Beginnings

Welcome!

Let’s get to know each other a bit better. 16 things to know about me:

1. I am a 26 year old black South African woman by way of Lesotho (it’s not complicated, I happen to have been born here but my entire family is from The Mountain Kingdom) and bristle at all mentions of a 10th Province when referring to a sovereign nation. This also means that I am Sotho Speaking😂.
2. I have loved writing all my life and the reason that this blog has taken so long to materialise is because it’s scary to try (and share) something you love (and a little bit of #3).
   

   
3. I am technologically, erm, sufficient. I can get by, but to illustrate: my mother had a touch screen phone 4 years before me and had to persuade me to get an electric blanket for the same amount of time (my granny eventually beat me to that).
4. I don’t like crying. It’s unfortunate that there’s a direct correlation between my emotional heights and my tear ducts. This includes anger (in fact anger more often than not) and thankfully, laughter.
5. I believe in God. Though our relationship has been strained at times, I believe there is a Creator of the Universe Who loves me. For me at least, this has not been the easiest option. Nevertheless, my belief stands.
6. I love sunflowers (if you hadn’t noticed); proteas and succulents are a close second. In fact, my lime fingers love plants in general (my second name is Palesa so my mom’s bemusement about this confuses me given that she did name her entire daughter after flora). I can keep most plants alive. I dream of a huge banana leaf in my house foyer one day (#EasyGiftIdeasin5years).
7. I hate being misunderstood, in extreme cases it may lead to #4 and often compels me to write extensive metaphorical pieces to help people who almost certainly don’t want to be convinced to understand. I also can’t tolerate intolerant (lol), unsympathetic and condescending humans. Also on the hit list: inconsistent, inconsiderate and/or entitled persons and people who hog the fast lane.
8. I have a serious affair with words, I love to misuse, overuse and make them up. I love them across languages and they make me feel things when used skillfully. I also believe in their power. I quite literally mourned the sudden disappearance of The LoveBook App (#BringBackTheLoveBookApp) and may or may not have bought the last hardcopy in the UK on Amazon in pounds in leui of groceries that week (see: fortnight). Yes, the App was the exception: I’m a hardcopy girl through and through. I don’t care that I can have 10 000 books in my hand. Other exceptions: Shonda Rhimes’ audiobook of The Year of Yes.
9. I consider myself a Nerd and am ecstatic that it’s translating well to the mainstream. Full disclosure: despite this, I only saw Star Wars for the first time in my final year of medical school. I’m not ashamed of any of this (though DC makes a valiant effort at times) and don’t claim to be the queen of the nerds but I may (will) demolish you in a Harry Potter stan(d)off.
   

   
10. I enjoy the rain: mostly highveld Thunderstorms but even a good shower or sprinkle do me justice. Exception: whatever the hell happens in Cape Town. This makes more sense when you learn that I am also fond of umbrellas. My surname is Lerotholi, which means “a drop”; I think the two are related.
11. I laugh “badly”. It can be uproarious and often out of my control. Sometimes I roll around (allegedly). I used to be embarrassed about it but honestly, who has the time?
12. I’m incredibly loyal and take my close relationships seriously. I consider my close friends the great loves of my life and am astonishingly easy to wound from that standpoint. Indifference, inconsistency and last minute changes are a unique cruelty to me (I prefer a timeous no strings attached “no” every.single.time). I’m a true optimist and realist simultaneously and the two traits make interesting bedfellows at times. I am not very good at being vulnerable in person. Yet.
13. I like being underestimated. Force of habit because its not always easily apparent that i can be a force (So I’m told). I don’t mind, we all find out in the end anyway and proving people wrong is a nice cherry on top. Note: sometimes the underestimator is me.
14. Not reaching my potential s a top 3 fear. That Parable about unused talents fills me with dread. Also top 3? Worms. Yes, they can’t hurt me. Yes, I don’t care.
15. My dreadlocks are equal parts empowerment and aesthetic: my natural hair is soft yet somehow incredibly coily, thus hitting the lose-lose sweet spot of extreme rapid shrinkage when left alone and an undesirable cow-licked-my-hair-esque response to relaxer.

16. Rapid fire: Favorite colour is yellow (white grey and blue for clothing), I love peaches, musicals, glass globes and light fixtures, Tiny Desk Concerts and fine unobtrusive jewelry (this does not extend to earrings). I might low-key be a hippy: I own no crystals and read no horoscopes but I can see the merits of additionally describing myself as a Scorpio, ENFP and often think about running away and living off of fish and fresh vegetables grown in the garden of my tiny book-filled seaside cottage.