The Editor Writes
The Editor Writes
It is always a pleasure to introduce a new author in these pages. This month
welcome to Joel Huddleston. His article is here, followed by the second
in Laurie Levesque's membership series.
Howes Things
Our required annual financial audit is complete. Thanks to Jeff Jennings for doing the audit this year. Thanks to Katie Manthey for keeping our accounts in impeccable order since 1986.
I would also like to thank Ann Majeske for years of serving our group well as scholarship chair. She cannot continue as chair next year. I received the paperwork very late from the national scholarship chair with an October 1 deadline. The bottom line is that if we are to participate in the MERF scholarship program in 2002 we need a chair NOW. If our group does not participate then no student in New Hampshire and Maine will be eligible for the 2002 scholarships. Please contact Ann if you have questions about what is involved and contact me to volunteer.
Another pressing need is for some members to serve on our nominating committee.
This committee is to seek out candidates for our eight elected offices for the 2002 - 2004
term. Please contact me to volunteer or if you have questions.
Paws for Reflection
Recently I attended one of my favorite Mensa events in the Mid-Hudson area. It's called Moonlight Madness. The hostess of this event is lucky enough to live in the servants' quarters of an estate overlooking the Hudson River. Anyhow, whilst at this event I had a conversation with a group of people as to why the AMC is needed. I have to admit that sometimes I wonder that myself. After all, it's my job to act as your intermediary between Mensa on a local level and Mensa on a national level. If you're curious as to what goes on with Mensa and the AMC take a half hour or so to read the agenda of the September meeting. Also, try to get in the habit of reading all of these on a quarterly basis. I'm interested in your thoughts on these agenda items.
Remember that October is National Testing Month. Not every group is involved in this push to attract new members but if your group is then why not inform some of your friends about this event. After all, if you know 100 people it's probable that at least 2 of them should qualify for membership!
For those of you who don't have 100 friends outside of Mensa you might be interested in attending one of the following gatherings!
Mensautumn 2001
C&WM's gathering will be October 26 - 28 in Hartford, Conn. at the Hilton Hotel where the room rate is only $70 with an additional $5 per day for parking. Registration fee is $55 through September 30. Contact Barb Holstein at BarbCPA@worldnet.att.net.
Pilgrimage - an RG to Die For
Boston's RG will be November 30 - December 2 at the Sheraton Ferncroft Resort in
Danvers, Mass. Registration fee is $55 and room rate is $82. Contact Wendy Birchmire at
wab@birchmire.com.
"So, What Do You Do?"
I truly believe that the best thing a company can bestow on an employee is a job title. Forget about pay, benefits, type of work, etc. A job title has the daunting task of relieving a person of having to scrounge up a definition of himself when he comes in contact with other people.
Think about it. Whenever you meet someone for the first time, you always ask "What do you do?", and more often than not, the person you're meeting efficiently spouts off his name and rank (unless he's suffering from amnesia, in which case he refers to his business card).
Why is this the case?
Theory #1: Everyone breathes and sleeps.
The two things people do most often are breathing and sleeping, with work being a close third. However, introducing ourselves as "breathers" or "sleepers" would make parties rather boring.
"Hi. I'm Bob. I'm a breather."
"Wow! What a coincidence! I breathe too! In fact, I'm breathing right now!"
And so on and so forth until the party turns into a full-fledged Lamaze class, after which everyone would fall asleep.
So, job titles make us seem more exciting, which leads me to my second point.
Theory #2: We need dates.
Since we really can't get anyone from the opposite sex to date us by saying we breathe and sleep, we use job titles as a means to impress people we'd like to date and to make others of the same sex with less important titles look up to us. For instance, ladies, which of these two fellows would you like to date?
"Hi. I'm Fred. I'm the CEO of SuperHugeMegaInternational Corporation. I own half the world, and I'm in position for a hostile takeover of the other half. By next quarter, I should have Venus too."
"My name's Ray. I'm a camel farm worker. I shovel out around 100 pounds of camel dung a day."
After Ray (presumably) gets rejected (after all, some of you ladies may find camel dung attractive), the first thing he does is not pout, cry, or plot revenge, but, you guessed it, ask his boss for a new job title for performing the same job duties.
This sort of healthy competition is the basis of evolution. Homo Erectus stole Cro-Magnon man's girlfriend away not because he walked upright, but because Homo Erectus sounded much more impressive than Cro-Magnon.
Theory #3: You don't get paid for your hobbies.
Despite how interesting, fulfilling, and awe-inspiring your hobbies may be, the fact that you don't get paid for doing them makes them less important than your job, all things being equal. As a recent layoff victim, all I have to do all day (aside from breathing and sleeping) are things I enjoy the most. However, since I don't earn one red cent for them, I'm placed low on the depth chart of the competitive hierarchy (see Theory #2). This makes me a very lonely person at parties.
"Hi. I'm Murray. I'm an accountant for Death `n' Taxes Inc. What do you do?"
"Well, my name's Joel, and I sit on my couch in my underwear, drink beer, and watch the Game Show Network all day."
"Amazing! How much do you get paid for that?"
"Nothing."
"Oh, I see. Hey Ray, how's the camel dung business treating you?"
Unfortunately, this trend of defining people by their job titles will continue until work is abolished, a highly tempting but nevertheless unrealistic proposition. So, if you want to dazzle everyone you meet, follow the guidelines in theories stated above. Better yet, don't even bother. Since writing is a hobby of mine, you won't listen to me anyway.
Now if you will excuse me, "The $25,000 Pyramid" is on.
The Mensa Event Guide, Part 2: Attending Events
This is a follow-up to last month's article about creating your own Mensa events. The flip side of hosting events is ... attending them, of course. Mensans meet and keep in touch with each other through newsletters, special interest groups, email listserves and distribution lists, and by attending events. Below are a handful of myths about attending events. If you wondered about the truth of any of them, you should reconsider.
Myth 1: As a new or newly-active member, I'm going to have to prove myself.
Reality: newcomers are welcomed with warmth and interest. New members aren't asked to prove themselves, jump through intellectual hoops, or do anything they don't want to do. The assumption is, if you've come to an event, you're there as an equal with everyone else. In my experience, Mensans don't actually discuss issues of IQ very often at all, or if they do, it is usually in reference to the education system in this country or as a self-deprecating comment about needing to be re-tested. If you haven't heard this joke before, don't worry; Mensans don't ever get re-tested, but we like to make good-natured comments about it now and then, usually about ourselves.
This is one myth I wondered about when I was relatively new. The crowd I hung out with a lot nine or ten years ago was just a small subset of the overall membership in New England. In this small group, there were many times I didn't get references to Broadway shows, history, classic literature, NPR, etc. For a while I wondered why I lacked all kinds of knowledge that a couple of them had. In time, it dawned on me that each member was unique in his or her experiences and knowledge, and some had a lot more of certain types of book-learning. For example, some were good at trivia, and others were history buffs. Nobody ever said they cared when I didn't get a reference to West Side Story (I still don't), and it never bothered me if others didn't get my references to organizational psychology, karate, or heavy metal music (I was young!) The day when I was able to let my concerns go for good was when I had the epiphany that these differences were interesting, but not problematic. I remember hanging out on the front porch during a games night, listening to my friend Marty's son talking to another attendee, in detail and at length, about some aspect of theater. Earlier I had overheard his references to music and literature during a trivia game. I was impressed because he was in high school at the time and far more sophisticated than I in these areas (he still is!) In that moment, I had thought to myself, "I will never know even a tenth of what this kid knows," and I realized it didn't matter - not to him, not to his father, not to anyone else who was there, and honestly, not to me.
The diversity of this group is one of its strengths and one of its challenges. All of us are accepted for who we are. After meeting a number of members over time, it is hard not to notice that diversity permeates everything in this group, ranging from viewpoints, preferences, interests, careers, interpersonal skills, work ethics, political tendencies, religious views, and everything else on which we could differ. The bottom line is, once you are a member, you are accepted. Period.
Myth 2: If it's a regular monthly or weekly event, I'd feel obligated to keep attending.
Mais non! If you see an event that interests you go, have fun, enjoy. Stay until the end or leave early. If the event is offered again, decide then if you want to try it again. Any sense of obligation to keep attending is likely to be a creation of your own mind. One of the things that longtime Mensa members have learned is that people come and go: we move, we travel, individuals may lose interest in an event they've attended regularly, new events catch their eye, personal schedules get hectic for a time, or other life issues may take priority.
Myth 3: No one will talk to me if I am a new or inactive member.
Bah!!!!!!! This couldn't be further from the truth, really. I personally love to meet new or formerly inactive members. And my guess is that most others in this group who attend events also feel this way. Why do I assume that? Well, every event I've been to where someone was introduced to the host and/or other attendees as a `first timer' was welcomed like a new friend. Members went out of their way to talk to new people, to include them in conversations, to show them around and to get to know them. We have all joined this group for different, often multiple, reasons. A few of my reasons are that I get to hang out with smart folks like yourselves, that obscure joke references are appreciated, multisyllable words aren't scorned, several conversations are often going on at any given time, and laughter abounds. Okay, maybe that's many reasons, but you get the idea.
Oh yes, make sure you don't assume that everyone at an event already knows each other. Many may, but not always. The attendees at any given event vary, and there are times when it isn't clear who knows whom. Over 300 members belong to the New Hampshire chapter, and there are a number in Maine (which is now affiliated with New Hampshire) and in Massachusetts who come to events. Unless you tell the other folks you are new, they might never know; their assumption might be that you are just another member they had never met before. And, if you haven't attended many or any events, take the initiative and introduce yourself to a couple other attendees. If you are shy, then contact the host in advance and ask her or him to keep an eye out for you and introduce you to a couple of the other attendees. It's a service most of us provide more than willingly because we remember what it's like to feel new.
Myth 4: If I don't really click with the people I meet at my first event, then maybe Mensa isn't for me.
False. Please reread myths 1 and 3 and then come back. OK, now let's rethink this. There are a number of events and regional gatherings offered by this group and by the other local groups. Each event attracts different people for as many reasons. And sometimes the same event held a second or third time has a whole different crowd that shows up. You know the saying that you can't step twice into the same river? There's so much diversity in this group that you can't assume that the first 3, 7, or 10 people you meet are representative of everyone.
One of the great joys of belonging to this group is that it is possible to develop several sets of acquaintances/friends who may have little in common with each other beyond membership in this group. The key is not to stop with the first few you meet, but rather to seek them out, or let them find you. But, it can only happen if there are opportunities to interact.
Myth 5: I shouldn't contact the hostess or host prior to the event.
Incorrect. Hosts provide contact information to you in their calendar listing for a reason. If the event is a new one or it is one you have never attended and you find that you have questions or concerns, the best thing to do is contact the host. Hosts field calls and emails when their driving directions to an event are unclear, if it's unclear whether food is provided or if attendees should bring food/beverages for themselves or to share, if it is unclear whether the event is for adults only, if handicap access is needed by an attendee, or if an attendee is concerned about problematic or life-threatening allergies (e.g., nuts, cats, cigarettes). If you have similar concerns, or any concerns, contact the host before the event or ask when you arrive there.
Of course, it never hurts to remember that the person hosting an event doesn't work for Mensa. Each is a member, just as you are, and each volunteered to put an event together so please be considerate. If you phone, do so during what most people would consider reasonable hours: after 8:00 a.m. and before 8:00 p.m. (but check the event listing for specific instructions). Unless you are trying to call immediately before the event, give them a chance to get back to you. They may be able to return your call within scant hours of receiving it, but not always.
Well, now that these myths have been dispelled, are there any other assumptions, experiences, ideas, or suggestions you have about hosting or attending events? Please feel free to mail or email me with them, either to improve this article before it becomes a part of the new member handbook or to help me think about these issues from a new or different perspective (I said I liked diversity, didn't I?) I can be reached at seizethedaylight@yahoo.com, in care of the P.O. Box listed on the back of this newsletter, or if you can come to the monthly dinner on the Seacoast, we can chat about it face-to-face.
See you around!
[Special thanks to Donna Sommer whose comments and ideas helped improve this
article in immeasurable ways.]
Good Wine Cheap (Kind'a sez it all)
The two most consistent sources of good value priced wines that I have found are the countries of Australia and Chile. This month we will focus on the land down under. Australia has been producing wine for over 150 years. Their wine industry is centered in South Eastern Australia in the states of New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia. This region is home to numerous viticulture areas with exotic names such as the Barossa Valley, Coonawarra, Padthaway and McClaren Vale.
There are a number of producers who make very good wines available for under $10 a bottle; and, if you comparison shop and buy by the case you can get these wines in the $7 to $8 range. These fine labels include Jacob's Creek, Rosemount Estates, Black Marlin, Black Opal and Penfolds Koonunga Hill. There are several lower price point entries to the marketing race ($5 to $6 retail) which display the labels of Hardy's, Banrock Station, and McPhearson's. Of these latter labels they are worth a try; but, I cannot recommend all their varietals across the board.
Wine makers all over the world make blended wine - wines including more than one grape variety. But the Australians have come up with their own original combinations. The first is Semillon blended with Chardonnay; and, the second (AND MY FAVORITE) is Shiraz with Cabernet Sauvignon. The Shiraz grape (called Syrah in the rest of the world) as grown and vinted in Australia creates a wine with a spicy pepper taste along with plum or cherry fruit flavors. When combined with Cabernet, it produces some of the finest wine in the world. For this Shiraz / Cabernet blend look for the Rosemount, Jacob's Creek and Black Marlin labels. Add these to a good steak and you have a glimpse of Heaven.
As for the other blend of Semillon and Chardonnay, most of what is available under $10 appears to be an attempt to use a cheaper grape (the Semillon) to come up with a less expensive wine for the market place. A notable exception to this is the Penfolds Koonunga Hill Semillon / Chardonnay blend (Ah, an absolute delight!).
The Chardonnays are the purebreds of Australian white wines. And the better labels noted above all produce a very respectable Chardonnay. BUT, the best are Jacob's Creek, Koonunga Hill and one that moved up recently from just okay to a veritable epiphany, Black Marlin (all 1998's and 1999's).
Remember Grover's first rule of acquisition is to buy by the case. I hope that you will contact me with your favorite wines, discounts and deals at jgrover@berk.com. I will be happy to share them with the broader Mensa group.
John is a member of Mensa of Northeastern New York. He lives with his wife
Sharon in Kinderhook, New York.
©2001 New Hampshire Mensa - All Rights Reserved