An office in the garden.
Aside from a property, what is the most expensive thing you have bought?
Question
If you could edit your past, what would you change?
Failure & regret
Question
What did you want to be when you were growing up?
Identity & self
Question
What has been your biggest disappointment?
Failure & regret
Question
What most recently made you cry?
Identity & self
Question
When were you happiest?
Time & hindsight
Question
What would you like to be remembered for?
Death & what remains
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
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Kellie Maloney
Retired boxing manager, promoter and politician
A black Russian terrier – I paid almost £4,000 for him.
My short film, Scrubber, in 2011. At that time in my life it seemed easier to pay for it myself than to apply for funds.
Helen George
English actress
A grandfather clock for my partner’s birthday.
More from Lauren Laverne
View profile →It would have been lovely to have grown up in private like a lot of my friends.
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.
My biggest disappointment is always myself. That’s my Catholic upbringing.
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.
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.
I’d rather be enjoyed while I am still here.
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