lack of use

This morning has been a harsh reminder of how much you forget when you don't use the skills.

Back in High School I was borderline fluent in Italian.

We have clients in who are from Italy. While they speak English just fine, I have heard them talking to each other in Italian. Apparently I smiled at just the right moment when I understood what one of them said and they asked me, in Italian, if I spoke the language.

After 25 years of not really speaking, reading or hearing it, it was all I could do to be able to say "Capisco multo, parlo cosi-cosi" "I understand much, I speak so-so".

Part of me wishes I had kept it up. Today is a prime example. But when you have no use for something in over 25 years, there doesn't seem to be a reason/point to keeping the skills fresh. Sadly.

Really?

So there's the quiz meme going around facebook on "what Shakespearean character are you".

I commented on one friend who got Brutus with "But Brutus is an honourble man".

Someone I don't know actually jumped on me and demanded to know why I thought Brutus was honorable based on all his actions and machinations.

Really? Seriously? It's a meme on Shakespeare! One of my favorite of his History Plays. Read the play before you jump on someone.