Brain Storming – Everything Is Allowed

Recently by James Altucher: New Book: 40 Alternatives to College!

Every day I list at least ten items. I like to practice my idea muscle. Even if its my stupid idea muscle. They might be business ideas. Thoughts about the revolution. Book ideas. Ideas on how to improve my life. Or blog post ideas. Ideas on who I should be connecting with. And so on. They can be about anything. The ideas should never be about “these ten ideas will save my life or else”. It’s just to playfully exercise the idea muscle. Maybe one idea in six months will be “THE ONE”.

Here’s today’s list.

A) How to be less shy when public speaking: Here’s what you do: Picture YOURSELF naked. Everyone gives the advice, “picture everyone in the audience naked.” I guess that’s supposed to make you at ease somehow. Everyone naked. Haha.

But it’s bullshit. Picturing everyone in the audience naked sounds repulsive to me. How am I supposed to speak in a room filled with naked people? Do I want to have sex with them or something? I don’t get it. Please, everyone, keep your clothes on in my head so I can give this talk.What are you all doing with your clothes off? You, in the front, your wife’s salad dressing is dripping on your penis. Stop it.

Instead, do this: picture YOURSELF naked. And say, “I’m sorry folks. Someone gave me the advice that I should picture all of you naked. I’d rather not offend you in that way so for the next hour you should PICTURE ME naked while I talk.” You’ll get some laughs. You can begin your talk. And, if you’re built like me, you’ll probably get a lot of phone numbers at the end. (kidding)

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B) Whores. Someone named Hyliry Love just added me to her Google+ Circles. I have no idea who she is. But of course I had to click on her profile. Who is named Hyliry Love?

She has this photo and says, “Alright boys i know aht i am and i know why i like it.. I like exactly what i am… I am a true whore and will mess around with anyone anyone want to be friends…”

I wonder what a “true whore” means? I guess a “whore” is someone who will do it for money but a “true whore” is someone who will also love you.

I notice that Zac Efron is also among the 40 people in her circles. And also there is someone who defines himself as a “Math Teacher”. I like that. Hyliry is a true whore. She likes Zac Efron, me, and she studies Geometry. I’m going to start using that affectionately. Like if a girl gives me the right change at the deli. I’m going to smile and say. “Thanks babe…you’re a true whore.”

But now I know. Alec Baldwin is also dreaming about me. Dreaming he wants to be me. In some parallel universe Alec Baldwin and I are friends and we go on double dates with our Hispanic yoga teachers. We talk about politics. They talk in Spanish and it sounds like a mini-operetta at the other end of the table. Alec and I laugh about that. Ahh, we’re just a bunch of gringos. Then Billy Baldwin comes along and he and Alec are talking and laughing and I feel by myself. I’m jealous. Billy, why did you have to come into this parallel universe?

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D) The Witness Protection Program. Not a single person on the planet doesn’t want to be in the United States Witness Protection Program. So I’m going to tell you how. There’s lots of gangster types still walking around Chinatown in NYC. Here’s what you do: just follow them around. Walk about ten feet behind them. Whenever they turn around to look at you just look the other way. Oh, I was just looking at this Pig head in the random food store. Then keep following them around. The Feds will think you are one of them. Then testify against them. But first, make sure the FBI guarantees the Witness Protection Program. Then say, “yes, that guy is a low down thug. He killed Michael Jackson. He sent Osama Bin Laden all those porn videos.”

And now you’re in Boise, Idaho. They give you the name Alec Baldwin and everyone sort of jokes about it. The government sends you $9,000 a month. For the rest of your life.

E) When Does It Stop? I’m in Greenwich, CT as I write this. You can’t even see anyone’s house. They are all enormous but the gates are huge so you can’t see anything. Believe me. I’ve been trying. More on that later. But Claudia and I have been driving down every road that says “NO ACCESS – PRIVATE DRIVE” and we can’t see a single house. Because we are stalkers. Where is Occupy Wall Street when you finally need them?