BLOG: I’m So Sorry
I realized I’ve updated about ministry, deep thoughts, and my moments with God—but I haven’t done anything light-hearted-Nikki-style lately. Here I am, coming at you with your latest Nikki update. A preface: this race has not only brought back my need for creativity but also my passion for humor, laughter and pure joy. So, being silly is actually exactly where I’m at right now. The following is a list of little traits I have picked up along the way that I will likely bring back to the states with me. I can not control myself. And I am so sorry. But also I’m so not because life is just way more fun this way.
- Being in “RARE FORM BOYS”
I actually don’t know how this started, but when I get into a mood where I have all the energy and sass and sometimes I’m just spazzing out, we call it rare form. I’m even unpredictable to myself. Thing is, this isn’t actually all that rare. Typically, this starts with me doing something sporadic and we all laugh or show signs of surprise. Then I scream “IM IN RAAAARE FOOORMM BOYZZZ” while clapping my hands together once then rubbing them together as if I’m trying to start a fire. It tends to do more help than harm…usually.
- Milly Wopping to every song that you definitely cannot Milly Wopp to.
So this is a really fun thing that I picked up around training camp of the race. The thing is, this dance move is not only fun, but extremely addicting. A lot of people do it well, unironically. However, for me it just feels more true to milly wopp, whip, nae nae, and other popular dance moves to dramatic worship songs, slow sappy songs, and even the occasional kids silly song. This habit will likely take a while to break.
- Saying “get wrecked”
This also originated at training camp or possibly before. If I had to take a guess, I would say this stuck with me so strongly due to my good friend Emilie McNatt. She and I got on this horse and just never got off again. Instead we got wrecked. For context, “get wrecked” is a very versatile phrase. You could mean leave me alone, ew no, or even I’M SO EXCITED YES! It’s all about your intonation and audience. Use it well, use it wisely, use it often.
- Carrying my essentials in a fanny pack on my hip.
Although this is something I’ve done pre-world race, it was usually in the context of concerts or festivals where I needed to be hands free. This year, I’ve gotten a little ridiculous with it. Not only do I limit what I bring places so I can only use a fanny pack, I’ve also upgraded my monotones fanny to a bright green tie dyed pack. I even sent home my laptop as I was too lazy to carry a backpack. I am actually confused as to what used to take room up in my purses and backpacks. Move over Louis Vuitton—it’s FANNY TIME.
- Scaring people at every opportunity
Again, not something that was rare before the race. However, living in community, you get to know your teammates routines down to the second. Who will be the first in the room, who will be off their guard, when are people not paying attention. It’s a skill and a talent I have honed in on over the past few months. My scaring is at an all time high and I intend to keep it that way. #RecordScarer #MonstersIncInfluencedMe
- Making a picture frame around my face while mean mugging (I got this from Pitch Perfect)
My team has recently really gotten into watching movie series’. We started at Divergent, moved into Lord of the Rings, Legally Blonde, Blue Lagoon, Marvel Studios and of course Pitch Perfect. It’s kinda ridiculous how obsessed we get with them for days or weeks at a time. I almost forgot my love for this acapella masterpiece. Turns out my favorite scene is when one of the new girls—Cynthia Rose—is trying to learn the very girly choreography but instead adds her own thug twist to it. I have not stopped doing that since. Any opportunity to mean mug is an opportunity I’ll take.
- Pulling out my tiny hands whenever there is a photo op
I begged my mom for tiny hands last Christmas. Yes I was 21 years old. Yes she delivered with a bag of 10. Yes they were all right hands. Yes I dropped some of my face wash so I could bring 3 pairs. I WILL use them well. (Don’t take yourself so seriously)
- Throwing away my toilet paper
This is less of a conscious choice at this point. For those of you who don’t know, a lot of countries in this world don’t have the plumbing that can handle toilet paper. We are part of the lucky few in America. However, there have only been 3 weeks on this whole race where I haven’t thrown my (used) toilet paper into the garbage can. This is my least favorite habit but I assume it will happen for a while until I can get assimilated back into American culture. I also fully expect to cry in the middle of every grocery store.
- Talking in accents as much as—if not more than—my normal voice
Again, not one that was rare pre-race. Being in foreign countries, you’d be surprised that copying their accent(s) isn’t actually offensive if you’re doing it for communication, not for mocking purposes. I’ve had a lot of success in communicating exactly what I need and hearing people out well because I learn how to speak with their accent quickly. Even teaching children is easier with mimicking. This is a trait people often thought would get me punched one day: as I am a huge mimicker when people say something differently (or funnily). Look mom, it actually helped me. But….I still do it in everyday life as well.
- Making up songs for literally everything that happens
Like I said in the preface, this race, time away, and community of many different people has opened my mind back up to how creative I actually am. I had no idea how good I was at writing songs in general, let alone making up stupid songs about everything I am doing/thinking about right in the moment. It all started with a game (give me a topic and a song and I’ll change the song to be about that topic) and boom, I’m a songwriter. I’ve not only stepped into this seriously, writing emotional songs, but also in every single part of my day. Singing has quickly become a form of communication for us on the field.
BONUS
- Doing the mocking spongebob meme but in real life
This one was popular a couple of years back to post on people’s walls on Facebook or send them in a text. It basically takes what that person just said like “well I’m just gonna go outside then” and mocks it back to them like a 12 year old who has no other come back “wElL i’M jUsT gOnNA gO oUtSiDe tHeN”. This is usually accompanied by a picture of spongebob in a sort of chickenly stance with a scrunched up face with purses lips. Thanks to some of my friends on the race, we have not only brought this meme back to life, but have literally brought it into real life. Now, when someone says something snarky, sassy, or even just decides they want to spend alone time rather than playing a game with you, you can make this spongebob meme at them in real time! Sometimes I even just walk around with my arms tucked under my armpits like chicken wings to show I’m in “rare form”.
Though this seems like a slightly pointless blog, as it sort of is, there is a small point I would like to make. Are you taking yourself a little to seriously? Are you taking time each day to find things that bring you joy? Are you celebrating the good parts of yourself, the parts that are fun to you, the parts that are unique to you? Do you take time to love pieces (if not the whole) of who you are? Take a moment to write things that brings you joy. Celebrate pieces of yourself that make you shine compared to others; little pieces of yourself that show God’s quirky thumb print on you alone. Live life to the fullest, even if it means doing things a little differently. And don’t ever take anything to seriously, even the Lord has some time to sing, dance, and rejoice (Zephaniah 3:17).
