What I did in March 2025

• Archived several more groups on WP.
• Worked on N&L manual.
• Reviewed motion re IBD meeting bid process.
• Initiated ExComm discussion of ExecDir wishlist.
• Reviewed ExComm Business Plan and the IBD 2021-2025 Strategic Plan in order to incorporate them into a template for ExComm reporting.
• Prepped GY Hot Topics Sheet #5 in English and Italian.
• Zoom w A re social media.
• Prepped consistent teaser graphics for Hot Topics sheets.
• Zoom w A re social media.
• Responded to questions from Ombudsman re FB post.
• Zoom w M.
• Zoom w DoD re motion preparation.
• Reviewed and shared thoughts on proposed MSCR revisions.
• Worked on motion preparation.
• Began work on revising Bylaw 5 and asked ExComm for input on a key section.
• Call w DSNM re motion prep.
• Zoom w M.
• More work on revising Bylaw 5.
• Polished N&L Manual and sent draft to ExecDir for input.
• Discussed some nuances of Bylaws and Guidelines regarding travel expenses.
• Prepared full motion for amending Bylaw 5 and sent to Chair for March agenda.
• Revised motion on Bylaw 5 based on useful feedback from ExComm.
• Wrote first draft of pre-meeting report.
• Responded to inquiry about joining the GY committee.
• Responded to some tickets.
• Call w DoD re CRM issues.
• Drafted motion to  update bylaws re establishment of DPO position.
• Zoom with M mostly re CRM issues.
• Zoom w A re  social media planning.
• Fixed  error on Hot Topics sheets and re-sent.
• Zoom w DoD re common topics.
• Zoom w a few ExComm members re upcoming motions.
• Reviewed agenda for March 21 meeting and made many many comments and suggestions.
• Zoom w M re CRM issues.
• Worked with M for hours to draft messages re CRM issues.
• Zoom Zoom Zoom Zoom w M.
• Notified IBD and NM Chairs re CRM issues and procedures.
• Another day, another flurry of answering IBD questions re CRM issues.
• Zoom w AJ.
• Drafting more response  to IBD re CRM issues.
• Drafting response to CM re CRM issues.
• Proposed motion to ExComm re CRM uploads.
• Added new S. Korean chair to Hub spaces.
• Sent “attaboys” to Archivist, Hub Team, News Team.
• Crafted declaration of motion approval and directed ExecDir to inform the IBD, NM chairs, and the ISC.
• Zoom w M re procedures.
• Zoom w A re Photocup.
• Responded to Chair of Italy re Mensa-branded app.
• Proofed May issue of MWJ.
• Sent DoA report for March 21 meeting to ExComm.
• Corresponded with Chair of Australia regarding current issues.
• Zoom w M re N&L book and other issues.
• Sent NNL & Trademark Manual to ExComm.
• Printed a copy of the NNL Manual for people who don’t get around to looking at the pdf before the meeting.
• Zoom w A re photocup.
• London ExComm meeting.
• Messaged IBD re NLL booklet.
• Messaged IBD re CRM situation update.
• Messaged IBD re ISP candidate info.
• Prepped details regarding ExComm vol issues.
• Responded to some tickets.
• Zoom w M.
• Asked M to tell User Support that expiry dates are unreliable for the near future.
• Zoom w A re minutes and photocup.
• Sent A all photocup applications from last fall.
• Zoom w SMAC.
• Sent a million suggestions to chair of N&L Comm.
• Nudged ExComm members to  indicate zoom meeting preferences.
• Zoom presentation on Adaptive testing.
• Clarified MWJ column assignments.
• Worked on setting up special ExComm meeting.
• Responded to some tickets.
• Zoom w M.
• Checked in with News Team chair.
• Zoom w DoD.

Only 24 Zooms this month, but then again, I was in London and able to talk to people in person for nearly a week.

What I did in February 2025

 

• HP work.

• Zoom w DoD re DIM requests Zoom w M re HP.

• Call w J re SMAC.

• Responded to a query from Turkey.

• Reviewed how timezones are expressed in the Hub calendar feature.

• Notified ExComm of MWJ column schedule and deadlines for 2025.

• Discussed next steps with HP.

• Zoom w A re website.

• Zoom w M.

• Looked up and provided addresses to M for complaint respondents.

• Manually added French member to the Hub.

• Zoom interview with ISP candidate.

• Zoom w A re website.

• Reviewed timelines and discussed w HP how to handle the consequences of the Chair acting ultra vires.

• Responded to tickets.

• Commented on draft of Jan 26 ExComm minutes.

• Worked on staff task review.

• Sent my ISP preferences to Exec Dir.

• Zoom w M.

• Formally requested HP assistance from two people.

• Prepped formal HP statement regarding recusals.

• More email discussion re HP processes and needs.

• Zoom w HP to hand things over to M&M.

• Responded to T re my involvement in an 80th Anniversary logo competition.

• Proofed and sent comments for April MWJ.

• Set up voting poll to approve Jan 26 ExComm minutes.

• Prepped Jan/Feb/Mar "From the ExComm" columns for website.

• Zoom w M re MWJ concern.                                             

• Zoom ExComm meeting re ISP choice.

• Uploaded ISP candidates’ CVs to IBD Confidential space.

• Drafted a proposed long-term solution for the CRO situation.

• Zoom w A re Photocup ideas on website.

• Responded to inquiry from Denmark about how to upload their publications.

• Checked in with B re his role on the Hub Team.

• Checked in on Archivists.

• Drafted motions to change CRO to CRC and to formally establish the Hub Team.

• Zoom w M re T’s continued HP concerns.

• Shared J’s presentation on strategic planning with SMAC.

• Zoom w M re ISP development.

• Zoom w M re SMAC, ISP, HP.

• Zoom w A re SoMe and website.

• Posted announcement of ISP appointment to IBD Confidential.

• Posted approval of ExComm Min for Jan 26.

• Helped A with a kitten task.

• Zoom meeting with SMAC.

• Hours and hours prepping a spreadsheet of staff tasks.

• Finished and sent first draft of staff task spreadsheet to ExecDir.

• Zoom w DoD re website server, IBD bid process.

• Shared my opinion on order of actions for IBD to take re ISP appointment.

• Zoom w A re website and social media. (17)

• Zoom w Rom chair re WG ideas.

• Drafted my [May] MWJ column.

• Zoom w M re ISP, social media, staffing.

• Responded to member asking about volunteer positions, and uncovering an out-of-date doc on the AML website (requested to have it removed).

• Nudged CRO about Luxembourg.

• Zoom w ICO team.

• Zoom w DoD.

• Zoom w A re website, social media, photocup logo.

• Sent draft of photocup logo to N&L for review.

• Finished and sent May From the ExComm column to MWJ editor.

• Worked on prepping for N&L discussions re updates.

• Zoom w A re news team post schedule.

• Zoom w A re social media planning.

What I did in January 2025

34 Zoom calls!
·      Updated IBD spaces to reflect NM’s board changes.
·      Responded to tickets.
·      Notified N&L Comm about AI “logo”
·      Began testing Hub admin permissions with C & L.
·      Zoom w A re IBD spaces and newsletter
·      Zoom w K re membership database for NMs.
·      Worked on getting all IBD people in the correct Hub spaces.
·      Archived IBD General on Workplace.
·      Zoom w A re event information repositories.
·      Set up folders in DropBox for 2024 and 2025 event graphics.
·      Opened discussion with ExComm re usefulness of  IBD Open Session space.
·      Fixed permissions in ISC space so all committee members can upload documents.
·      Zoom w A re Hub Team motion.
·      Archived IBD Open Session on WP.
·      Zoom interview with ISP candidate from Australia.
·      Zoom w S re Australian database for other countries.
·      Zoom w A re country pages on website and Hub.
·      Zoom interview with ISP candidate from India.
·      Zoom w A re NM files on Hub spaces.
·      Zoom again w A re NM Hub spaces.
·      Created placeholder “magazine” for NM Hub spaces.
·      Created place holder files for NM Hub spaces.
·      Zoom w A re NM pages on website.
·      Created 10 place holder Hub spaces for NMs.
·      Nudged M re Romania trademark issues.
·      Began prepping for review of staff job descriptions.
·      Finalized and sent message to V re changes in events listings.
·      Responded to tickets.
·      Created 18 place holder Hub spaces for NMs.
·      Tested possible solution to giving Hub team Chair more powers.
·      Created the remaining place holder Hub spaces for NMs.
·      Zoom w A re website planning.
·      Prepped a motion to recognize the Hub Team.
·      Asked Ass’t CRO to write job description for additional assistants.
·      Call w Ass’t ICO re getting help.
·      Zoom w W re communications planning
·      Zoom w DoD, ICO, and A re ICO team plans.
·      Manually added proxy for Mensa Netherlands to the Hub.
·      Weekly zoom w M.
·      Consultation with Ombudsman re a NM board situation.
·      Responded to NZ query about status of adaptive testing.
·      Discussed queries re NM board situation with M.
·      Zoom w A re website and spreadsheet for NM info.
·      Gathered and sent examples of website login problems to M.
·      Helped Hungary chair get set up on that NM space.
·      Proofed March MWJ.
·      Manually added a member to the Hub.
·      Nudged on getting a contract formalized for AT.
·      Responded to tickets.
·      Whipped up a SoMe icon for the Hub.
·      Zoom w A re website.
·      Commented on draft of contract between MI and AT.
·      Zoom w J re Alex’s contract and SoMe plans.
·      Nudged IBD members to check the Hub.
·      Zoom w ExDir.
·      Cut-and-pasted URLS for all NMs’ Hub spaces into spreadsheet for website templates.
·      Gave feedback to AJ regarding WG plans.
·      Zoom w M re Hearings committee.
·      Zoom w AJ re WG.
·      Drafted discussion response and amended motion re WG.
·      Responded to a few tickets.
·      Zoom w A re meeting prep.
·      Wrote and sent DoA report.
·      Sent AML’s ASIE section about Gatherings guidelines to organizers of 2026 IBD/ WG.
·      Zoom ExComm meeting.
·      Zoom Hearings Committee meeting.
·      Zoom SMAC meeting
·      Zoom w A re alternative WG concepts.
·      Video call with E re issues.
·      Zoom w J re SMAC meeting results.
·      Zoom w E re Hub, gmail, and other tech issues.
·      Zoom w A re website and Hub.
·      Zoom w HP re preparations for handling complaints.
·      Responded to Australian chair about details for their magazine.
·      Responded to inquiry from Mensa India chair re testing.
·      2 Zooms w M re HP. 
·      Zoom w HP.

Today I learned

 about "sunk cost fallacy."

It is now 5:30 in the morning...

 ... and I have just gotten off two long, intense Zoom calls. The first one started at 1:30am.

My Guiding Principle

 As drama swirls and intensifies, my guiding principle is this:

What is best for Mensa?

Not what is best for me, my status, my ego, my travel budget, my friendships...

What is best for Mensa?

How can I leave Mensa better than when I joined?

Unintended Consequences

Whatever one’s opinion on the right or wrongness of the recent AML Hearings result, the consequences are starting to come to light:

The General Discussion group on Mensa Connect is essentially unmoderated, as are the regional groups of the 8 vacant RVCs. 

What happens when members figure that out?

Savannah was scheduled to hold a testing session—the first in 12 years. The RVC was supposed to conduct it and in the process further the  certification of a local Proctor. Now that won’t be happening.

It’s budget preparation time, but the voices from 8 regions and two specialties responsible for significant portions of the budget will not be heard.

The Communications Committee is dead.

The Membership Committee is dead.

The Strategic Planning Committee is dead.

The Technology Committee is dead.

The Gifted Youth Committee has no AMC liaison.

The Leadership Development Committee has no voting AMC members, so cannot act.

The Research Review Committee has only one voting AMC member, so cannot act.

The Bylaws Committee has only one voting AMC member, so cannot act.

Recent AML Bombshell

 This is where normally I would post something vague and snarky about eating popcorn, but in truth, I'm sick to my stomach at the recent news concerning the club I've dedicated more than half my life to serving.