Saturday fun in the Mensa sun

I love that more hotels have Wi-fi access. It rocks.

I am listening to the strains of fellow Mensans giving a pre-test spiel about the group. It's National Testing Day today and folks all over the place are gathering to take a test... for fun. Also for the chance to join Mensa -- a international societyfor those with high IQs, for those who don't know -- if they do well enough on the test.

I think it's a good time for a flashback on this. (Insert appropriate visual and sound effects here...)


October 2004
I arrived at the Four Points Sheraton in Phoenix at about 9:45 in the morning for a 10am test on what I heard was called "National Testing Day". I'd heard about Mensa in the past, but didn't know much other than it was for really intelligent people. That episode of "The Simpsons" when Lisa joins shed no extra light on the subject... but it still rocked.

It was a mid-sized conference room, one of those modular-style rooms common in every large hotel with a conference center. It turned out to be a pretty full house that day, 30-40 people. I felt like I was going in to take the SAT, only not so much pressure. My nerves kept up until the LocSec (Local Secretary -- the guy in charge) introduced himself and started the pre-test spiel. He'd just become a father and had been up for several days straight. His speech was damn funny and showed that there really should be no mystery about these folks -- they're pretty normal. Further evidence was given when they realized they didn't bring enough pencils for people and were scrambling to find some. Felt like I was watching the Keystone Kops a bit.

Hell, yeah, I'm one of those guys.

After the test, I felt pretty confident I did well. The only drawback is they don't tell you how well you did. They treat it like a pass/fail thing; either you're in or not. That's a fair way to do it, but I wouldn't have minded knowing.


Well, obviously I got in. Being here a year later (at the exact same hotel) watching even more people come in to try their hand at joining a group of people who have an air of mystery, I feel for them. And for those of you who wonder if you are Mensa material, I have three tips:

1) There a wide range of interesting personalities and attitudes in Mensa. And they can be fun as hell.
2) You are probably far more intelligent than you give yourself credit for.
3) TAKE THE TEST. You really will be no worse off for trying...