’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

Reflecting on Janet Breitmaier’s interview, I was thinking about my Money Monster and what shape or form it might take if I personified it. Sitting in the cinema on Saturday afternoon (yes, the cinema – what a treat!) with my 3D glasses on watching Tim Burton’s Jabberwocky lurch towards me right out of the screen, I had my answer… my Money Monster is huge and ugly and dark and lurking and I really don’t want to face it at all.

“Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!”

Like Alice, I don’t think I have it in me to be able to slay the Jabberwocky – killing? No, I couldn’t possibly. I’m vegetarian, peace-loving and extremely confrontation-avoiding. But in avoiding this single foe, am I in danger, like Alice, of losing my muchness too? The time has come when the fear of not doing something about it is more intense than facing it. Time then, to face my fear and step into money adulthood…

He took his vorpal sword in hand:
Long time the manxome foe he sought—
So rested he by the Tumtum tree,
And stood awhile in thought.

And as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!

Aaargh! But it’s not just big, it’s enormous and really, really terrifying…

One, two! One, two! and through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back.

Is that it? Was that all I had to do? Ugly and not particularly pleasant, but I’d like to be galumphing right now, instead of stuck in the same old loop, wouldn’t you?

“And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!”
He chortled in his joy.

So, time to face my Jabberwocky and transform the Money Monster into who? Janet’s Money Alchemy process involves exchanging your personified hideous money monster for a money honey instead – someone who’s attractive, sexy, fun to be around – allowing you to totally transform your relationship with money and be drawn very much towards it, be interested in it, and care about it…

’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

Hmm, so who would you replace your Jabberwocky with then?