h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

any suggestions?

Hmm, why not ask Elliot? http://www.3lliot.com/ask%20elliot.htm (very funny website)

well to get a good idea, you need to start with what you're trying to accomplish, then work towards your goal, or you can take the short way and steal someone elses idea, i find that that one works well.

You could try getting mildly drunk with some friends , or you could post in a forum and ask for some someone to send you some ideas .
ps , I had typoed friends to "fiends" , and this may be meaningful in Freudian way , or not .Hope this helps .

Are you just hoping to get any good idea, or are you looking for something specific?

Mind-altering substances will probably help. Some of these are legal!

RF

Find something that requires strength to use and put a ratchet on it. Sorted.

well, I had a pretty good system to get ideas, but in recent times it's not working anymore.

The system was to make a good cup of tea and lie down on the sofa in the living room (or anywhere a good place to lie down is). Don’t do anything, just sit there, (in winter days I often watch the fire in the fireplace making funny figures), and with some luck, suddenly there’s a brainstorm.

I think there are a number of ideas we have that lurk just below consciousness. I find that a hefty spell of free association can help bring these to the surface.

Gorki, how about lighting up a cigarette and letting your mind wander?

RF

I prefer tea.

smoke sucks

well, use someone elses always works for me because i have no good ideas, look man, i'm here in a chat room while i should be at work. i hope my boss doesnt read this because that would be a bad idea wouldnt it?

Try writing a sentence using the letters you see on car registration plates as you go for a walk. (You use them as the intial letters of words,see, just in case that didnt make much sense )


I use this as a way of tapping into my sub-conscious

(From most technical to least)

1. Pick a word at random and type it into Google. Hit *Feeling Lucky*.

2. Open a book (a dictionary, technical book, or old encyclopedia) at random and stab a page with a finger.

3. Spin a globe and stop it with your finger, think of something or some word that is like the nearest thing you stop on. (*You don't have to be specific, you can be satlantic!*)

4. Try to think of words that can be touch typed with only one hand or with alternate hands like draw and limp or altoid and make. (Frees the mind up and lets it start fresh).

5. Try and make out all the words of *Jumping Jack Flash* (Worked for Whoopi Goldberg!)

6. Meditate.

A specific focus is often a good way to get ideas. This is well documented in books about creativity. I've looked into the 'art' of making up jokes and I've realised that the assumption is that the hardest part to make up is the punchline, when actually it's the set-up (the focus) that's the hardest part to make up. If you can make a set-up then the punchline can come easily, as there are only a few varieties of punchline.

I've always found mowing the lawn to be a great source of ideas. In fact any boring, repetitive, physical activity is a good way to get the creative juices going.