Letter from the Editor
I write this letter on the eve of level three of our new-normal lockdown paradigm. For most of us, slowly graduating through these levels has been the only forward progression we’ve experienced over the last few months.
I was getting ready to move house and kick off a few other long-delayed projects when our first lockdown was announced, quickly putting almost everything into a state of suspended animation. Life was suddenly drawn to a complete halt, and we were frozen in time. Armed only with whatever resilience and fortitude we could muster, we were left to balance our optimism against our anxiety and fear of an invisible, deadly threat that stalked its way down our silent streets.
Two years ago, I attended a lunch and met 23-year-old Michele Vanzaghi, who was freshly-graduated, fit, and, according to several of the women around the table, “perfect husband material”. He’d spend the next few years honing his expertise as a medical intern and enjoying being unstoppable. Until the strange lump he found on his body – in the one place no man wants to find a lump – was diagnosed: testicular cancer.
His story reflects life right now – trying to make sense of it all while facing a threat to his invincibility; isolation; balancing fear and optimism. I asked Michele to share his journey and how changing his perspective helped him power through the darkest days (p26).
Living under lockdown has also allowed us to unplug and reshape our priorities. We’ve put together a guide (p80) to help you navigate the next few months, whether you’re avoiding WFH burnout, considering a career pivot, or just figuring out what to do with your weekend.
This downtime also allows us time to discover some gems in the entertainment world: from our cover star Chris Hemsworth’s turn in the action film Extraction (p68) to new series that embrace representation and signify a new era of content, created by Africans, for Africans and led by some of SA’S greatest behind-thescenes talents (p74).
Enjoy the issue.
Nkosiyati khumalo
Editor-in-chief