In the Spotlight with.. Barbara Fan

[Angela Channing]

I think I said in a post earlier this year and you gave me advice re fitness. The pandemic has made me use my car far less and do much more walking. I bought hiking boots last week and as a result I now enjoy long walks and climbing hills (not Everest - just wee ones) its a start and its something i want to continue with
Im still not a great runner - but can walk for miles and im lucky im in the countryside and have some lovely walks and views

I'm really pleased you have kept up with the walking and going up hills will get your heart rate up so will do your fitness a lot of good. It's important to do it regularly because being an enthusiastic walker isn't as good as being a consistent one. As the great man Arsene Wenger once said "When you look at people who are successful, you will find that they aren't the people who are motivated but have consistency in their motivation."

I have a few more questions for you today:

1. What has been the best thing that has happened to you this year so far?
2. Although we may be under lockdown restrictions this year, what would your ideal Christmas look like in normal times?
3. What are you most grateful for?

 

[Emelee]

Hi BF!
1. I wonder what kind of books you prefer to read? Any specific author you like?
2. What would you pack in your 1 suitcase if you were to spend two weeks in a remote cabin in the woods on your own (your other 2 suitcases containing food, clothes & other necessities)?
3. If you didn't work for the NHS, what would be your choice of work?

 

[Barbara Fan]

Thanks again @Angela Channing for more great questions
I love the Arsene Wenger quote and wish he was still at Arsenal

1. What has been the best thing that has happened to you this year so far?

mmmmm, its been a different year, a quiet year and I guess time to take stock and reflect and the appreciate all that i have and family and friends who mean a lot to me.
Its changed my habits ie I dont need to go into town every week and shop for non essental stuff
I have had a chance to save more money as Ive not been out half as much, or away on hols - got to England x1 in August and east coast Scotland for 3 days in Oct but came back early as it was so wet!!!!
I guess the best thing for me is i have decided to test myself and challenge myself to go walking and climb hills and do far more exercise
Im lucky im slim and patients tell me i look "Athletic" but thats a joke, I skived off Sports at school and when I left the teachers quote about me in VI year said

The only athletic sport I mastered was backgammon!!!!


2 Although we may be under lockdown restrictions this year, what would your ideal Christmas look like in normal times?
Christmas will be Quiet for me at home - to be honest its never really been the same since my mum died in the 1990s - but its a day to relax, chill and eat Celebrations and chipolatas wrapped in bacon _ Pigs in blankets is too american and not what I call them lol

3 What are you most grateful for?

My parents for being so great and putting up with me, and for giving me chances in life, and always being there to support and guide - i couldnt ask for better
my health, have asthma but thats my lot and have only ever spent 1 night in hospital aged 6 with a broken arm - i look at friends 40 and above who are on loads of pills and have health issues
Having travelled a fair bit realising and appreciating how lucky we are in UK, it might not be perfect for everyone - but seeing children begging, and "working" at aged 6/7 years old selling things to tourists in the likes of India, Cambodia and Vietnam as the families depend on that income etc breaks your heart and how poor they reallly are compared to the West per say

Living in the country side but only 30 mins from a city and having the best of both worlds.

Thank again for great questions xx

 

[Barbara Fan]

Hello @Emelee - thank you for your questions

1. I wonder what kind of books you prefer to read? Any specific author you like?

I used to devour books, and loved historical fiction when i was younger, but as ive got older i prefer fact rather than fiction and i like autobiographys of people and i also love travel writing so things from Michael Palin and Bill Bryson in particular.
I also like - maybe not the right word - but read books of people who survived WW2 or were in Concentration Camps - I like history and find it incredibly hard to get my head round how one dicatator and his followers in Germany tried to eliminate the Jewish population in Europe and that 6 million plus died. I find it hard that people can be so evil.

I dont like anything Sci Fi

2. What would you pack in your 1 suitcase if you were to spend two weeks in a remote cabin in the woods on your own (your other 2 suitcases containing food, clothes & other necessities)?

OK if i dont need to think about clothes and food etc - Id take books and puzzles, my camera, binoculars, waterproofs, insect repellant , a torch, a charger for my phone
First aid kit, toiletries and sunscreen, a pack of playing cards and some board games and a map of the area (not that im good at map reading) and emergency ration of chocolate.

3. If you didn't work for the NHS, what would be your choice of work?

I wish I was bright and would love to have been a DR - ie a brain surgeon - someone who can really make a difference and i take my hat off to any Dr and their skill
but outside the NHS

my other career choice was to do history at University and then be a primary teacher, I dont know if id want to do that now (too many cheeky kids)

If i was at school now and making decisions about my career I dont know what Id pick. But I would like a job that involved travelling.

Thanks again xxx

 

[Englishboy]

Hi @Barbara Fan

Another question for you.

Outside of Dallas have you ever visited the sets of any other tv soaps?

If so, which ones and what did you make of them.

 

[Karin Schill]

Hi @Barbara Fan
I hope you're enjoying your week in the spotlight!

I think it's interesting that you only made it to Southfork the same year as I did as when you mentioned that you had been there before the BBQ I thought it was much earlier and not just a few months before. You can be glad you haven't seen what they've done with Miss Ellie's room. The last time I was there it was now transferred into the room where JR was killed and there was plexiglas in front of it so that fans wouldn't steal props. It was so tacky!

Also when Covid-19 is over and you wanna travel to South America you can contact Jenny about it and she can help you with all the bookings.

I am trying to think of a question for you. I guess you'll get some Swedish inspired ones.

1) When did you become a fan of Ingrid Bergman?
2) What was your first impression of Stockholm?
3) What's your favorite movie with IB?

That's all for now.

 

[Long Lashes]

Hi BF, I hope you’re enjoying being in the spotlight


I know you’re a fan of both Deacon Blue and Kate Bush, which are your favourite songs by them?

Which is the best concert you’ve ever been to?

Do you often travel over the border into England?

What age are the patients you work with?

Thanks.

 

[Willie Oleson]

Do you have a motto?

Has Barbara Bell Geddes ever played a villainous role? (I'd love to see that)

Are there many scandals and murders in your countryside town e.g. people buried in rose gardens or pushed off the cliff as we see it in the many British detective series?

 

[Ome]

I've been trying to think of a great, but tough question for you. You have met many of your favourite actors and you've been to many places around the world. I know there are still more actors you want to meet and places you want to visit, so I thought of a really good question about two famous people that you haven't spent time with.

I'd love to pick two people like Victoria Principal & Harrison Ford, however with restrictions still high on travel, I picked two people from our little island.

The question is which one would you choose?

A - A night with Nicola Sturgeon, from 6PM to 11pm full of dinner, fruit juice and 5 hours spent chatting all about her life.
B - A night with Antony Cotton, from from 6PM to 11pm full of dinner, fruit juice and 5 hours spent chatting all about his life.

 

[Barbara Fan]

Hi @Barbara Fan

Another question for you.

Outside of Dallas have you ever visited the sets of any other tv soaps?

If so, which ones and what did you make of them.

Thank you @Englishboy

No I havent in actual fact, at one point maybe 5 or 6 years ago thought about a trip to Manchester and visiting Corrie cobbles, but never happened

I can drive to Luss on Lock Lomond where some of Take the High road was filmed (Didnt watch it)

love BF x

 

[Barbara Fan]

Hi @Barbara Fan
I hope you're enjoying your week in the spotlight!

I think it's interesting that you only made it to Southfork the same year as I did as when you mentioned that you had been there before the BBQ I thought it was much earlier and not just a few months before. You can be glad you haven't seen what they've done with Miss Ellie's room. The last time I was there it was now transferred into the room where JR was killed and there was plexiglas in front of it so that fans wouldn't steal props. It was so tacky!

Also when Covid-19 is over and you wanna travel to South America you can contact Jenny about it and she can help you with all the bookings.

Thank you @Karin Schill - for your questions

re SF - I had booked Dallas for Sept 2008 as it was 30 years of the show and stayed at the Hyatt in town, (the one seen in Dallas with the lift) in ? May time then shortly after plans were announced for the 30th BBQ in Nov. If i had known that earlier I probably wouldnt have booked 2 trips so close and in Oct I had Fan Source in LA

US customs questioned my 3 trips in 3 months and dont know what they thought when i said it was all in the name of Dallas TV show (and US customs can be intimidating (NJ!)

and yes it totally peeved me when i heard Miss Ellies room had been hijacked for TNT - lets write her out of SF history!!

re Jenny and S America - Im not sure about next year, i will probably test the waters and do a few shorter trips if allowed to Europe - Italy is a fav - but will all depend on vaccines and travel restrictions being lifted.

 

[Barbara Fan]

I am trying to think of a question for you. I guess you'll get some Swedish inspired ones.

1) When did you become a fan of Ingrid Bergman?
2) What was your first impression of Stockholm?
3) What's your favorite movie with IB?

Some of the first films I ever remember seeing as a wee girl were

The Wizard of Oz, 101 Dalamations/ Disney and the Inn of the 6th happiness with Ingrid Bergman - i might have been 5 or 6 but that was me a fan of Ingrid Bergman and would happily sing This old man, he played one, he played knick knack on this drum - probably to the annoyance of people round about me!!!
But i loved the story of a missionary from England going to China and starting an orphanage and taking children to safety from the japanese. It always stuck with me - then as i got older i saw Casablanca, and other films of hers and she pretty much became a favourite. I regret that i was just too young to have seen her on stage in UK in the 70s

She appeared on Parkinson chat show in UK Oct/Nov 80 - at that point dying with cancer and promoting her book. I saved £10 pocket money and bought the book the following week - i was a fan and found her life - orphaned by age of 12, her Hollywood career, but never being rally happy despite her wealth and fame, a controlling husband, the scandal that went with her affair with Rossellini, being ostracised for 7 years from Hollywood, a life in Italy before being accepted once more in LA fascinating . I became a fan as a teenager for sure.

2 - I loved Stockholm - i was very lucky with the weather and i also on day 2 had some great tourist guides called Karin and Jenny who took me to places id never have got to Independently

Once i got my bearings and a good map and orientated myself to the layout and booked the hop on / hop off bus - there was so much to see and do, You were so kind to take me to the film studios, her parents /her grave in Solna, The Royal Palace and further afield from the city too which was very scenic and pretty.

I also went on the tourist trail and did a cruise around the islands, The Abba museum was fab - great fun and very interactive and went to the Vasa Museum alongside it . People were friendly, helpful and spoke excellent English!!

3. My Fav Ingrid film is Spellbound, a Hitchcock film with the delightful, handsome and id say gorgoeus back then Gregory Peck!

Thanks @Karin Schill for some great questions and for all that you did for me in Stockholm, its a city i want to return to - maybe in the summer months to see more of the city and more of the archipelago and surrounding area.

 

[Barbara Fan]

Hi BF, I hope you’re enjoying being in the spotlight


I know you’re a fan of both Deacon Blue and Kate Bush, which are your favourite songs by them?

Which is the best concert you’ve ever been to?

Do you often travel over the border into England?

What age are the patients you work with?

thank you @Long Lashes

I have been lucky enough to see both Deacon Blue and Kate Bush in concert, i got to see Kate in 1979 as my next door neighbour who was 2 years older than me but about 20 years more mature than me (she had a boyfriend 6 years older when she was 13! - got dumped by him) and she had tickets to see Kate Bush in Edinburgh and i got to go! Also saw her signing her Never forever LP in HMV! I skived off school for that one! That was when she was less of a recluse and sadly wasnt fortunate to get tickets for her see out concert a few years ago.

My fav Deacon Blue songs are
Your town, Dignity, and the newer one this year City of love

Should have seen them this year but it was cancelled due to Covid

To be continued @Long Lashes - going to put dinner in oven xx

 

[Barbara Fan]

Hi BF, I hope you’re enjoying being in the spotlight


I know you’re a fan of both Deacon Blue and Kate Bush, which are your favourite songs by them?

Which is the best concert you’ve ever been to?

Do you often travel over the border into England?

What age are the patients you work with?

Thanks.

Ok Im back lol

Kate Bush songs - i love so many of hers especially in the 1980s

Running up that hill
Hounds of love
this womans work
babooshka
Breathing

The Best concert I have ever been to was Thin Lizzy farewll tour in 1983, again at school and super excited to be there - around the same time i also went to see Whitesnake with David Coverdale and Rainbow with Ritchie Blackmore - I was a real rock girl back then

£5.00 ticket for the stalls and a venue that held 3500, perfect

have to be honest I hate big stadiums where they are a speck in the distance

Re England - Yes absolutely, Im not Scotish, Im British and I call myself an Anglophile, I like England very much - I should be in London in 2 weeks time but thats cancelled and have friends from school who now live in London / suburbs so usually catch up with them

My dad is from Kent, have relatives / friends still there, had Scottish relatives who moved South pre war and know London, North London and Middx, Herts well. Since i was 6 months old have gone "south" at least x 2 / year, my Nan lived near the seaside so it was perfect and if it rained we would go to Canterbury

Now I like to go to places I havent been before as it was always london and SE, but past few years visited Yorkshire, Liverpool, Lake district, Northumberland, Cotswolds as I decided i wanted to see more of UK

You cant keep me out !!!!

I am a fan of Englsih football (RIP SCottish football, Div 2 at best!)

re Patients and age -
the age of patients varies considerably from early 20s to 100 plus , length of stay varies from a few days or less to 6 months plus - just depends on so many things including Community resources and need for social work imput. We are seeing more and more young patients who have made poor lifestyle choices that have conrtibuted to their admission to hospital

thanks again @Long Lashes xxx

 

[Barbara Fan]

Do you have a motto?

Has Barbara Bell Geddes ever played a villainous role? (I'd love to see that)

Are there many scandals and murders in your countryside town e.g. people buried in rose gardens or pushed off the cliff as we see it in the many British detective series?

my Motto -
taken from that great philosopher ...... Snoopy!

i once had a Snoopy Sticker which said

"Aim high and Smile!" - (I smile a lot , theres a lot of people who dont!)

"And Keep looking up, thats the secret of Life"


That will do for me - he was wise!!

 

[Barbara Fan]

re BBG in a villainous role

there arent too many but in a film the Todd Killings she plays a rather "hard" character and mother of Skipper Todd the killer of young girls
she wasnt very Miss Ellie ish in that!!

Oh I love your last question

Im very glad to say that the village i live in doesnt resemble Midsommer Murders and no there doesnt seem to be too much crime and no one i know has been buried under the patio - it used to be a place where everyone sort of knew everyone, its less like that now -I have a neighbour who we nickname the "neighbourhood watch" - nothing would get past her and she is like our own Miss Marple!! So we are quite safe!

Thanks @Willie Oleson xx

 

[Barbara Fan]

I've been trying to think of a great, but tough question for you. You have met many of your favourite actors and you've been to many places around the world. I know there are still more actors you want to meet and places you want to visit, so I thought of a really good question about two famous people that you haven't spent time with.

I'd love to pick two people like Victoria Principal & Harrison Ford, however with restrictions still high on travel, I picked two people from our little island.

The question is which one would you choose?

A - A night with Nicola Sturgeon, from 6PM to 11pm full of dinner, fruit juice and 5 hours spent chatting all about her life.
B - A night with Antony Cotton, from from 6PM to 11pm full of dinner, fruit juice and 5 hours spent chatting all about his life.

tee hee @Ome

oh thats easy, at least I could ask Anthony Cotton about other Corrie characters - I actually once saw him in an internet cafe in town, Remember Easy jet owned them and they were orange (a bit like him) I went in one Fri PM as i was way too early to meet friends and it was raining!! and he was sitting across the aisle in his bomber jacket.

The wee Scottish nyaff is about the last person on the planet I would pick in her wee naff matching dress and jacket, naff tartan mask and Jimmy Krankie hair do (or Russ Abbott C U Jimmy hair) and the high heels she looks like she has just learnt to walk in!

 

[Barbara Fan]

PS @Ome - are you sure that Harrison Ford couldnt fly his own plane with Miss Principal on board and i couuld join them on the runway when they landed.

PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Barbara Fan]

Thanks everyone for some great questions - keep em coming lol xx

 

[Pammy P]

@Barbara Fan :

1. What made you be the biggest fan of the Legend BBG
2. What if you saw Bobby {that night you saw Bobby and Jenna film that scene at the OBC} wearing that blue spotted shirt, would you have ripped it off poor Bobs back? Hahahaha