The outside hitter

Like most sports, volleyball has developed its own jargon. There are for example different terms describing how the ball is served: underhand, topspin, jump serve or float. Attacking techniques have funny names such as 'dip/dink/tip/cheat/dump', 'tool/wipe/block-abuse' or 'line and cross-court shot'.
It does not get much easier when it comes to player specialisation.  There are setters, liberos and various types of hitters such as middle hitters, outside hitters and opposite hitters. The outside hitter is considered the most important attacker who gets the most sets from his/her teammates in order to drive the ball over into the opponent's court.

Daria Schoser plays the position of outside hitter ('Diagonal') in the volleyball team of TVA Hürth. She joined the club in 2017 after having played previously for teams in Cologne and Münster. While Daria at first obtained a place in the team as maternity replacement her team mates have now quickly considered her irreplaceable. According to the team's website, they appreciate Daria's powerful attacks as much as her cheerful nature both during and after the matches.

Stiletto and a Suitcase

We are sending a big aloha, hola, bonjour and hello over to fellow blogger Michelle Schoser. Recently, Michelle has started the blog Stilettos & a Suitcase combining her professional passion for makeup and her private love for traveling. See below what it is all about. Keep it up Michelle!

Makeup Artist By Day, Travel Writer By Night!

After 10 years as a successful Freelance Makeup Artist and a goal oriented leader building businesses and teams with MAC Cosmetics, in 2008, Stilettos And A Suitcase was created as a hybrid concept extension of both my passion for Makeup and my love of writing about Travel experiences. Traveling for both work, adventure and pleasure has been something that I truly enjoy and want to share as much as I can with others.  Artistry in general has fueled my inner being and having the ability to do it by making others feel beautiful to build that outer confidence as a Makeup Artist is the best part of my job!  As a frequent business traveler in the Cosmetics Industry and veteran Makeup Artist, there is a constant hustle and bustle of getting from a variety of travel destinations, helping people look their best and having your own style on point while you are on the go.  After 20 years of professional makeup artistry experience ranging from celebrities to bridal clients and 10 years as a Travel Writer, I do believe in working hard and having fun both personally and professionally. The world is a big place, so why not see it doing something you love!

Stilettos And A Suitcase is not only a place to book your Makeup Artistry and Stylist needs, it is a place for the latest information on travel, food, drinks, culture, fashion and beauty.  Please click the contact page for any questions or use our chat function to have your Makeup and Travel needs met!

With Love,
Michelle xo

The brass-band players

Schosers in Burladingen have already previously attracted our attention as having 'rhythm in their blood'. As reported back in 2009, no less than four Schosers were then members of Burladingen's local musical ensemble.

The passion and talent for music seems to have been passed on to the next generation. Once again, no less than four Schosers participated in a concert of the youth music school Burladingen in the Hörschwag community centre on Sunday, 19 November 2017.


Fabian and Valentin Schoser were part of the trumpet ensemble that opened the concert. Marian and Daniel Schoser joined the two and others as part of the brass ensemble that played 'First Performance' and 'Swing Low Sweet Chariot' later on. Marian played the trombone and Daniel the euphonium. Needless to say that the performance was met with thunderous applause as Südwest Presse reports.

PaPis snacks take off to the skies

Nadia - cofounder of PaPicante

Former stewardess Nadia Schoser has achieved her ambition to design a healthy snack and have it served on airplanes. With her start-up company PaPicante, she introduced a pea protein snack bar to the public in early 2017 and only a few months later, the snack is listed not only with German airline Eurowings but also with major retailers such as EDEKA and REWE.

The snack comes in three flavours: American style, Mediterranean style and Asian style. Nadia's vision was to create a savoury and healthy counterpart to sweet cereal bars and other calorie-rich snacks usually served on board.  Accordingly, the snacks are made of natural ingredients such as pea protein crisps, rice syrup and puffed quinoa.

PaPicante's website reveals that to date 29,314 PaPis have been consumed. The website also runs an online shop where PaPis can be ordered in unlimited quantities.

Chairman wanted

To support extracurricular school activities, the town of Burladingen hosts a privately run fund-raising association. Over the past year, the association has supported projects as diverse as 'classes with horses', visits to the former concentration camp in Dachau and to a refugee reception camp in Sigmaringen as well as an alcohol prevention project for adolescents.

Melanie (2nd from right) with the association's board

At this year's annual assembly, there was therefore obviously reason to celebrate the successful work of the association. Even more so as the finances of the association are in good shape. Of particular importance to us is of course that Melanie Schoser has taken an active role in running the association as parents' representative. All would be seem perfect if there weren't a particular concern: after the resignation of the former chairman no one new has yet been found to fill that post. We don't want to believe that this can't be solved...

Game, set and match to Schoser!

Since 2015, the three tennis clubs of Burladingen organise together an annual youth tennis tournament. It takes place on Ascension Day which in 2017 was 28 May and was a particularly hot day.

Youth champion Daniel Schoser in the middle

Braving the heat it was Daniel Schoser who won the tournament and became 'youth city champion'. Already in the previous year, he won the competition in the category for under 12-year old boys (U12). It was also in 2016 that Marian and Fabian Schoser took part in this tournament. Fabian finished third in the U12 category and Marian finished runner-up among the older boys.

Rather than awarding any cups or medals as in previous years, the organisers decided this year to hand out to the winners original towels from Wimbledon.

World Solar Challenge

RWTH Aachen university is known for its engineering studies, in particular for its electrical and mechanical engineering. But the university has much more to offer to its more than 43,000 students! It runs for example also a master programme in 'digital media communication'. This is what Luzia Schoser has opted for.

Being a media student, she has joined the team of the university's student magazine Kármán. In its latest edition, Luzia has written an article about an initiative of engineering students to participate in the World Solar Challenge 2017. She writes that this is known to be the toughest race for solar-driven vehicles as they have to cover a distance of 3,000 km across Australia. 

Sonnenwagen Aachen

While this shows how communication and engineering can play ball, it is not reported whether Luzia will also join the solar team on their trip down under next year.

90th birthday

Hans with his wife and younger brother in 1993

On 21 April 2016, Hans Schoser will turn 90. To our knowledge, this makes him the oldest living Schoser. This unique event will be celebrated correspondingly. On the day, the birthday party will take place in Trochtelfingen's largest festival hall Graf Werdenberghalle. As Hans is honorary citizen of Trochtelfingen, the festivities will gather the who is who of Trochtelfingen including the numerous members of Trochtelfingen's historic town guards, a club that Hans founded in 1957.

Oierrusala

Egg-and-spoon race, one of the two events
of 'Oierrusala'

It is a tradition whose origin even the oldest members of Burladingen's hiking association cannot remember. It already existed when they were children. Every year on Easter Monday, the hiking association organises 'Oierrusala'. It is a competition with two events: egg toss and egg-and-spoon race.

This year, about 50 participants and visitors were present and cultivated the tradition. Defying icy winds and rain showers, Valentin Schoser won the egg-and-spoon race. It is not reported if that gained him a prize, but in any event he must have brought his Easter egg safely over the finishing line and could then enjoy it without regret.

Embracing age with wisdom and humour

On 7 March 2016, Edith Schoser turned 80. During her small birthday reception, Edith addressed friends and family with the following welcome speech:  

Liebe Verwandte, liebe Freunde, 

Herzliches Willkommen Euch allen, die Ihr zu meinem Aufbruch ins neue Lebensjahrzehnt gekommen seid. Es ist ein frohes Gefühl, es bis hierhin geschafft zu haben und jetzt erwartungsvoll auf die 100 zuzusteuern.  

Um nun hier und heute die passenden Worte zu finden, habe ich einiges an Ratschlagbüchern zum Thema alt werden und fit bleiben untersucht. Zunächst z.B. das zweibändige Standardwerk "Altern als neue Dimension" oder das stark nachgefragte "Wohin mit den Knochen im Alter?" Im Rahmen eines Forschungsprojektes erschien vor etwa 11 Jahren  "Was macht das Alter so wunderbar und zugleich so risikoreich?" Das bedeutende Nachschlagwerk "Wie buchstabieren wir Alter im 21. Jahrhundert?" nicht zu vergessen. Ganz speziell auch die Dokumentation "Vom Kreißsaal zum Greisenalter", um hier nur die wichtigsten zu nennen. Wirklich aufbauend fand ich den Titel "Morgens rot - abends tot - zwischendurch noch Atemnot" geschrieben von zwei Altertumsforschern, die mittlerweile auch schon tot sind. 

Doch nun zurück in die rosige Zukunft. Ich hoffe, es gefällt Euch hier, und ich wünsche Euch nun einen guten Appetit.