The Matthew Morrison Blog

Valentine's Day and Westminster Dog Show

2012-02-14T23:42:00.000-08:00

How was Valentine's Day? Mine was great, Jen and I went for a nice walk out on the Boardwalk for the sunset, the whole romantic shabang. Then, instead of going out for dinner we ordered in and spent the evening in our PJs, watched some of our favorite movies. Jen is a big fan of the Westminster Dog Show, so we followed that a bit as well.

Here's an article with some great pictures, personally I love Chow Chows and I'm glad G.K., or Ghenghis Khan, won Best of Breed. Jen was so excited by that picture of a French Bulldog towards the end, it looks exactly like our Ebon just in white. If you noticed at the end there it shows a photo of some groomers on a break- Jen saw that and thinks that would be a great job for her. Well, I wish her luck *eyes rolling*.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2101203/Westminster-Dog-Show-2012-winners-lead-Best-Show.html

Happy Birthday Abe Lincoln

2012-02-12T02:16:00.000-08:00

Today, February 12th, is Abraham Lincoln’s birthday. I’ve always admired him as an American president and as a person, so I felt that I should put something up here in recognition.

I actually just helped a cousin of mine on a school assignment about him. Known to be one of the humblest men alive, Abe Lincoln accomplished quite a lot in his lifetime, and definitely had reason to be proud.

Jamie’s paper discussed Lincoln’s character on both a personal and national level, and he was not allowed to list Wikipedia as one of his four sources at the end of the report. For a 14 year old, that can actually be pretty complicated. One of the most informative sites we found was actually that of a manuscript collector, called the Shapell Manuscript Foundation, because they have a treasure trove of handwritten letters and other personal scribbles from people throughout America’s history. Today's Between the Lines piece actually features one of Lincoln's handwritten notes.

Jamie actually quoted it in his report; Lincoln's note asked that a book inscription be made in “modest terms” not representing Lincoln as “a man of great learning, or a very extraordinary one in any respect," really showcasing his modesty in a personal way.

Smash!

2012-02-09T00:44:00.000-08:00

I cannot wait for the next episode of Smash! I see why some people are calling it the new Glee for adults, but I disagree.

When I first started watching I really had no idea what to expect, I wasn't so familiar with the actors and the plot sounded like it could've gone either way, especially with the whole Marilyn Monroe wave that's hitting the industry. But, I was pleasantly surprised and very much enjoyed the performances. Katharine McPhee was spot on as the girl-next-door, beautiful and innocent-looking but with definite sex appeal. Her voice and her acting were both charming, and Ivy Lynn (Megan Hilty) was the perfect opposite. Convincing, talented, and not without her own drama and dreams.

Debra Messing was outstanding, you love her within one minute, and she wastes no time introducing the viewer to the tone of the show, the backplots, side stories and drama. Her character is fresh and natural and forces you to learn about everything from the inside.

Jack Davenport is the same as Messing, jumps right into his character and draws you in from the start. Wastes no time on phony introductions, and his accent adds as well, of course. The chemistry between him and Karen Cartwright is apparent, and at the end of a single episode you're already torn between him and her current boyfriend. He did a great job in his other roles, like Norrington in Pirates of the Caribbean and Lloyd Simcoe in Flash Forward, if any of you have seen that. If not, definitely worth it, it was brilliant.

Super Bowl and Commercials

2012-02-07T01:34:00.000-08:00

Ahhhhhhh Super Bowl! Can't believe it's over... What a game! Definitely feel sorry for the Pats, Brady made some great passes during those last few seconds... Really thought they might've had it. Guess there's always next year.. I heard his wife Gisele blamed a couple of his receivers there at the end, took some heat for that. But hey, she's not a politician, just her husband's biggest fan.

What did you guys think of the commercials? There were some great ones this year! Loved the M&M 'Sexy and I Know It' one, and I saw the extended version of the VW 'Dog Strikes Back' one which was funny as well. One of my favorites was the one for the new season of The Voice, not because I especially like that show, but because I adore Betty White and I think she's hilarious and gutsy. Check it out:

Facebook's IPO

2012-02-05T00:28:00.000-08:00

So... Facebook has filed for its IPO, sending both us mere regulars and big-name investors into an excited panic. Or so it seems.

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/facebook-ipo-billion-filing-sec-sell-stock/story?id=15483472#.Ty48luQf4e4

I'm getting mixed messages from a bunch of articles I've read and I would seriously like to learn more about what's about to go down. Investing seems like a pretty good idea.... Anyone know anything, got any inside info or interesting takes on the matter? Facebook stocks sound pretty solid to me...

Jumbo Contact Lens for 45-Year-Old Elephant

2012-01-30T23:24:00.000-08:00

Listen to this: an elephant was fitted with a contact lens in Europe this week. Pretty awesome, huh!

The 45-year-old elephant, Win Thida, lives at the Artis Zoo in Amsterdam. She scratched her cornea while playing with a friend, and it became too painful for her to open her eye. According to this article, the vet had to stand on a ladder in order to perform the procedure, since elephants can’t lie down for prolonged periods of time.

The article also mentions that the vet who performed the procedure (Anne-Marie Verbruggen) had done similar surgeries on horses before, and rhinos have been fitted with lenses as well. That’s pretty crazy- you don’t often hear about the advanced veterinary methods that are used today. Modern medicine is pretty amazing.

Patriots Vs. Pats (Ugh!)

2012-01-29T00:24:00.000-08:00

Is anyone else feeling slightly nauseous about the Super Bowl this year? I mean seriously, Giants vs Pats? Yuk. Not that I really favored any of the final teams... But I guess I'd have to say the 49ers, it was a huge deal for them and it could've been fun to watch them go far. Still, they probably would've choked, making the Super Bowl and joke to watch. Stupid Seahawks need to get their butts in gear.

I guess I'll have to say I hope the Patriots get it, not because I like them any better, and definitely not because they're a better team (if anything, that puts points against them- I hate the NFL empires) but because Robert Kraft's wife Myra just died. They were both known to be big philanthropists, warm and generous people, and now Kraft only has his team to run alone. Gotta feel bad for the guy. I also heard that Myra has backed some women's flag football programs, and even visted them personally. I would say she was a loss to all football-lovers. So I have to go with the Pats.

Solar Storms

2012-01-24T02:04:00.000-08:00

So, I have a friend studying astronomy and she sent me this link- pretty amazing!

http://www.dawn.com/2012/01/24/strongest-solar-storm-since-2005-hitting-earth.html

It mentions that the plasma may pull the northern lights, or Aurora borealis, farther south. I wonder if we'll see them here in Seattle! I sure hope so...

Coca-Cola and Why Money CAN Buy You (Little Doses of) Happiness

2012-01-22T23:59:00.000-08:00

I recently heard that Nestea is leaving the U.S... Man, I hope that's not true. At least we've still got Coke though. The best part of my day! :)

Check out their new ad, I love it! A friend posted it on my Facebook wall.

Wikipedia's Blackout

2012-01-18T00:01:00.000-08:00

What a brilliant way to blackout... I must say, rather inconvenient though. I guess that was the point... To show how much the internet and its free knowledhe affect our lives, how much we've grown to rely on it. Seriously though, amazing picture, very dramatic and clean. You understand the tone of the message long before you read it... Well done, Wikipedia. And I hope SOPA and PIPA got the message!

Cruise Nightmare

2012-01-16T23:30:00.000-08:00

So, I know this is old news but I just read this article on CNN and my god, what a horror story! Can you imagine being on a luxury cruise (on your honeymoon, let's say) and suddenly hrealizing the ship is going down? Terrifying! I've been on a cruise before, and I'll be honest, no one went to that safety briefing. It's hard to believe it can really happen to you. And this ship had more than 4,000 people on it! Imagine the chaos and the utter panic.... It's unbelievable that only 6 bodies were found so far. I hope they find the last 29 people safe and well....

Definitely a bit confused as to how this happened, though the theory at the end of the article does make a little bit of sense... Still pretty dumb though. If it really was an honest mistake, I feel terrible for the captain... That's a lot of responsibility, and this is hard to swallow... Check it out.

http://edition.cnn.com/2012/01/16/world/europe/italy-ship-scene/index.html?hpt=wo_c1

Educational Tidbits and Internet Endeavors

2012-01-11T01:27:00.000-08:00

So, this might make me come off as a bit nerdy, but I love finding quick, educational things on the internet, since I'm usually just hanging around killing brain cells on Facebook. But every now and then I stumble on something fascinating or just a bit eye-opening like a new discovery on National Geographic. This time, it was the website of an organization called Shapell manuscript Foundation with a small project called Between the Lines: A Unique Look at This Day in History.

Now, I check it every so often. Some entries are more interesting than others, but I love reading about these historic events that I probably would never have learned about or pondered on my own. It gives it an interesting twist, knowing that such great events took place on that specific day many years ago... Really gets my imagination flowing. Great stuff!

Review of Sherlock Holmes 2: Game of Shadows

2012-01-10T02:00:00.000-08:00

I just saw Sherlock Holmes II: A Game of Shadows, and I really enjoyed it! Unlike most people, I was very disappointed with the first one. I liked the actors, characters dynamics, etc, I just felt like the mystery aspect of the story was pretty dumb, and I definitely don't enjoy watching something with a twist and a solution that I have no way to predict. Don't get me wrong- I don't expect to be as smart as the detective in the film, but I want to feel satisfied with the conclusion, and also anticipate feeling rather frustrated in my inability to be that perceptive. But the first movie's conclusion made no sense, and there was nothing to foreshadow the ending or the way Holmes solved the case. Mark Strong was not a very believabe antagonist, either, his portrayal and his character were mediocre at best.

The second one, however, was much more convincing. First and foremost, it was hilariously entertaining and fast paced, cracking up the audience but managing to keep the plot serious and pressing as well. The 'bad guy' (Jared Harris) was perfectly creepy and very convincing. His image was fluff-less and flair-less, making him all the more terrible. Madame Simza was great, Watson was perfect, Robert Downey Jr. mastered Holmes wonderfully.... And the film gave you the tools to figure it out, if only you were as insanely brilliant as Holmes. Which, of course, we are not, but it is more satisfying at the end. I definitely recommend watching it, and I think I'm going to go see it again.

Puppy Woes and Kardashian Bash

2012-01-04T22:35:00.000-08:00

Man I'm exhausted. This puppy training is hard work! Jen and I switch off, but pretty much someone needs to get up to take her out a couple times a night. No, we're not crate training her, but what we're doing is pretty similar I guess... She's got her own little corner in the living room where she hangs out during the day, with a cushion and some toys. So we just tie her up there at night, but Jen insists that we "be consistent" while training her and that means taking her out EVERY time she needs to go. Usually twice a night. And then she cries when we go back to bed. At least she's cute. Sheesh.

In other news, um, OH MY GOD. A friend posted this on Facebook and I think the world should just call it quits and give up on itself. Seriously?! Kardashian Barbies?!

http://www.eonline.com/news/true_false_are_kardashian_barbie_dolls/284016?cmpid=sn-000000-twitterfeed-365-topstories&utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=twitterfeed_topstories&dlvrit=48939

Cerebral Palsy and the Wampler Foundation

2012-01-02T22:56:00.000-08:00

A few months ago I posted a video from Sports Illustrated about a man (Steve Wampler) suffering from cerebral palsy who climbed El Capitan using only his arms. He was nominated in the Gillette "Greatness" contest, having pulled his body up the cliff in a home-made chair and pulley system.

In the video, he explains that his motivation was raising money for the Wampler Foundation, an organization that provides wilderness programs for children with physical disabilities. The program, of course, is free to participants through sponsorships and donations.

So. How did this come up? I have a cousin with cerebral palsy named Jonah. He's 12, and can barely walk with his braces... Very adventurous and friendly though, and it is tragic to see how little he is exposed to the simple pleasures of life. All that might change now though, with his new scholarship to one of those very wilderness programs! My Aunt is beyond thrilled, and of course so is he. I hope it goes well and I'm sure he will become a different person as the program develops.

I just wanted to put in a special thank you to Steve Wampler and the Wampler Foundation. They do amazing work, and Steve's determination and generousity is an inspiration to all of us.

New Year's, Actors, Clips and Movies

2012-01-01T07:25:00.000-08:00

So what did you guys do for New Year's? I actually flew over to New York to watch the ball drop in person, and man was it worth it! When I first got to Times Square I wondered what I was thinking, it was sooo crowded and overwhelming and I kind of wanted to get out of there. But then everyone started counting in unison and the excitement was was thick in the air and I was blown away. What a experience! I truly hope that 2012 is a year of new beginnings, and that we leave behind all the natural disaster, economic crises and violence and start anew. What were your New Year's resolutions?

On another note, have you seen this video? They are so cute... Check out the little caption blurb thing by Zooey Deschanel on the bottom!

Also, have you seen Joseph Gordon-Levitt's movie 50/50 with Seth Rogan? I was surprised at the freshness of it. Definitely enjoyed it, and while it was certainly sad, I also found myself smiling and appreciating the little things both in it and in my own life. If you haven't seen it, I definitely suggestchecking it out.

New Puppy for Christmas

2011-12-27T00:28:00.000-08:00

So Christmas is over... How depressing. Definitely awesome while it lasted though, what an amazing season! Jen is very talented and really creative, our living room truly looked like a winter wonderland, and the tree smelled so good. Plus- she made gingerbread cookies, my favorite!

I actually got her a great surprise myself... A puppy! She's always liked those alien-looking breeds, like pugs, but after doing some research online I decided on a french bulldog. A black one... She's hilarious. While I'm obviously more of a fan of huskies and the like, the little devil is starting to grow on me... And it's only been three days! She's like a mix of a piglet and a hippopotomas. Jen, of course, has fallen head over heels already. I'll keep you updated, and hopefully post some pics soon.

The Hobbit Trailer!!

2011-12-22T00:35:00.000-08:00

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh! Need I say more??

Also, on Youtube some guy commented "Is this how girls feel when they watch Twilight?" Hahaha. Hilarious!

Amazing Video of 2011 Online

2011-12-20T00:26:00.000-08:00

Have you seen this yet? Amazing! It's all over facebook and I've gotten it sent to my email at least six times, too. Very well done, plus- an amazingly well done ad for Google. Very subtle with a big impact.

Baby Seal... And Now a Sloth on a Bus

2011-12-18T00:25:00.000-08:00

In the same vein as my last post, this is pretty cute... I do prefer the seal pup though, I read somewhere that slothes grow moss and fungus and basically have a whole ecosystem built up in their fur. Still pretty cute though... Looks like she's smiling. Check this out:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2074623/Female-sloth-hitches-ride-animal-sanctuary-Costa-Rica--bus.html

These Pics... Adorable. I Want to Take It Home!

2011-12-15T02:44:00.000-08:00

Haha, can you imagine this happening to you? I would melt the second I came home. What a cute animal, it looks so cozy on those pillows... How did it manage to get up there though??

http://www.news.com.au/world/seal-wonders-into-annette-swoffers-home-falls-asleep-on-couch/story-e6frfkyi-1226221186634

Romney's Slip Up and Understanding the American People

2011-12-13T00:57:00.000-08:00

Wow, Romney must be beating himself up right now. I mean, obviously I understand his mistake, and the outrage and publicity it has unleashed, but I do think people should cut the guy some slack.

Yes, obviously 10 grand is worth more than a bet- to just about anyone! Sure, it can go towards a new car, college tuition, a solid fallback for rent… But clearly he knows that. These guys are in the spotlight now, with every little move being watched and critiqued and broadcasted across the internet, blowing little obscure things way out of proportion.

I’m sure Romney just wanted to throw out a high number to show how confident he was in his case. Though he should’ve said a million dollars, to emphasize the fact that he wasn’t serious, I’m sure the man did not intend to broadcast his alleged understanding of the American people. Surely as a former governor and all he has had some exposure to real life. You need to live with your head underground to be oblivious to the everyday struggle of the average citizen. Plus, deny this all you want, but these guys DO have more money. For him to bet a mere ten bucks would take passion away from his argument, as well as make him seem like he was trying too hard and a bit of a phony.

Jennifer Aniston VS Angelia Jolie

2011-12-10T23:43:00.000-08:00

For some reason the celebrity gossip world is still focused on what they call Brangelina, and the fact that Brad Pitt left wife Jennifer Aniston for his co-star Angelina Jolie a few years ago. While the topic truly bores me, I stumbled upon this article and I have to say I definitely agree....

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2072589/Jennifer-Aniston-named-Sexiest-Woman-ALL-Time-beating-arch-nemesis-Angelina-Jolie.html

Though I wouldn't call Jolie her "arch nemesis" (cut the drama, please), Jennifer Aniston beats Jolie any day. She was definitely hot in movies like Tomb Raider, but Jolie is now emaciated and pretty dull while Aniston has a great sense of humor and just seems much more natural and full of personality. Though I tend to prefer dark hair, Aniston's demeanor beats Jolie's fading looks any day. Megan Fox, on the other hand... Now there's some competition.

Career Choices...

2011-12-07T23:59:00.000-08:00

I'm starting to get tired of the East Coast cold here. Don't mind the wet or the rain, but this chill has my bones shivering. Saw this article the other day and was like, hey, maybe I'll go down to Florida for a while... Gross weather, but what an interesting job! Much better than my current desk job, don't you think?

http://www.clickorlando.com/news/Seeking-work-Alligator-hunters-wanted/-/1637132/4883310/-/d10xet/-/index.html

Inspiration Through Cerebral Palsy

2011-12-05T23:24:00.000-08:00

Wow... This is unbelievable. One of the most inspiring things I've ever seen... And he won the award from Sports Illustrated.