Mind Games® was held in April and while I did not attend, I did recently play Dominion, one of the Mensa Select winners, and had to buy it for my personal game collection. A very enjoyable game and I look forward to perfecting my skill.
If you haven't registered yet for the Pittsburgh PA Annual Gathering, now is the time. While the main hotel is sold out, there are still rooms available at the backup hotel which I understand is within a 10-minute walking distance. Tours, dining plans and schedule of speakers are listed on the web site. Check it out. There will be tournaments, games, game tutorials, speakers ranging from A (Antarctica Touristica) to Z (Zen Meditation), the Mensa Marketplace and Meet & Greets (Region 1's Meet & Greet will be on Saturday at 4:30 p.m.). There will be music, hospitality and lots of other Mensans to talk, play, etc. with. There should be something for everyone. Some of the Region 1 local groups are planning on taking extra advantage of the AG. One local group, CT&WM Mensa, is planning a dinner get together the first night of the AG. Another, Mid-Hudson Mensa, is planning on holding a camping trip in Cook Forest State Park, PA on the way to the AG. Contact Bibi Sandstrom (bibis@juno.com) for further details and to make your reservation. Perhaps you would like to organize something for your fellow local group members. There should be a bulletin board near registration or in another prominent location and you'll be able to schedule a meeting time at the AG.
Graduation season is upon us. One niece is graduating from college (a teacher) and another from high school. Times may be tough but it is exciting for them with their whole lives in front of them. I remember that feeling upon graduation from high school, college and, more recently, law school. Now, I feel that way when taking on a new project or when planning a trip, such as to Ottawa this summer (including the Canadian AG).
I participate in several Yahoo! groups hosted by local groups in our region. Topics discussed range from Mensa events to political/economic issues to music. If your group hosts a chat group, join and see what other folks think about your pet interest. The chat groups are also a great tool for creating spontaneous events. Some groups have set up FaceBook groups to keep in touch and remind each other of upcoming events.
Lori