Remembering a great man & random skills

I've been in full marketing mode this month, with the release of Millionaire Under the Mistletoe happening last week. This story means a lot to me. To be fair, all my books mean a lot, but this one has a very personal element to it.

My grandfather was a huge influence on my life and he passed away while I was writing the original version of this book back in 2013.

Unfortunately he wasn't around to see me get published and live my dream of becoming an author. I try to remind myself that he had a very good eighty-something years, although that doesn't always ease the pain, does it?

My grand father was a very interesting guy. Originally born in Italy, he moved to Australia in the 1950's and made his home in Thornbury (or Torn-bury as he used to pronounce it since Italians are not so good with the 'th' sound). He worked as a draftsman. But his hobbies included watching hilarious Italian game shows and playing competitive table tennis, which he did well into his late 70's. He was also a national champion for downhill speed skating back in Italy. My dad now has a pair of his old skates sitting in his office.

One of the life lesson that he taught me was that no knowledge is ever wasted. He used to tell me to "Put it in your back pocket because you never know when you might need it."

I love this idea of a back pocket filled with a random collection of skills. So, in the spirit of honoring a great man, I present to you some random skills I have collected over the years:

• Despite not having done any tap dancing for well over a decade, I can still do a time step without even thinking
• I also still remember the five basic ballet positions and remember most of my barre exercises
• I can count to ten in German (I also know how to say 'white and fluffy' for some random reason)
• I can speak some very basic Italian, including counting and ordering food. I really wish I knew more, though. One day I'll go back to Italian class!
• I'm a pretty good cook and can pick up most recipes. This one I'm particularly proud of because when I moved out of home I didn't even know how to boil pasta.
• I'm self taught in graphic design and video editing. My sills are basic but I'm continuing to learn.

I'd love to know what some of your random skills are! Let me know in the comments.