Tuesday, January 30, 2024

Turn Over

Hmmm.. How are we doing at making our volunteers feel valued and supported?

Tuesday, January 2, 2024

What I did for Mensa Oct 18-Dec 31, 2023 (two and a half months)

 MI News Team

  • Hours of work preparing layout and graphics for Mensa Test article.
  • Cleaned up an article from Slovenian Rep about the IBD meeting.
  • Revised and sent for approval the Testing Cost article.
  • Asked A (new ExComm rep from British Mensa) about Darwin 200 and about C stepping down.
  • Nudged J about interview questions.
  • Asked N for report on Bali gathering.
  • Drafted post & poll for News Team IBD presentation video
  • Asked S some interview questions to go with a post about Indonesia’s IBD presentation.
  • Experimented with creating polls and uploading video to WP.
  • Prepped interview questions for GLAM organizers and ran them past A & E.
  • Drafted a new Focus on Mensa South Africa article and sent for review.
  • Nudged R about Level Up article.
  • Prepped a few more posts about mini minutes and treasurer’s update.
  • Dug around the web to find photos and more info about Norway’s AG.
  • Prepped several more posts and photos to go with them.
  • Sent Bali and WeeM articles to K for MWJ.
  • Zoom with A.
  • Nudged S about Indonesia/AMG interview questions.
  • Tons of photo selection and processing for Bali article.
  • Messaged with J from Mensa Taiwan about writing articles about NMs’ events/programs.
  • Worked to turn Indonesia powerpoint into a simple video for posting.
  • Prepared 5 posts about major achievements in nearly all Mensas.
  • Checked in with News Team on progress.
  • Prepped for call with A.
  • Long catch up call with A, then wrote and sent notes & action list.
  • Asked M for graphics for Major Achievements in 2023 series.
  • Asked B about unpinning top post in Mensa News.
  • Organized posts in progress and fodder.
  • Reviewed research article about caffeine and prepared post and graphic.
  • Prepped complex poll for NT anniversary post.
  • Nudged V to update events page with information about AML’s AG, EMAG, AMG, and GLAM.
  • Prepped some of the Major Achievements posts.
  • Translated and prepped post about Mensa Italia’s digital magazine.
  • Read and wrote a post about Australian Mensa’s magazine.
  • Began mining the IVN reports from Dallas for fodder- great stuff!
  • Sent interview questions to L.
  • Queued up a few more posts.
  • Discussed NT composition issues with A.
  • Drafted solicitation for additional NT members and sent to I.
  • Nudged V to update events listings.
  • Zoom catch up with Ashley.
  • Quickly prepped and posted about an NM's anniversary.
  • Sent email to H asking if she wants to continue on NT.
  • Gathered events content for website updates.
  • Discussed with B about brewing NM issue.
  • Asked team to review a click bait article about intelligence for possible posting.
  • Prepped and queued up a few more posts.
  • Asked NT to look at an article about intelligence  for possible posting.
  • Prepped two versions of an ad for additional NT members.
  • Sent second email to H about continuing on NT.
  • Prepared reprint post about SIGHT from MWJ.
  • Prepped a post about EMAG presentation to IBD.
  • Cleaned up in-progress and archived content.
  • Began writing Acronym article.
  • Queued up some more posts.
  • Prepped interview with L for posting.
  • Organized the next month’s worth of posts.
  • Wrote long article explaining Mensa acronyms.



MI Name & Logo Committee
  • Advised chair of Canada AG on logo questions.
  • Hours of work creating illustrations for Rule F.
  • Started drafting my version of complete rule revision.
  • Hours trying to figure out and illustrate Rule H.
  • Hours and hours refining all the rules and  preparing a single PDF of all of them.
  • Shared my thoughts on how to revise/expand logo rules with the committee.
  • Alerted comm to MensAmuse event misuse of name.
  • Responded to discussion about trademark marks and word font restrictions.
  • Alerted committee to logo misuse on a WP group page.
  • Drafted simplified explanations of name-use rules.
  • Alerted comm to Crypta Mensons group on FB.
  • Created illustrations about how members may use the name and logo.
  • Asked committee about vagueness of EM use of name and logo.
  • Asked committee about the list of legitimate social media groups MI is supposed to be keeping per IBD motion 2023-15.
  • Weighed in on steps to take for the daunting task of cataloging social media groups and approvals/violations.
  • Weighed in on discussions about EM and DIM use ofN&L and approval process and record keeping.
  • Weighed in on request for approval of Mensa Germany’s passport-looking stamp book.
  • Drafted illustrations covering SIGs’ use of name and logo.
  • Drafted illustrations covering commercial use.
  • Started drafting a side-by-side document of bylaws and simplified explanations.
  • Hours more work on a draft of Name, Logo, and Licensing Policy book.



“Kitten Tasks”
  • Prepared spreadsheet to analyze membership fees and average incomes (for Eivind).
  • Finished 2017 minutes-to-spreadsheet.
  • Finished 2016 minutes-to-spreadsheet.
  • Finished 2015 motions-to-spreadsheet.
  • Researched and prepped listing and description with link of upcoming events for Newsletter.
  • Prepped PDF of Jan "From the ExComm" for website.
  • Prepped Dec "From the ExComm" for the website.
  • Finished 2014 minutes-to-spreadsheet.
  • Organized and consolidated tags for motions.
  • Tons of work/discussion about  polishing minutes and gaps.
  • Went through 2022-2014 minutes spreadsheet to make category tagging consistent.
  • Prepped most of 2023 minutes-to-spreadsheet.
  • Prepped Feb  “From the ExCom” for website.
  • Drafted 2013 motions-to-spreadsheet.
  • Drafted 2012 minutes-to-spreadsheet (long!)


MI Translation Team
  • Forwarded two Chinese translations from Sylvia Lee to Eivind.
  • Forwarded Slovenian translation to Eivind.
  • Sent catch up message to Eivind and Ashley about which languages have translated so far (only 6).


Gifted Youth Committee Liaison
  • Prepped Hot Topics sheet #2 (Italian version).

Uncategorized MI
  • Corresponded with Melanie Jäger about Volunteerism Report and common issues.
  • Began drafting content for election application.

Chicago Area Mensa
  • Put together December ChiMe & distributed.
  • Zoom with new editor and Comm team re transition.
  • Hours of work creating updated job description and details.
  • Cleaned up InDesign file/template for next editor.
  • Downloaded and formatted birthdays and anniversaries for January.
  • Began actual work on Jan ChiMe since Marco is sick and time’s a wasting.
  • Finished Jan ChiMe and sent it off for printing and distribution.

AML But as Plain Ol' Robin
  • Gave opinion on content-timing question to Bulletin Ed.
  • Alerted N&L chairs of AML and MIL about nasty Mensa Rebellion group on FB.

Strategic Planning Committee
  • No Activity.

National Awards Committee
  • Gave feedback on Tony’s draft of an article for the Bulletin.
  • Gave more feedback—sharing how I personally delineate the three award levels.