It’s summer. It’s actually not silly season. Time for another fan challenge. Those are usually reserved for droughts, and with O8 now in full swing, it doesn’t seem the ideal time to do this. Or maybe it is, seeing that I am heading off on my holidays tomorrow, with less regular access to the blog. So I have devised another fan challenge to fill the blog with scheduled posts during my holidays. After a few conversations BTS with fans who are only recently de-lurked or who feel they have not been part of the fandom for very long, I also thought that this might be an opportunity to get some light-hearted conversation going that anyone is welcome to chime into. Because there is no right or wrong in fan challenges/questionnaires, but just an occasion for reflection on the fan experience, no matter where the respective fan is at on their individual fandom journey. And an opportunity to start chatting amongst ourselves and getting to know each other better.
With a number of previous fandom challenges under my/our belt, this latest effort called for some new questions. Even if RA’s pictures never get old, there is only limited appeal to regurgitating the same questions over and over again. Favourite chaRActer, favourite show, favourite quote – all done in the 2017 RA Challenge, and some of the fan-related questions in the Blog Introspection Challenge in 2015. So I have devised a few new questions, both relating to RA the man, his career and his roles, as well as to our personal sensitivities as fans. There are a few familiar questions in there that relate to the fandom experience – slightly revised and reworded, but specifically included for the newer fandom members in our midst. Thematically, the questionnaire is mixed up, just for fun. And since there are 26 questions in total, I have dubbed it a Fan A to Z. Rather than buying a pig in a poke, here’s the whole questionnaire at a glance.
As in previous years, I would be delighted if other bloggers took up the challenge and decided to blog about the questions, too. It passes the time, in case you need convincing. There are no rules as to when and how to answer. You can do the whole shebang in one go, you can answer extensively in individual blog posts, you can bundle a handful of questions, you can post 26 days in sequence or just once a week, you can pick individual questions that interest you and ignore others – whatever suits your schedule and your blogging process best. You can take the challenge over to tumblr, or you can tweet answers over on Twitter. (If you do either, please do tag me – I’d like to read your answers!)
And I strongly and warmly invite readers without blogs to leave their own answers in the comments and to discuss amongst themselves, even if I am temporarily absent due to the holidays. Use my blog comments as your discussion board. Oh, and it goes without saying that there is neither an obligation to take up the challenge, nor to comment – and least of all to disclose more about your opinions, likes/dislikes, fantasies than you are comfortable doing. It’s just some fluffy fun, and devised to tide me over the bleak delay until I get to see O8.
I’m hoping to get a few of these down in advance of my holiday, starting from today, hopefully.
PS: Feel free to use the questionnaire graphic on your own blogs/SM platforms!
Guylty Pleasure 
Nice idea! I’ll try to do it 🙂
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Yay – great. By the look of things over on Twitter (and Instagram), RA is set on entertaining us over the silly season. Lots of posts… but hey, now that I’ve started the challenge, I’ll go through with it, even if RA supplies distraction.
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Oh, I’m game! Probably not going to answer all the questions though – some things I simply don’t have an answer or opinion for. And (deep breath) I’ll tweet my answers.
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Cool – any way you want to do it. It’s just a reason to tweet/blog. Whenever there is time.
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U will kill me…
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Sorry. Not sorry :-D. Totally to be done at your own leisure.
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Nononono – not YOU. U.
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? Still not copping it but 😁
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U – Have you done anything stupid…
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👍🏻
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Hahaha!! Very good! Great questions by the way.
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Yep. Should get myself in the mood for continuing with the challenge myself. A few fellow bloggers have already progressed much further with the challenge than I have.
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you know I cannot resist these things! I will be dusting off the cobwebs at Nowhere in Particular to participate. the questions are really good ones 😎
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Oh hooray! That brings a big smile to my face. Would really love to hear what you have to say – especially as things have changed dramatically for you in terms of fandom. Looking forward to it!
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Soso, du überlässt uns deine Spielwiese? Ich erinnere mich noch seeehr lebhaft daran, was mal bei Serv los war, als die sich kurzfristig mal einige Stunden nicht um ihr „Blog-Baby“ gekümmert hat. Erinnerst du dich, das war vor Into the Storm in 2014 und wir bekamen ein erstes Bild von ihm in diesem unglaublich authentischen 80er-Outfit. In den Kommentaren tobte der deutsche (Fan)-Bär. Hach, DAS waren noch Zeiten 😂
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*Kicher* du, das kannst du jederzeit wieder haben. Du fehlst hier auf jeden Fall, und solche Situationen kommen doch immer wieder, wo sich die Nachrichtenlage überschlägt und gerade niemand zu Hause ist…
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Weißt ja, leider fehlt mir dazu etwas der Zug 😬 Aber vielleicht finden sich ja ein paar enthusiastische Newbies 😉 Dir erstmal schönen Urlaub! 1Woche D und dann ab ans Mittelmeer? Same procedere …..?
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Hehe, ich weiß. Leider. So schön wie früher wirds nimmer.
Und ja – morgen nach HB, dann am Montag für 10 Tage nach Malle. Danach nochmal ne Woche HB und dann Ausklang in Berlin.
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Yippee! I love these fan challenges. They make me remember things I might have forgotten.
I know you’ve given us a cheatsheet, but when does it start? Excuse me while I go start adding up costs for the first one.
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Hehehe, I am glad I have so many enthusiastic takers. I was worried that you’d all be ‘challenged out’ – or too busy snaffling up all the O8 news and the renewed Twitter activism of Mr A… But as you said – I like these challenges, too, because they record my opinion at a particular time, and I can return to the questionnaire after a while and see what has changed in the mean time.
As for the start – on your own platform (blog/twitter/tumblr/etc.) you can start any time. If you would rather like to do it as a commentator, you’d probably have to wait for someone to come out with the first post. I am going to post my response to “A” today and you are welcome to comment there.
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Yaaay! *rubs hands* What a great idea!
I don’t have a plan yet if I’ll do bouts again like with the last one or go day by day but I’ll definitely do it. Mihihihihi.
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Great, I am glad to hear it, Luscinnia! Just do it at your own pace and disregard my own posts on the challenge – I’ll be slow again.
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Some very interesting questions you’ve come up with! I’ll give them a think and then probably do some in batches (assuming I have s bit of time).
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Batches are good. Just whenever you feel like writing – and don’t have a better topic at hand 😉
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Looks like fun. I’m going to mull it over how I’m going to answer… Have a great holiday!
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Enjoy the mulling 😉 And thanks!
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Item #2. I think Richard is probably more like Harry Kennedy. He had said so in a past interview. Now that I’ve seen him in different interviews I agree, Harry is the closest. The least like…I think we find a little bit of Richard in everything he does, but I think he is less like Frances Dolarhyde. He’s not mentally ill and not a serial killer.
Item #C – I have always thought Pat Conroy’s South of Broad would be a wonderful book to bring to like and that Richard would be perfect for the main character. I would love to hear him tackle a Charleston, SC accent.
Off for more mulling.
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Yeah, I think a lot of us will agree that Richard is most like Harry… who knows, though, maybe he’s completely thrown us off his tracks by saying that 😉
Have never heard of Pat Conroy/South of Broad. And oho, that sounds like a very specific accent to master…
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First of all have a lovely summer holiday and i expect photos when you’re back :-)) preferably of sea since i miss it a lot 🙂
And i’ll try and get round to some of these.. may not be a straight answer but maybe it will get me writing again 🙂 xx
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Anything to get you writing again, Hari! It’s about time!!!
Probably should be doing other things today than devising fan questionnaires, but well, off tomorrow lunchtime. And then I’ll be properly off work for 10 days. I need it. Marky Mark is definitely coming along.
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how nice.. me too.. i keep thinking how i can maybe squeeze in a weekend somewhere… more like if i can fit it in financially at all and put up with the packing and travel for a couple of hours of chill…
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As you know, you have something to look forward to in October… But a little trip before that would also be nice…
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Falls irgendwo ein deutschsprachiger Fan sich berufen fühlt mitzumachen, der keinen eigenen Blog hat, darf der sich gern bei mir melden und als Gastautor die Antworten auf meinem Blog veröffentlichen!!!
Happy holiday Guylty!!!
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Cool – super Angebot, ich hoffe, es wird wahrgenommen. Evtl. sage ich das morgen beim nächsten Beitrag noch mal kurz an. Danke dir!
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I try to resist these but I know I can’t… 😉 Not sure I’ll answer all but I’m sure I’ll chime in!
Have a wonderful holiday! You’ll have lots to catch up on when you get back… 🙂
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Oh yes, please don’t resist Esther 🙂 You know you want to *grins* And no need to put yourself under the pressure of doing every single Q – whatever interests you, is good enough!
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Bonnes vacances!
Merci pour ces questions qui m’ interpellent sur ma vie de “fan de”… Quand on est fan d’une célébrité, il faut savoir que ce n’est jamais réciproque, sauf dans les comédies romantiques peut-être. Alors proposer aux fans de s’exprimer via un challenge est salutaire, car il y aura écritures, lectures, écoutes, échanges… pour une fois….De plus ce devrait être une rencontre internationale de personnes de tout âge, unies par le même intérêt, depuis + ou – longtemps.
Le vrai challenge est que si nous allons travailler pour vous pendant vos vacances, ce sera à vous de travailler quand nous aurons terminé ce travail d’écriture.
Depuis une semaine je fais des recherches sur madame Ursula K. Le Guin. J’aurai bien aimé suggérer pour Richard Armitage un Audiobook, un film inspiré des œuvres de Fantasy ou de Science Fiction de cette immense auteure, décédée en janvier.
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Perhaps the Y question-answer, was PK to speak about UKLG?
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OK not PK, sorry!
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Of course, why not 🙂
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Thank you – you are absolutely right, Squirrel. The challenge is a way for us to do what we like best – talk about our favourite celeb 🙂 If he can’t answer us, then we can at least talk amongst ourselves. Don’t worry about me being away on holidays – I’ll be checking into my blog from my hotel, anyway. But the comments are open for readers to respond and to discuss among themselves if they like to.
Ursula Le Guin is a great suggestion, btw. I have been recommended her books – but haven’t gotten round to reading any yet.
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Man, oh man!!! What a lot of interesting questions. Question 1: I better be a bit lenient and unaccurate about how much money I’ve already spent for me and the man!!!!!! 😉
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Hehehe, I know, that was a tough question to own up to. But now that is out of the way, the fun can start.
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Waiting on a new laptop to arrive (currently using son’s ancient one and iPad) and hubby at home full time, so am only reblogging on Tumblr, but this gives me the incentive to do some original posts when I get the chance. Great questions, will be doing some mulling of my own. 🙂
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Oh, when is the laptop due to arrive? Today? I totally feel your pain – I just can’t bear working on my old desktop anymore…
All the better if the wait gives you time to mull over questions. You never know, maybe you can already get some down in advance, before the shiny new laptop is at your fingertips…
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Not until the middle of next week. 🙁 The previous laptop was about eight years old without any meltdowns that required tech help so it’s done very well. No way could we go back to a desktop again. Your idea of putting down answers to some of the questions is a good one. No reason why I can’t use pen and paper lol. 😉
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Oh, waiting time… But sounds as if the old laptop was really good. After 8 years, however, it’s a bit of a methusaleh, so it’ll be a great change for you, working from a shiny, fast new machine.
Pen and paper are great – they last longer and writing that way often turns out a memory, a keepsake.
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Pen and paper never go out of style! If I can ask where did you holiday in Spain?
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We were on the island of Mallorca. My first time there. It was absolutely stunning, and the weather was nice in that it wasn’t too hot. Oh, and the food in our hotel was just amazing…
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It sounds heavenly! I also have heard Corsica (French) and Sardinia(Italian) are two islands worth seeing. I miss Europe a lot. I haven’t been to Europe since 2014 and that was a week in Rome and Santa Margherita which I just loved. I would have gone to Capri if I had enough time but I did see Pompei/Naples for a day. Maybe down the road…
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I haven’t been to either of those Mediterranean islands, but last year I went to Crete and Santorini, and those Greek islands were stunning. Especially if you are a history nerd like me. I loved all the Minoan stuff in Crete.
Rome is just amazing. It’s been decades since I have been there. Would love to see that again.
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I was born and grew up in Rome, but it’s a lot of time since I had the chance to go back there and visit it except for a quick visit to my granma. Now I live near Verona and it’s lovely too (and much more easy to live there than in Rome), but the place I love best it’s Tuscany where we always go when we have vacations. This year we spent a couple of days on Isola del Giglio, it’s a lovely little island near the Tuscany coast.
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Oh Tuscany! Florence has been on my wish list for a long time. Definitely need to go back to Italy some time soon. Maybe also Venice.
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I’ve to go to visit Florence too, I’ve been there just once. Yesterday we went to Monteriggioni where there was a medieval fair. It’s a very small town crowned by towers and the funny thing is that it has been used in one or two of the Assassin’s Creed games as model for one of the towns in the game 😀
A few years ago we visited Siena, but Tuscany is FULL of interesting places to visit.
If you come to Italy, go to Venice, I think that it’s the most beautiful Italian city, a really unique place. 🙂
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I have been to Venice before. I was about 11, I think, but my memories of the city are really vivid and I remember being quite aware of how unique it was, even at that age.
Siena is definitely also on my list. Tuscany, so. Oh, if I just had the time. And the money…
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Pingback: 2018 Armitage Weekly Round-up #19 | Guylty Pleasure
Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! I’d been thinking about some way to jumpstart myself – this might be just the ticket. 😀
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Hooray!!!! That’s the best news, darling Obscura!!! Would love to hear more from you again. I miss you!!!!
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Miss you too, Obscura.
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I just posted the first letter on Tumblr 😀
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Oh fab!!! I’ll search for it there. Thanks for letting me know!
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If I count travel expenses, I have spent way too much on RA related activities. Visited New York, London, Greece (he was there only in spirit) , San Diego, and Los Angeles. But the trips were usually combined with other destinations so it sounds worse than it was. But my expenditures on other RA stuff like audio books, movie/theater tickets, Hobbit posters or whatever range from not very much to almost nothing in comparison. And those trips were totally worth it. Saving up for the next one.
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That’s the case for most of my trips, too, Kathy – they usually were in conjunction with other trips.
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Pingback: 2018 RA Fan challenge, part A to E | The Book of Esther
Hooray – thanks for taking up the challenge. Great answers. I think I am with you on Harry. Oh, and I still love that watercolour by your mum – made even more special now with RA’s signature (and also by knowing how he reacted when you asked him to sign – aw, such a dear!)
And many thanks for offering up your blog for guest posts, too! I hope we’ll get some takers!
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Have a wonderful holiday!
What a way to lure some of us (read: me) out of lurkdom! LOL
We’re spending time away next week with friends at a place that is custom-made for introspection and thinking about things like this. Looking at the list, I can see some “midnight confessions” in the making! The answer to ‘A’ alone is mind-boggling! 😉 🙂
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