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.

What I did for Mensa December 2024

 

• Set up Hub space for Latin Americans.
• Long call with CRO Asst. re S. Korea.
• Responded to a few tickets.
• Downloaded and forwarded two ISIG applications.
• Worked on then shared next draft of notes from Nov meeting with M.
• Gathered and sent 2024 NM report data for dashboard creation.1
• Long zoom w M covering many plans and topics.
• Updated and shared ReadMe file that should accompany any logo downloads and shared with N&L Comm for review.
• Responded to Asst CRO regarding S. Korea.
• Responded to Chair re strategic planning.
• Posted notice of ExComm minutes in Mensa news.
• Began putting together a file of fodder for the upcoming MI newsletter.
• Responded to more tickets.
• Updated and shared draft of new trademark Manual with B&L Comm.
• Responded to tickets.
• Messaged Swedish Chair re signing up for the Hub.
• Filled out travel reimbursement forms for London in Nov and London in March 2025.
• Responded to tickets.
• Responded with ideas for helping Mensa India with their archives.
• Posted final version of M&R meeting notes to ExComm.
• Zoom w elected officers.
• Manually added Austrian chair to the Hub.
• Nudged M to nudge T to log into the Hub ( it’s been 5 days).
• Organized [massive] To Do list.
• Zoom w/ A re newsletter plans.
• Brainstorming newsletter content responsibilities and paths.
• Weekly zoom w/ M re ISP, CRO, and CRM priorities.
• Call w/ A re newsletter and social media planning.
• Began drafting plan for splitting ICO into two and how to organize social media outlets.
• Hours of work on visualizing new organization of Mensa communications.
• Urged M, J, and E to make a decision about HumHub contract.
• Responded regarding membership data dashboards.
• Zoom w M re ISP issue.
• Long response to Australian chair re GY priorities.
• Zoom w A re newsletter planning.
• Prepped new comprehensive to-do list for A and me.
• Wrote long Hub-cost justification in response to Treasurer’s questions.
• Posted Chair’s ad for an ISP in Mensa News.
• Requested updates to vol listing on website.
• Responded to inquiry from AMC’s Marketing Officer regarding N&L images.
• Zoom w/ A re newsletter and SoMe.
• Prodded ExComm to review Nov 24 minutes and get changes to A.
• Nudged M about talking to Oomi.
• Responded to some tickets.
• Drafted first stab at SoMe omni messaging.
• Did as much as I could on a google sheet for all MI’s official SoMe accounts, then asked Lorenzo to dig around and find more.
• Responded to tickets.
• Zoom w DoD re communications planning.
• Proofed Feb issue of MWJ.
• Dug up and sent M a copy of AML’s LG Charter template.
• Added content to newsletter fodder file.
• Prepped 4 months’ worth of From the ExComm columns for website.
• Nudged ExComm via email to log into the Hub and vote on minutes approval.
• On-boarded N&L Comm via Zoom.
• Zoom w/ M, E, and J re HumHub bids.
• 2-hour weekly zoom w/ M.
• Updated Hub access for Hungary Chair.
• Responded to tickets.
• Formatted file from Chair  into a pdf so everyone can read it even if they don’t have Apple Pages on their computers.
• Responded to discussion with/ Chair and MWJ editor regarding how NMs should publish links to MWJ content.
• Began finding and organizing info for 2025 events page of the website.
• Zoom w A re ticketing and newsletter.
• Researched resources for photos from 2024 IBD, GLAM, and AMG for website.
• Sent DoO fodder for news feed on website.
• Responded to Chair’s questions regarding forwarding email attachments.
• Responded to tickets.
• Asked M if the CRM-website issues were fixed yet.
• Re-organized files for AML space on Hub.
• Responded to tickets.
• Downloaded and passed along 2 ISIG requests.
• Drafted a post to NMs re publishing links to MWJ content.
• Added another article to the fodder folder  for newsletter.
• Sent A a link to article for website newsfeed.
• Advised a US member about signing up for the Mi website and Hub.
• Discussed SIGs’ use of N&L if they allow non-members with a N&L Comm member.
• Responded to tickets.
• Responded to tickets.
• Fixed links to governing documents in IBD General space.
• Asked AML Comm Officer to have her guinea pigs try again to sign up for the website/Hub.
• Posted Nov 24 ExComm minutes in Mensa News.
• Responded to more tickets.
• zoom w DSNM re common issues.
• Responded to Chair of Mensa India regarding advice for maintaining their archives.
• Notified Workplace users that everything is moving to the Hub in a few days.
• Manually added another member from Mensa India.
• Clarified Hub membership and how it works for a member of GPAC.
• Forwarded concerns from a NM chair about lack of response to test submissions.
• Dug up content from Mensa News 2024 for 2025 webpage.
• Weekly Zoom w M.
• Wrote 5-page report for ExComm covering Oct-Dec 2024.
• Manually added a member from Japan to the Hub.
• Zoom w A re newsletter and website.
• Reorganized files on ExComm Hub space.

Dec 26 Special AMC meeting

 So yeah, I watched the whole thing. 

Oh my...

November 2024 Accomplishments

 Director of Administration

• In-person partial on-boarding of an IVN member.
• Set up Hub space for Malaysian Mensa.
• Responded to some tickets.
• Updates spaces in Hub categories.
• Prepped graphics and text for website promoting the Hub (in place of WP).
• Responded to Mensa Chile about tshirt designs.
• Asked K to remove welcome letter link from MWJ.
• Reviewed fodder for a member benefits web page.
• Corrected login info for motion database.
• Worked on re-organization of IBD presentations on Hub.
• Requested DropBox access.
• Responded to several Hub Team issues.
• Long Zoom w A covering many topics.
• Requested GWS help (via M) with server-side Hub problems.
• Manually added a user to the Hub to see if I could (yes).
• Posted voting polls for approval of Set 16 and Oct 10 ExComm meeting minutes.
• Manually added a few members from India to the Hub.
• Created mock-up for a Hub webpage.
• Reviewed Jan MWJ and sent comments to editor.
• Began work on better organization of IBD documents on the Hub.
• Addressed N&L questions regarding committee processes.
• Set up space for AML and arranged for Bulletin editor to upload magazine PDFs.
• Send nudge about signing up for Hub to IBD members.
• Created step-by-step instructions pdf for getting a vanity email address.
• Responded to many tickets.
• Looked into report of a lapsed member needing to be purged from the Hub.
• Facilitated problem solving between AML and the Hub.
  
• Uploaded IBD presentations and sent A the URLs for the minutes.
• Zoom w M to prepare for inperson meeting.
• Reorganized AML’s magazine archives on the Hub to allow people to actually read them.
• Updated ExComm Standing Orders page on the Hub.
• Commented on draft ExComm Nov 24 meeting agenda.
• Composed and posted many thoughts regarding Strategic Planning for ExComm.
• Onboarding Zoom with Archivists.
• Set up Hub space for Archivists and posted necessary files and links.
• Catchup up zoom w A.
• Set up space for Mensa Argentina
• Responded to more tickets.
• Responded to concerns from MWJ editor.
• Went London for two days’ / 12 hours of intense discussion with ExecDir about many topics.
• Added link to MI Directory Google Doc to ExComm and IBD spaces on the Hub.
• Set up Hub space for PhotoCup team.
• Uploaded all 2024 IBD presentations to Drop box and sent links to A for the minutes.
• Responded to more tickets.
• Created Blue Sky account for Mensa International (name-holding for now).
• Strategy planning zoom w A&J.
  
• ExComm Zoom Meeting.
• Updated IBD Confidential membership on Hub and nudged the last few who haven't signed up yet.
• Updated IBD General membership on Hub and nudged the last few who haven't signed up yet.
• Messaged M re setting up regular call schedule.
• Wrote up notes from London meeting and sent to M.
  
• Quick call w A re several topics.
• Responded to several tickets.
• Zoom w M re Hub Training.
• Zoom w A re: newsletter plans and other topics.
• Booked flights for London in March.
• Responded to more tickets.
• Manually added a couple members to the Hub.
• Participated in SMAC zoom meeting.