This question used to be on author interviews at Harlequin. It always fascinated me. What skill would you like to have that you don’t possess?
A butcher, a baker, a candlestick maker?
Not likely.
I find this question hard to answer because there are plenty of skills I’d love to put in my bag of tricks.
I love music, but I already play a couple of instruments, and I’m not really one you’d want to jam with. But singing – yes, I would love to do that well. But then what? Join a choir? (Okay, I’ve always wanted to be in a choir, but then it’s practicing and sticking to religious music.) So I’ll move on.
Cooking? I do like to entertain, but every time I see guests on the calendar, I panic. I want to make something really special. I want those oohs and ahhhs. But, I’m not actually interested in food. That’s a problem, no?
I finally settled on dancing. It’s great exercise. It’s a skill you use at fun events. I love to dance and so does hubby. He’ll get out there and shake it with any woman who’s not savvy enough to vaporize at his appearance. He doesn’t care what he looks like (though he does look pretty good) but I never feel…adequate. I'm not asking to be Dancing with the Stars good, but I'd like to feel confident enough that I don't have to burrow my way into the middle of the crowd so no one can see me. My shunning of the spotlight is difficult when I'm dancing with the one who seeks the spotlight.
So let’s add up the points for dancing. It incorporates my love of music and exercise. It’s in my genes because my brother owns a dance studio and my great-aunts will, up to the age of 90 and more, drop everything to dance the hully-gully or the Macarena. (Okay, that's not Dancing with the Stars, either, but they’re having a blast.) But best of all, dancing is a shared experience. It’s romantic to dance with the one you love and it’s fun to dance with your friends and family. So yes, I’ll vote for dancing as the skill I’d choose when my fairy godmother waves her wand.
What about you? What would you love to be able to do well?