Real talk about being the oddball in every social circle. In this episode, I share how I already know when I'm going to get rejected or put outside the circle because I'm weird - at church, comedy, music, coding, work - there's always cliques and I'm usually the oddball. I'm done trying to be part of those circles, don't need their acceptance or peer pressure. It bothers me when excluded but I can't let it dictate my life - I create my own lane in every field because I'm being pushed there anyway, why fight it? Learn about the weird phenomenon where people reject you, then when you embrace your own lane they end up not liking you even more ("I thought this is what you wanted"). I discuss how people lose their sense of self trying to please others and do what everybody expects, how you can't get better than the group when one person leads and says "you're not supposed to do it like that," and why you need to go against the grain to improve. Being salt and light of the earth - when I refuse to accept their social standards, I'm hated for it and known as the outcast. I've been doing this since elementary school - learned to make fun of myself first to beat them to the punch. Important: people pretend to be your friend but are insincere - discern by how they treat you alone vs. in groups. You need to put yourself in social situations despite past rejection. I do curbside because I'm lazy and don't want to deal with people - I'm a sore thumb from a mile away. Looking people in the eye to maintain peace - intimidators look away, normal people look back. The oddball, creating your own lane, salt and light.

Random thoughts vlog after a long, rough day. In this episode, I talk about the importance of rest for mental well-being and how negative thoughts creep in when exhausted - I need a nap and a guitar (my therapy), working out makes my muscles scream to go back. I discuss patience running thin with people, gaslighting in unhealthy relationships (when someone uses your patience too thin then calls you the problem when you finally snap), and how healthy relationships communicate openly about problems instead of blaming. Major topic: being completely debt-free with my wife - no credit cards, car loans, student loans, or mortgage. We worked at this for 12+ years. Learn why we bought into the debt mindset (FICO score, credit cards, etc.) and how we got on the same page to knock it all out. Money goes to retirement, savings, kids' college - we're responsible and have money to spend on things we want. Communication about budget is KEY - we put all money in one pile (same bank account), no separate accounts (that's already a flag), no pride about who makes more. We used to fight about money when in debt with no communication or budgeting - now we don't fight about money at all because we're transparent. Eliminated the number one cause of arguments in marriages. Important: discuss significant topics BEFORE marriage - money, kids, church, values. Don't avoid them because you think it's taboo. Sex first then marriage is out of order. Negative thoughts when tired, gaslighting, financial freedom, communication in marriage, topics before marriage.

• (00:00:00) - Workers Talk About Their Days
• (00:00:27) - Stalling
• (00:04:54) - How to Catch Gaslighting in Your Relationship
• (00:06:39) - How to Get Out of Debt in Your Marriage
• (00:10:29) - How To Talk About Money In A Relationship

Jesus shares his morning thoughts, from marriage stresses and ways to reset before going home, to his comedy show learnings and the psychology of laughter. Plus, insights on how his size affects his stage presence and how he flips the script on potential hecklers.

My eighth open mic at Rich's pool hall on January 4th, 2026—first open mic of the new year! In this episode, I share the totally different experience of performing in a pool hall venue, dealing with imposter syndrome after the set ("Dude, am I funny?"), and learning that even experienced comics get it all the time. I discuss my writing process: using pen and paper, computer typing, Gemini for research, and ChatGPT to help write jokes and get ideas—some AI jokes get laughs, some non-AI jokes get laughs, it's a combination. Learn why Jerry Seinfeld writes only with pen and paper while the Joke Doctor uses computer, and why my wife says "just use what works for you—you don't have to do what everybody else is doing." I share advice for someone going up for the first time who doesn't feel they have enough material (I didn't either), why you need to recite and memorize jokes so your memory doesn't escape you on stage, and how memorization lets your natural voice come out. Important realization: the joke is a guide and the path may change but you're going in the general direction—learning to slow down, speed up, pause, and let the audience understand. Can't drop them in the middle of your thought—that's why they call it a setup. Person, place, thing: who, what, when, where, why—set them up in the space, then hit them with what they didn't expect. Very cognitive writing translated to people. Eighth shot at open mic.

• (00:00:00) - Open Mic #8
• (00:04:31) - Jimmy Kimmel on Starting Late

Real talk about never fitting into social circles and why I always create my own lane. In this episode, I share how I've never really been part of a crew or group from high school to now - whenever I try to be part of a social circle, I find myself putting aside what I want to do to please the circle. Learn why I had to create my own thing with podcasting, comedy, guitar, programming, and YouTube, and why "why not?" is my premise when people say I'm supposed to do it a certain way. I discuss why my comedy is cleaner than other comedians (it's my lifestyle and how I choose to speak - not doing it because others do dirty), following myself instead of following the crowd, and why it works when I keep my head down and work on it my way. IMPORTANT: I explain why I choose not to have women friends as a married man - friendships eventually turn into relationships, anything past professional belongs to my wife, and I tell her everything about women in my DMs. My wife is my best friend. I also talk about bumping heads and tension when you choose your own lane, politics in circles where you learn new skills, navigating professional relationships in podcasting/comedy/music/trucking, and why it's okay to keep things at a professional level. Choosing myself over the crowd, learning to navigate tension, and creating my own lane.

Real talk about bombing in stand-up comedy. In this episode, I share my humbling experience at open mic number three where I completely bombed, the depression that followed, and how I learned to be confident in failure for open mic number four. Learn what it's like when jokes don't land, why I didn't prepare the audience or warm them up, how I wasn't looking at the crowd during number three, and the self-doubt that follows a bomb ("Am I funny? Do I really want to do this?"). I discuss the importance of representation in comedy, how Hispanic audience members moved closer when I talked about my name being Jesus and people calling me Jose in the oil field, and how laughter doesn't know race - comedy brings people together. Discover why you almost have to be an influencer to fill shows in Corpus Christi, how I went backwards (podcast first, comedy second), and why even experienced comics bomb. I explore using cuss words as bait between jokes and how I need to figure out clean comedy alternatives as a Bible believer. Plus: how the enemy plants doubts before performances, why bombing is part of the process like learning guitar, and building the muscle to ignore negative thoughts. Recorded audio of sets, advice from Eric Knowles, Lito Cortez wisdom, and being confident you can bomb.

My second stand-up comedy open mic at Mesquite Street Comedy in Corpus Christi! In this episode, I share what I learned about trimming the fat (fixing bits to make them better), stretching jokes longer, and being uncomfortable when the audience doesn't laugh. I almost didn't go up—sat in my car second-guessing myself until my wife encouraged me. Learn about recording your sets on your phone to analyze later, getting advice from local comics like Anna Ramirez, Lito Cortez, Miguel(ito), Marri Garcia (awesome host), Chris Longoria, and Roland Alaniz who told me "they're just jokes bro, what's the worst that can happen?" I discuss watching 15-16 comics before going up, reminding myself "nobody is me—I'm the only person who can do me," learning comedy terminology (bits, punchlines), and discovering you have to put on your own shows to get longer than 5-minute open mic sets. Real talk about stage time being irreplaceable, practicing your craft in front of people, having backup ideas when jokes don't land, and learning to listen to the audience. The difference between authentic laughs and pity laughs. Enjoying the process of learning stand-up comedy. Recorded November 2025.

Description: I finally did it—my first stand-up comedy open mic! In this episode, I share the nerve-wracking experience of trying stand-up for the first time at a downtown Corpus Christi open mic hosted by Tina La Cochina. After telling guests Chris Longoria and Ronnie Fryar I wanted to try comedy, they got me on the hook and I had to kick myself in the butt to actually go through with it. Learn what it's really like to practice in front of an audience (ouch), why the huge difference with stand-up is you can't practice alone, and how people said I already have stage presence from my years performing classical guitar and playing in bands. I discuss bombing in front of colleagues, the advice to "do it five more times," and how I'm already thinking about how to improve the material. Drawing parallels between performing Villa-Lobos on classical guitar and learning comedy timing—you can feel when the audience is listening and you have control. Real talk about starting something new, not waiting for perfect, figuring it out along the way, and being the example for what I preach: just start, then make it better next time. More eyes watching because of Corpus Christi Originals podcast recognition. Remembering grammar from elementary school to write jokes. Will I do it again? Yes. Recorded November 2025. Blog Post Here.