually prefer podcasts now.
One of my most favorite songs lately is Aguas De Marco by Elis Regina: https://open.spotify.com/track/33k6iSq1SIVBOaXE898Jv1?si=GT--lhx2ToGXofOWqKAgXA
TvT: You like to meditate and do Yoga, have you tried ASMR yet? There’s quite a variety of styles, which might be a nice addition for a delayed flight or a longer trip in general. (Spoiler: You might experience it if somebody whispers “Shimmer” slowly in your ear!)
DS: Hahaha I have no idea about ASMR and need to check it out. I actually listen to white noise / brown noise to help my focus.
TvT: Can you tell us more about this cutie? How old is (s)he ? What funny or cute quirks does (s)he have?
DS: That’s Jedi, he’s 10 years old. He’s such an amazing dog with a very unique character. You can think about him as being opinionated (and egoistic) like a cat, but being very empathetic and needing lots of love. He loves hiking in Südtirol and he actually has a new brother now called Bowie hahah (here they are fighting / hugging lol).
