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?