LSB and I are bookish types. We met in a library, not on a sports field. While he gallops through the classics, I canter along beside him, skimming paragraphs to keep up. Altogether we’re contented.
But ever since our arrival in Vienna, we’ve been committed to a course of self-improvement. When we’re not saving ladybirds or relaxing in the museum quarter, we’re exchanging skills. I’m teaching him German (his progress is remarkable) and he’s introducing me to chess. I now know my rook from my knight and he can distinguish between the genitive and the accusative case.
LSB in a coffee shop off Mariahilfestrasse, where he began teaching me chess
It’s all well and good to study a new language and familiarise yourself with chess; for bookish types like us, both activities qualify as recreational. To really test our commitment to self-improvement, we need to tread outside our comfort zone.
Conversation turned to that very theme last week, while we were walking down Mariahilfestrasse.
“Let’s buy a frisbee,” said LSB.
How could I resist?
We went into a sports shop. I saw some kids trying out the treadmills so I did the same. A shop assistant came over to reprimand the children, accusing them of breaking the machines. Then she came to me wearing a large smile and asked if she could be of help. I said I was just “looking” and ran away as fast as I could.
Eventually we found the section we were looking for. In between snorkels and body boards, we found some large plastic discs.
“There we are,” I said. “How much is that?”
LSB picked it up and gasped.
“20 euro! Forget about it.”
“Sure we could use a paper plate for free!”
We continued down Mariahilfestrasse.
We passed a stamp shop, a furniture store and a hat shop.
Finally we found a toy store.
We found some frisbees inside a basket of Barbie beach balls.
LSB pulled some out.
“Grey or green?”
“What a toughie! Go grey.”
He did. We bounced to the till and paid €2.49.
Since then, LSB and I have discovered talents we never knew we had.
We may have started out unable to toss the bloody disc in any direction at all, and we have certainly hit a good number of beautiful Viennese park-dwellers, who thought they were out for a relaxing afternoon in the park, but you should see the beautiful arcs in the air that we can now achieve.
While I’m content to continue shooting long backhands, which I have mastered, LSB is keen to make swift improvements. In recent days, he has become intent on mastering the forehand. Unfortunately up to now, all attempts in that direction have landed far off target. I swear he’s doing it to make me run.
A few minutes ago, I looked up at LSB, who is sitting at the window with his laptop, looking over the Danube. A strange sound was coming from his computer. It sounded like a chorus of sea gulls.
“What are you doing?” I asked LSB, who is supposed to be preparing for his future life in Edinburgh.
“Just watching an Ultimate Frisbee Game,” he said.
The sun is beginning to set, casting a beautiful orange glow over the water. There’s just enough light left for a quick game.
Update: We played frisbee in the dark outside the national library.
Also, as regular readers may have noticed, I have a new picture as my header. If you become a fan of Katekatharina on Facebook, you can see the complete album of the photo shoot, which I’ll be posting tonight.
Kate Ferguson 
great stuff!
I’d love to visit Vienna, although frisbie wouldn’t have been my first thought. I’m very nostalgic right now, I once had an Irish girlfriend who went to uni in Edinburgh, and we travelled in Europe before she moved up there, and I remember sitting in a pension in Bilbao at the concertina French doors watching her….thinking change’s a’coming. Except that story ended differently to how yours will end. I love your new header, very sunny.
I have some bad news for you though. The British Isles have been cursed by the big man himself to a year of rain….so buy an umbrella on your way over.
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Aw, you put that very beautifully. I felt a shiver of loneliness thinking about those French doors. Unfortunately I’m not going to Edinburgh with him 😦 so I have a lot of sweet-sad moments here too because it’s so lovely and I don’t want it to end. Will tell him to pack a “brolly” though! Also, sorry I’ve been out of touch recently, everything’s changing and all my old routines are breaking apart! Will catch up on your posts soon though. Hope you’re well.
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Did you have that last game of frisbee or was that a figure of speech?
When I read Edinburgh on the last paragraph, I did think you were headed there! What’s your next steps?
Sorry with the spout of questions – interestingly I have been looking at self-improvement these days and trying to set up new goals for myself as well. It’s the stepping out of the comfort zone and learning new things each day – that’s exciting – I think you know what I mean. Especially when I read your posts about discovery, I feel a sense of excitement bubbling and was trying to rejuvenate that for myself as well. Keep it up!
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We really did! I’ve added a picture of it 🙂
Good for you, being ready to try new things! What kind of new things are you interested in trying out?
I got a very last minute job offer at Deutsche Welle, so just a few shifts to start off starting in September and we’ll see from there! I’m very sad that LSB and I will be apart, but I think it’s just the way things are. Hopefully we’ll end up in the same city a year from now. That’s our plan. Thanks as always for your encouragement 🙂
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I saw the picture though it is a little dark:p
Congratulations! I am really happy for you 🙂 Things are working well so far! As long as there is a shared future goal together, that’s what will join both of you. As long as you believe both of you will end up together, it WILL happen!
I am trying to do more writing, as you can see from the plethora of posts recently – but more of interesting perspectives; swimming – more of therapeutic; german speaking – trying to pick it up properly again as in speak well; and more nerdy stuff : analytics -> all about data insights. Not all are exactly new but it’s more of spending more time on them and polishing them up. Jack of all trades but master of none; I am targeting to move myself up to the next level and from there, I will try to realise my ultimate goals. And the first step is to start doing 5 things everyday that will move me towards my goal – so far, I have been only doing 1 – albeit slow but I will try to move it up to two if possible.
Do you do five things everyday that move you towards your goal?
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