Fly Me To Fantasia

Time: 9.35am
Location: Er hem.. somewhere which is not convenient to reveal now 'cos then I'd be consider slacking..Ops! Now that's obvious.

I've been spending a tremendous amount of money this month. You know what it's like - the more you have, the more you spend. I just tell myself that it's an excellent way to help the economy. People who know me for a while would know what a sucker I am for $. I'd work really hard to earn it and scrimp and save to pay for my fees... which by the way, I've finished paying..(yahooooo!).. so now, I just feel so free that I need to spend to pamper myself for such good behavior for the past few years...

Which was why I ended up with the book, 'Vintage Fear - The Complete Fairy Tales & The Bloody Chamber' by Grimm Brothers & Angela Carter.

(PS. Sorry I couldn't get a bigger image)

I've been dying to get the book from Hans Christian Andersen for months...but the only 2 copies left at Kino were dog-eared so I came across the Grimm Brother's book. I already paid for it when I found out that they had a promotional pack, which was half the price...so I ended up with Kino vouchers, which I'd probably use for the HCA book next time.

Anyway, Grimm brothers. For those that've lost touch with their childhood, they're the same guys who gave you tales like Hansel and Gretel, Rapunzel and this long-forgotten tale which I've heard when I was very little - The Bean, the Straw and the Coal. (Just to refresh your memory, it's the one that explains why the bean has a black stitch at the side) I've yet to start on Angela Carter's book though.

Grimm brother's tales are not all sweet and happy, with the 'happily ever after' at the end...not always of course. There's tales about how stepmothers want to eat their stepchildren, and how this daughter cut off her arms to save her father from some demon..

Of course one needs no explanation why only the sweet and wholesome tales are being told to the children of our times...but I do sometimes wonder if many hundred years ago, are these tales being told to scare the kids too? Like the story of this girl who wouldn't listen, and ended up being the dinner of a witch in the forest... that's just so ...warped....morbid!

But nevertheless, I've always had this thing for fairytales, nevermind if they have ghastly endings. It's nice to cuddle in bed with multiple pillows, hot milo at the side, rain pouring outside, nice music playing at the stereo and a good book in hand. Sometimes, I think it'll be nice to be teleported into a land like that, where the magic is very much alive and where people have something extraordinary to look forward to. When I was younger, I used to imagine that I have this imaginary friend who'll bring me to this fantasy land where stories were told, and people were simply gay and carefree. (Now, people are simply just gay...ditto about carefree though...)

Of course I know that's unrealistic...

which is why I had to read to fulfill such desires.