00023: Journals
Day 12, twelve items By now, you know I love writing and so, in my many trips to the bookstore I have bought writing journals because my intentions are always to “jot things down.” I imagine myself in a café …
Author: Carlos-Manuel
00022: Wicked
Day 11, eleven items I saw the musical WICKED on Broadway in 2007. I was attending a conference with one of my best colleagues and friends and we decided we needed to see three Broadways shows: We saw The Color …
00021: The UPS Box
Day 10, ten items Let’s start with the obvious. The big black binder or folder or whatever you want to call it is not part of the 10 items. I simply used to keep the box in place. Got that? …
00020: Coffee? Really?
You know how strange and awkward is to have someone say, “let’s meet for a cup of coffee,” meet and then tell them you don’t drink coffee? Trust me, it is awkward. The last time it happened, well, it was …
00019: Lightsabers
A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away… actually it was just two years ago in my own house. For some reason, maybe it was one of those days, I had a very strong desire to own a …
00018: Rainbow Fox Tails
Day 8, eight items Eight items are part of the above image but only two of them matter: the rainbow fox tails. These two tails belonged to my late sister. She and her only daughter, the youngest of her children, …
00018: Letters
For many years, family and friends have sent me letters, postcards, and birthday cars. There was a time when I would make an effort to send “thank you” notes. I have not idea when such practice ended for me. In …
00017: Props
Day 7, seven items I have come to realize that many of the stuff I’m letting go could become theatrical props. Of course I think this way because I direct plays, because I’m a playwright, because I’m in charge of …
00016: What Brews Under My Skin
For many people, the pandemic has become a polarizing issue where some people believe the virus is real while others believe it is fake. Within those that believe the pandemic is a real health threat, there are people who follow …
00015: Coffee Mugs
On Day 6, I say good-bye to my Les Miserable coffee mugs.
00014: Five Things
Day 5, five items Today marks the fifth day of my 30-day Minimalism Game and the process is much harder than I thought. In one of their podcast, “The Minimalists” Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus talked about how around …
00013: Harry Potter, Part 1
Because of my age, this may be very strange to many people, but I love Harry Potter. I love the books; I love the films, and I love the Harry Potter Universe. I’m not a fanatic, and by that, I …
00012: Good Vibrations
When “Marky Mark and The Funky Bunch” came into the scene in 1991 with their song “Good Vibrations,” I immediately felt in love with the group and their music, and I secretly went bonkers over Marky Mark. Seeing him shirtless …
00011: Random Stuff, 2
Day 4, four items In the fall of 2019 (which seems like ages ago), I was directing my own play “Frida Kahlo: The Woman; The Artist.” It wasn’t a smooth experience because people kept dropping the show and replacing them …
00010: Random Stuff, 1
Day 3, three items Except for the “Travel Ireland Magazine” there is nothing special about these items. The magazines (there are three), were part of a trip I took to Dublin for a Gay Theatre Festival where I participated with …
0009: Is it in my Blood?
Every time I visit my mother, I look around her house and see that every surface, every corner, every wall, every space is her house is filled with stuff that has taken over her living space. We have talked about …
0008: The Two Mickeys
Day 2, two items The first time I went to Disneyland was back in 1991. The person I went with, my adopted mother (more about that later), bought me a Steamboat Willie plush toy to remember the occasion. Years, later, …
0007: The Leg
Day 1, one item. About two years ago, I had the opportunity to attend a conference by and for people of color. I did not attend alone, there were many other colleagues from my college. After a long day attending …
0006: Update Needed
I don’t know if you have taken a tour of my website. If you haven’t, do so. It’s a cool website, listing my work, my work, and my work. Ok, maybe not that cool, but interesting at least. If you …
0005: Decluttering Me, Myself, and I
I have given myself the challenge to declutter my office in conjunction with playing the “30-day Minimalist Game,” which asks to get rid of items for 30 days non-stop. Not only that but the number of items you get rid …
0004: Carpe Diem
Lately I’ve been thinking about the phrase, “carpe diem.” No doubt mostly everyone has heard of this phrase. If you haven’t heard of it, don’t worry. The phrase was introduced by the Roman Poet Horace, which means it’s a Latin …
0003: Let’s Get Minimal!
A couple of months ago or so I saw a Netflix documentary titled “My Octopus Teacher.” It has to do with the relationship between a man and an octopus he befriended while snorkeling. It is a very cool documentary; you …
0002: Winter Blues
(Versión en español: #carlosmanueldicelaverdad) Wintertime brings out “the blues” in me. I think the medical term is “seasonal affective disorder (SAD),” which is the result of feeling sad and the feeling of having no energy. Those who work in the …
0001: In the Beginning
(Version en español: carlosmanueldicelaverdad) It’s now the year 2021 and I’ve been spending more time at home due to the pandemic. And since it is also winter time I tend to spend more time reflecting on my life, what I’ve …