It FINALLY rained this week.  The drought really did a number on my garden, especially the week it was in the 90s while my husband and I were in Birmingham at the Annual Gathering.  Everything, especially my lawn, was brown and crispy when we got back.  Ah well, they're perennials, they'll be back next year…  Speaking of the lawn, I suppose now that it has rained, I'll have to mow for the first time in a month.  I kid you not--it's been a month.

 Speaking of the AG, we had a great time!  I spent most of my week in meetings, but my husband got to do tons of volunteering in Hospitality and socializing.  There were some problems in the weeks leading up to the event, which resulted in a last-minute change in management, but the event itself went off without a hitch, thanks to all the hard work and dedication of the original co-chairs, Steve and LeAnne Porter, their committee, and the new chair, Beth Anne Demeter, combined with massive amounts of work done by volunteers from the local group and from across the country.

 By the time you read this column, I will have attended events for both Thomas Jefferson Mensa and Lehigh Pocono Mensa in the month of August.  My goal is to visit each group within a year of my election.  I don't know if it's do-able or not, but I'm going to try.  Other upcoming appearances by yours truly include Delaware Valley Mensa's Liberty Bell RG in October, the Leadership Development Workshop hosted by Tidewater Mensa in November, and Central Pennsylvania Mensa's Winter Solstice RG in December.

 There's one major event in our region I'm going to have to miss--Delaware Mensa's first-ever RG!  They're having it September 7, 8, and 9, which is the same weekend as an American Mensa Committee meeting all the way over in Texas.  I hope those of you who are able to attend take lots of photos! 

 That AMC meeting I'm attending is our planning meeting, so I hope to return with my head positively bursting with plans.  I've agreed to serve on two committees so far this term--the Communications Committee and the Site Selection Committee.  Oh!  Speaking of Site Selection…  the AMC approved our committee's recommendation for the 2011 AG to be hosted by Portland Mensa and Mensa of Western Washington!  I can hardly wait--I've never been to the northwest.  And speaking of future AG plans, next year's, in Denver, already has over 700 registrants as of this writing (8/1/07).

 Last, but most certainly not least, have you made plans to join us for the Leadership Development Workshop in Williamsburg yet?  It's the weekend of November 11th, and registration is free.  You still need to register with Marc,  but you won't need to pay for it.  If you've ever wanted to get more involved with Mensa at any level, this is worth checking out.  You can email either me or Marc for more information--please do!  I hope to see lots of new faces there!

Leah Kinder
RVC2

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"Masochism is a valuable job skill."  --Chuck Palahniuk