A certain amount of flexibility.

I've been thinking to myself that if anyone was to ask me about the current state of my life (this will probably never happen. Who walks up to you and says - Excuse me, how would you describe the current state of your life?), I'd probably say 'in limbo'. It got me thinking..this phrase that I've heard used by so many people, and quite frequently by moi, what does it really mean?

I went to a 70s theme party once while in high school, and one of the high points for the less fat and more flexible guests was a limbo contest. I'm pretty sure you know what this is, but if you don't, there's no need to bend over backwards to find out (Ha, ha).
Just go here.

This cannot possibly be what people are talking about when their lives are in limbo. I mean what - "My life is so ugh that I want to dance and possibly pull a few muscles?" I firmly think not.

And then, I did what I do when I have a question. Googled it. And this is what I found -

Definition 1:

In Catholic theology, Limbo (Latin limbus, edge or boundary, referring to the "edge" of Hell) is a speculative idea about the afterlife condition of those who die in original sin without being assigned to the Hell of the damned. Limbo is not an official doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church or any other. Medieval theologians described the underworld ("hell", "hades", "infernum") as divided into four distinct parts: hell of the damned (which some call gehenna), purgatory, limbo of the fathers, and limbo of infants.

HOLY scary explanations Batman!....this is a bit extreme.

Definition 2:

Limbo (Dungeons & Dragons), a plane of existence in Dungeons & Dragons representing pure chaos and uncertainty.

Erm..let's not play games here.

Definition 3:

The Amstrad PCW's bundled word processing software, LocoScript, used the term "in limbo" to refer to files which had been deleted but which could still be restored, a concept similar to that later implemented by the Trash in the Apple Macintosh and the Recycle Bin in Microsoft Windows 95.

Innnnteresting..but still unsatisfying.

Definition 4:

Differing slightly from the original meaning, in colloquial speech, "limbo" is any status where a person or project is held up, and nothing can be done until another action happens. For example, a construction project might be described as "in limbo" if political considerations delay its permit.

Now that seems rather close. I guess it's a bit of a stretch, and far more positive than its religious origin. I will settle for "stuck between 2 states". And when I move, you'll be the first to know.

Note: This post was influenced in part by the analytical nature of the new Sherlock Holmes movie (not), and inspired by Alton Brown's critical and investigative approach to all things food.