Got a few things accomplished

• Nudge Thomas to review the 2009 PRP and prepare for the 2010 program (done).

• Tell Jared end of license plate idea (done: we looked at several states' requirements and it is waaaaaaaay too costly unless we can be assured of selling thousands of plates...in each state).

• Update N&L Workbook pp 10-11 to clarify that AML owns the mark in the US (done).

• Work w/ Howard & Heather to get it sent to LGs (wrote the introductory note that will accompany each personalized charter).

• Review dept plans and priorities (done).

• Maybe write a long response, with numbers, to Lee’s sky-is-falling questions (I think we all know what happened to this goal).

• Help GYComm develop goals ( I offered many suggestions- now it's up to them to decide what they want to accomplish).

• Help GYComm plan for what they want $ for (I explained the budget process--now it's up to them).

• Conduct additional research as needed (survey is drafted and being prepped for Zoomerang).

.................................................................................

Sigh. Not as much as I'd hoped, I'm afraid. I keep getting distracted with little fires that need attention, like N&L questions, or members' concerns about privacy on LG Websites, or having to explain over and over why volunteers don't get back-end access to the elists run on the AML servers.

Never Mind

So I had thought to take a couple hours to craft an informative response to L's rambling questions and accusations about AML's finances. After all, I spend not hours, but days every year pouring over and questioning every line of the budget. However, when a member who is neither a CPA nor attends the committee meetings publishes statements like:

The budget process can accurately be described as being something between a shambles and a joke.

that simply makes me discount his opinions as those of a close-minded, fear-mongering, drama-diva. And honestly, I have better ways to spend my free time than trying to enlighten to such a person who obviously has no real wish to hear or consider others' opinions and explanations.

So never mind.

Find some honey and quit trying to drown me in vinegar.

Just Some Rambling

I plan to start weeding through the bazillion rambling, accusatory emails I've received about AML's finances in order to identify what actual questions I can answer. I know I already answered the big one, "Is AML going bankrupt?" (Not that my answer was acknowledged or believed.) A big component will be to find a way to explain how the liabilities are actually assets; that was the key to understanding for me, and it kinda blew me away when I got my crash course in GAAP.

I wonder why Mensans insist on more and more answers, proofs, and explanations when the responses they get from people "in the know" don't match the conclusions they have already formed before asking the question in the first place.

I wonder why Mensans are so quick to conclude that any other Mensan who disagrees must be an idiot or lying or acting as a mindless sheep.

This Finance Committee meeting in January will be my 6th one. I think only Cyndi has been to more (she was the RVC on the committee when I took over for Tim, so I assume she'd been to the meeting in 2004, as well).

Robin’s Goals and To-Do list

Ugh. I'm so behind on all of this!

Communications Officer

• Ask ___ to head up Publication Handbook revision (replacing the current Editors’ Handbook and including information for Webmasters).

• Write occasional Editors and Webmasters letters or articles for AML Today.

• Nudge Thomas to review the 2009 PRP and prepare for the 2010 program.

• Write a quarterly letter to LG editors and Webmasters.

• Develop a FAQ for LG editors, to be sent each time a new editor comes onboard.

• Learn about and make decisions regarding Intelligent Mail Barcodes and Mailer Ids.

Communications Committee

• Create a list of all groups and how to find their e-versions.

• Develop a process so all the necessary eyeballs see all the electronic newsletters every month.

• Revise ToS for Online Community.

• Review the Elephant — will it stand up to service expansions such as chat or blogs?

• Write evergreen content for the Bulletin and InterLoc, such as how to subscribe to Interloc, NewsFlash, MensaWorld, online directory, find AMC agendas and minutes, forums, etc.

• Review guidelines and discuss the direction and purpose of InterLoc in an age of elists and forums, starting with identifying members’ needs and then determining how to best use all available services to meet those needs.

• Review PRP’s purpose and evaluate of whether it’s still fulfilling that purpose.

• Develop an annual newsletter survey to accommodate delivery mechanisms, postal permits, other editorial needs.

Name & Logo Committee

• Review all LG and SIG Web site for name and logo use.

• Write an article for InterLoc.

• Ensure all RVCs, and LG editors and Webmasters have copies of the N&L workbook.

• With the Communications Committee, develop a process so all necessary eyeballs see all newsletters every month.

• Identify steps to take when we learn of a newsletter or Web site violation.

• Develop standardized steps and letter/email templates for correcting internal violations.

• Tell Jared end of license plate idea.

• Create list for RVCs of what to look for .

• Create a reporting form for RVCs.

• Identify and present issues for revision to MIL N&L Committee.

• Update N&L Workbook pp 10-11 to clarify that AML owns the mark in the US.

  

Charter Committee

• Work w/ Howard & Heather to get it sent to LGs.

Finance Committee

• Review dept plans and priorities.

• Read and ponder and investigate all the financial stuff in preparation for January meeting.

• Maybe write a long response, with numbers, to Lee’s sky-is-falling questions.

Gifted Youth Committee

• Help GYComm develop goals.

• Help GYComm develop guidelines for publishing of kids’ info in Fred, LG newsletters, etc.

• Submit those guidelines to RM Comm for input.

• Help GYComm plan for what they want $ for.

• Work with ComComm to develop policy regarding kids’ info in FRED and similar publications.

LG Service & Funding Committee

• Conduct additional research as needed.

• Develop metrics for assessment of service delivery.

• Develop a funding and incentive plan to support Local Group service to members.

• Write a monster report.

MIL Name & Logo book

• Present questions to elist to solicit answers.

• Write new text sections for international audience and issues.

• Sew it all together and present.

Starting to Think About Goals Again

I know I haven't posted in a while; this is one of those habits that seems to ebb and flow according to the things going on in my non-Mensa life. I'm still in South Carolina, but planning on heading home today. With luck and fair winds, I'll be home Tues night and able to think about Mensa again on Wed or Thurs.

Top priorities are Chicago Area Mensa nom comm stuff, helping the new Gifted Youth Committee Chair ( Lessa) develop goals for the year, and finalizing the LGS&F survey, which I want to get out before the new year.

Then I'll review all my other goals and perhaps even think to post them here, just so y'all can see and comment on my wanna-do list.

OMG... Y'all ?! I've been in the south too long, haven't I?

Is AML Bankrupt?

I'm not a lawyer or accountant, but I do know how to google.

Bankruptcy means that a person, firm, or corporation has been declared insolvent (unable to meet debt obligations) through a court proceeding and is relieved from the payment of all debts after the surrender of all assets to a court-appointed trustee.

AML is able to pay its debts and obligations. The scarey red number on the balance sheet is because the money in the multi-year and life-dues accounts must, by accounting procedures, be listed in the liabilities line except for the monthly portion that is, on paper, moved to the asset line. I understand it, but I'm not sure how to explain it. AML doesn't actually owe anyone the money listed as a liability. If everyone resigned from Mensa and AML went belly-up tomorrow, the Lifers would not get refund checks. Think of the Life-dues money as being received in one chunk (which it is), but being apportioned over time on the balance sheet. We have 20 years' worth of money, but we write our budget as if we don't. And yet, when push comes to shove, we are able and legally allowed to put our hands on it in order to serve our obligations.

Now, obviously, if we used it all up now, we'd have an issue with paying for services in future years. This is why the AMC and National Office are working on ways to decrease spending and increase income at a reasonable, albeit painful, manner, in order to get things back on more comfortable footing long before there is any financial risk to the longevity of the organization. I know some members are not convinced that this is happening, but I am.

So AML is not going bankrupt. The real controvery is the pace and manner by which we halt and reverse the use of savings to provide ongoing services. Some think we should slash spending further, others think we should increase spending on marketing and recruitment. Everyone has different opinions and priorities when it comes to the budget: some want to do away with a paper Bulletin, others say it's the only thing members get and thus it should be expanded and improved. Some want more money for Local Groups, others are isolated from their Local Group and prefer that more funding be used to support online services.

The AMC is about to enter budget season. Please, let your RVC or other favorite AMC person know your funding priorities.

Musing on Notoriety

As it says at the top, this blog comprises my views from my perspective in Mensa. I think I have some interesting perspectives: I'm a national officer, and have been for 5 years now. I'm on a bazillion committees and one of the most active, out-spoken, communicative, my-gawd-she's-everywhere members of the AMC. Plus I'm still one of the uber volunteers in my Local Group.

I'm also a member, a peer, and just as opinionated as other Mensans.

One of the  great things about having a personal blog not hosted by anything connected to Mensa is that I get to make my own guidelines about what and how I write. When I'm being complimentary, I feel free to use surnames unless I happen to know the person would be uncomfortable with that. When I'm being feisty, I usually use initials or first names. I figure those in-the-know will know, and those not in-the-know will be able to get the gist of the article without knowing the specific identities of the characters. It seems to me a fair middle-ground approach for the Internet.

On the other hand, I read members' posts about me frequently, calling me out by full name, denigrating my actions and guessing my motivations. I read things that are twisted half-truths and some that are total fabrications. I even endured reading one member complaining about how fat I looked on camera (yes, true, but how many other members have to endure being called that on a message board read by hundreds?).

Are there some Mensa characters who are so prominent that they have relinquished their right to privacy? Is it only officers? What about former officers? Or people who post prolifically in many online communities? How is one to know when that line is crossed? What is notoriety in Mensa? What are the rules for how in-the-spotlight members are treated by other Mensans? What are the rules about how those well-known Mensans must treat other members, even when they're being mean?

I Defy This Crap Week

Today I consulted with my mom and the doctor on the most efficient and comfortable way to end my father's life.



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

A Recent Interaction

It is, indeed, a difficult time for me, and I'm sure that is making it less easy for me to stand still and take abuse from my fellow Mensans with a smile on my face and a "how can I serve you better?" attitude. I think some people forget that I'm not paid for this job.

Here's an example of a recent interaction (I summarized others' writings, since this was all by private email):


Mensan to LG newsletter editor:

You left out my birthday for the second year in a row!   This is disrespectful!

Editor to Mensan:

Well, M, the reason your birthday has not been displayed is that you either didn't supply it to the office or you requested that they not share it with the Local Group. You can fix this by modifying your PDQ, or you could at least tell me your birthday and I'll get it right next year.

Mensan to editor (copying me as Comm Officer):

If you have lost my info, then admit it and do some research before you foist the organization's ineptitude on me! Your reply, beginning with "Well, M" is demeaning, if you wish to retain me as a member, reconsider your attitude when replying to editorial questions in the future.

Robin to Mensan:

Your birthday information is not lost. I checked the national database to determine what privacy flags you've checked, and it does appear that you have flagged your birthdate as information not to be shared outside of the National Office.

Generally, editors just pull each month's set of birthdays from the national database and publish it. If you have that checked as private, but you told previous editors of the newsletter to override that privacy concern, perhaps you told the former editor, not the current one. I know [previous editor] has been ill, and it might be that he neglected to pass that on to Mr. New Editor, who in turn, neglected to ask if there were any members who required special attention.

To update your Personal Data information and privacy options, please go to

https://www.us.mensa.org/pdq

You'll need your membership number and password to get in. If you do not have your password handy (it was on your renewal notice), you can contact webservices@americanmensa.org and they'll get it for you (when the office is open, of course).

Mensan to Robin:

I NEVER flagged anything!  There is no necessity for me to "update my personal information."   Please rectify this situation. 

Robin to Mensan:

Sir,

Your belligerent tone is inappropriate when asking for other volunteers to assist you. The default is to not release your private information. You apparently never chose to change that. However, if you will confirm that you are authorizing the following releases, I will forward your reply to the staff who will click the appropriate boxes for you when the office opens. If you want it changed sooner, you may do so yourself online at www.us.mensa.org/pdq .

Below are the ten options. Let me know if there are any you wish NOT to release to the general membership.

[list of options]

Mensan to Robin:

My "belligerent tone", as you call it, is because of having been ignored for two years.  The original reply from [the editor] set the hostile tone. To be instructed to correct something for which I am not responsible is annoying.  After all, I did not have the problem for 16 years, so why am I the one who has to correct it? 

and then he authorized all ten releases, which I forwarded to the staff at the office to check for him. Good thing, because my next reply was going to be something about "too much vinegar and not enough honey-- fix it yourself."

Recent Forum Dust-up

Summing up from my side:

The Islanders publicly declared that they were coming over to the AML Community and going to raise a ruckus and see how long it takes to get the mods’ panties in a bunch.

Then they disrupted the Forum Addiction thread by dozens of pages. The mods decided to keep an eye, but as long as they didn’t cross the TOS line, to do nothing. Sara, Robert, and Judy were snotty, as usual, and James fell for the baiting, as usual.

Then they howled and demanded that the mods should move the tangent and put it in FH. The mods dug their heels in, saying that they shouldn’t kowtow to the schoolyard bullies who are intentionally causing trouble just for their own jollies, as they had earlier declared was their intention.

A power struggle ensued, with both sides being stubborn and unwilling to compromise—over something really really stupid—a bunch of pithy, off-topic posts in the FA thread.

At first I said, oh fuck it, move the thread for the babies. But then Terri, a very sane and wise person, pointed out that the FA thread had veered off topic many times before, and if we’re now going to clean it up, we could clean it all up, or else we really are just being puppets dancing to the brats’ taunts and jeers.

I tried to find a middle ground—starting a new thread for the wild conversation to continue in FH and not forcing the mods to do the tedious editing of 20 some odd pages. My goal was to not back the mods and slap the Islanders, and to not undermine the mods by overriding what they want in order to please the Islanders—who started the trouble in the first place. Everyone gets some of what they want, and everyone gets to save some face.

Within 4 minutes of this compromise, Sara pissed in the soup. She claims she was just trying to help, but oh puhlease…. When someone declares war, initiates a battle, and shoots at every opportunity, why on earth would her offer of “help” be seen as a genuine attempt at kindness? Did she really think I was going to take the time to train her as a mod on how to work the technology for doing the surgery—to clean up the mess she and her gang of bullies created?

Mensans hate the notion of anyone, anywhere making rules and having authority. Well, suck it up, people, you can’t have anarchy with 54,000 geniuses.  Too many Mensans are just plain nasty. I take the brunt of the hatred because I have the title. I keep my eye on the big picture, which is doing what is necessary to make the overall community comply with the standards and vision set by the Communications Committee and the AMC. And they don’t want Mensa to pay for a community overrun by a small group of bitches and bullies.

As for my treatment on the Island—ugh. So much for being welcomed. I certainly got to see their true colors, that’s for sure. They may think of themselves as a " fun and playful lot with a full load of brains and reasoning power," but what I see are  horrid, mean, vindictive, perseverating, self-important, highschoolers! Not the sort of people I want in my life, thank you very much.

Bah

I'm having one of those "I can't please everybody when nobody is willing to compromise and so why do I bother to keep trying?" days, and it started off with news that Judy V. passed away.

Today sucks.

How am I?

I went to a party recently, and everyone kept asking “How are you?” with that tone of voice than meant they really wanted to know, as opposed to just being the standard polite thing to say. It was really nice to realize how many caring friends I have. Apparently, I posted a few alarming status updates on Facebook and then never posted any updates. Oops.

So here’s the scoop: my dad’s stroke was really bad, and recovery prognosis is neither hopeless, nor particularly bright.  I went to visit over Thanksgiving week; I did not hit the peacock that crossed the road as I drove through the Smoky Mountains and I had a wonderful time getting to visit my cousin Donna, who came up from Vicksburg.

Now they have diagnosed lung cancer, and we will know more next week about the degree of severity of that so my mother can have all the information with which to make some difficult decisions. No one wants an enemy, let alone a family member, to endure as my father is now for any longer than necessary.

Freya, my dog, was ill, then seemed to recover with some meds and a special diet, but is now ill again (diarrhea with blood—ick). I have not gone back to the vet because they had diagnosed “pancreatitis” and said there’s no cure but we can try different things to treat the symptoms. So I’m trying different things. Some days are good; some days require a steam cleaner.

As for other, more private aspects of my life some people know about, that's all working out just fine. Strange, of course, but good. No worries.

So how am I? I’m slogging on. I’m thankful that my kids and husband, friends, and extended family are all healthy—not even a flu bug.  I’m half way done with Christmas shopping and looking forward to putting up the tree this weekend. I’m caught up on laundry and most of the yardwork. I’m making good progress on a variety of Mensa projects and haven’t had to shovel snow yet. Report cards came home yesterday and it looks like both kids will probably graduate 8th grade on time. I have lots and lots of people who care about me and are available to help if I need it.

I’m ok, thanks.

(Kids and my parents in happier times, riding a hot air balloon in Utah)

Doing some work today

I filled in a little about some N&L violations we looked at in my template for my quarterly report.

I made a list of topics to talk to Catherine & Howard about.

I drafted an introductory letter to go with the Charter.

Does this count as enough Mensa work for the day?


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LG Service & Funding Progress

Finally getting back in the Mensa groove after travels and holidays and houseguest and parties.

Since Jean was in town, and Beth Anne lives in the area, the three of us got together on Sunday to make some progress on the Local Group Service & Funding project. Wow, it’s amazing how much easier it is to work face to face than by email!

We came up with some good ideas, and the trick is now to not rush to develop implementation strategies before we have actual data to support our hypotheses.

I have set a personal goal of drafting the monster survey about what members what and expect from Local Groups before the weekend is over so the rest of the committee (yes, Jared, I know you’re reading this) can edit and improve it. With luck, we can get it finalized, distributed, and raw results back before 2010.

Concurrently, I’ll be gathering data on newsletter costs; it’s been a few years since we updated that information and it’s rather essential to this project.