VARIETY PACK

Welcome to the kitchen sink.

Hundreds of years ago—many hundreds, mind you—a small group of Dutch settlers founded a small town, in a small area, in the small southeast corner of New York. Much to their surprise, they found the land was already inhabited by wild Pugs. It should be noted that the word “Pug” stems from “Pough,” the traditional spelling of the word from a time when the crown’s influence was still pervasive and people used far more letters than necessary. For those unfamiliar with Pugs, they are a small breed of dog with wrinkly, smushed faces and tightly curled tails. They are also quite hilarious.

It wasn’t long before Pugs found their way into the homes and hearts of the settlers. Since then, wherever a townsperson goes, so does his or her Pug (like an adorable, snorting shadow). To claim their own Pug, children of 12 or 13 (depending on who you ask) take part in a rite of passage called “The Keeping.”

The goal of The Keeping is to catch a Pug. Gathered by the elder townspeople, wild Pugs are set loose across a predetermined stretch of land. When a child catches one of the Pugs, they hoist it high above their heads and shout “Pug keepsy!,” declaring to everyone in earshot that they are keeping that Pug. Needless to say, it is a very emotional event.

As traveling became easier and more frequent, outsiders witnessed The Keeping for themselves and word quickly spread about this small town, their small animals, and their strange tradition. Today, the yearly, week-long celebration draws thousands of people from around the world. There are costume contests, races, and the extremely popular Pug parade, among others. The festivities culminate on the final day with The Keeping, celebrating the bond between man and Pug that began all those years ago.

A little more on the Pug, below.

Although their numbers have dwindled, Pugs still outnumber humans in the area of Poughkeepsie, 6 to 1. Pugs are incredibly social animals and prefer the company of others at all times. They are rarely seen alone due to the fact that they are virtually defenseless. When referring to various groups of Pugs, the proper nomenclature is as follows: 2 Pugs is a “pair,” 3 is a “party,” 4 to 6 is a “council,” and 7 or more is a “fellowship.”

Their conspicuously smushed faces began as a direct result from head-butting one another over food, territory, pride, snuggles, or otherwise. These confrontations never lasted long and would often end in bouts of snorting and wheezing on both sides. Only Pugs with the flattest and wrinkliest of faces were able to find a suitor, passing down the distinguishable physical trait that defines the breed today.

@mikeandobidoingthings

I should really change the handle to @MikeRecordingObiDoingThings at this point, but Obi said a brand refresh just isn’t in the budget. Obi’s shenanigans are far better than anything I’ve ever done professionally, but maybe if I cave and buy enough followers, it’ll become my profession. A man and his dog can dream.

MIKE MORGAN SEES JAPAN

But they never saw me.

MIKE MORGAN POINTS AT THINGS IN SPAIN

Back in 2012, I spent a month in Spain finishing my minor. I saw lots of old, important things. You get the point.

voiceover

I’ve always loved voices and can do a few decent impressions. So, when I got into advertising and started going to VO recordings, I thought I’d give it a try. Emphasis on try.

I took classes with the amazing Andy Roth and even booked a couple small parts, but stuck with my day job and keep this demo on here in case any visitors need a giggle.

FOX & MOUSE

Look at you, scrolling to the bottom! Here’s a little logo I made once upon a time, as a treat.