Barack Obama knows that to create an economy built to last we need to focus on middle-class families. Families who stay up on Sunday nights pacing the floor like my dad did while their children tucked in bed dream big dreams. Families who aren't sure what Monday morning will bring but who believe our nation's best days are still ahead.

I once sang 'Summer Nights ' from 'Grease ' at a bar in Melbourne with John Travolta who's a good friend of mine. He looked cool singing the part of Danny - sitting in an armchair smoking a cigar - while I got stuck playing Sandy.

If you can't pay for a thing don't buy it. If you can't get paid for it don't sell it. Do this and you will have calm and drowsy nights with all of the good business you have now and none of the bad. If you have time don't wait for time.

Some of the greatest actors have turned superheroes into a serious business: Michael Keaton and Jack Nicholson in 'Batman' Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart the first venerable knights of the X-Men who have now passed the baton to Michael Fassbender and James McAvoy.

But my most favourite pursuit after my daily exertions at the Foundry was Astronomy. There were frequently clear nights when the glorious objects in the Heavens were seen in most attractive beauty and brilliancy.

I shall give you hunger and pain and sleepless nights. Also beauty and satisfactions known to few and glimpses of the heavenly life. None of these you shall have continually and of their coming and going you shall not be foretold.

People are surprised at how down-to-earth I am. I like to stay home on Friday nights and listen to 'The Art of Happiness' by the Dalai Lama.

All my fans tell me what a glamorous life I have but I tell them how hard I work and how many nights I spend alone with my dogs eating chicken pot pie in my bedroom.

Now on nights that I can't sleep I play video games alone until the morning.

Without strength and courage it's really hard to perform at the highest levels of international figure skating because you're alone on the ice and you only have seven minutes over two nights to prove yourself.