Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift

Taylor Alison Swift, the daughter of Andrea and Scott Kingsley Swift, was born on December 13, 1989, in Reading, Pennsylvania. She was raised on a Christmas Tree farm near Wyomissing. Taylor looked up to her grandmother, whom was an opera singer, and wanted to follow in her footsteps.  By the time she was ten, she had sang in a variety of local contests. For example, at county fairs or different contest. At the age of eleven, she sang the National Anthem at a Philadelphia 76ers game. Taylor soon started writing her own song lyrics.  

Taylor often visited Nashville, Tennessee, the capitol of country music, and was a co writer. While she was co writing, she was trying to get a recording contract. Taylor convinced her family to move to Tennessee in attempt to further her career. Because of her amazing performance at The Bluebird Cafe, she got a contract with Scott Borchetta. The record label was called “Big Machine Records.”

Taylor’s first single, “Tim Mcgraw”, was released in 2006. Shortly after it was the top ten country billboard.  Taylor's album sold 2.5 million copies. A couple of other songs that were in the album were “Our Song,” and “Teardrops on my Guitar.” She had other tracks that were very successful tracks.    

Taylor won the Horizon Award at the Country Music Award. The award she received was Top New Female Vocalist of 2007. Taylor released an album called The Taylor Swift Holiday Collection, which consisted of “Silent Night” and “Santa Baby” which helped with her record label.  

About a year later, Taylor released an album called “Fearless.” This was a huge hit all over the world.  For about eleven weeks it was the top of the country and pop charts. At the end of the year of 2008, Taylor had the highest-selling album of the year.  In the same year Taylor was nominated the Best New Artist at the Grammy Awards.  

The album “Fearless” got Taylor many awards like Video of the Year, and Female Video of the Year in 2009.  Taylor’s song “Love Story” was a huge hit that helped over all. Taylor was handed Best Female Video at the MTV Music Awards. As she was on stage, Kanye West came up and took the microphone. He declared that Beyonce should have gotten this award. Taylor didn’t know how to react and didn’t know what to say after that. Beyonce then got Best Video of the Year and called Taylor up, she also apologized alone after the show.  

During 2009 she dated Taylor Lautner. They lasted for three months, they lost interest when Taylor Swift was less into the “Fling” then Taylor Lautner. They met on the set of Valentine's Day. They played roles as two stupidly in love teens on Valentine's day. After they ended she soon started dating John Mayer. I would tell you about that relationship, but the age difference of 19 to 31 is disgusting.

After this, Taylor became huge all over the world. Her concert tickets started selling out in no longer than two minutes.  She was on Saturday Night Live many times. In 2010, she was the youngest artist to receive a Grammy award for Album of the Year for her album “Fearless.”  Meanwhile she was writing songs for her next album.  

“Mean,” “Sparks Fly,” and “Ours” were big hits of Taylor’s next album Speak Now in 2010.  Within the first week, more than one million copies were sold. Following this album, two years later Taylor released another album called Red. A couple of huge hits on this album consist of “We Are Never Getting Back Together” and “Begin Again.”  Red also sold over a million copies within the first week. 1998, Taylor’s fifth album, was released in 2014. This makes Taylor the first woman in history to sell more than a million copies in opening week for three albums.  Over Justin Bieber and Lady Gaga, Taylor was highest paid celebrity at fifty seven million dollars. A year later Taylor funded four million dollars to people in need. This money went towards classrooms, learning labs, and many more.  

Sooner than later, Taylor decided to move away from the country aspect of music. She released an album called 1998 and had many hits. “Shake it off” was proven to be the catchiest song.  “Bad Blood” was video of the year and was released at the 2015 Billboard Music Awards.  Taylor’s album 1998 sold over five million copies in the United States alone.  In February 2016 Taylor opened the 58th Grammy Award with a track off of the album 1998, “Out of the Woods.”  “Out of the Woods” got awards for Best Music Video.  

Over all, Taylor has been a very successful young woman. She has always had a positive outlook on life and persevere through any bump in the road. “Life isn’t about how to survive the storm. It’s about how to dance in the rain.” -Taylor Swift. Taylor takes every chance she can and either learned from them or face the consequences.  

April PPOW

July 24

This is it; today is the day we will say “I do.”  I have been planning this wedding for years, and this day has finally came.  All six of my bridesmaids are here helping me get ready. They make me look the best that I possibly can on my big day. I already have my hair and makeup all done, all that is left is to put on my dress.  My dress is a giant, white, poofy ballgown style.  I picked it out with my sister and my mom.  I couldn’t wait to walk down the aisle as the most beautiful girl.

January 4

Today, I found out I am expecting.  My due date is October 24, and couldn’t be more excited.  Adam and I have started planning for our baby’s room and we cannot wait to find out the gender.  The room is right down the hall from ours.   We also made sure everyone was aware.

June 4

Today marks five months since I found out I was expecting, and today, I find out what the gender is. Adam and I are headed there when a strange older man walks out in front of our house. I try to ignore and go on with my day.  As we pull up, I hop out and get in.  We waited in the waiting room for about ten minutes. IT’S A BOY!!!

October 14

It’s five in the morning, and I have started to have contractions.  Adam and I grab our clothes along with the baby’s.  We are on the way, and the strange man that I crossed paths earlier, goes by again.   

“Right now is not greatest time to talk or worry about it!” Adam exclaims.

Ethan Madison Dale was born on October 14 at one in the afternoon.  

December 25

Today is Ethan’s first Christmas with all of his loved ones, well most of them  We will celebrate at home first and then head to Grandma’s.  Adam went out last night with a couple of his “friends”, and he got home late last night.  This morning he didn’t join Ethan and I for our Christmas.  I went up and told him that we were going to start getting ready for my mom’s Christmas.  I got myself ready and then Ethan.  Adam never got up and he never joined us for anything that day.  

January 1

It’s a new year.  Tonight, I stayed home. Adam hasn’t been home very much lately.  He never comes home after work, and leaves early.  He doesn’t ever want to spend time with Ethan.  Today, I went to work and then picked up Ethan at daycare, just like every other day.  I felt the need to call Adam and figure out what was going on, and I wanted to ask him why he hasn’t came home in a while.  There was no response.  

June 20

Tonight, I am going out for the first time since I had Ethan.  My best friend Mandee asked me to go with her along with a couple of her friends.  I took Ethan to my mom's house for the night.  We started out the night by going out to eat and then headed to the concert.  One of Mandee’s friends knew Adam, and apparently they talked frequently.  Her name was Katie, and she was a very pretty, young lady.  She approached me in the middle of a song, and asked if she could talk to me.  I thought it was an odd time, but of course out of curiosity, I got up and followed her.  We walked towards the bathroom and then turned back around.  She was to worried to tell me.  She didn’t want to be the one to tell me. The next morning while Mandee and I were eating breakfast I told her about Katie. I asked her if she knew.  On this day, at ten in the  morning, I found out Adam was having an affair.  

October 14

Today is Ethan’s first birthday, and we are celebrating it alone. We are getting family pictures done, and then we are going to my mom’s to celebrate Ethan’s one year.  I haven’t heard from Adam in a while, and I didn’t really want to.  When I got home that night, Adam was laying on my couch. The whole time all I could think about was what I was going to do to get him out of my house.  I told him to leave, or I was calling the cops.  If he came again, there would be a consequence. I filed for a divorce today.

January 1

Today marks another year with Ethan, and today was the first day he asked about his father.  It broke my heart to tell him. I stayed home with Ethan tonight and we watched the ball drop. Ever since Adam moved out, I let Ethan sleep in my bed.  I woke up in the middle of the night to a sound downstairs.  Being a single mother in our house alone there wasn’t normally these types of noises.  I walk downstairs and turn on every light on my way down.  As I come into my living room, I see Adam standing in my kitchen, obviously drunk. He passes out on the couch before I could even say anything.  I leave him there. It’s now eight in the morning, and Adam hasn’t moved. I grabbed a hammer…….

March PPOW

Mornings

When the sun is up

shining bright,

you know your day is going to be alright.

Mom hollers up the stairs,

“time to get ready,”

but you really don’t care.

Bus will be here in half an hour

just enough time to take a shower.

While mom reads about the Mayflower.

When the bus arrives,

I head out with hives,

because I was near a beehive.

But at the end of the day we all survived.

Fat Cat

I have a fat cat,

and he's a brat.

But that's okay because he lives in a frat.

He eats like a bear,

and there's no room to spare.  

Try to take his food,

he does not like to share.

Fat cat was always playing foursquare,

It wasn’t good for his healthcare.

He lived in a lovely neighborhood,

people all around gave him baked goods.

He met many kids with many different childhoods.

Fat cat lived a good life,

out in the wildlife.

It was the way of life.  

Lazy Teenager

Most teenagers aren’t active,

Which is reactive.

Who wants to be a chubby teenager?

Stubby isn’t attractive,

So let’s get more hyperactive.

More and more teenagers are quitting sports,

But they still wear the running shorts!

Without these teens on the courts,

We don’t have any supporters.

Now these reporter’s

Have to write about airporters.

So out to my teenagers,

Get up and do some laps,

before the pounds kidnaps.

Summer

What is Summer?

It could be a bummer.

But hey I know a plumber.

Let’s hire a drummer,

He’s probably a jumper.

In the Summer,

I like to have bonfires,

Which requires

A lot of inspirers.

But we have to be sure there are no wildfires.

So have a good Summer.

Life

Through the ups and downs,

You still have to stand your ground.

You cannot just lie around,

Or you will gain a pound.

Then you won’t be crowned

And live in a campground,

Or maybe even a fairground.

Let’s buy a foxhound,

And move westbound.

That’s your storyline,

for a lifetime,

I hope you had a good time.

I am so done with this rhyme.

Goodbye for a long time.

Ending

This is a PPOW

I bet it’ll wow,

But for now,

I’ll be a clown.

Okay maybe cool down.

Because this was just a plot,

To finish my paper

So don’t be a hater.

Justin Bieber

Justin Bieber

Do you have a celebrity crush?  One that you have dreamt of meeting for as long as you know?  Well I do.  Justin Drew Bieber was born in Stratford, Ontario, Canada, on March 1, 1994.  His mother, Pattie Mallette, raised Justin as a single mother at the age of eighteen.  Justin’s father, Jeremy Bieber, soon went off and had two other children.  Justin’s mom did everything she could at the young age she was.  Justin’s grandparents stepped up also to help out with Justin. Justin and his grandpa had an inseparable bond, they talked to each other everyday, if they weren’t together.  

When Justin was younger he used to hit everything from the stairs to the bar stools, like drums.  When his mother Pattie’s friends would come over they would bring their guitars and Justin would play them like he had done it for years.  He never had any lessons; he just figured it out, she thought it was going to be just for fun.  For Justin’s second birthday Pattie bought him a drum set. People surrounding Justin saw that his beat was right on. Later he outgrew that, and then the boys from church introduced Justin to the electric guitar.  Later they raised the money to buy Justin a set of pearl drums.  He’s always had a love for music.

At the age of twelve, Justin was big around his home town.  He and his mother started putting videos of him singing Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, and Ne-Yo on Youtube.  After a couple of months he was an internet sensation.  Justin had many subscribers and manly likes.  Fans wanted to meet him, and an anxious manager wanted him to fly to Atlanta to think about a record label.  

Justin’s mother, Pattie, didn’t know what to think about this whole situation.  After many calls from Scooter Braun,  Pattie thought she was going to answer and get him to quit calling.  After two or three hours on the phone, he asked Pattie to bring Justin down to Atlanta to meet some people in the music industry. Pattie agreed, and Scooter picked Justin up at the airport with a purple Mercedes, and Usher pulls up in a Range Rover.  Justin has always looked up to Usher.  Scooter tells Justin to stay calm and not to say anything to him.  Then before Scooter knew it Justin runs up to Usher telling him he is his biggest fan and telling him he wants to sing a cover song for him.

Justin sings for Usher, and he has more talent than any other thirteen year old teen he has met. Usher wanted to take Justin to get signed and thought he had a lot of potential with his looks, voice, and amazing taste in music.  Scooter called the label, and they wanted more time.  He wanted to get in the studio and start working on something.  In 2008, Justin met Jen, his vocals.  Being managed by Scooter Braun and Usher they called in “Mama Jen” to get to work with her before hand.  He first sang “Common Denominator,” a single he wrote.  

That’s when it all started.  Justin released his first single in May 2009 “One Time.”  Soon his album My World was set free for the world on November 17, 2009, and within a week 137,000 copies were sold.  Four months later Justin released another album My World 2.0, on March 19, 2010.  Which increased his number of songs on Billboard Top 10.

Justin had around 200 concerts between November 2009, and 2011.  Sadly he had to cancel two concerts because of swelling of the vocal cords.  But he was getting ready for one of his biggest shows  Soon after starting his singing career one of the things that encouraged him the most, was having the opportunity to sing at Madison Square Garden.  Everyone thought poorly of Justin and thought that he couldn’t sell out Madison Square Garden.  Justin soon started writing a song called Never Say Never ft. Jaden Smith.  This single was the Justin’s opening at Square Garden telling people that he could do it, and that you can do whatever you put your mind to.

“I’m telling you, people.  Everyday we wake up is another blessing.  Follow your dreams and don’t let anyone stop you.  Never Say Never,” Justin stated.

In 2010 Justin dated Selena Gomez and broke many young teen girls hearts.  Dating Justin was hard for Selena because there were death threats on social media.  After two years Justin and Selena broke up in November 2012.   Then in 2013 Justin and Selena came back together for the Billboard Music Award.  Sooner than later they part their ways.  

Justin had an album called Believe and went on tour in September 2012.  During a show in London Justin was complaining about some breathing problems he was having.  Shortly after he  was rushed to the hospital on March 7, 2013 from fainting.   

January 2014 Justin was taken to jail for suspicion of drag racing and under the influence.  He was in jail until he was able to pay the fine of $2,500.  After that Justin stepped up, and was in a Calvin Klein commercial.  He was soon able to make a huge comeback in 2015 with the single What are you Know.  Then in October 2015 his next single What do you Mean? was released.  

On November 11, 2015 Justin announced that he will be going on his newest album Purpose Tour in 2016.  After releasing many Top 10 Song’s, Love Yourself, What do you mean?, and Sorry.  Justin has faced many bumps in the road and still finds a way to overcome them to achieve his goals in life.  

“Young people in this business have grown up and made the wrong decisions, or bad decisions, and haven't been good role models. To be someone that people look up to is important to me,” exclaims Justin.

Amusement Park

Once upon a time there was this girl named Callie, and she had a best friend named Jack.  Jack and Callie always went on adventures together and were almost inseparable.  They were always together, never spent a day without seeing each other.  Callie lived only about half a mile up the road from Jack’s house.

Every day after school, Callie would go to Jack’s house or vice versa, and they would do some kind of different adventure.  Jack was the oldest sibling out of his family; he has two young brothers named John and Jake.  Callie was the second oldest out of her siblings and had an older brother named Cale and a younger brother named Carson.  She was the only girl, and she grew up playing with tractors and always being outside.  Being around guys came naturally to her.

Callie’s mother didn’t see anything wrong in the way Callie was.  Like how she always wanted to be outside, wasn't scared to get her hands dirty, or hang out with all the guys.  At school Callie got made fun of, for example, they called her “Tomboy Cal.”  This didn’t seem to bother her?  She was outgoing and didn’t care what other people thought of her.  A lot of people enjoyed Callie’s humor and her existence.  At lunch she could sit by anybody and fit on in, she thought everybody needed to feel loved and never uncomfortable.  

Jack was the quiet, shy guy in school.  Didn’t say much to anybody, and Callie was his only friend who didn’t make fun of him.  His mother thought he needed to be more outgoing and needed to make more friends.  Jack doesn’t see anything wrong with the lifestyle he lives, therefore he shall stay the way he is.  

Jack and Callie are on an adventure, and they are walking along this creek with sticks poking any living thing they see. As they walk down, they come across things that they have never seen before.  Callie has shorts on with a sweatshirt, it’s mid fall.  A little bit chilly out but she thinks if you are on an adventure, you can’t get cold.  Jack has jeans on and regular t-shirt with his backpack on that he takes everywhere which holds “Everything you will ever need to survive.”  

Jack comes across this small creature with two legs and looks like a two legged caterpillar.  He takes his backpack off to get out his book with hundreds of insects in it.  He cannot find anything of the sort in it.  He decides to leave it there.  They keep walking and up ahead, they see a couple of large wooden piece of something sticking up in the air.  Callie wants to go see what it is, Jack, on the other side, doesn’t think it’s a good idea.  

They come across this broken down amusement park.  Jack wants to go home, he doesn't think it's safe.  He checks the time, it's almost nine-thirty.  Callie and Jack are to be home at nine every night regardless of what they are doing. Mother is probably worried sick.  They start on their way home.  Ten o’clock rolls around and they are finally home.   

Callie and Jack’s are all sitting in Callie’s kitchen. While their siblings were sleeping on the living room floor.  Jack’s mom jumps up and hugs them both.

“Where are you guys been?” yells Callie’s dad.  

“Well we were walking along the creek, and saw something ahead so we kept walking.” replies Callie.

“Did you have your phone on Jack?” Jack’s father asks.

“Well Callie was in a hurry and we didn’t stop, and I didn’t even think about it.  We are sorry!” Jack says.

“Well if it happens again there will be a consequence.  For now get ready for bed, you can bathe in the morning.” demands Callie’s mother.  

Jack and his family wake up his brothers, then head back home while Callie goes and brushes her teeth for bed.  Saturday rolls around and Callie wakes up and showers, then goes and eats breakfast.  Today Callie and her family has a team meeting for her older brother Cale’s soccer team, and Callie asked to stay home.  She gets some lunch and calls Jack to see if he wants to go back to the run down to the amusement park.  Jack calls his mother and asks, she says that he is to be home at seven o’clock sharp.

Callie and Jack start walking, thirty minutes of walking they arrive.  They come upon many run down roller coasters, carnival games, and eating places.  Callie thought it would be fun to climb on some of them, and predict on what happened to them.

“I don’t think it’s that good of an idea,” replied Jack.  “What if either of us fall and get hurt or something?”
“Well I guess so but we can be very careful and be sure neither of us fall!” hollars Callie.

Callie starts climbing first, Jack takes a while to think first, but he goes now.  Callie is going quick and Jack is still debating on whether he should go or not.  

“Hurry up, before you lose me,” says Callie.  

Before you know it Jack, falls down and Callie is standing a single wooden bar.  She starts walking towards Jack, he’s laying on the ground holding his stomach.  To be continued…

Marilyn Monroe

Marilyn Monroe is known for being an American actress, model, and a singer.  She was very successful in starring in motion pictures in 1950’s and 1960’s.  Marilyn had a rough childhood, but that didn’t bring her down!  Here is her story.

Marilyn Monroe was born on June 1, 1926 in Los Angeles, California as Norma Jeane Mortensen.  She was born from her mother Gladys Pearl Baker.  Marilyn lived a tough childhood; she never knew her biological father.  At one point she thought Clark Gable was her biological father.  Marilyn had a half sister whom she was not close with, and they met only six times in her lifetime.  

Marilyn spent a lot of time in a foster home or orphanage when she was younger.  A family friend and her husband Grace and Doc Goddard took care of Marilyn for a couple years.  This family was paid a twenty five-dollar reward per week from her mother Gladys.  The Goddard’s were very religious; consequently, Marilyn was not allowed to go to movies and went to church every morning.  In 1942, Doc’s job was moved to the East Coast and the Goddard’s moved over there, but they couldn't afford to take Marilyn along.

Marilyn at the age of seven, went back to a foster home where she was sometimes sexually assaulted.  At the age of eleven she was raped; there was only one way out.  Because of this, she decided to get married to her boyfriend Jimmy Dougherty at the age of 16; on June 19, 1942.  Therefore, she has dropped out of high school at the age of fifteen.  Jimmy was sent to the South Pacific as a merchant marine. Marilyn moved to California to get a job at a munitions factory.  Here she was found by a photographer.  Marilyn had a successful career as a model; she also changed her name to Marilyn Monroe in preparation for her acting career.  Throughout Marilyn’s childhood she always had dreamt to become an actress like Jean Harlow and Lana Turner.  

In 1946, Marilyn and Jimmy got a divorce because she wanted to focus more on her career.  That same year she signed a contract for her first movie.  With her movie contract, she dyed her hair blonde and went by “Marilyn Monroe.”  Marilyn’s acting career actually didn’t really start until 1950’s.  Marilyn had a small part in John Huston’s movie The Asphalt Jungle she gained a lot of attention anyway.  That same year Marilyn had impressed the audiences in All About Eve by Claudia Caswell starring Bette Davis.  She soon would be one of Hollywood’s most famous actresses.  Even though she wasn’t initially thinking about becoming a world attraction, but she later proved them wrong by winning various honors and attracting a various amount of audiences to her films.

In 1953 Marilyn starred as a young married woman out to kill her husband with the help of her lover in the movie Niagara.  Because of Marilyn’s wonderful breathy voice, by this time she had become an admired international superstar.  She suffered from pre-anxiety that often made her physically sick.  This made Marilyn tardy to her film set practices.  Throughout her whole career she was signed and released from many different contracts with film studios.

Marilyn moved to New York City to study acting with Lee Strasberg at the Actors’ Studio.  She returned and starred in the dramatic comedy Bus Stop in 1956; she played a saloon singer kidnapped by a rancher who had fallen in love with her.  In 1959, with Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis she returned to star in Some Like It Hot.  In 1959, at the Golden Globe Awards, Marilyn was awarded with “Best Actress in Comedy” award.  She received this for her work on all the films she starred in.  Marilyn got back with John Huston and starred with Clark Gable and Montgomery Clift in The Misfits which was set in Nevada.  This was her last completed film.

After that Marilyn’s career went downhill.  Marilyn was dismissed from the film Something’s Got to Give for missing so many days of filming.  A New York Times article stated that she said her absence was  it was from illness.  At this time in Marilyn’s life it seemed to be confusing.  (Her marriage with Joe Dimaggio only lasted nine months in 1954.)

One August 5, 1962, Marilyn Monroe at the age of thirty-six died in her home in Los Angeles.  There was a empty bottle of sleeping pills lying next to her bed.  Over the years there has been some questions if she was murdered, but it cause of her death was officially from drug overdose.

Marilyn’s favorite Emilio Pucci dress is what she was buried in.  Her casket was known as “Cadillac casket” which is the most high-end casket available.  She didn’t own her own house until her last year before death. Apparently she didn’t have very many possessions.  One of her most prized is a autographed photo of Albert Einstein that said “To Marilyn, with respect and love thanks”.  That is the life of  Norma Jeane Mortensen (Marilyn Monroe).  

Very rare photos of Marilyn Monroe were published in books of photographs by Sam Shaw.  August 5, 2012 was the fiftieth  anniversary of Marilyn’s death.  More than half a century later the whole world is still fascinated by her talent and beauty.