My first language was Hungarian (thanks mom!), but I had to switch over to English when I hit kindergarten. Regular visits to Hungary (and other places) made it seem right and natural that one should know multiple languages. At an early age I read most of the existing James Bond books, and it seemed any worldly and interesting person should naturally be able to speak several languages. I also read Tolkien, and gained an appreciation for the art and beauty of language in and of itself. And I read the Dune books, which gave me a sense of the history of language.
I seem to have a slightly better than average proficiency with language acquisition, but I'm too lazy to make it pay. I've made many half-hearted attempts at various languages over the years, and its hitting home that I should make some real attempts, or abandon the desire.
The first step is keeping track.
