Liminality and Socks

This blog has been brewing for quite a while. I'm in a period of (what feels like) colossal and rapid change, so it seems appropriate to actually start this now. A close friend and mentor introduced me to the word "liminal" about four months ago, which I realized completely described what I was feeling.

lim·i·nal/ˈlimənl/

Adjective:

Of or relating to a transitional or initial stage of a process. Occupying a position at, or on both sides of, a boundary or threshold.

That pretty much summed up "Spring Semester 2012," otherwise known as my first six months post-Graduate school. My life was truly in a liminal state at that point. I spent those months substitute teaching, working for my alma mater, juggling two or three additional part-time gigs, and fretting (freaking out) about - literally - where in the world my partner (B) and I would be in six months. After aiding me in the discovery of the perfect word, my mentor basically told me to 1) Stop freaking out, 2) Trust in my abilities, and 3) Relish in the flexibility and insecurities of liminality. 

NB: I should note that although I didn't achieve this completely, I definitely became less of a crazy person. Having a descriptive word for what I was feeling certainly gave me the power to better cope with the situation.

Sometime in March, we received word that B got into just about every graduate program he applied to; the continent was our oyster. All that was left was to decide where we would be moving, which turned out to be a more difficult task than either one of us was expecting. Later that month I received two different offers for summer positions: One that could have extended my current position, would have put us financially in the black and was a safe and familiar choice; and one working for a non-profit (read: not exactly a money maker) which would put me on the opposite side of the country for six weeks but was a definite step-up in jobs and was just the type of thing I was looking for. 

Well, liminal no more, I (we!) have a plan.

Yesterday I left my home of five years - good old Oberlin - and my job of four years, to begin a new adventure. Today I'm off to Alaska to start my summer position as the Grants Coordinator for the Sitka Fine Arts Camp. In August, Team GB will be moving to Montreal! We've been incredibly fortunate in our experiences up to this point, thanks in part to our network of supportive family and friends, and part to Oberlin. We've been in Oberlin for five years, so this will be a big change for both of us, but we're excited!

I've started this blog as a way to chronicle my transitions in and out of liminality, our adventures beyond the beloved greens of Tappan Square, and some of the daily goings-on for the sake of my out-of-region friends and family.

A note about "Always Pack Extra Socks." I recently went on a short weekend trip which I thought I had packed for thoroughly. Turns out I had forgotten socks. Even though it was late spring/summer and socks weren't exactly a necessity, it was still a major bummer to get there and discover that I had forgotten such a key item. In preparing for this trip to Alaska, I made a big purchase of all new socks, some of which have lifetime warranties (I know, I didn't know warranties existed for socks either!). First of all, great decision - these socks are the best - but I also think these lifetime warranties are perfectly symbolic of the journey I've embarked on, and I'm looking forward to wearing these things to the fullest on my impending adventures!