By Kabelo Mollo
End of year has arrived, bringing with it an intense fatigue, a controversial world cup (specifically if you’re a member of the British press) as well as a rainy season. Climate change and its effects are all around us. It was snowing just a week or so ago in the highlands. Unbelievable really.
Anyway, it’s almost time for us to call it a year. Time for parties and eating. Time for trifle and turkey! Speaking of which, every year at this time my wife-who makes an amazing trifle-drags her feet until my need for trifle has hit peak level. I hope this year will be different. How great would it be, to get home after yet another hard day’s slog and find a trifle waiting in the fridge? Pure marital bliss I tell you.
I hope this will be the Summer, Maseru pivots back from an event based festive to a hang outs and “parties” vibe. For too long we’ve been at the mercy of event organisers and sponsors for a good time. It would be nice to do random hang outs at people’s houses (sit in) as well as impromptu car wash chillas. Some easy beats, cocktails, cold beers from cooler boxes, cut off shirts and summer dresses. It’s what we deserve.
Listen, I have no principled gripe with the gig economy and I understand it’s how many of my brethren make a living. Far be it for me to cast aspersions on that, but we have got to saturation point in terms of gigs. Quantity has overtaken quality and in my view equilibrium needs to be restored. That’s not a real possibility with every corporate crying about shrinking budgets and an inability to partner on anything. Maseru must reset with a qualitative offering on the events side. We’ll do the rest on our own.
It’s been a long difficult year. On the work front our bootstrapped online radio station continues to tick on thanks to the exuberance, dedication and single mindedness of our brilliant team. Those young guys and girls are a breath of fresh air. With any luck we’ll have a better year financially in ’23 than we did ’22. My own personal year has seen me get involved in some really great projects. A couple of which will hopefully begin to bear fruit next year. As ever, I have loved writing this column in The Reporter and look forward to more engagement in the coming year. The toughest column I have ever written was the ode to my old man which was received so warmly that it even surprised me. People still come to me and tell me how much they enjoyed the piece and how they felt somehow comforted by it. It’s comforting to hear those words.
Every year around this time we have to remind folks not to drink and drive. Every year we have to be vigilant on our roads because we’re aware drunk drivers have unleashed themselves un to us. I hope this year will be different. Perhaps our new government will incentivise folks by setting up one or two random night time roadblocks. It’s one of my great bugbears because for all too long I was an offender. I too believed the adage “the car knows its way home”. On one particular morning after a birthday party I had no recollection of where the car was or indeed how I had got myself home. That was a watershed moment for me and I vowed not to indulge in that behaviour again. Fortunately, not long thereafter Uber became a thing and one was able to get around town inebriated without being a problem.
I feel for those who instead of feeling completely relaxed at this time, are overwhelmed by anxiety owing to toxic familial environments. That must be the absolute pits, and I hope the situation improves! I hope everyone has the kind of holiday period they deserve.
In closing, I want to wish everyone a restful break. I hope it’s filled with rest and relaxation! We ought not drink nor eat too much. We ought to look after ourselves and our loved ones so that we’ll come back renewed, and reinvigorated! All the best in the down time, and hopefully see you at one or other hangout/chillas/ easy vaab…
Nay’ iFestive, Azishe!
