Rapid Escalation

I’ve met some crazy people on public transport. It’s such a crowded, enclosed environment that it’s bound to produce some interesting situations.

Like this

Also, my famous Handjob-Pearl Necklace On The Train adventure.

I used to catch the train a lot both to uni during the week, and to Belgrave for band practice. Over my travels I met some interesting and inspiring characters, such as the Crazy Hobo Guy.

One day, hung-over after a wild gig, I got chatting to three guys who were in very energetic mood. They were around 15-16 and enjoying life. They were ripping a newspaper to shreds while telling me about an amazing new game they’d invented, called Confetti.

“You just get all this shredded newspaper, chuck it on someone, and yell CONFETTI! It’s heaps fun!”

They had built up a decent stockpile, and chose their first target, an older Asian businessman. The three of them walked up to his seat, and paused in front of him for dramatic effect. For a moment he was confused, and looked a little worried…then, CONFETTI! A whirlwind of newspaper, joyous yells and childhood fun rained down upon him. He smiled and laughed, and joined in their chant.

“CONFETTI! CONFETTI! CONFETTI!”

They gave him a high five.

It’s such a cool prank because it’s so harmless. How angry can someone really get? It takes 2 seconds to brush off strips of newspaper so there’s no long-term damage, let alone short term damage. They’re forced to just play along and join in on the fun. Out of 6 or 7 confetti attacks on the train trip, only one guy got slightly annoyed, and even he soon realized he was making a big deal over nothing and smiled back. Their positive energy was too infectious and he realized what a downer he was being. In a way they had the biggest impact on him, because they took him out of his grumpy mood and brightened up his day.

Trains are awesome. Slightly related sexy metaphorical picture.

I love the Confetti game because they get the same rush kids would from rebelling in “bad” ways such as smoking on the train, doing graffiti, harassing strangers or getting into fights. But instead of breaking social rules and conventions in a negative way, they’re snapping people out of the drudgery of their day to day lives and reminding them what it’s like to be a kid and have fun again!

Its very similar to my “rainbow brush” concept, the idea that you should see yourself as a beacon that radiates positivity and good vibes, and that you carry a magic rainbow brush with you at all times, painting every where you go with the fun of the rainbow. It’s tapping back into the careless childhood fun from a time before we worried too much about what other people thought of us.

What if you were to do something fun and out of the ordinary like these kids once a month? Or once a week? How about every time you left the house?

How would your life be different? For me is makes me excited to leave the house. Every day is an adventure. It’s exciting and stimulating and I feel like I’m experiencing the world with the wide-eyed wonder of a child, or the fresh explorative perspective of a traveller. You know that great freedom you seem to have when you go overseas on a holiday? Having a social freedom mindsets means you can just be in that mindset all the time.

Every day is a party! Here is a cool video about a Melbourne group spreading the good vibes with bubbles.

to “Confetti- All The Cool Kids Are Playing It!”