What I really Did Nov 18, 2022 - Feb 17, 2023

Quarterly Reports are boiled down and don't include anything about my committee or Mensa International  work.

As Communications Officer

• Confirmed to an ExComm member that it really is ok to snail mail minimal newsletters and publish bigger versions online.
• More work on LG Comm Guide. Finished the whole draft and sent it to various staff and others to review and improve.
• A few more hours of work on the LG Comm Guide putting in edits and suggestions form staff.
• Read December newsletters.
• Read January newsletters.
• Read February newsletters.
• Reviewed & commented on January Bulletin.
• Reviewed & commented on February Bulletin.
• Reviewed & commented on March Bulletin.
• Many more hours of work on LG Comm Guide.
• Sent private review of Great Minds wine program to Trevor, CB, and Tabby.
• Asked BrowBeat editor to contribute his Dec editorial to the next Letter to the Pubs Officer.
• Nudged staff about getting MC admin guide posted in MC (it’s been languishing since September).
• Nudged staff about server upgrade budget request.
• Facilitated a member contacting other members who don’t have their email listed in the directory.
• Asked Matt Crawford to review and improve Web section of LG Comm Guide.
• Asked staff to develop and provide a cookie consent notice for LGs to use on their websites.
• Attended AMC meeting in Denver.
• Gave presentation on next steps for Volunteerism.
• Discussed staff/volunteer roles with Trevor and Lori.
• Sent LD chair list of handbooks and how out of date they are.
• Reviewed 2023 Bulletin schedule with Chip.
• Directed CB to put Members’ R&R on AML website and promote via Wired.
• Nudged again about MC Admin Guide on website.
• Filled out and turned in Dec expense reimbursement form.
• Cheered at the new Mensa Connect page under LG resources.
• Started summary of VolNext Steps to AMC, but got snarked at for giving them a to-do list, so I backed off.
• Sent sticking point issues on Nat Pubs Policy to Trevor for discussion and negotiation. Several emails back and forth discussing  those issues.
• Worked on LG Comm Guide.
• Pulled out the sections CB wanted staff to work on and sent it to them.
• Put branding section comments from Hilary into LG Comm Guide draft.
• Zoom with CB: budget, LG Comm Guide, MindGames ads.
• Connected a member with Matthew regarding a MC issue.
• Answered some questions about AML’s server offerings.
• Created winter Pubs Officer letter.
• Asked Trevor and CB about wording for MindGames promotions ( or not).
• Discussed offensive MC post with staff and Tim Vogt.
• Long phone call with disgruntled member regarding Mensa Connect administration.
• Call with Chair about Mensa Connect issues.
• Reviewed 3 WordPress training videos made by Lana.
• Nudged Tabby and David Mc about Volunteer Marketing article for Bulletin.
• Nudged LaRae about Proctor Volunteerism article for Bulletin.
• Nudged Kimberly about Mem Officer Volunteerism article for Bulletin and worked with her on it.
• Posted on blog about how Wired & Leader are just “member benefit promotions ( aka ads). Consulted with Members and Mark Officers about the topic.
• Discussed process for getting SIG officers tracked and given access to the right MC communities ( again).
• Nudged CB about LG Comm Guide edits.
• More discussion with Exec Dir about CO/staff roles.
• Discussed ADA compliance issues  in LG websites with CB, Tabby, and Lana.
• Put in CB’s edits and printed LG Comm Guide for proofreader.
• Worked on more cross-referencing tags  in LG Comm Guide.
• Worked on Nat Pubs Policy after lengthy email discussion with Trevor.
• Worked on specific ASIE amendment wording per discussions with Trevor.
• Notified Taz about needed review and amendment to Appendix 20 Budgetary Policy.
• Polished and sent winter letter to Pubs Officers.
• Call with Lori to talk about staff/AMC roles and authority and policy adherence.
• Forwarded change of address for a member.
• Responded to Digital Officers’ questions about N&L tactics.
• More back and forth with Trevor on Nat Pubs policy.
• Advised LG about changing print/elecc preferences without consent.
• Advised a LocSec about  onboarding for new Webmaster.
• More work on LG Comm Guide.
• Sent request to USPS for a mailing expert and Zoom session for Pubs officers arranged one for Feb.
• Discussed with Matthew adding mobile app info to MC documentation.
• Answered a LocSec’s question about forcing LG members to take e-pubs.
• Drafted new section for LG Com Guide about hybrid approaches to paper-newsletters.
• Sent reminders to two editors not on MC.
• Pointed new Scholarship person to the right MC community.
• Zoom with Pubs officers.
• Requested update to stale “news” on AML website front page.
• Send info about distribution files and processes to MWM editor.
• Checked into availability of address labels for LG election purposes.
• Review and comments on updated privacy policy for AML website. Asked for clarification of paragraph about it in the LG Comm Guide. Nudged. Nudged again. And again.
• Reviewed Nov and Dec staff reports.
• Reached out to Mem Off about working together to update officer onbording info.
• Long response to Michael Fryar about web tools and newsletters.
• Gave advice to new Wisconsin Editor about software.
• More work on LG Comm Guide.
• Reviewed Winter YM2.
• Zoom with CB.
• Phone call with Michael F.
• Began re-setting entire LG Comm Guide to a single column layout for better online viewing.
• Responded to an editor about non-necessity of including a LocSec column.
• Intervened and advised regarding DVM’s plan to go completely electronic and changing members’ preferences without real consent.
• More work on LG Comm Guide.
• Facilitated resolution of updated CASS reporting for SFRM.
• Still more work on LG Comm Guide- improving distribution sections.
• Looked up ASIEs about LG financial reporting requirements.
• Helped staff brainstorm content for a Welcome to your LG email for new members.
• More work on LG Comm Guide.
• Asked Becky for copies of onboarding emails to Editors, Webmasters, etc.
• Asked staff to remove Web toolbox page and also  old bit from front page about the 2022 AG ticket winner.
• Reviewed AML’s 990 and asked a few questions.
• Look up exactly when the default to digital pubs was passed. (2011).
• Hours of emails and FB messaging and phone calls smoothing feathers over a Firehouse kerfuffle about Fryar’s MC training videos.
• Responded to a LocSec asking about the old ACE awards.
• Advised GLAAM circulation manager about the absence of rules about naming digital and paper newsletters differently.
• Responded to David McCallister regarding privacy on Lg websites and sm.
• Long review and response to a report about association volunteerism that Trevor shared.
• Sent “final” version of LG Comm Guide to CommComm for last review.
• Asked LD Comm chair about next steps for the  guide process.
• Updated MF regarding the FH situation.
• Set up zoom session for Circ Managers and a USPS rep.
• Responded to questions about paper v elec newsletters from GLAAM editor.
• Helped a LG leader with Mensa Connect questions.
• Long thoughtful email discussion with Trevor re volunteerism needs.
• A few more hours creating a comprehensive TOC and rearranging parts of the LG Comm Guide.
• Call with Trevor re legal issues. Some emailing re legal issues.
• Still more work tweaking LG Comm Guide.
• Sent LG Comm Guide to Leadership Dev chair.
• Zoom with USPS rep and circulation managers.
• Discussed missing columns with Bulletin Editor.
• Sent thank you flowers to USPS rep.

Communications Committee

• Began review of LG Comm Guide draft.
• Asked Michael Fryer to review and improve the 2016 “Web Tools” list on AML site.
• Checked in with progress ( or lack of).
• Discussed if we still need the Web Toolbox page.
• Began brainstorming questions we need answered to  approach the paper vs digital newsletter topic.
• Redirected the discussion a few times.
• Final review of Guide and discussion about formatting and subject arrangement.

Strategic Planning Committee

• Participated in discussion about what do next.

Marketing Committee

• Participated in Zoom call in December.
• Asked about status of SM guide.

Name & Logo Committee

• Advised on steps to take regarding a member in Indiana who is promoting his “Official Mensa Discord Server."

SIGs Advisory Committee

• Commented on Health Professionals SIG proposal.

National Awards Committee

• Discussed expansion of LG Officer tracking.
• Discussed other national level volunteers who might be falling through the cracks.
• Dug around for lists of members of a few national TFs and Comms who might be getting lost in the tracking.
• Reminded chair of agenda and report deadlines.

As Chair of MI News Team

• Wrote 20 “articles” to be posted on Mensa News.
• Filled in spreadsheet with NMs’ membership data from IBD report, then asked M, I, or B for help finding missing numbers.
• Began posting to News Group on WP.
• Sent EMAG 23 info to A for inclusion on events calendar.
• Wrote to the chairs of S. Korea and Indonesia asking for more details about the to 2023 AMGs.
  
• Sent  info about HMAG 2023 for events calendar.
• Sent  info about AMG 2023 in Indonesia for evens calendar.
• Nudged G to participate. Nudged again a few weeks later.
• Worked  on Peru article and posting double attachments challenge.
• Sent requests for article review to 5 National Mensa chairs.
• Participated in discussion about age demographics of NMs.
• Requested graphics for discussion question posts.
• Drafted article about Australia’s Gifted Youth success and sent it out for further review.
• Prodded N to get input on Japan Growth article.
• Doodle Poll for a zoom call and prepped notes.
• Drafted a couple more articles.
• Zoom call to talk about content ideas and assignments.
• Drafted more articles.
• Created graphic about N&L rules.
• Responded to member who pointed out a N&L violation in a post.
• Checkin zoom with A, M, & B.
• Worked on some graphics for consistent branding  on posts.
• Sent requests for review to two national Mensas (Sweden and Switzerland).
• Reached out to M-L asking her to join the team, then responded back to her.
• Wrote a few more atrticles based on magazines from Bulgaria and Germany.
• Zoom catch up with A.
• Wrote bullet points of specific needs for new members of the committee.
• Checked assumptions about the roles of the MI News Team vs the MI Newsroom group on WP.
• Did some graphics editing.
• Zoom with A about various topics.
  
• Worked on an ad for more News Team members.
• Summarized tasks and expectations for team members to get everyone going again.
• Zoom with A about text for soliciting more team members.

MI Branding Project

• Zoom with A and New ICO about branding project and general catch up.
• Added brainstorming ideas to a vision board.
• Zoom with A and ICO about what we’re really trying to accomplish and general idea sharing.
• Lots of playing around with ideas on Miro.

MI Name & Logo Committee

• Yeah, I volunteered.