The BeagleSword this week was Climate.
The rabbit hole theme was Portrait.

Now we go to the mailbag.
Show us what we got, Rinny!

Chris Townsend
Printer Re-Inking

Hi Beagle,
 
What is my fortune?
 
Chris

I tried to call that Jamaican psychic for you, but she hung up on me when I told her dogs don’t have credit cards.  Sorry, mon.
Just kidding. Your fortune is, “You're going to make a fortune in cookies.” Or maybe it was, “You're going to find a fortune in a cookie.” I can't remember for sure.

Hunter Bludworth

ANY NEWS ON HARRIS BURDICK?
~HUNTER

I think he may have tried to call me last week, but the connection was so bad I couldn’t make out anything but the words “pigeons” and “harmonica.” 

Ian McKilligan
Up and Running

Dear Beagle,

If you’d have everyone know one trick, what would it be?

Awaiting eagerly,
Loca
(Ian's Dog)

Never underestimate the wow-factor of a cool card trick.  This one’s saved me at least six times.  The accent doesn’t hurt either.

Lori Barr

Dear Beagle,

Wow!  This is an unexpected gift!  A big thank you to you and the staff and the Wizard for sheer joy each time I explore the memo.

Here is my question: How does the wizard spend his time each day and each week? (Meaning, there is so much creative effort that goes in to the Monday Morning Memo, what percentage of time does the wizard spend on regularly scheduled projects like the memo vs. teaching vs. 
creative writing for books vs. working with the staff vs. 
administration vs. getting new ideas?)

You really are an angel!

Sincerely,

Lori Barr

Whoa, Lori, I’m just a dog.  Last week's angel wings were just a Photoshop trick. But to answer the question in your second paragraph, the Wizard wakes up between 3:00 and 3:30 each morning and does most of his work and play before the rest of the world has had their first cup of coffee.

Then he usually pops into the office for various phone appointments, client meetings, and general day-to-day things.  He and Princess Pennie usually leave campus for lunch and errands around town, and he returns mid-afternoon to finish out the day before heading home. Me, I just sleep on the porch and woof occasionally. Then I take it easy.

Charles Huthmaker

Does your knife ever hurt your tongue? 
 
Charles

  Using a sword is an acquired skill, like playing the violin. At first, I had to be careful not to talk too much but I’ve gotten used to it now.  Thanks for asking.

Dear Beagle,
I am literally writing this email 35 minutes after I've been fired from my job.    Yes, they let me go first thing this morning, January 12th.  I'm still in shock, but I just found your fortune cookie as I read the memo looking for encouragement.

I've always had a dream of working in music, but I've put it off due to wife, kids, mortgage, etc.  In the past few months, I've seen the fingerprints of God sculpting something mysterious in front of me…that has to do with creating my own Music and Marketing business. 

My question is:  do I free the beagle? (Kinda cliche'd question for you, but I don't know anything else to ask right now.)

-Shane Speal
King of the Cigar Box Guitar

Shane, the fact that I'm the first person you thought to contact after losing your job kind of blows my mind.  In fact, I may have to roll over on my back and put a cold rag on my forehead. Yes, you should definitely free your beagle but you should also get another job.  Send me another email when you've found someone who sees in you what I see.  (Your new job, by the way, is going to pay more than your last one.)

Terry Sanders

So what's dog heaven like?  My wife would really like to know (she's still working on getting over the Yorkie she lost two years ago).

I can’t say much, but I can tell you one thing – Yorkies have their own special section in heaven and it’s where all the other dogs like to hang out.

Travis Rollins
Clear Channel Radio

Why do you suppose only a small percentage of the 39,000 MMMemo readers ever venture into the rabbit hole? It's not as though it’s a secret.

The large majority of Monday Morning Memo readers think the rabbit hole is mostly nonsense. They read the MMMemo purely for the business advice. Go figure.

Jay Werth
Campaign Director
Van Wert Hospital

Fortune cookie.

Courtney Hanahan
Office Manager
Burg Management Company, Inc.

How old was Diane Arbus when she took her life and why did she do it?

Diane was 48 when she committed suicide in her Greenwich Village apartment by overdosing on barbiturates and slashing her wrists.  Most accounts simply say that her suicide followed “multiple bouts of severe depression”. 

She was an amazingly talented woman.
My brother Ichabod was in a Diane Arbus photo once with a bunch of evil Santas. He sent me a copy and I kept it:

John Small
Founder
GreatRadioAds.com

feel kinda silly… I've never e-mailed a dog before!!

But here goes… What's the secret? How do you do it?

How do you find time to pack ALL THIS INFORMATION into the rabbit hole each week?

Does the wizard help at all?
Thank you,

John Small

Do you feel silly getting a response from a dog, John? 

As for the Wizard helping… don’t forget he's a member in good standing with the Worldwide Organization of Worthless Bastards, the undisputed leaders in the fine art of wasting time. The Wizard of Ads may write the Memo but the rabbit hole is all beagle, all the time.

Monica Ballard
Creative Specialist
BME Entertainment, LLC

Reveal to me, O Wise and Wonderful Beagle, has Princess Pennie seen my suggestions for “The Journey of the Wise Men,” and if so, what does she think?

Monica, I haven’t had the chance to visit the ladies at Wizard Academy’s Welcome Center for quite a while.  You’ll have to ask the Princess herself. All I know is that Pennie likes you and appreciates all that you do for the Academy.  I heard you were a really great Mary.

Gord Leighton   

Dear Beagle
What is written on the scrap of paper inside my fortune cookie?
Regards,
Gord.

It’s bad luck to open someone else’s fortune, but here it goes…  *CRUNCH*

I have no idea what that’s supposed to mean.
But hey, it’s not my fortune, it’s yours.

Steven J Wunderink

Indy,

Is it in our NATURE, our genetic makeup, to give?
–    If not, why do we feel such joy watching the eyes of children at Christmas? Why do we feel the joy in helping out needy families?  Why does depression flee when we begin to serve? Why do we feel at peace afterwards like we KNOW we got our priorities straight?
–    If yes, why the hell don’t we do it more?

Thx for pondering …

Technically, it’s not in our genetic makeup to give.
It’s part of our spiritual heritage.
But now I’m splitting hairs.

JP Engelbrecht
South Central Communications

What is the best restaurant in Austin?

I don’t get to visit many restaurants, even in disguise, but I like Opal Divine’s because they allow dogs on their outdoor patios at all three Austin locations.  The wizard says drive out to The Emerald, located in an old house near Lake Travis on Hiway 71. (Photo at left, with directions from Wizard Academy.) By the way, did I hear right? If your baby is a boy you're going to suggest to Tammy that his name be Indiana Engelbrecht?

Matt Duncan
Production Director
KRZK/KOMC AM

Dear Beagle,
          Does the Wizard have any classes specifically for Production Directors? In addition, what literature would you suggest I look into?

Thanks for more things than I can mention – I look forward to chasing the rabbit every Monday!

The techniques the Wizard teaches in his Magical Worlds and Advanced Thought Particles class are applicable to any profession.  We have a rare back-to-back session of these classes scheduled for the last week of February.  You should come.

Rod Schwartz
Owner/Creative Director
Grace Broadcast Sales

Why did God make us so damn cute?
 
Yours Truly,
 
Belle

[picture of Rod’s dog, Belle]

Because he also made us so damn cheeky. 
If we weren’t cute, we’d be goners.

Glen Hildebrandt
Performance Solutions Manager
ITAGroup, Inc.

Dear Beagle,

How can an extremely Caucasion, bi-hemisphere brain, slightly obese adventurer use the techniques taught by the Wizard Academy to develop and implement a strategy to win the Illinois 14th District US House of Representatives seat currently occupied by Bill Foster in 2012?

NOTE: On the political scale, I am several paces to the right of Ronald Reagan and just a smidge to the left of God.

Aroo!
Glen

I don’t meddle too deep into politics, but like I said to Matt earlier, the strategies and concepts taught in the wizard’s Magical Worlds and Advanced Thought Particles class are applicable to any endeavor. More than a few politicians have attended, and with outstanding results.

Terry Stevens
Copywriter/Asst. Producer
Midwest Communications – Wausau

Hello Beagle:

When you buy a piece of land, do you just own the surface, or do you own it all the way down to the Earth’s core?

By the way, careful with that sword.  You’ll poke someone’s eye out running from picture to picture like that.

Be Cool,

Terry Stevens

Surface rights in most states go to 30 feet below ground. Lower than that belongs to the holder of the mineral rights. Likewise, homeowners usually own 30 feet of air above ground. Higher than that is public domain.

Carl A Magnuson

Indiana,

Do you think the Wizard would take voice overs or some other type of trade for tuition credit?

I’ve got a versatile voice and I’ll work for cheap. Like $10 tuition credit per voice over. Turn around in 24 hrs or less.

I figure it would take me 6 months to squirrel away enough to pay for the travel down to the Academy, so if I could work toward tuition credit at the same time it could aid in my quest for Cogniscenti.

LMK and thanks for chasing the rabbit.

Carl

We have 2 or 3 Free Public Seminars throughout the year.  The next one is on March 13.  We also have an all-scholarship class once a year called World Changers.

I’m not sure about trading tuition for talent, but you should contact Tamara@wizardacademy.org.  She can discuss your payment options with you. Also, Wizard Academy Press audio producer Dave Nevland might need a voice to read an e-book.  Ask Tamara to check with him.  Good luck to you.

Dave Allen
CEO
Just Business Magazine

What do you know about the E-Myth revisited?

It explains a little more than the D-Myth did, but it’s been around for a while.  You might just want to wait for the F-Myth. 

Okay, now that I'm done being funny, the first 69 pages of the book are great. After that, it gets a bit obvious and redundant. But hey, that's just my opinion.

Irene Watson

What is the difference of the content between Wonder Branding Marketing to Women and Introduction to Marketing to Women?
 
Irene

Introduction to Marketing to Women covers the basic ideas and principles of marketing to women in a 6-week online class.  Wonder Branding is a more in-depth, advanced class and is taught on the Wizard Academy campus over two very full days.  Both the online class and the campus class are taught by the great Michele Miller. Visit the course description pages at www.WizardAcademy.org.