Escape

Escape
but where?
Anywhere is possible
to find the answers that need to be solved

Escape
away from the hard hand
the hand that rules with an abusive fist
Run too fast, causing a rapid heart beat
carry the tradition to freedom

Escape
to find the way to explore different situation
reach high up to the northern star
Find a route to find the way home
hide when it is possible to...

Escape
to the freedom
the right

Escape
to the freedom
that is to be served
Find the way to express the right
keep the faith that has the right to take over

Fight for the freedom
Fight to escape

Originally written in 2000

Queen of Hearts, The People's Princess, and Mother

I was 15 years old (almost 16), living in an apartment with my mom. It was late in the evening, I could hear and see the TV from my bedroom and overheard something about Princess Diana being in a car crash. She was in critical condition... It wasn't very long until the news came in that she died. That prompted me to go from my room to the living room to watch. Mom was a little freaked out strange to see her shared birth year as Princess Diana plus the death year (1961-1997) while I realized that I was the same age as Prince William. Instantly, my thoughts, prayers, just about everything went to her two boys that now had to go on without their mother by their side. The following morning, the local paper had the biggest and darkest font I've never seen before: DIANA DEAD. I still have that newspaper. 

The day of her funeral, I got up early to watch. When I saw that unforgettable small bouquet in front with the card that said Mummy, I cried. I did shed tears before during that week, but that moment I bawled my eyes out. I always thought she was beautiful, worthy to have a happily ever after; I remember Diana being in just about every imaginable media out there, before and after her divorce. 

While Prince Charles was not husband of the year to Diana, I do genuinely believe that her death devastated him. All of the sudden, he became a single parent. I do think he did a splendid job with William and Harry, from the way they are today- they're very close as royals could be. Diana will never be forgotten!

Innocent Until Proven Guilty

Lizzie Borden after she was acquitted in her murder trail of her father and stepmother Andrew and Abby Borden

Since I was about 15 years old (I am in my 30s), I have had an interest in Lizzie Borden- even dressed as her for Halloween. Honestly, I don't know how it happened- it was around the time of O. J. Simpson murder trial and the case was occasionally compared to Lizzie's. Also during that time, A&E and the History channels aired the 1975 TV movie The Legend of Lizzie Borden starring Elizabeth Montgomery who I loved (still) and she died in 1995 during that time too. So needlessly to say, Lizzie's legacy was in my face and being a history buff, I got interested. I read books (this was just before the Internet took over), although I didn't get obsessed about it as I did with The Beatles.

Both The Legend of Lizzie Borden and Lizzie Borden Took an Ax (2014 with Christina Ricci who made a miniseries of fictional life after the trail The Lizzie Borden Chronicles in 2015) had Lizzie killed her father and stepmother, like an 'What If?' scenerio. Many people do believe that Lizzie did the deed- her alibi was shaky and was changed a few times when she was questioned. When her stepmother was being hacked to death, Lizzie claimed to be in the backyard's shed eating pears and looking for sinkers as well as doing some ironing. With her father, I believe she claimed she was resting.
Lizzie certainly did have motive- her father, despite having money, was a cheapskate and refused to get into the modern times of the day of electricity and plumping and she did not get along with her stepmother, calling her Mrs. Borden. Not long after their deaths, Lizzie and her big sister Emma moved to a much bigger house in the neighborhood with its modern devices with the inheritance from their father.

Do I think Lizzie did it? Honestly, I do not know. The evidence was shaky as well as contaminated with countless people coming in and ruining forensics. Not to mention that some other evidence also disintegrated with age and being passed around to anybody who believed to have the answers, which also got lost. Thanks to those problems, now the security to gain evidence is tight and the technology these days can assure that the crime can be solved.
As I said, I don't know if Lizzie killed her father and stepmother herself- Mr. Borden did have some enemies floating around. I do have a theory that Lizzie was involved in some way, like requesting to put a hit out on them. Mrs. Borden had more hacks than Mr. Borden and due to the strain of the relationship between her and her step daughters, it wouldn't surprise me if Lizzie took it upon herself to end Mrs. Borden's life. There's some anger issues going on there. As for her father, I think the only major problem was him being a cheapskate. Other than that, Lizzie was Daddy's little girl- her middle name was Andrew. Perhaps he was the one who was killed by an outside enemy?

There is something else that drives me crazy: there's claims that the Borden house (now a bed & breakfast museum) is haunted; many believe that it's Lizzie but I highly doubt that. I could buy Andrew and Abby Borden, maybe even Mr. Borden's first wife Sarah. But not Lizzie. She hated that house- why would her ghost would want to be there? If there's any ghost hunters reading this and want to find Lizzie's ghost, I would suggest Maplecroft. It is the home Lizzie bought and moved in until she died, the house she lived. Yet, it is a private home so I don't know if the current owner would appreciate the intrusion unless special permission.

The Hollywoodland Sign Girl

A very sad Hollywood story: a successful Broadway actress from New York (born in England) named Peg Entwistle who moved to California to follow her dreams. Instead she encountered failure after failure from her auditions and the one movie that Peg did manage to make, her scenes ended up on the cutting room’s floor. Depressed, Peg climbed up the H on the famous Hollywood sign (at the time it was Hollywoodland) and immediately jumped off, committing suicide. Ironically, after her death, Peg got an offer to appear as a suicidal woman in a play. Her story always fascinated me as a teenager and I always felt her story would’ve been perfect for a movie. Maybe someday…They say that Peg haunts that area with her perfume.

The Original Blonde Bombshell

Before there was Madonna
Before there was Anna Nicole Smith
Before there was Jayne Mansfield
Before there was Marilyn Monroe
There was Jean Harlow. To me, she's the original blonde. She was the first American screen actress to appear on the cover of LIFE magazine. Jean only lived for 26 years before dying of kidney failure. Jean also had quite a stage mother herself, who was overly possessive and used Jean as the breadwinner of the family. Jean (or Harlean, as that was her real name) was called The Baby and actually thought that that was her name until she went to school and learned that Harlean was her actual name! Jean's parents divorced and her mother kept Jean away from her father- who she loved and tried to reach out to him but her mother tried to keep them separately. Jean married young (at 16) to her first husband, possibly trying to escape from her overbearing mother and to gain independence but that didn't last long. I truly believe that Jean wanted to settle down to be a wife and mother but her mother and Hollywood came knocking and took her away for a ride. Plus, I've heard her first husband was quite a drinker, so that didn't help at all. From my understanding, Jean did get pregnant but was forced to have an abortion. After her divorce, Jean's career took off. Jean remarried again to Paul Bern but the marriage was short after he committed suicide. I've heard the rumors that he may have been gay, impotent, sex problems, his first marriage coming to haunt him, what have you. Paul was also old enough to be her father but I honestly don't think that was the BIG problem. His suicide was questionable and was believed that he could've been murdered but I don't think that will ever be solved. Jean was devastated by his death, hysterical enough to be sedated. Jean remarried for a third time but that marriage lasted less than a year. She then moved on to William Powell, it's been said that they were each other's love of their lives. From what I know of the couple, William was good friends with his ex-wife Carole Lombard (who I love) who was then dating/married to Clark Gable- who Jean worked with before...then again who hadn't worked with Clark Gable in those days? Or had an affair with Clark? They used to have some double dates and gatherings. Sadly, after two years together, Jean fell ill and died. She came down with uremic poisoning (resulted from the scarlet fever she had in her childhood) and kidney failure while filming a movie and died at the hospital. These were the days before dialysis and treatments, transplants. I bet if she had been alive together, Jean would've been saved and would've lived a lot longer than her 26 years. However, the poor girl seemed to have one illness after another without any lucky break that her immune system was weakened. The film (Saratoga) was not completed by the time she died so they made due with long shots of using her double and different kinds of angle shots. Her mother had William pay for everything of the funeral.

The Saga of Bonnie & Clyde

Clyde Chestnut Barrow was a troubled man
that only a few could understand
His family was very poor
but everyone had his or her own chore

Bonnie Elizabeth Parker was only a girl
who wanted to see the world
She thought that she had found her knight
but he kept going out of sight

Bonnie's husband went to jail
with no one to give him bail
By then Bonnie met her true love
who she could only think of

Bonnie and Clyde met through a friend
aware of the vibe messages that they sent
Bonnie and Clyde were soul mates
who carried the same fates

Clyde was a working man
doing the best that he can
being free from jail
making robbery plans without fail

Believing that they were right
they were willing to fight
Living together during the Depression
Bonnie and Clyde entered the beginning of their destruction

With Ray Hamilton, the Barrow Gang committed several crimes
trying to go through the hard times
Running away from the law
with weapons and a punch to a jaw

The Barrow Gang left without Ray
to the police, he had nothing to say
Inviting W.D. Jones along
barely going to Dallas, where they belong

Trying to go for a fun ride
looking for a place to hide
Joined by Buck and Blanche Barrow
nobody was feeling sorrow

Breaking the rules that they were supposed to follow
they had their days, high and low
Inseparable was the love between Bonnie and Clyde
they were being joined by others to enjoy the ride

One day, Bonnie caught on fire
is this the life that she desire?
Missing their families, they stayed in touch
telling them that they loved them very much

Not very long, Buck was dead
after being shot in the head
Blanche surrender
she became a prisoner

W.D. quit the dangerous game
changing his story to put Bonnie and Clyde on blame
saying that he was kidnapped and held hostage
secretly knowing that his lie was full of garbage

Clyde's younger brother, L.C., joined the wary pair
trying to divide the money fair
Robbing banks and gas stations
finding themselves in several difficult situations

Setting some Clyde's old jail buddies free
a mistake that was never meant to be
An old friend of Clyde's had his own plan
giving the police a hand

Betraying Bonnie and Clyde, his dear old friends
sending the lovers to their end
They died together, like they planned
only to each other, they understand

But Mrs. Parker didn't want them buried together
hoping that things will get better
The love between them was so strong
They will always be together, their bond was strong

Originally written in 2000
Dedicated to Bonnie and Clyde
In my teenage years (and even to this day) I had a fascination interest in these two love-struck crime pair. I don't remember exactly how I got interested in them or how they entered my life- probably saw a documentary and got hooked and started to research as it usually happens when I get interested in something or someone. I've seen the 1960s movie with Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty as well as two TV mini-series/movies, the most recent aired earlier this week (December 2013) on Lifetime/A&E/History channels. 

Escape

Escape
But where?
Anywhere is possible
to find the answers that need to be solved
Escape
away from the hard hand
the hand that rules to the abusing fist
Run too fast, causing a rapid heart beat
carry the tradition to freedom
Escape
to find the way to explore a different situation
Reach high up to the Northern star
find a route to find the way home
save the sleepy hollow on to route
Hide when it is possible to escape
Escape
to the freedom
to be right
Escape
to the freedom
that is to be served
Find the way to express the right
keep the faith that has the right to take over
Fight for the feedom
fight to escape

Originally written in 2000

Monthly Holidays

In January, it is the New Year
ringing in everyone's ear

In February, hearts are flying everywhere
that means Valentine's Day is here!

In March, St. Patrick's day is wearing green
it makes a lovely scene

In April, the bunny hides the eggs
it's white, fluffy, and it has big legs

To honor our mothers on a special day
which leads us to the month of May

June is for our father
with plenty of love and honor

In July, we celebrate
to the United States of America, which is great

In August, we take a break
that's enough that we can take!

In September, it is back to school
to learn and operate our important tool

Ghosts and witches come to haunt October
our candy is out-numbered

In November, we eat very much
to gain lots of weight until tomorrow' lunch

In December, we celebrate Jesus's birthday
to open our presents on Christmas day

Originally written in 1998

Ghost Sucker

Originally posted on January 1, 2006

I'm a big sucker for ghost stories- I will watching any documentary of ghosts- especially on the History, Travel channels. I'm hooked on this show that's on the Biography channel, Ghostly Encounters: Dead Famous where a skeptic and a sentensive search for celebrity ghosts. I guess I am a skeptic myself- I'll believe it when I see it for myself; but I do believe that if more than just someone encounters one, especially the same one- like Resurrection Mary in Chicago, Anne Boyelyn in the Tower of London, Mrytle Planation...I would like to go to the Bed & Breakfast of Lizzie Borden's house- it's said to be haunted by her father and stepmother (some say it's Lizzie, but Lizzie hated the house- why would she go there?). I should just go on a ghost tour- all over, USA and England. But of course I don't wanna go by myself- any volunteers?

The Virgin Queen

Originally posted on January 29, 2011 at Jeannette's This and That Blog

I was watching Secrets of the Virgin Queen on National Geographic Channel earlier in the week and I thought it was rather interesting although a bit ridiculous. They were basically trying to figure out why Queen Elizabeth the first didn't get married nor have kids- could it be that she was really a man? Or that she was in love with a married man? Ok I doubt that she was a man, or really died as a child and was secretly replaced by a man for a cover up or something- if they are serious about that, then why not do a DNA gender test? Not only that, but do a biological DNA test as well since there has been a very long-term rumor that Elizabeth wasn't King Henry the VIII's child (I doubt that because she does look a lot like him, and her mother too). If it would help to make those doubters sleep at night, then why not just solve the mystery with DNA? Bingo!

Truthfully I think Queen Elizabeth I was smart not to marry and have children. I do think that the fact that her father ordered her mother's death had some part of Elizabeth's refusal to be in a marriage- during those times it was just gruesome, no mercy whatsoever. Besides, I think Elizabeth paved a way for the power of single woman everywhere. She proved that she can rule a country without a man by her side, she had the men obeying every word she says! Elizabeth was Queen of England for 40 plus years...the program also said that Elizabeth enjoyed being known as the Virgin Queen. Well all power to her! Kudos and bravo!