A wedding ring.
Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 6 June 2026 source ↗
Aside from a property, what is the most expensive thing you have bought?
Question
When were you happiest?
Time & hindsight
Question
What most recently made you cry?
Identity & self
Question
What would you like to be remembered for?
Death & what remains
Question
If you could edit your past, what would you change?
Failure & regret
Question
What has been your biggest disappointment?
Failure & regret
Question
What did you want to be when you were growing up?
Identity & self
Originally asked
The Guardian, to a different person each week, The Q&A
The Guardian's weekly The Q&A repeatedly uses this standing prompt, with minor contractions and word-order variation.
You answer as yourself. Nobody on FLAPSS answers as anybody else.
A caravan. I was brought up going on caravan holidays – but we quickly realised that a double-axle caravan was too much of a commitment and sold it.
The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 5 February 2022 source ↗
Others on this question
View all 196 →
Emilia Fox
English actress and presenter
A birthday present I hoped would mean a lot to the person. I had their family history researched and a book made.
Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 6 October 2018 source ↗
du Beke
English dancer and TV presenter
I don’t know, because I spend like a man with three arms. I am always spending on clothes; I like to have things made.
Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 7 December 2019 source ↗
Julie Hesmondhalgh
English actress and narrator
An old camper van that has cost me more in repairs than my house, my wedding and all the holidays I’ve ever been on.
Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 17 February 2018 source ↗
More from Lauren Laverne
View profile →There are different flavours of happy, but I think my favourite is the quiet contentment when several generations of family are sitting together watching a crowd-pleaser like Harry Potter on the telly.
Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 5 February 2022 source ↗
The Strictly Come Dancing final almost destroyed me. I was howling all the way through – John and Johannes and then Rose and Giovanni. Oh my God.
Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 5 February 2022 source ↗
I’d rather be enjoyed while I am still here.
Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 5 February 2022 source ↗
It would have been lovely to have grown up in private like a lot of my friends.
Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 5 February 2022 source ↗
My biggest disappointment is always myself. That’s my Catholic upbringing.
Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 5 February 2022 source ↗
I wanted to be like my dad, who was an academic, because he had an office packed full of books, always had loud music on, and seemed to get to do what he wanted.
Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 5 February 2022 source ↗
More on money & investment
Also answered this · A–Z
Adam Clayton, Adeel Akhtar, Alex Jones, Alex Lawther, Alison Moyet, Alison Steadman
Search the directory for somebody in particular.
Explore further
- All money & investment questions
- The The Q&A questionnaire — 25 questions from the same format
- Explore the archive — by field, age, era, and subject