So, what's Mensa really like.
My friend Joan-who-does-not-have-an-LJ has made a great post about Mensa in her blog, BunsOfStrudel.
If you've never been to a Regional Gathering and wonder what it's like, read her post about "the last socially smelly sock at the bottom of my nerd hamper", Mensa membership!
If you've never been to a Regional Gathering and wonder what it's like, read her post about "the last socially smelly sock at the bottom of my nerd hamper", Mensa membership!
I actually pull my card out to lighten the mood during those awkward moments when I've done something kind of stupid, and people around me are smothering their laughter because they aren't sure whether I'm going to be goodnatured about my mistake or whether I'm embarrassed. I usually grin, show them my card and say, "Want to know what makes this moment even funnier?" And then they see it, realize I'm laughing at myself too, and they share in the joke.
The only other time I "outed" myself was when I overheard a (somewhat obnoxious) co-worker having a conversation about Mensa people with a friend; she regularly got into loud personal calls at her desk, and little anyone said could dissuade her from toning it down. One day she'd either seen a TV show or read a news article about a murderer, and the culprit apparently was in Mensa. I heard her going on at length about how MENSA people were all weird and freaky and psychotic.
A little later, she stepped away from her desk. I made a copy of my membership card, and wrote a little note on it saying that I couldn't help overhearing her talking about MENSA -- mind, I couldn't hear what she was saying, only that she was talking about it, but say, I happen to be a member, so if she was interested in hearing more, just let me know! ...I slipped the note and photocopy into her bag, and then returned to my desk.
...You know, she never asked me anything about MENSA. Funny, that.
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