ktbee's help), at one point she was sitting in the doorway to my room (it being right across the hall from the potty (*very* convienant when you've had a touch too much to drink (though I've never actually used it for that purpose yet, but I try to plan for the future when it's convienant to do so (actually, not much planning went into the room choice, the room I took just felt better for me, potty placement was a secondary bonus (damn, I really need to work on weaning myself off the parenthesis!) (shit, now I'm trying to properly close them off and I can't figure out how many there are (fuckit, I'll just put a lot and hope I covered them all )))))))))))))))).so, yeah, that sentance just kinda disolved into a parenthetical mess.. Let's try this again.
So, yesterday, during the potty-cleaning,
ktbee was sitting reading this month's "Bulletin" (the 'letters' section in particular -- my favorite part of it also) and one guy had written in on a topic he saw as being related to the "why join in the first place" question. His view was that it's mostly an ego-trip kinda thing. He cited various reasons that all boiled down to egotism. I must admit, I've seen a lot of that in the other members, but it's not all I've seen. Some people join (or, more appropriately, renew membership) for the activities -- the monthly gatherings, the AGs (and RGs), and other thangs. Some do it for the correspondance -- the SIGs and other resouces. There are all sorts of reasons and each attracts a different group of people. And then there's me. I often ask myself why I continue. Why I joined is simple enough: I was bored (yes yes, I know -- I do weird things when I get bored). Why I renew, though, is something a little harder to grasp. I like reading the "Bulletin", but I tear up the monthly rag from my local group (long story, let's just say they and I don't get along well and leave it at that). I don't go to *any* events (again, I don't get along with a lot of the active members of the local group). I don't partake of any of the correspondance opportunities. Sure, I might work with the travel corrdinators when I go touring -- but that's a kinda silly reason to maintain a membership from year to year. Thing is, I really don't know *why* I continue my membership, other than I like it. The cost is not so prohibitive that it causes me trouble, and it's not even overly much more than I normally spend on some other magazines.
I don't think I use it for the ego-trip. I almost never even mention it, unless someone outright asks me. I don't think about it all that much at all -- just for a week or so once a month when the next issue of the "Bulletin" arrives. I have used it once as a defence in a debate when someone tried to pull the "well, I'm right because I'm smart" bullshit on me, but that was a while ago. I really don't see much of a reason for it, yet for some reason I do enjoy having the membership.
Perhaps it is an ego boost? It's not a concious one, at least. I trust my friends will tell me if I start getting overly egotistical.
edit: sorry, forgot to mention it's Mensa.
