New in Mensa? LIFESTYLES OF THE STRANGE AND INTELLIGENT (Or, What a New Member Might Want to Know About Broward Mensa) To the outsider, Mensans may seem to be an odd lot. Indeed we are! We range from "barely-making-it" to "well-to-do", from toddlers to golden-agers, from artists & poets to mathematicians, from clerks & cabdrivers to doctors, lawyers and financiers; we embrace many life styles and beliefs, to say nothing of temperaments and nationalities. The only things we have in common are an ability to score in the top two percentiles on IQ tests and that we each decided to join Mensa. To a new member, this may seem bewildering. WE may seem bewildering. It's all very simple though, once you get to know us. Here are a few tips on feeling at home in Broward Mensa. DRESS CODE: There is none. (Most members feel that clothing should be worn, but not all will agree even on this.) Wear whatever makes you comfortable. Most of us dress in anything from shorts and T-shirts to slacks and shirts or dresses. If the activity is in a public place, dress according to the dignity (or lack of it) of the location. PARTIES IN PRIVATE HOMES: Attire usually informal. Conduct yourself as you would wish a guest in your home to behave. There is a $3.00 "kitty" for members and $4.00 for guests at all Saturday events to help defray some of the hosts' expenses and to keep our treasury healthy. Sign in, feed the "kitty", and enjoy yourself! Also note, an RSVP before the day of the party helps hosts plan for the devouring hordes....please do try to let us know you plan to attend. HOW MOST MENSANS WILL TREAT YOU: We are a very mixed lot. All of us welcome new members to our group and like to have new friends and new minds for interaction. Many have different ways of showing this, however. Some feel that a new member deserves a chance to observe and listen and choose whether to join a conversation or not. So, they will leave you strictly alone unless you approach them. A simple "Hi, I'm a new member. Can you tell me...?" will get you started with these individuals. Remember, Mensa membership does not automatically cure shyness - yours or theirs! Sometimes you must make the effort. Most of our members are warm and welcoming. Some will notice that you are new and engage you in conversation; sometimes the usual "What's your name, what do you do, where do you work, what are your hobbies?" variety. These folk are NOT trying to assess you as a member or as a human being. They are usually trying to find a common ground for conversation (sub- atomic physics is not everyone's cup of tea, y'know?), or a field in which you excel that they want to know about, or to be able to introduce you to others in the group with common interests....in effect, to make you feel welcome and at home. And of course, there are those of us who have known each other so long that a newcomer has a difficult time getting a word in edgewise. For this, we apologize in advance. The best, the surest way to become an active part of Broward Mensa is to volunteer! We always need new hosts, people willing to speak on their speciality, someone to help with our larger events, someone to write fresh viewpoints for the BrowBeat, or just to bring a new munchie to a party. The most welcome words to our officers' ears are, "What can I do to help?" or "I have an idea!" Please don't hesitate! Join in! Have fun! STRANGE WORDS SPOKEN BY MENSANS: We have some abbreviations and special terminology as Mensans. Don't worry, you'll catch on quickly, you ARE a Mensan. Here are a few: ExComm: No, not a bunch of reformed reds, the ExComm is the Executive Committee of Broward Mensa, the body of elected officers of our group which meets every two months to make progress reports for each office and take care of new business. ALL members are welcome to ExComm meetings. Please join us, learn about the group and make your suggestions! RG: (Sometimes pronounced and confused with "orgy" but of course bearing no resemblance whatsoever to anything like that, right?) An RG is a Regional Gathering, a Mensan weekend of fun, frolic, food, and of course intellectual fare held by different local groups around the state and the country at different times of the year. Fun to have a weekend of intense "Mensafication" and make new friends from other groups! AG: Annual Gathering. This is most like a huge RG attended by Mensans from all over the country, at which the yearly national awards are given. A good chance to meet some of your National Officers. HUG: a form of greeting favored by many Mensans. An embrace of warmth and welcome and generally non-sexual emotional communication. Not all are huggers, so do not feel obliged. Meet the hugger with either outstretched arms, or a hand extended for a handshake - your choice. SIG: Special Interest Group. Mensans who meet or correspond regarding one particular subject. Some may meet to play bridge; some may meet to discuss philosophy; some may write about vampires or horses. If you have an interest, chances are good Mensa has a SIG for it. If not, start one! PUB NITE: Every Wednesday, we meet in a local restaurant for a mid-week breather. Some may drink rum. some may take only the cola, and some have dinner or a light snack. The main thing is the company and the conversation! BROWBEAT: Nope! not an attempt to intimidate.... BrowBeat is your monthly Broward Mensa Journal (from Brow, for Broward and Beat, the area a reporter covers). It seeks to inform you of calendar events, ExComm doings, and treasury status; to entertain you with literature, arts, games and puzzles; and to stimulate your mind with interesting articles. SCHOLARSHIP FUND: Just what it sounds like. We raise money to award scholarships to deserving local students who enter our yearly essay contest. Broward Mensa can be as much fun or as intellectually stimulating as you want it to be. Or, sadly, the reverse. The key to it all is YOU. If you want something and don't see it, ask! If we don't yet have it, well get it started! You ARE Broward Mensa. This can be your haven, your support group, where you do not have to censor your thoughts or vocabulary downwards to suit others without your gift of intelligence. Here you can be comfortable. Is there anything else you want to know about Mensa or what really goes on at all of those events? Just ask....another thing Mensans seem to have in common is --- they all love to talk! WELCOME TO BROWARD MENSA! JOIN IN AND ENJOY!