Stay fearless. Rejection is just other people doing you the favor of editing themselves out of your life.
Nick Farr
:: Lifestyle ::
What does it mean to you to be quirky and what do you love about it?
In my particular case, being quirky has a lot to do with smashing others’ assumptions of context. I’m the bearded guy in the tailored off the rack suit at Occupy, Burning Man and the invite-only MoMA opening party. I’m the guy that throws a rave in my “fancy exclusive Wall Street” club. I yell at guys for being misogynistic in the locker room. I don’t really belong anywhere, but I go everywhere.
What’s a secret, unusual talent that you have?
I have stunt driving skills. I once drove from TriBeCa to Newark in 10 minutes. That’s an *average* speed of 60 MPH.
:: Quest ::
Where do you find your mojo?
Mostly in this German drink called Club-Mate and Stumptown Coffee. Aside from that, from meeting really awesome people. This has unfortunately gotten a lot harder to do even though I’m really trying!
Explain one experiment you’ve done that changed your life:
Hackers on a Plane. I put 40 Hackers on a plane to Germany to see how Europeans build community. That’s not only changed my life, it’s changed the world and made a lot of amazing things possible.
What’s your favorite recent discovery for…
Your home:
CRT Glass Coasters: I actually started off my career as a manager of a recycling plant, so I know how nasty and really hard to recycle this stuff is. I applaud this approach in the right direction! Also, I always need coasters, for my Club-mate, Tea, Coffee, Water and whatever other liquid I have lying around. Hydrate!
Your body:
Honest Amish Beard Balm: Takes away the quirky itch in my beard.
Your belly:
Paulie Gee’s! I am mildly lactose intolerant, but that’s not a problem at this amazing and quirky pizza place!
Your soul:
The Artist’s Way. It’s an old book, actually something I received as a gift a long time ago but I’ve been getting a lot more into it!
Music:
Tennis, namely their most recent EP “Small Sounds”, and the track “Cured of Youth”. Runner Up: MadVillain, more of a “rediscovery” than anything else.
Writing:
http://truedetectiveconversations.tumblr.com/
Art: Sophie Parker. I was really caught completely by surprise by an installation of hers at a group show. Sadly it’s not on her website. She’s also a student at SVA.
:: Mission ::
How do you celebrate the deliciousness of being quirky?
I do a little dance of glee whenever I find myself making someone laugh with my quirkiness. Sometimes I fail to dance in my head alone. ;)
What is your #1 tip for a fellow quirkster?
Stay fearless. Rejection is just other people doing you the favor of editing themselves out of your life.
About: I’ve done a lot of interesting things, but I’m perhaps most famous for helping launch the global Hackerspaces movement. I was most recently a Startup CFO and I’m currently studying for the CPA exam.
Follow:
I live this quote: “Stay fearless. Rejection is just other people doing you the favor of editing themselves out of your life.”
It turns out that fearing rejection is one of the biggest things that holds people back in life. And yet the stuff that makes us different (or quirky!) is exactly what makes us world-changers. Beautiful.