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Thursday, May 31, 2012

A Trifecta of Awesome

Today is a BIG BIG day. Here's why:

1) I am moving today.  

2) Kickstarter funding ends at 9:00 p.m.

3) TJ is performing in San Diego TONIGHT.  I will be there filming.

Here is what that means for YOU:

- If you live in or near San Diego and are 21+, come HERE tonight!  TJ is hosting AND performing!  Dustin and I will be there!  We will celebrate our Kickstarter success!

-If you haven't donated yet this is LITERALLY your last chance.  We have less than 12 hours to go!!  
We feel so fortunate to have not only met but SURPASSED our goal! Today is a good day.

As much as I would love to regale you with the details of my trip to Vegas (there will be pictures) and I am dying to write the first edition of "The Bartender Chronicles", I'm just a little busy today!  I think you can see why.  I hope to see some of you at the Brass Rail tonight!! It's gonna be funnnnnn!

Thank you all for your unending support!  We love ya.
Bridget

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Comedy--the good, the bad, and all that

Happy Tuesday! I trust that you all had a nice holiday weekend. Thanks for checking in. Here we go:

Today I have decided to discuss the pros and cons of being a comic. I wanted to do it yesterday, but I was having a rough day. Guess what? I'm having another rough day, but that is just the way it goes and I guess people need to hear that side too. Sometimes I think people assume the life of a comic is like a musical or something. Don't get me wrong--it's frickin awesome being on stage and making people laugh--but it is NOT at all like a musical. It's more like a bloodsport meets a musical meets teen angst meets the feeling you get when you are about to take the most important exam of your life. Yeah--it's like that.

Here is a list of why I love being a comic
1. I get to make people laugh
2. I get to express myself in my own way
3. I often get free drinks
4. Free therapy
5. I get to meet a lot of new people
6. High fives--I always get high fives--
7. I get to tell people that I am a comic
8. I'm good at it
9. I have the most amazing fans in the world
10. I'm "film" worthy--hence the documentary.
11. I actually make a difference.
12. Black men love me--they love me. They LOVE me, and I think it's because I'm a great comic.
13. I never ever have to grow up
14. As long as I continue doing comedy--I will always be a teacher.

Here is a list of why I hate being a comic
1. It's nearly impossible to make $ doing it
2. It's unpredictable and that can be hard to deal with on a daily basis
3. People expect me to be "on" all of the time. If one more person says--"tell me a joke right now" I WILL punch him/her in the mouth.
4. I have very little control. When I'm on stage--I can do whatever I want, but sometimes the people "running the show" do not have any idea what they are doing. That is why I've decided to produce my own shows. My goal is to produce 25 shows before the end of the year. Now--I'm good to work with cuz I get sh** done. I think Bridget can vouch for that.
5. 5 minutes on stage literally takes hours of prep time. People do not realize that.
6. I'm old. It's hard staying up all hours to perform, network, and keep stuff fresh.
7. There is no such thing as a day off. True story: Joan Rivers still makes her own calls to get shows. Yes--Joan Rivers.

Heroic self disclosure + acceptance of responsibility with the mic= a great comic.

I try really hard to do the best I can every time I get on stage. Sometimes it's awesome, sometimes, it's ok, and sometimes it sucks. That's ok. I expect that. I don't "beat myself up" after having a bad set. I just assume that the audience is wrong, and I move on. I'm sensitive and of course I want everyone to love my jokes, but that is an unrealistic goal. Comedy is very subjective. I certainly do not like every comic I hear. It's fun though, and I am enjoying the process.

Here is a list of things you might not know about comics and comedy
1. A very large percentage of comedians struggle with severe depression (myself included)
2. Many comedians were bullied--some still are! lol Comedy is often used as a survival skill
3. It takes a lot of courage to get on stage and try to make people laugh
4. Even though we should--we do not all support one another. We aren't all friends....which seems obvious, but people always seems surprised when I tell them that. Some comics HATE me--that's aiight though. I'll win--I always do.
5. Sometimes we actually have to pay money to get on stage
6. We HAVE to use the same material for more than one show. Can u imagine Weezer writing new songs for every concert? Yeah--see.  So don't freak out if you've "heard that joke before." <3 U Scott
7. We kinda like hecklers--it's a challenge
8. It's a lonely profession. Studies have actually shown that being a comedian--specifically a comedian who travels causes a great deal of both joy and anguish. The joy is of course, awesome. The anguish can be crippling. Addiction and suicide are the top causes of death for comics.
9. "There is a name for men who like funny women." "They are called faggots." Myriam Gurba. It's hard to be a not so sexy 40 year old queer female in this business. I do well because I'm awesome, but it is not an easy task.
10. It's not about how good you are--it's about being in the right place at the right time.

Ok--now here's a few observations I've made about comedy, other comedians, and some of my highs and lows....
1. No one should EVER bring his/her children to a show unless it's a family show. WORST SET EVER was because of this
2. Confidence--YES!! Cockiness--NO!!
3. Carrot Top needs to lay off the steroids
4. Black men LOVE me
5. Rape jokes are NEVER funny--unless Sarah Silverman tells them
6. Second place is like a punch in the face--first place is magical
7. Always stay for the whole show. If I want others to support me--I must first support them.
8. Drink tickets and free appetizers = the best thing ever! It's actually all we really want:)

This is a very sad yet true reality.


That's all I have for today. I have an interview with "Ellen" (the show) later this week and will probably be scheduled for the fall. Thanks for writing to her. Big stuff is going to happen for me. I just need to be patient, keep working hard, and try to stay sane. It's been a rough week with Myriam's surgery and 11 shows in 14 days. feeling overwhelmed in a lot of ways right now so send me love.

Here are 3 flyers for shows this week--yes--I know I am amazing. Thanks for all of your support. One of us will post in the next day or two. Also, I will be live at 5:00 on Friday right here--tune in. It's gonna be hilarious. I'm giving dating advice, gonna talk about our kickstarter success, and they have some cool stuff to discuss!  KUCI 88.9FM in Irvine, Orange County Public Radio

Also--here is a short film that was done about me. 3 Chapman students looked at me, my comedy, and my love for GLEE!  SHORT DOC ABOUT ME--TJ






I'm the monkey puppet--two men are currently fighting over who gets to be the hand:)
Thanks for reading everyone. One of us will post again soon. TJ

Friday, May 25, 2012

An Ode part deux, we are officially amazed, and what it's like to be a comic

Hello readers. I am so very glad that you are all checking in. This is TJ, and I will be your post host today. I believe Bridget is going to Vegas on Monday--so I will probably be your post host through Tuesday--that is my guess. Here we go:

This will be my last time bringing up Kickstarter, and I am sure that makes you all very very happy. B Naj and I have shattered our goal, and both of us are officially amazed and extremely grateful. We hit the $5,000 mark today which makes our project 125% funded. The "extra" money (if that is such a thing) will assist in the following: travel expenses, DVD production costs (who knew stuff would cost so much), and promotional materials. I think Bridget owes her bookie money again--but I'll make sure she doesn't use up all of our funds on her pesky gambling habit. She did that with her last film and it never got made. SIGH. I'm kidding of course--Bridget is very fiscally responsible. She really knows how to save $. Recently, she taught me about something called "dine and dash." Wow. Again--kidding.

Shout out to our latest donors: Michael, Sue, Anthony, Brenna, Suzanne and Patrick, Ella, Karma, and Karissa. Being a "backer" on a film is actually a REALLY cool pick up line, and it looks good on a resume--so to all y'all who donated--you actually did yourself a favor by giving us money! Well done. Now--for those who did NOT donate--I bet you are jealous now. Well, guess what? You still have 5 days to get on the cool bus if you'd like to. For the very last time--here is the link: Last chance to be a backer on a film. Click here to improve your life!

Ok--Bridget's post yesterday was awesome. I really appreciated the sentiment behind her words and am pretty stoked to be working with her. We are a great team, and the movie is gonna be badass. Logos vs pathos can be difficult to balance--but we manage. She is right--we are VERY different in a lot of ways. Once she realizes my way is better--things will get easier, but until then--we do that dance. I am kidding of course about my way being better. Here is a GREAT example of how logos and pathos can create magic. Seriously--it's one minute long--watch it--especially "my" exit at the end. Here ya go B:
Compromise creates magic!

And here is a song for B. She speaks and feels through music so this is a song that I have chosen as an ode to you, to our project, and to our differences. I have no idea what the real meaning behind this song is--but I'm choosing to look at it through the lens that is tinysuperstars. Song for B. It's by one of your favorite bands BTW!

You know what? This post is getting a little long for me. I really want to talk about what it's actually like to be a comedian, but I will leave that for tomorrow. I will also discuss Ellen, why black men love me, and perhaps I will share a haiku or two.

Thanks for the love--especially the love you all sent for Myriam. SHe is home now and is recovering nicely. I'll be taking care of her AND performing 6 times next week so keep the love coming. Also--join me in wishing the B Najster a safe trip to vegas AND a stress free move. Don't forget--I will be performing in San Diego on the 31st and she will be there. You should all come out for this show to support us AND to celebrate our funding success!

Thanks for reading everyone. I'll be back tomorrow--well one of us will. TJ

An Ode

First, let's all send positive vibes to TJ and Myriam today!  ....
Sent? Okay good...

Myriam had surgery today which she came through like a champion.  TJ sent me the most adorable picture of M post surgery, however without direct consent from Myriam, I will not be posting it on the blog.  I will leave that to TJ.  Big shout out and lots of love to Myriam.  Hoping for a speedy recovery for you!  TJ performed in a comedy competition tonight.  She came in second, which I think is awesome but TJ is less than pleased.  I am still proud of her for kicking ass even though I know she had bigger things on her mind.  A shout out for you too, TJ!

Also, we are officially one week away from the end of our Kickstarter deadline.  That's right, only 7 more days and you'll never have to listen to me talk about it EVER again.  But until then, check out:
THE BEST KICKSTARTER PAGE EVER!

Tonight I was originally going to write part one of what I will call "The Bartender Chronicles".  I will get to that post eventually but I am going to write about something a little bit different for now.  It is going to be short and to the point.

Working on a project like this can be taxing.  It is tiring and emotional.  You work on a very personal level with your counterparts.  It is also amazing and rewarding.  It really just depends on the day.  A lot of readers have commented on the chemistry that TJ and I have.  Between our sarcastic wit, our love for all things pop culture and our disdain for cilantro, it is kinda undeniable that we make a good team.  TJ and I have a lot of differences too.  She is an open book.  I am a locked diary.  She uses her heart when I prefer to use my head.  Our ways of communicating and dealing with life are VERY different...which is kind of ironic for two people who studied Communications.  And even though I don't tell her much, I appreciate that she puts up with me.  Even when I'm throwing up walls and dropping off the radar.  We don't always agree on everything (sometimes we don't agree on anything). But I know she believes in me.  I believe in her, too.  We are a good team.  A great one even.  And we are going to make a GREAT movie.

That's really all I had to say.  I will leave you with a quote from one of my favorite movies.

"Max: Why is it always what will I do? "What will he do", "What will he do," "Oh, my god what will he do", Do, do, do, do, do. Why isn't the issue here who I am? 
Uncle Teddy: Because, Maxwell, what you do defines who you are. 
Max: No, Uncle Teddy. Who you are defines what you do. Right Jude? 
Jude: Well, surely it's not what you do, but the, uh... the way that you do it."
Bridget




Wednesday, May 23, 2012

My Glee spirit is wounded, but I can still make people laugh

Hello readers. Thanks for checking in. I know that we have a lot of followers here on tinysuperstars and for that I am very grateful. Here we go--

A lot is up with me. I pretty much have back to back shows from now until Iowa, I'm working on several comedy projects, and of course--I'm doing this film. I actually need to leave for a show in twenty minutes so I'll keep this post short and sweet.

For those of you waiting to hear about the IOWA show tickets sales--welcome to the club. The people at Joker's have been less than forthcoming with information. I'm doing my best to get things settled and promise to keep you all posted.

I have a big show tomorrow night at The Sash Lounge in Norwalk. One of us comics will walk away with $500 and the rest of us will just walk away. LOL I'd love to win this competition, but am not counting on it. Truth be told--I think my friend Casey is gonna win, and she totally deserves it. I'll make sure to let you all know how it turns out though. The thing that sucks most about this show is that Myriam will be in the hospital after undergoing surgery. I feel really bad for leaving her bedside to go make others laugh, but she is of course supportive as always. Please send thoughts and love to Myriam tomorrow as she goes under the knife--and send me good energy so that I can beat Casey Balsam's ass and take home the $500. LOL

Not much else is happening with me I guess. I'm actually having a rough day--dealing with lost computer files, uncommunicative people, homophobia, and anxiety regarding M's surgery. I'm also not getting anywhere near enough sleep so I need to fix that ASAP. The 4 hours a night is not really cutting it anymore. Oh--and I miss my students!

Told you this would be a short post. I thank you all for reading and for supporting our project. We are 121% funded and we have a lot of emotional support as well. We'd love to hit the $5000 mark because stuff is really really expensive. We only need $70 to do that so if you'd like to help and haven't--here is the link:  http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/757866528/the-artist-formerly-known-as-trina

I'm sad about Bridget's decision to leave Glee, but I too was very unimpressed with yesterday's episode. My Glee spirit has been wounded. That's it for today. I have a show in an hour. Bridget will post tomorrow. Send us both love and laughter! TJ

5K victories, Glee Finale (No Spoilers) and The Great Gatsby

Good Morning readers!

Sorry for the delayed post.  I know TJ has been keeping you all updated and that you all know how busy this month has been.  And it's not slowing down anytime soon!  TJ still has a grip of shows, including one at The Brass Rail in San Diego May 31st @ 7:30 where she will be performing AND hosting.  We will also be there filming!  I still have to move (and more importantly...pack).  And June isn't going to be any slower.  But TinySuperstars is coming back strong!  Thanks to both TJ and Dustin for posting in my absence.

We have 8 DAYS left to raise money for the film.  We have already met/surpassed our goal, but we are still able to raise money until May 31 at 9:00 pm.  If you still have not donated and would like to..go here
-> Bridget and TJ's bitchin' movie fund! 
We promise to use every single dollar to make this movie the absolute best it can be!!  My new goal is to either hit $5000 or 100 backers.  Thank you to our new donors who have generously pledged money regardless of the fact that we have met our goal: Remy, Dawn, 림 효진, Tammy, Devona, Jose, Tanya, Shaun, Kyle, Melinda, Brian, Kelli, Brooke, Paola, and Logann! Man, that's a lot of names!  I want to send a special thank you Remy, who is not only a dear friend of mine but also the person who introduced me to Kickstarter.  Thanks Remy!!

I wanna answer someone's question from last week.
"Do you love Glee as much as TJ?" Steven
First, nobody loves Glee as much as TJ does.  She is seriously the biggest Gleek I have ever met.  I used to love Glee.  I love musicals, I love campy crap, and I love Jane Lynch.  However, I no longer love Glee.  I just watched the season finale and I can safely say that I will not be back to watch another season.  This news is going to both irritate and disappoint TJ...sorry Teej!  We can't agree on EVERYTHING (LOL!!!).


On that note... here is a list:
Things I Like That TJ Hates
1) Raisins
2) Dubstep
3) Fig Newtons
4) Snakes
5) Dane Cook
6) Kashi


Okay, so as some of you know I participated in my first 5k this weekend.  It was the ROC Race in Del Mar.  ROC stands for "Ridiculous Obstacle Challenge".  Think mud run meets the show "Wipeout".  Obstacles included "Gorilla Bars" (which are oversized monkey bars that stretch across a giant mud puddle, oh and people in gorilla suits try to knock you off), "Eye of the Tiger" (where you had to run uphill with an inner tube and then slide down the hill into a pool of muddy water) and a 100ft inflatable slide.  Needless to say, I had a blast!!!  My partner in crime for the day, Emily, almost broke her ankle and had to leave the race (she kept saying "It doesn't hurt that bad! I can finish!"...what a badass!)  I managed to finish the race unscathed.  However....when I got home I decided to take out the trash and somehow managed to fall in my own driveway and skin my knees.  Awesome...   I certainly wasn't the fastest or most athletic but hey, I FINISHED!  Here are some pictures from the day:

Crossing the Finish Line!

#3686 Baby!

Proud Finishers! (My little friend Lizzy and Me)




Now I'm training (yes, actually training) for the Color Run this November!

Here is what I am excited for today:

This is an adaptation of my favorite book by one of my favorite directors.  Plus the cast is dynamite AND the used "No Church in the Wild" by The Throne in the preview!  This trailer gave me chills.  Sometimes I think that being the person that makes theatrical trailers would be the coolest job ever.   Anyway, the movie doesn't come out until Christmas but I. CAN'T. WAIT!!


That's all I've got for today. Thanks for reading!
Bridget

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

It's TJ again and I know that is bittersweet. It is for me too!

Happy end of Monday everyone. Looks like I will be posting again today. I'm sure you do not mind because I am so fricking witty and fun. It's gonna be a short post because my day began at 6 a.m. AND I drank way too much Port with my friend Theresa so I am tired! It'll be good though. Here we go:

Had a meeting with B today, and it was wonderful. Here are a few snaps

Just a light lunch for me! Chicken and Waffles.


I always love our meetings. Here are a few reasons why:
1. B is really fun to be around and we have a good connection
2. We eat really good food
3. We always feel motivated after we discuss the goings-on of tinysuperstars

All is well with both of us. B is getting ready to go to Vegas and will be moving at the end of the month. I have about 25 shows scheduled in the next month and am working on a few other projects so....we are just taking it day by day. I wish we had more time for the film--mostly because it is so fun and I like working together. I'll take what I can get though.

Ok--for those of you who have not heard--we are frickin funded. We are 108% funded to be exact. Thank you all so very much for backing this project. We still have 9 days left and would LOVE to hit $5,000 if we can--not because we are selfish but because shit is expensive. It's more expensive than we thought it would be. If you haven't helped us already or would like to donate again which is always fun--please do. Maybe you know someone who would like to help? Pass this on. $600 in 9 days would be a godsend. True story. Here is the link:
BE A BACKER ON TEEJ and B's BRILLIANT PROJECT

Recently a few students from Chapman University (where I used to teach) made a short documentary about me, my comedy, and my love for GLEE for a class. This is a lil taste of TJ for those of you who don't know anything about me. It's fun. This is of course not "our" documentary because we haven't finished it yet. B's movie is scheduled to be out by the end of the year and will be a feature length film. I decided to show this class film to give you an idea of who/what B is working with. It's 10 minutes long. Enjoy: Chapman Students Documentary on TJ

Quick shout out to Mary Najour--she always emails me after the posts but cannot figure out how to leave a comment. I think that is hilarious. I think one just needs to hit leave a comment and then type it in, but I could be wrong. I hope she doesn't figure out how though because I love her emails. Just giving B's mom a hard time. Anyone coming to The Brass Rail show on the 31st can meet Mary, and anyone coming to the Iowa show in June can meet Janice (my mom) so there ya go.

I'm ordering shirts tomorrow that say tinysuperstars. Your Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanza shopping is done. Many of our donors will be receiving free ones so--jump on that bandwagon OR you'll have to buy one when they arrive. B also wants me to make some that say Team TJ--we will see about that one.

Ok--that is all I have for today. I will be performing on the 22nd, 23rd, 24th, 25th 29th, 30th, 31, 1, 2, 5, 6, etc. Check yesterday's post for dates and times. I'm still working on the Iowa show ticket stuff. If anyone who lives in Cedar Falls can help me out by going down there and demanding to see Scotty--that would be awesome. I am very excited about the Iowa show but the people at the venue are horrible communicators. They wouldn't pass my class--that's for sure.

Bridget WILL be posting tomorrow.

Two conversations that B and I had today that made me feel old.
TJ "I graduated from high school 23 years ago today."
B "I was one and a half years old."

TJ "When you guys fly into Iowa you can just rent a car."
B "None of us are 25."

Let it process. Yes--it's true. The good thing about our age difference is that our project has multigenerational viewpoints. The bad thing is that by the time it's a classic--B will be the only one alive to take all the credit.

Send us both love this week. We appreciate your support. Now if I can just get Bridget to bake me some cupcakes. Perhaps me blogging for her today will help in that effort. I'll be back on Wednesday to discuss the following: Ellen, why black men love me, and the grant I am trying to write. TJ



Sunday, May 20, 2012

Fluffy's plant, I'm so busy, you can still donate, and the coolest video

What is up everyone? I hope y'all had a great weekend and got to enjoy this beautiful weather. Well,  the weather in Cali has been beautiful--I'm not sure about the rest of the world. Anyway--here we go.

Shout out to Dustin for being our guest blogger on Friday. He said such nice things about me! Thanks Dustin--your check is in the mail! HA! B and I were both dealing with alot of stuff last week so it was nice to have Dustin fill in. I'm glad he enjoys working with us. Shout out to our latest donors-- Emily and Karen! Thanks so much. Shout out to my bestie JW who lost her grandma this week. My heart is broken! Please keep Jamie and her family in your thought. Thanks.

I want to take a quick minute to congratulate B on completing her first 5K! I'm not sure if you remember B Naj's first post, but she talked about her goals for the year. The three she discussed were: running a 5K, getting a tattoo, and making a movie. I just realized that all three of those things involve pain in one way or another. What a weirdo. HAHA! I think her tat is scheduled for 6/6 and of course we are in the process of making the film, so....well done Bridget. Keep making the rest of us look bad. That's alright. I'm sure she will tell you all about the 5K in her next post. I do know that she did hurt herself once she got home from the race.  SMOOTH!

Ok so here is a picture of what I planted to honor Fluffy Najour. The name of this plant is "lamb's ear" and it reminds me of Fluffy because it's soft, exquisite, and fuzzy. The flowers will bloom every May. See--I'm not ALWAYS picking on Bridget! BTW--wasn't her story about Fluffy amazing? If you read it without crying then you have NO SOUL! True story. I think she should read it aloud and we can put it in the special features of the film. I also think Fluffy needs her own soundtrack.



Ok, what else? The next 6 weeks are crazy as hell for me. I have several shows here in Cali, the IOWA show, doc interview, and about a million other things. Here is some information about some of my shows. Y'all should come if you can!

5/22/12: The World Famous Comedy Store in L.A. 8:00 18+

5/23/12: VAUDEVILLE 9-11 1305 Waterloo St Los Angeles! FREE 18+

5/24/12: Tha Dash for the Cash at Sash FINALS. We started with 36 comics and are down to the last 10. One of us will receive the $500 cash prize this Thursday! Sash Lounge in NORWALK! 8:30 
FREE! If you cannot make it--send me love and laughs. It will be an awesome show. 21+
***Myriam will also be getting surgery this day--so send a lil love to both of us. I'm sad I will need to leave the hospital for a few hours to perform, but feel lucky to have made it to the finals! 

5/29/12: Power Plant in Laguna Niguel 10:00p.m. $5.00 and worth every frickin penny! 21+

5/30/12: Come Out Laughing at The Laugh Factory in LONG BEACH!!! Free tix if you get on my guest list. I only have like 10 comps left so email or call or text or tweet or fb if you want on the list! LOL 8:00 (This is a LGBTQ EVENT) 18+

5/31/12: The Brass Rail in Sunny San Diego. BTW--I think all the "*ladies" in San Diego wear the shortest shorts in the world. Seriously--I've never seen so many...anyway....*HOES. Ok-Back to the show. The Brass Rail show starts at 7:30 (which is weird but I like it) Bridget AND Dustin will be at this one! The address is 3796 Fifth Ave in San Diego. You should all come a lil early and dine at Barleymash! It's not far from the brass rail and the food is to die for. Myriam and I actually drove down there today JUST FOR LUNCH! Yes--we drove 105 miles (one way) to eat there. It's a must.

6/1/12: TBD--I am booked to do a show but do not have the details yet

6/2/12: Zona's Italian Restaurant in San Clemente 8:00

6/5/12: I will be hosting a show for homeless vets in LA! Super stoked to do this with my buddy Justin

6/9-15th I will be doing some shows inside the prison system. Super stoked to be doing this. I'm a huge advocate for prisoners rights and can't think of a place that needs comedy more. TRUE STORY!

6/19/2012 WEHO Pride at The Asylum Lab. More details later.

6/20/12 Old World in Huntington Beach 8:00 FREE

6/23/12 AIDS Benefit Show with THE Bryan Perkins. More details later

6/29/12-6/30/12 JOKER's COMEDY CLUB IN CEDAR FALLS IOWA. I believe that the tickets for this show will finally go on sale on Monday or Tuesday of next week. I promise that the minute I know--I will post it! Pinky swear!

7/1/2012 I turn 41 years old! 

Ok--on to something else! For those of you who have not heard--WE HAVE SURPASSED OUR KICKSTARTER GOAL and are currently 108% funded. I can feel the banjolele beneath my fingers already! This is so awesome. It really has motivated both B and me, so thank you very very much. We have 11 days left so if you'd still like to help--it is NOT too late. The more we raise--the more we can do! Here is the link: 

I actually have a few more things to talk about but will save them for my next post. On Tuesday I'll tell you about my last day of class, the deal with Ellen, and why black men adore me. B will be posting tomorrow. 

Here's a SWEET video that y'all HAVE to watch. It might be one of the coolest things I have ever seen. Seriously--you have to watch this: COOLEST VIDEO EVER!!

That's it for today. Hope you all enjoyed the eclipse today. I'm still seeing spots! Leave a comment. We love comments.

TJ




Friday, May 18, 2012

Read Me... Maybe

Hey Hey Hey! Hope everyone is having a wonderfull friday so far!
Im gonna start this one off with saying how awesome our two main superstars are.

Bridget, for those of you who don't know is one of the best people iv'e ever known in my entire life. She contantly will suprise you with good things, I seriously love her to death and am glad for everyday I have her as my best friend. Hopefully soon she might just be my roomate as well.

TJ, seriously everytime I get a text or facebook message from you i'm excited cuz i know its either going to be something super funny or really nice. if you guys want to know how awesome TJ is I will tell you. First off I posted a bunch of pictures of snakes last time and she didn't kill me (thank you again for that). Secondly, this last week was extreamly hard on bridget and all TJ did everyday was ask me how she is doing and sent her love that way. She cares so much about others its insane. So to try to cheer up bridget TJ baught B myself and our friend Sarah tickets to 91xfest on June 3rd. Where bands like Grouplove, Neon Trees, Jane's Addiction, P.O.D., and Eve 6 are playing. I know it helped cheer bridget up a bunch (I'm also super stoked). Now all I gotta do is convince her to come to the show with us!

Working with these two strong ladies is honestly such a pleasure and I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. I can't wait till we get even deeper into this project and get to show all of you their passion!

On a personal note my week has been a very intersting roller coaster of emotion, haha seriously its been crazy. I'm not gonna go into all the details but with Fluffy, work, friends and a possible love intrest its been insane. I went to one of my best friends Julian graduation from college today. I'm gonna say the ceremony was actually very nice, but it was kind of a bummer. Il tell you why, Me and my buddy john had planned on going to this graduation a little intoxicated and goignt super insane when they called Julians name. Instead we were completely sober, and possibly overdressed. We still cheared super loud when they called his name and we were decently proud of it... Until this one girls name was called. Her family was like 20 people deep, They had a huge banner that covered a whole row of seats. That was incredible enought, but they weren't done there. Then they proceed to throw massive amounts of confetti all over the crowd and cheer so loud and long they stopped the ceremony for at least a minute. Needless to say John and I were not proud of ourselves anymore, Then we look down and Julian and he is shaking his head in dissapointment of us. But now we took notes so when my brother graduates in a couple years its going to be super intense!

So you can get an idea of how long writing these can take i will list the songs that played while i was writing. I am totally fine with being judged on these haha.

Boyfriend by Justin Bieber
Burn It Down by Linkin Park
Titanium by David Guetta feat. Sia
Everybody Talks by Neon Trees
Strange Attractor by Animal Kingdom
Got 2 Know by Flux Pavilion
Call Me Maybe by Carly Rae Jepsen :)


Well thats all iv'e got for today, kinda short and sweet I guess.

Thursday, May 17, 2012

WE DID IT!!!

TINYSUPERSTARS!  BIG NEWS!  WE REACHED OUR $4000 GOAL AND WE ARE FUNDED!!!


Bridget here, btw.  We are 100% making our movie!  This is such amazing news and it is just the boost TJ and I have been needing!  We have been putting in so much time and effort into this project, and it was really hard to do at times not knowing whether or not we were even going to be able to make the film.  Well, that stress is gone!

Thank you to the last few contributors who pushed us over the edge:  Rojeen, Avery, Nikki, Mona, Karissa, Ariel, Alia, Aubert, Brett, Nicole, Cristina, Amy, and Karla!

Thank you to EVERYONE who donated.  There are still 2 weeks left for us to be able to raise money.  We would still love to surpass our goal (please don't think me greedy!).  SO if you are still interested in donating, it is not too late!
BRIDGET AND TJ'S AWESOME KICKSTARTER PAGE

Sorry I have been absent recently.  I knew going into May that this was going to be a hard month.  We had two of the busiest holiday's in the restaurant industry last week with Cinco de Mayo and Mother's Day.  I have a 5k on Saturday that I did not train for, but am still going to complete come hell or high water.  And come the end of the month I have to move.

What I was not expecting this month was to find out my dog has cancer and to have to put her to sleep.  This has been a really, really big blow and I am still struggling with it.  TJ's post was so sweet and I can't wait to see the tree she plants (she has so many talents, doesn't she?).  I also appreciated all of the comments and support from you all!  I decided to write something about Fluffy, which I am attaching to this blog.
Here a picture of me and Fluffy from the first year we got her, 1997.


Fluffy on 5/15/2012, her 15th birthday.


Wish me luck this weekend in my race!  I will be sporting a neon bow tie and will be sure to post pictures next week!

Psst...hey guys.....WE DID IT!!!!!




Bridget  (Read on for Fluffy's story)


It was a hot summer day in Pennsylvania in 1997. I had contracted some sort of bug that was keeping me from going to the public pool or running through the sprinklers with my friends.  Instead, I was alternating sleeping and watching television on our family room couch, and I wasn’t even getting to miss school.  I was miserable. 

Mid afternoon I heard my dad emerge from the back porch. He was covered in sweat from laborious yard work and he was carrying what looked like an oversized cotton ball.  It was a puppy, no more than 8 weeks.  She licked my forehead and I swear I was instantly cured of all ailments. My 9-year-old mind had already conjured the fantasy that this dog had stumbled into our yard and we were going to get to keep her!  “It’s the neighbor’s new dog, Marzy.” He said.  I was crushed.  “Do you want one?” he asked.  Fantasy restored. 

Our neighbors had gotten Marzy from an Amish farm not too far from our house.  We waited a couple of days for my flu to pass and then decided to go check out the rest of the litter.  There we 5 or 6 puppies left.  They were all so cute, it was hard to pick a favorite.  The runt of the litter was a little white puff ball who kept playing with my shoelaces.  She grabbed the end of the lace and ran the opposite direction, untying it.  I re-tied my shoe.  She did it again. We had gone to pick out a dog.  She picked us.

Like most kids, I had always wanted a dog.  I would go to the school library and check out books on dogs over and over again just to show my parents how serious I was about taking care of one.  The answer had always been “no”.  My mom showed the most resistance to the idea of getting a dog (which in present day is one of the most ironic things I have ever said) but she was quickly convinced and we took the little white dog home with us.  I stayed up that night compiling a list of names for my new pup.  The list of 20+ names (including such creative choices as “Cotton Candy”) was narrowed down.  “Fluffy” stuck.

Though I have four wonderful older brothers, I was raised as an only child due to a 20-year age gap.  Fluffy and I grew up together.  She played in my playhouse with me in elementary school.  She was my comfort during a cross-country move to California when I was twelve. She has been around for many milestones in my life: when I learned to drive, my first love, graduating high school, moving into my first place (where she visited and sometimes spent the night), graduating college and many more.  Anyone who has ever been close with me has known Fluffy.  Most of them will remember for her overwhelming excitement at seeing new people (actually… seeing all people), which included a five-minute barking routine, running laps, doggy kisses and probably a little pee.   She loved EVERYBODY.  Fluffy started showing up in pictures on Facebook so often that we even made her own page.

Age had been good to Fluffy.  She had made it to 13 with hardly any health issues. She had slowed down a bit over the last couple years, trading in long walks for short trips into the yard and racing around the house countless times for a couple laps around the coffee table.  She still played like a puppy; she looked like one, too.   Recently Fluffy had started eating less and sleeping more, as we expected she would in her advanced age. After a couple of particularly lethargic days, Fluffy and I went to the vet.  It was a Saturday when we found out she had advanced cancer in two major organs.  Three days later we put Fluffy to sleep.  It was her 15th birthday.

I do not regret our decision for a second.  Fluffy lived a long and happy life.  She had a better life than some humans.  She was fed, sheltered and loved everyday.  She has been across the country.  And most importantly, she didn’t suffer a single day.  Fluffy was not just my dog.  She was there by my side when I was sick or sad, or just having a lazy day in front of the TV.  I talked to her when there was no one there to listen.  And even though there were some mornings I didn’t want to be up at 7am to let her outside or days when I was just too tired from work to chase her around the house, she was part of my family, my best friend, and I will miss every minute of her.    

Thanks for everything Fluffy.  Sis-sis loves you.


Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Fluffy Najour and a few other things


Hello blog readers. Thanks for checking in. Today's post is gonna be a lil' heavier than usual, but that is how it goes. This blog is about sharing the good and the bad--the happy and the sad so here we go!

Let's start with the happy! B and I are at 90% of our goal for KICKSTARTER! 90% is amazing--100% will be better. Thank you all so much for your support. We have two weeks left to raise the other $385 so PLEASE do not wait any longer. Today is the day for you to help us if you haven't already. Here is the link:

HELP US MEET OUR GOAL

Ok--so tomorrow is my last day of school. I actually go through the grieving process at the end of every semester. As my students leave and venture out---let's just say that it is bittersweet watching them go. Many of them stay in touch--which I LOVE--but things change, and that is what makes it difficult.

Right now I am in a bit of a funk. Mostly, I'm paralyzed by fear--fear of what is next. I have so much to do right now, but am having a hard time focusing and feeling motivated. I'm sure this will pass--it just sucks right now because each day I fall further and further behind.  I'll make it through--I always do. I have no shows scheduled this week, but starting next week I have like 11 shows in a row. That is frighteningly awesome.

As far as the documentary goes--we are on a little bit of a stand still right now--which is fine. B and I are getting stuff organized, making that final push for our funds, and planning the next leg of the race. Everything will fall into place--we just have to be patient with each other and with the process.

Ok--so here it is. We have lost an honorary tinysuperstar. Today, Fluffy Najour passed on to the next world. Fluffy was 15, and Bridget loved her more than anything. This is a very sad day so we must ALL keep B in our thoughts. She is such a strong and awesome person but I know that this is a really hard thing to deal with--so PLEASE send B your love and do something today to honor Fluffy Najour. I will be planting a tree and naming said tree Fluffy. That way--the memory of her will live on for many many many years! I will leave you all with a few snaps of the most beautiful dog in the world and two haikus in honor of Fluffy and Bridget!

Running in the sky
Fluffy is proud of you B
Never really gone

B awesome and strong
Loved all over the world
Keep on truckin boo

That's it for today--tomorrow's post is gonna be brilliant AND funny so check back in the afternoon for pics of my last day of class, a new list, and lots of other stuff! TJ OUT!



Sunday, May 13, 2012

Happy Mother's Day Part II

I decided to follow suit, and post a lil something for Mother's Day too. Thanks B for such a great tribute to our mamas.

It is true--our moms have been amazing throughout this project and throughout our lives. I have gotten the pleasure of meeting Mary Najour and can honestly say that she is pretty awesome. B has yet to meet my mother but will do so in June. I'm sure that they will adore one another.

I'd also like to send a special shout out to my mother in law, Bebe. Beatriz Gurba has been a part of my life for the past 14 years and I am grateful for her humor, support, wisdom, and never ending stories. Here is a picture of both my mom and of Beatriz:


My mom gives me courage to be myself and even though we live 2000 miles apart--I think about her everyday. She is one of the strongest people I know. Love you mom. Love you too, Bebe!

Since I'm a kid at heart--I want to dedicate a cool song from Sesame Street to my mother along with a performance from GLEE! Here ya go mom!! Thanks for always thinking I was a star!!

Great Mother's Day Song

Here's To Us

Until later, Trina Jo (the first gift my mother gave me--my real name) AKA TJ!!

You're my best friend and I love you.

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!
To all the mother's out there, and to all the people who feel lucky to have their mom. And to two women in particular.

Mary Najour and Janice Huberg.  Aka, mine and TJ's mothers.  They have offered us endless support throughout this project. And with out them neither of these tinysuperstars would be here today.

My mom gives me the strength to wake up and face every single day.  I would truly be lost without her.
Today I am dedicating this song to my mom: Weezer- "My Best Friend"
I love you so much, Mom!

TJ and her mom, Janice

Me and my mom, Mary


Have a great day and make sure to thank the special woman in your life today.

Bridget

Saturday, May 12, 2012

Investment update, I need more time, B Najster, and 10 things

Hello blog followers. This is TJ again. I know that I just posted yesterday, but so much has happened that I just HAD to post again.

Quick shout out to our latest donors. Thank you Brenda Lee, Steven G, Steven M, Kimheng, Kevin, Danielle, and Mr Garth. (His name is actually Greg--but he was my 4th grade social studies teacher so I still call him Mr Garth) Our latest donors put us at 90% of our goal!! I am blown away by everyone's generosity. BLOWN AWAY! We only need $470 to hit our minimum  goal of $4000!!

A few people have asked if we are allowed to go over the $4000 mark. The answer to this question is YES! We are allowed to go over AND it would be awesome if we did. The film is going to cost B and I a minimum of $4000 to produce. Any extra monies will be used to make the movie even more amazing. In a perfect world--we will be able to bring more people to IOWA for the big show, get more t shirts made, purchase promo materials, have a bigger premiere, enter more film festivals, etc etc.....So--please continue to help with whatever you can. The more that you invest=the more that we can do. I do still want a banjolele too. Thank you ALL so very much for your support. Here is the link just in case you'd still like to help:

INVEST IN OUR MOVIE

Ok--next order of business. In my last post I promised that B and I would have the evolution of dance video posted before the IOWA show. That was a mistake. There is no way that I am going to be able to learn that dance AND make a video of it before my big show. B is probably all ready to go--but I need to have a little bit more time. We are gonna shoot for the end of summer. It'll be something for you all to look forward to! Thanks for your patience. We are excited about doing all of these great things--it's just that we can only do so much at once. :)

Any peeps reading this blog who are still in school--best of luck on your final exams. Take everything day by day, remember that confidence is half the battle, be gentle with yourself, and the answer is usually C!! Love you all. You'll make it through--I promise.

The last order of business for today is a quick shout out to B. Life is tossing her a lot right now, and we have to give her all of the support that we can. We love the B Najster!! Send her love, support, higher power shout outs, good energy, and hugs. She will also be running her 5K on Saturday so cheer her on from afar!! She'll rock it. She will be back on here soon. I promise. You might have to deal with me for awhile--but hey--we will make it through.

That's all I have for today. I will leave you with two lists: a list of 10 things that I know NOTHING about. I mean NOTHING--like I couldn't answer a basic question about any of these things AND a list of things that I know an obnoxious amount about--like too much--it's weird!

I know nothing about:
1. Harry Potter
2. Physics
3. Comic Books
4. Golf
5. Ethiopian Food
6. Medieval History
7. The Jonas Brothers
8. Home improvement
9. Gardening
10. Beer

I know a RIDICULOUS amount about:
1. Cheese
2. Little House on the Prairie (It's true)
3. The Prison System (not because I've been there--I just read a lot about it)
4. Eminem
5. Carl Jung
6. Seventies Sitcoms
7. Soul Food (history, recipes, etc..)
8. White trash culture and class issues
9. Betty White
10. The Trumpet

I'm curious to see what B's list would look like. Hopefully she will follow suit and write one upon her return to the tinysuperstars blog. That's it for today. One of us will be back soon with more fascinating stuff.

One last thing--

Here's a song for Bridget:

Song for B

TJ

Friday, May 11, 2012

80% there, update on my comedy, and one more thing

Hello fans and friends of tinysuperstars. Thanks for checking in. Quick shout out to Dustin for his almost awesome post. The snakes were a bit much. The photos did make me cry but I have since moved on. Here is a picture of Dustin's biggest fear:

You know what? I can't do it. We will just proceed to the next order of business. Since Dustin joined Tiny Superstars--it has become 2 against 1, so I will keep my teasing to a minimum for fear of horrible retaliation.

Special shout out to our latest donors: Sania, Lily, Christy, Brenda, Nicole, Jiselle, Erin and Summer, Kimberly, Beatriz and Bob, Ashley, and Thais. WOW!! Ok y'all. We are 80% there. Thank you all so much!! We have 20 more days to raise the other $835 so if you have yet to donate--I have one question--What are you waiting for? It would be AWESOME if you didn't wait til the last minute. Here is the link for those of you who still need it: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/757866528/the-artist-formerly-known-as-trina

OK--here is what is going on with my comedy:

I have sent my video to the Ellen Show. Now I will just have to wait to see whether or not she'll have me on. I'm going to prepare for the worst but hope for the best--which is really all that I can do. Please continue writing to her AND send love and higher power shout outs my way.

The day after I announced that I would continue teaching for another semester I received an opportunity to tour with a very well known comic. Though I was very tempted to jump at the chance--I had to remind myself that I have about fifty million things to do before I am ready to tour. Needless to say, I turned it down. Right now my main focus is my IOWA show and performing as much as I possibly can.

Speaking of the IOWA show,  they have received all of my promo information so I'm guessing that the tickets will FINALLY go on sale next week. I promise to let everyone know the moment they go on sale. Don't worry! If you want to see my show--I will make sure that it happens.

The other night I experienced my very first hate rant from another comic. For whatever reason--a comic decided that she did not like me. That's ok, but here is what she did--instead of doing her normal set--she used her stage time to beat me down--and to discuss her disdain for the queer community. "They should all die--it's a choice--hope they all get AIDS"--etc. This was not a "bit." It was a rant--no comedy or irony whatsoever. I was a little shaken up but it's aiight. My guess is--she was jealous of how much the audience loved me so she decided to be a BEEP. You can fill in the word.

On a positive note--I have several other shows coming up:

May 22nd at The World Famous Comedy Store 8:00
May 24th Semi finals at The Sash Lounge in Norwalk 8:30
May 30th The Laugh Factory in Long Beach 8:30
May 31st The Brass Rail in San Diego 9:00



I also have a number of shows scheduled in June. I'll post those in a few weeks.


For a while now I've been wanting to incorporate music into my shows. Well--it's about to happen. 
I'm totally pumped to be working with Evan Papai. Seriously--this is big. My flows will now have some sweet beats and my parody songs will now have accompaniment. Watch for us on YOU TUBE and watch for our first CD to be out in time for Santa to bring you one. Skeet x 3. I did write a flow in B's honor and I promised to post it. That will be up before the end of the month. Pinky swear.


Not too much else is going on at the moment. B Naj has a full schedule this month including a 5K, a trip to Vegas, and moving--so I'm just on standby right now--She will be writing the next post so watch out for that. I know you've missed her.


Truth be told, I have had a rough couple of days. The end of the semester is always very bittersweet for me and I'm a little overwhelmed with everything that needs to be done before my big show and with the documentary. I'm looking forward to a relaxing yet productive weekend with Myriam.


Here is a pic from my last day with my Speech 5 class. FYI--it was an optional day:



See--that's why I gotta stay!!


I'll leave you today with a cool mash up video and 10 cartoon theme songs done in foreign languages! I LOVE MASHUPS and I LOVE CARTOON THEME SONGS!!


Best mashup ever


Cartoon theme songs in other languages/


I'll also follow Dustin's lead and tell you the first 10 songs on my IPOD. Mine isn't as "Hipster" but it's cool to me!


1. OG by WIZ and SNOOP
2. Sir Psycho Sexy Red Hot Chili Peppers
3. Ends in the Ocean by Avalanche City
4. White Trash Wedding by Dixie Chicks
5. Copacabana by Barry Manilow
6. The AIDS Gamble by Wendy HO
7. No one Mourns the Wicked by Kristen Chenoweth
8. Hysteria by DEF LEPPARD
9. No Scrubs TLC
10. Vote or Die (song from South Park)


That's all I have for today. Thanks for reading. We appreciate the support. B Naj will probably post on Monday if not before. 


Oh--one more thing:


LOVE, TJ 

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Spoiler Alert: It's Awesome

What Up Peeps? Happy Hump-Day to everyone out there on the inter-web! So This is my first blog ever, let alone as part of the Tiny Superstars, so needless to say its kind of strange. But I will do my best to try to entertain everyone for all of 5 minutes while you read this even though it's most likely going to take me over an hour haha.

I Guess i'll start out with a shout out since one of those seems to be in everyone else's posts. My shout out will be to all the cute girls in TJ's class ( you know who you are)

If you thought that last part was about you then its safe to say that you are conceded and should prolly check your self before you wreck yourself dawg! haha

So someone asked after Bridget's last post who I was and if I was Bridget's boyfriend. Let me start off by saying that I am in no way Bridget's boyfriend haha. She is my best friend and basically like a sister to me. Which is how I became involved in this project. About I don't know 4 months ago She came to me while we were at the gym to tell me about one of her old teachers (TJ). She told me about how she does comedy now and is about to try to do it full time and that bridget wanted to do a documentary on it. I just thought wow this is an  awesome idea and I told her right then I would help out in any way possible. Since then i've been just giving advice to Bridget whenever she wanted some, and whenever she didn't, and then i finally got to meet TJ when she had her show at the Improv. Obviously you all know this already but she is amazing! I fell in love with her as a person from that first night and love being around her the more i get to talk to her, so I'm Extremely excited to be a part of this project full time now! I am really stoked for her to preform at my bar now!

As for me personally, I am 23 years old, I live in San Diego and have been here most of my life except for a year where I decided I wanted to try something new and moved to New Mexico. Word of advice: Never move to New Mexico! I work at The Brass Rail nightclub where depending on the night I am the Assistant Manager, the Light and Sound Engineer, A Barback, or a Bartender. I am also a member of the internet talk show They Said which is something I just became involved in also and am having a blast doing it. I Love movies and music, I intend on getting half sleeve tattoos for both of these thing which would include my favorite movies and albums. If you know me you know I own an obscene amount of dvds and that my ipod is over full and I still download songs almost weekly. I HAVE THE GREATEST TASTE IN MUSIC THERE IS. Thats in caps because it cannot be argued, haha if you look at my ipod you will find at least one band that you love on there guaranteed. If not then you should not be listening to music.

I just hit shuffle on my ipod and these are the first 10 songs
Graveyard Dancing by Destroy Rebuild Until God Shows
The Science of Selling Yourself Short by Less Than Jake
Cat and Mouse by The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus
Tik Tok by The Cast of Glee
Houdini by Foster The People
Bullet by Hollywood Undead
Call The Law by Outkast feat. Janelle Monae
Eleanor Rigby by The Beatles
Pork and Beans by Weezer
Understanding What We've Grown To Be by We Came As Romans

If you don't like at least one of those songs shame on you!

My Top Ten list I decided will annoy one of the other Tiny Superstars... Sorry Teej
Top 10 Movies with Snakes
1. Anaconda

2. Snakes on a Plane ( I've never actually seen this one it just seems awesome)

3. Indiana Jones and The Raiders of The Lost Ark

4. Walt Disney's The Jungle Book (Animated)

5. Walt Disney's Robin Hood (Animated)

SO This was fun, haha hopefully TJ doesn't kill me and I'm able to do this again. Im super excited to be part of this project and I can't wait till we do out next Photo-shoot, ( I came up with the idea, So its gonna be awesome). So Until Next time...

Peace Out,
      Dustin


I just had to stay cuz of my new haircut and look at my list of upcoming shows

Hey blogreaders. Thanks for checking in. All is well with this tiny superstar.

I'll start this post with a pic of my new haircut. I think it's awesome, and since this is partially my blog--I feel like it is my right to share it. Ready?



I know!! 


Ok well that's all I have for today.........just kidding!


Yesterday, Bridget made the announcement about me continuing to teach. I'd like to address some of the comments that we received about that, AND I'd like to tell you why I decided to stay. 


I always love the comments that all y'all leave. Sometimes they are weird, but that is part of the fun. For those who wrote about how excited they are that I am staying--thanks. That means a lot to me. For those of you who wrote that you aren't sure I made the right decision, that's aiight....time will tell. It was a difficult decision for me to make. 


Bridget is right, I have a lot of people watching this saga unfold and that has been amazing and difficult at the same time. The bottom line is that I do not want to let people down, but after forty years of experience, I know that is impossible. Someone is ALWAYS gonna be let down. All I can do is do my best. If people don't like it--that's not my problem.


Here is a list of reasons I decided to stay on for another semester:
1. I fricking love teaching
2. It's a guaranteed paycheck and I need to pay my bills. Paid comedy gigs are hard to find, so until I replace Ellen or make it big--I have to be responsible while chasing my dreams.
3. I fricking love teaching
4. I am good at what I do. I know that I have had a positive impact on a number of students. My students trust me and I'm not ready to walk away from that.
5. I fricking love teaching
6. My students inspire me. I genuinely love and respect each and every one of them. Every time I get an email or a call from a former student just to say hey--it rocks my world. I probably get between 10-15 a week and am always so happy to hear how well things are going or that something they learned in my class helped them in some way. I am so proud of their accomplishments and am honored that they would want to share them with me.
7. Teaching three or four classes is not going to negatively affect my comedy career. In fact, it may be best to do things this way. As long as I stay balanced, structure my time well, and work really hard--I'll be able to teach 3-4 classes and still do 15+ shows a month while maintaining a relationship with my wife and my close friends. I will not be able to travel as much as I had initially wanted, but that's ok. The ultimate goal is to become a full time PAID comedian, but until a job comes along that won't leave time for teaching--Imma stay and keep doin my thang!


I definitely would like to hear Bridget tell a few stories about being my student. Someone asked for that in a comment. I'm quite curious to see what she would have to say about that, and about what she has seen/heard from my current students while doing this project. I have always felt the relationships I have with my students were normal--she says they are not. What does that even mean?


So--there ya go. I've decided to keep teaching and do as much with my comedy career as I possibly can. 


Speaking of comedy career--here are a few shows that I have lined up:
Wednesday, May 9th 7:30 at The Old  World German Restaurant Euro Market 7561 Center Ave., Huntington Beach, CA 92647


May 22nd at The World Famous Comedy Store 8:00
May 24th Semi finals at The Sash Lounge in Norwalk 8:30
May 30th The Laugh Factory in Long Beach 8:30
May 31st The Brass Rail in San Diego 9:00
Will be busy writing for the next couple of weeks AND doing documentary stuff, but hit me up if you have a stage that you want me on. E'erone wants a piece of TJ



I'm really getting excited about how all of this is coming together. Frankly, I think B is a little overwhelmed because we have a lot going on in the next 6-8 weeks. She'll be aiight tho. It's a fun project and she's like me--she doesn't want to let anyone down. I'd just like to say that there is nothing she could possibly do to let us down. The film is going to be amazing simply because it was made by an amazing film maker. We just gotta keep it fun, remember that it is a learning adventure, and take it day by day. No one has more faith in you than me boo! 


The big interview that was going to happen is being pushed back a week or so. It'll be better to do it once the semester has finally ended so this is a good thing.


Ok--kickstarter. We are at 69% of out goal. B made a plea yesterday about donating. Thanks to our latest supporters: Kate, Kristen, Hayley, Alex, Sal and Alexa, Becky, Ariel, and Diana. We have $245 more to go until we reach our 75% mark. 


I do want to correct one thing that B said in yesterday's post. SHe said that no $$=No Iowa. While that is true for the film--that is not true for me. No matter what happens with the documentary, I will be in IOWA performing at Joker's Comedy Club on June 29th and June 30th. 


But back to kickstarter. B and I have already put so much time, effort, and money into this project so please--if you can help us with just a few bucks--you could really make a difference in our lives. If we reach our goal of $3000 I will do ten minutes of comedy and post it up here. We will also give a free tshirt or $5 Starbucks card to the next 10 donors. Please do not wait until the last minute. Here is the link: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/757866528/the-artist-formerly-known-as-trina


Ok--that is all I have for today. I've had a long day. I even missed the Drake concert tonight which I had tickets and backstage passes for. I'll leave you with a list of 10 things I cannot stand:
1. Fig Newtons
2. Dubstep
3. Will Ferrell movies/standup/shows etc etc
4. Watching golf
5. Sun dried tomatoes
6. Dave Matthews Band
7. Bevis and Butthead
8. The word "lesbian"
9. Camping
10.When people tease me about snakes


Have a great night/day everyone and thanks for the love and support. TJ OUT!!