It's official - I'm smart

You may recall my attempt(s) to join Mensa, the self-proclaimed "High IQ Society."

I received an envelope in the mail sometime last week (I just now got to it today; you know how I am about paper mail). Upon looking at it and seeing the Mensa return address, I had a brief flashback to my high school days when I was anxiously awaiting word from the universities I had applied to. A thick envelope, I recalled, was good news, because it would likely contain a letter of acceptance and the proper papers needed for accepting admission. A thin envelope, however, did not bode well, as it likely contained a terse rejection letter and nothing else.

This envelope was a little poofy, but not outrageously so. I opened it, fully expecting to see the words "You dumb!" in the letter's first line, but instead it said, "CONGRATULATIONS! Your Mensa Admissions testing has been scored and, based on your percentile rank, you qualify for admission to Mensa."

I guess I feel pretty good about it. It's interesting, something different. I'll likely join - it's not terribly expensive to be a member ($69 for one year, $157 for three years, $247 for five years, or $1,255 for a lifetime membership).

It reminds me of Who's Who Among American High School Students. Remember those? They'd send you a letter trying to make you feel all special, saying that you were selected to appear. But really, as I see it now, it was just a big money maker for them. You'd get your little tiny blurb in there and they'd get your proud mom's $70 for a bound leather copy with gold leafing. I got "nominated" for Who's Who Among America's Teachers this year, but I think it's all a big money making sham.

I hope Mensa is not the same way. More than 1,000 people nationwide took the admissions test on the same day I did - that's a lot of potential cash. The letter I received didn't even tell me what my scores were, only that they were good enough for membership - at a price.