Summary

The author, Kim Funk, discovers she is the unconventional member of her tight-knit neighborhood community, which is confirmed after taking personality tests revealing her as an Enneagram 4 and INFJ, the rarest personality types.

Abstract

Kim Funk, a freelance writer from Minneapolis, shares her experience of realizing she is the 'weird' friend in her neighborhood, where everyone else seems to share a more traditional outlook on life. Unlike her neighbors, Funk dreams of an unconventional concrete house inspired by Eileen Gray's E-1027. Her unique perspective is validated when she takes personality tests, resulting in her being classified as an Enneagram 4 and INFJ, known for their creativity, introspection, and rarity. Despite the challenges of feeling like an outsider, Funk embraces her weirdness and the freedom it brings to her creative endeavors and personal life.

Opinions

Funk values independence in thought and action, often questioning rules and societal norms.
She prides herself on her creativity and introspective nature, which are central to her identity and work.
Funk feels misunderstood by her peers due to her unconventional ideas and preferences.
She has accepted her personality traits, including being introverted and stubborn, and views them as part of her unique character.
Funk is unapologetic about her aspirations, such as her desire for a modern, concrete house, despite the divergence from her neighbors' tastes.
She acknowledges the difficulty in forming connections due to her reserved nature in social settings but finds solace in her creative pursuits.
Funk considers her personality type to be a source of intrigue and potential inspiration for others, suggesting that her home will spark curiosity and stories among passersby.

My Friends and I Took Personality Tests and Guess What — I’m the Weird One

And no, I should not be surprised.

I’m the weird friend.

If you’ve read my work before, you know that I don’t like to follow rules. I say it all the time. I don’t like them.

I do follow them because that’s just what you do. But I always overthink them. I have a habit of asking, “Why?” anytime I’m presented with a rule. Why do we do it this way? Is this what they want? Why are they telling me this?

I like to think for myself. I look for the answers to my questions and draw my own conclusions. And when I have enough data, I present those conclusions — usually in the form of an essay.

I live in a very unique neighborhood where everyone is friends. The culture is reminiscent of the 1950s where the kids play with wild abandon and the parents gather in the evening for cocktails on someone’s deck after firing up the grills for a shared picnic. We are as much a family as our biological families. As such, we’ve celebrated successes and great tragedies together.

The women of the neighborhood enjoy a particularly close bond — our children are similar ages so it’s not unusual for us to gather on one driveway or another and visit while our kids take over the neighborhood.

Most of us have been here for about ten years. As our families continue to grow, we move on to bigger houses in other neighborhoods, or in other towns. From time to time, we talk amongst ourselves about what our “upgrade” houses would look like. Most would be traditional, just bigger. With up-to-date yet, traditional decor.

Not me. My “upgrade” is a concrete house reminiscent of Eileen Gray’s 1027 house in France (not pictured above). Complete with modern furnishings and modern art. I’ve always wanted a concrete house. And since everyone else was describing their dream home, I described mine.

Every. Single. One of my neighbors looked at me like I was growing a third head.

Later that evening, we started talking about personality types — one of my friends is a school counselor. So, each of us decided to take a free version of the Enneagram and the Myers-Briggs. Sure enough, I got Enneagram 4 and INFJ. The rarest of personality types.

I am the weirdo.

It’s not easy being the weirdo. Oftentimes, it feels like I’m on the outside looking into a world where I’ll never belong. It doesn’t take too long to figure out that most of the ideas I share are so alien that people don’t know what to make of them.

Other times I’ll watch other weirdos doing their thing with wild and reckless abandon. And I yearn for the moment when I can “just do my thing.” Here’s the thing. The “perfect moment” is never going to arrive. So I’m embracing my weirdness.

Not surprisingly, INFJ and Enneagram 4 personality traits are similar. After all, it’s the same person taking two different tests. I’m creative, artistic, thoughtful, introverted, introspective, and crazy stubborn!

At my best, I create amazing stuff. I write funny stories based on outrageous premises. I’m a good listener. At my worst, I’m awkward, stubborn, and moody.

According to both assessments, people with my personality type are hard to get to know. This is true. I often retreat into myself in social situations. And while I feel left out at times, the idea of “putting myself out there” in those same social situations is daunting.

On the flip-side, living in my head means that I have LOTS of time to read and create. And, if I know that I’m going to be in a place where I might be awkward but doesn’t require social interaction, I can bring along my laptop, iPad, a good book, or a magazine so that I don’t have to interact with anyone.

I’ve embraced my weirdness, I don’t care what people think of my concrete house. It’s going to be awesome. People will drive by and wonder what kind of interesting person lives there. They’ll think up all kinds of amazing stories about me.

Kim Funk is a sometimes funny freelance writer based in Minneapolis, MN. She’s also a hockey mom and amateur opera singer — what a weird combination. Despite her weirdness, her kids and her dog think she’s awesome. And her cat puts up with her.