Friends,
Today, liminality is on our minds.
“Liminality is the quality of ambiguity or disorientation that occurs in the middle stage of a rite of passage, when participants no longer hold their pre-ritual status but have not yet begun the transition to the status they will hold when the rite is complete,” per Wikipedia.
Carrie here. The liminal space sounds ephemeral and maybe even romantic, but can feel more like a shroud of unknowns. The “rite of passage” here could mean so many things. There is big liminality, like the transition into post-pandemic life. There’s also, we think, subtle liminality, like how many of us transition from work mode to home mode each evening.
For example — what we’re headed into, the post-pandemic future, feels uncertain. USA Today reports that almost half of Americans say they feel uneasy thinking about in-person interaction once the pandemic ends. This comic strip, “Visions of the Post-Pandemic Future (Revised)” is pretty laugh-out-loud funny, and includes a toad and neck masks. The Cut launched a series called “Wild Speculation.” Meanwhile, NPR is soliciting stories from people: Can You Feel Post-Pandemic Anxiety Creeping In? Tell Us About It.
The thing is, the liminal space is probably here to stay for a long while, and online living is most definitely not going away.
And so, dear readers, let us present you with our latest fascination: Micro-boundaries, aka the tiny, almost invisible guardrails that you use in your online life, to preserve a sense of completion and peace.
We’re not talking about telling your boss you can’t work on Fridays. We’re talking more about boundaries with technology and movements that feel particularly relevant after a year of pandemic living.
Some examples: Closing your tabs at the end of the day, eating your meals away from your workspace, or moving your computer out of sight when your work day is done, creating a “work shutdown ritual.”
These seemingly minute steps can feel like the difference between feeling a human being and feeling like a robot.
So reader, we’re asking you — what are the micro-boundaries you’ve set over the last year? Or where do you still need to set boundaries? We’re ready for your suggestions and hot tips. We promise to share what we hear back with you!
Water Cooler Convo
Carrie: Emily, I’d love to know your thoughts on ‘bleisure.’
Emily: I am guilty of trying to work last summer from a Wifi-less log cabin in the woods. It mostly worked, although I always felt a little guilty (guilty when not working, guilty when not enjoying nature). I think it can be a good idea when done in combination with proper, unplugged breaks.
Emily: Carrie, I recently got the shot (woo hoo!) but I’m not feeling too great so I’m going to pass on sharing a link today. Hope you don’t mind!
Carrie: Hope you feel better asap, friend! Rooting for you and sending gatorade-esque vibes.
Carrie: Science = winning 2021. Did you see that we may need to rewrite physics textbooks? Go Fermilab!
Emily: Whoa. Although TBH I dropped out of my physics class in high school so I have no idea what this means!!
That’s a wrap, friends. Hope your weekend is one decidedly on the side of R&R.
Your pals,
Carrie & Emily