As the person who dreamed up the idea for the rock-painting craft workshop, I take exception to Mark Motta's muttering in his missive in the March MAAM. Those who participated enjoyed the workshop so much that I had to extend it for several additional hours. And their works were quite striking, if not exactly meso-American. And, I hope you are sitting down when you read this, I believe the conversation that took place as the rocks were being painted was actually intellectually stimulating.
I find that in order for a regional gathering to be successful, there must be a mix of serious lectures, opportunities for people to tell stories (and, God forbid, jokes), artsy craftsy workshops, and off-site tours of local points of interest. And chocolate. I have observed over time and 50 RGs and 6 AGs that these gatherings are an opportunity for people with a desire to learn to get together with people with a desire to teach. I found that at Phiesta 18, as I have at all gatherings, and I came away quite satisfied. Your Editor is right, we all need to play, and too many of us do not take enough time to do that.
As for the alleged "find the soap in the communal bath," I must have missed that, if it happened anywhere but in your mind. But quite frankly, just as in life you have to take time to stop and smell the roses, in Mensa you have to take time to paint a rock or find the soap. The family (and Mensa is considered a huge extended family, dysfunctional, but a family nonetheless) that plays together stays together, as they say. On to Bill Rouse's letter.
Last weekend an ad placed by a vindicated husband appeared in our local paper, noting that a woman had scored in the top 2% of the population on intelligence tests. I contacted the paper to have the writer contact me. It turns out they used to live in Santa Maria, down the road from me, and had considered joining Mensa while they were there but did not know how to contact us. Now they are in Texas, and will likely join (I gave them the local group's number, and vice versa). The ad was vindication and a pot shot at family and friends who felt the woman was none too bright, in spite of earning five associate degrees simultaneously.
The comment about people not being able to find us got to me, and got me off my rear end. I have created a sideline business based on the various sessions I present at RGs, and have been promoting it when I can. This week I went to our local Barnes & Noble bookstore and offered my services for their events calendar. The person in charge of it is considering letting me do some sessions on a recurring basis, with the full knowledge that I am going to plug Mensa at the end of the talk. I will even take my act on the road and go to the B&Ns down in Santa Barbara and Ventura. (Yes, Carole Young, my list of sessions includes Obsessive/Compulsive Revelations.) I think we will pick up a few new members this way, and who knows, we might even paint rocks one night.
One last thing. Mark may be deciding to vote for Bob Cox after this, but before he does he should know that next time I do a rock painting workshop, Bob has offered to bring better rocks. Bill Rouse can bring the soap...
Mark Hutchenreuther