What I Really Did for Mensa February-June, 2023

 Feb 15, 2023 – June 15, 2023
 
Communications Officer

• Reviewed and asked questions about budget.
• Attended GLAAM RG in February- met with LocSec and Editor to discuss how to handle smaller print versions.
• Further discussion with Trevor about Volunteerism program.
• Advised GLAAM editor about  two versions of newsletters.
• Worked with LaRae to craft Vol Insights column for Bulletin.
• Nudged Marketing Officer again re column for Bulletin.
• Asked again for copies of onboarding emails sent to editors, webmasters, circ managers, etc.
• Discussed with Chip the inclusion or rejection of a Bulletin article about paper vs digital newsletters.
• Read all March newsletters.
• Read all April newsletters.
• Read all May newsletters.
• Read all June newsletters.
• Reviewed and commented on April/May Bulletin.
• Reviewed and commented on June Bulletin.
• Reviewed and commented on July Bulletin.
• Reviewed Spring YM.
• Participated in R8’s zoom about MC training.
• Reviewed which editors are not receiving MC emails and messages.
• Invited Felice to the sandbox community and got conversation started.
• Intervened gently re a MC situation.
• Attended March AMC meeting in Hurst.
• Filled out speaker form for AG roundtable session.
• Prepped another Vol Insights article for the Bulletin.
• Sent suggested revisions  of onboarding messages sent to editors and SM people, and made suggestions for what can be included in a similar message to webmasters.
• Gave MN a list of ongoing and new things that need doing in the IT area.
• Worked on project planning with Trevor for Mensa Volunteer program.
• Looked up and sent key nuggets from 2011 LGS&F report to Trevor and others for discussion on member value.
• Advised a member about TOS interpretations for posts.
• reviewed and offered opinion on a potentially controversial Bulletin article.
• Helped a new member find ways to contact other local members.
• Sent Chip the story about the Bulletin and Asia Carrera.
• Sent nominations for Nat Awards to Jean B.
• Advised RVC9 about a newsletter situation.
• Forwarded on a couple death notifications.
• Attended AMC meeting in TX, including meeting w Staff and a few others to talk about roles, projects, etc.
• Advised an RVC about moderating MC.
• Directed a SIG coordinator to the Nat SIG person to answer a question.
• Dug up and shared five governance reports to Trevor he didn’t already have.
• Sent Trevor a handful of things-for-staff-to-do.
• Replied to an Editor asking about ACE awards.
• Asked staff to update the ACE award page to make it clear that it’s no longer a thing.
• Advised editor about reprinting unattributed memes.
• Discussed with Membership Officer about communicating to LG officers.
• Sent Lori top five expectations of the CO position.
• Advised Chair on some writing.
• Drafted annual CO report for Bulletin.
• Helped test potential new search engine for AML site.
• Answered members’ question about LG funding in the past.
• Wrote long long response to a disgruntled member’s questions about newsletters.
• Phone call with CB.
• Prepped and sent spring Pubs Officers’ letter.
• Filled out application for another term.
• Drafted response to member complaining about R8 moderation.
• Reminded AMC about looming deadline for annual reports for the Bulletin.
• Handled a MC admin task for RVC1.
• Reposnded to questions from a Circ Mgr about how to email to all members.
• Forward notification of members’ deaths to Becky.
• Mailed an editor about correcting the indicia on their newsletter.
• Prodded the AMC governance discussion thread.
• Prodded the “Value” working group discussion threads.
• Dealt with spam posts in R1 MC community.
• Posted Zoom event reminder in Pubs Officers.
• Sent spring (and summer) letter to the NNJ editor (who is too young to be on MC).
• Discussed a brewing MC moderation/harassment issue w/ lead Mod, drafted a message to the harassing member, and sent it.
• Quarterly Zoom with Pubs officers.
• Tossed out a new thread in the “value” working group.
• Offered advice to Mensa Germany board member about forum software and moderation tactics.
• Advised a newish LocSec about how to recruit an editor.
• Revisited draft of Nat Pubs Policy and sent to Trevor for his input.
• Revisited other policies that will need amending to align with Nat Pubs policy amendments.
• Advised RVC7 about postal issues.
• Wrote a Volunteerism Insights column for the Bulletin.
• Tended to a few MC support questions.
• Advised NNJM LocSec and Editor regarding an event host collecting and misusing email addresses under the guise of needing RSVPs.
• Nudged IT staff about several things on their to do list and responded to his updates.
• Long discussion with Membership Officer about common issues.
• Helped member with address change.
• Weighed in on AMC discussions of governance topics.
• Commented on draft agenda for May zoom meeting.
• Prepped lists and thoughts about staff issues for Lori.
• Advised LocSec about newsletter tools and advertising for a new editor.
• Participated in informal AMC zoom chat.
• Zoom with Chip.
• Zoom with Charles & Chip.
• Notified CB that we’re supposed to be uploading the Bulletin to the MIL website.
• Helped LocSec/Interim editor with InDesign questions.
• Notified staff about out-of-date ads on the website.
• Complimented new SF Mensa editor.
• Filled out AMC survey about committees.
• Attended May AMC meeting (virtual). Got fired as Comm Officer with no explanation.
• Discussed web security issues with a LG webmaster.
• Forwarded notice of deceased member to NO.
• Responded to a LocSec’s concerns about misdirected email aliases.
• Filled out review of Exec. Dir.
• Cut and pasted entirety of two discussion threads for an RVC.
• Forwarded another request to cancel Bulletin for a member now in memory care.
• Archived the progress on the Member Volunteer Program and notified Trevor of the link.
• Updated LG Comm Guide and sent new pdf to staff for uploading.
• Wrote & sent final quarterly letter to Pubs Officers.
• Re-sent Spring Editors’ letter to an editor who didn’t receive it earlier.
• Forwarded some print preference info from an editor to the NO.
• Forwarded contribution offering from a member to the Bulletin editor.
• Advised staff to update p 55 of the Comm Guide to reflect changes in some of the online emailing tools.
• Hosted summer Zoom session with Pubs Officers.
• Facilitated getting SFRM layout designer added to the Pubs Officer MC community.

 
 
Communications Committee

• Began discussions about how to approach getting answers to the questions about newsletters we generated last quarter.
• Requested addition of Ian to the committee.
• Asked Michael to research internet/computer access stats in the US.
• Proposed an initial crowd-sourcing strategy to generate likely survey answers.
• Wrote up research on internet access and shared with committee.
• Asked Mem Officer for a copy of most recent membership survey and demographic stats.
• Did some number crunching.
• Kept discussions going.
• Long replies to questions and suggestions.
• Crowd-sourced response options in MC M-Leaders & General Discussion
• Requested review of proposed Appendix 10 update.
• Shared four random things from my to-do list and asked for input.
• More work on Nat Pubs Policy.
• Nudged quiet AMC committee members.
• More work on Nat Pubs Policy to incorporate feedback from a couple AMCers.
• More work on Nat Pubs policy.
• Tidied up draft of Nat Pubs Policy with highlights of major changes and directed the AMC members to do with it as they please.
• Announced & provided link to archive of not-quite-over-the-finish-line Nat Pubs policy revision.

 
Strategic Planning Committee

• Did some research and proposed that the committee revisit LG funding formulas.
• Wrote long response on LG funding topic.
• Shared an article about planning for the future and nudged discussions again.

 
Marketing Committee

•  The committee was inactiive

 
Name & Logo Committee

• Participated in discussions about a school claiming to partner with Mensa and a possible logo copying.
• Participated in discussion of logo-on-tie-dye shirt topic.
• Weighed in on discussion of Rainbow Mensans SIG.

 
SIGs Advisory Committee

• Offered opinions and approval for a few new SIGs.

 
National Awards Committee

• Nudged IT to make contact information easier to find.
• Nudged AMC to provide nominations.
• Some discussion with Jean about tracing of vols who do internet stuff.
• Participated in conference call.
• Forwarded an idea regarding presentation ceremony at the ABM to Jean and Ian.
• Reminded Chair of deadlines and filling out a committee review form.

 
MI News Team

• Zoom with A.
• Prepped and queued a few posts.
• Forwarded info about Canadian AG to A.
• Prepped and queued more news posts.
• Zoom with A.
• Prepped a few more posts.
• Wrote to chair of Mensa Cyprus about when we’ll post her interview responses.
• Asked about Twitter and FB moderation policies.
• Zoom w A.
• Asked Foundation President and MRJ editor about using their subscription services.
• Photoshopped Dhruv project mages for posting.
• Organized future posts.
• Nudged team on assignments.
• Drafted Focus on Hungary article and sent for review.
• Long zoom w/ A to catch up and plan.
• Nudged various NM chairs to respond to drafts of “Focus on…” articles.
• Asked for write up about Chicago’s AGOG event.
• Requested to join AMG 2022 Seoul Korea FB group, which supposedly has info about the 2023 gathering in April. Researched details for Seoul gathering.
• Wrote article about AML’s CultureQuest.
• Tediously added social media links to spreadsheet
• Sent A info about Silvensa 2023.
• Wrote Focus on Mensa Netherlands and sent to chair for review. It bounced, so then tried a proxy chair.
• Dug around to find and convert dues and testing fees for all NMs (several hours of work!)
• Began learning about PPP conversions.
• Wrote teaser article for new series about activities around the world.
• Lots of prep and then Zooming w A Apr 6.
• Nudged N and M with assignments.
• Drafted messages and sent to a disengaged team member. 
• Wrote and queued up a few more posts.
• Wrote up a post using sparce info from Mensa Italy member.
• Drafted Focus on Mensa Italia and sent it with a bunch of questions for review.
• Prepped templates for future disengaged committee members.
• Looked for iStock image for Poland’s gathering.
• Responded to suggestions from a member of Mensa Italia.
• Wrote an evergreen post to promote WP.
• Zoom with A.
• Wrote 5 more posts and created graphics for each.
• Kept things hobbling along while my elbow is broken.
• Re-wrote article about Korean AMG.
• Asked Jon G to write about US vs Euro gatherings.
• Tested new WP tools with A.
• Asked for English version of French MY Camp event registration.
• Caught up on organizing and planning content.
• Collaborated on Communications survey for I & ICO.
• Asked Hungary Chair for info about MY Camp event.
• Created graphic for post about MY Camps.
• Zoom with I & A re addition news team members and comm survey.
• Zoom with A.
• Responded to E about MY Camp issue.
• Asked M to make graphic for MI Poetry contest and advised on logo use.
• Nudged chairs of Switzerland, South Africa, Philippines, and Italy re Focus On articles.
• Edited interviews with Cyprus & Germany.
• Zoom with A.
• Prepped for adding new people to the team.
• Read Spring 2023 ExComm minutes.
• Gave direction to a team member.
• Tedious review of all MI website links (side project for A).
• Mucked around with some WP tech issues.
• Emailed for edit info on Mensa at Cambridge promo.
• Created graphic for Photocup Jury call.
• Zoom with A.
• More prep for onboarding new team members.
• Zoom call with new team volunteers & sent meeting notes to all.
• Attended virtual IBD meeting.
• Did some tedious admin work to help A.
• Discussed News Team’s role with the GY Comm.
• Prepped WeeM info for event listing.
• Sent DoA spreadsheet with communications contacts for most NMs.
• Zoom with A.
• Nudged on getting new team contributors added on Workplace.

 
MI Branding Project

• Zoom with ICO.
• Zoom with A.
• Call with CB about how rebranding might affect AML.
• Drafted solicitation for member photos.
• Created site map of public sections.
• Zoom with A & ICO.
• Hours searching and gathering useful images for site redesign.
• Reviewed mock-up from ICO.

 
MI Name & Logo Committee

• Attended initial on-boarding Zoom call.
• Set up WP group.
• Reviewed some outside company branding documentation.
• Shared 2009 N&L Workbook and 2023 LG Comm Guide Branding section.