NATLE FYI

Good Morning and Happy Friday!

The Winter Meeting program begins tomorrow.  Please join us tonight for an extended Happy Hour-and-a-Half at La Condesa (5 to 6:30).  Check out the latest NATLE conference flyer on the event page.

February’s topic for our 4th Monday Zoom Series is all about website audits, like what to know as you consider an upgrade.  The presenters are with Studio III Marketing’s Austin office.  A complete announcement with registration link was sent yesterday.  (I missed including their company in the first post, but I’ll fix that in the blast I’ll send out next week.)

This is a travel day – I’m hitting send from the Burlington airport ahead of my pre-6AM flight – but I’ll have a few hours in Philadelphia to check email and voicemail.

That’s the NATLE Weekly Wrap.  Have a great weekend!

P.S. In case you’re still here…It’s nearly 50 degrees in Vermont in February.  Sadly, that’s just not at all inspiring.

Good Morning and Happy Groundhog Day!

Our second in a series of zoom meetings with AAJ’s State Affairs is at 1pmET today.  The issues to be discussed are pesticide immunity (think Bayer/Monsanto’s RoundUp) and the Veterans’ Services Protection Act recently faced in Virginia, as well as a VFW-backed bill that initially raised concerns about its impact on the Camp Lejeune cases.  Please register for the zoom link.

February’s topic for our 4th Monday Zoom Series is all about website audits, like what to know as you consider an upgrade.  The presenters are with Studio III Marketing’s Austin office.  A complete announcement with registration link was sent yesterday.  (I missed including their company in the first post, but I’ll fix that in the next blast.)

Our Winter Meeting is just one week away and if you can, please join us for an extended Happy Hour-and-a-Half on Friday evening at La Condesa.  Check out the latest NATLE conference flyer on the event page.

That’s the NATLE Weekly Wrap.  Have a great weekend!

P.S. In case you’re still here…Sometimes these just write themselves.  I needed something from the basement last weekend – a frozen pizza for dinner, if you must know.  Not surprisingly, there are cellar spiders down there and a few times a year I’ll vacuum them out of the dark corners.  If it has been a while since I vacuumed, I’ll pinwheel my arms between each light switch, just in case, so I don’t get a web across my face.  On this trip down there, something caught my eye when I pulled the cord for the light over the workbench.  The bulb is one of the older pigtail lights that take forever to get up to full illumination.  I didn’t have my glasses on and the dim light didn’t help.  I crept over to within a few feet hoping it was, at best, a dead mouse.  At worst, it was a turd the size of a dead mouse.  I scampered back upstairs to grab a flashlight praying I wouldn’t run into whatever critter left it behind.  You may recall that I needed to have a part replaced in my boiler a few weeks ago.  Imagine my relief when it turned out to be a piece of black foam, probably from the box the part came in.

P.P.S. It just hit me…POTUS is the OG WFH gig.

Good Morning and Happy Friday!

Thank you to the nearly 50 attendees who tuned in for our Zoom Series on Social Media & Advocacy for the Rest of Us (hyperlink to recording, members contact me for passcode) with Heather K. Sager, AAJ’s new Director of Strategic and Digital Communications and Media.  There were another 20 folks registered, so we recognize the interest in the topic…there will be follow ups. 

February’s topic for our 4th Monday Zoom Series is all about website audits, like what to know as you consider an upgrade.  The presenters are with Studio III Marketing’s Austin office (thanks for the referral, Tiffany!)  A complete announcement with registration link will go out next week.

Our Winter Meeting is just two weeks away and registrations are still trickling in.  Please note that the fee increases on Monday.  If you are hosting a group event for your TLA members, the Austin CVB, Visit Austin, is ready to help you find a venue.  Reach out to Dane Piper, Director of Convention Services.  Information on the location of the Happy Hour on Friday evening is in the latest NATLE conference flyer on the event page.  Presentation materials have been coming in this week, so look for an email (to registrants) next week with links to the pdfs.

That’s the NATLE Weekly Wrap.  Have a great weekend!

P.S. In case you’re still here…I only sort of enjoyed the show, Big Bang Theory, so I wasn’t in a hurry to watch Young Sheldon when it was added to Netflix.  I’m now midway through Season 2 and it’s laugh-out-loud funny.  Not only are all of the characters well-played and include old favorites like Annie Potts (think, Designing Women), it’s my nostalgia for the late 80s that pulls me in with references to dial-up internet, hair bands, shoulder pads, and wide belts.  Sheldon’s mom even carries the exact same purse I had!  I was sucked into Stranger Things for the same, albeit more subtly delivered, reason.  Since you don’t know what you don’t know, I didn’t recognize the innocence at the time…pre-9/11, pre-Y2K, even pre-“it depends on what the meaning of the word ‘is’ is.”  I know we’ll never recapture that innocence, but it’s fun to escape back to it in 20-minute segments.

P.P.S. It’s National Peanut Brittle Day.  If you have any dental work, curb your celebrating for the same reason my orthodontist nixed my plans to join the high school field hockey team.  ADA conspiracy anyone?

Good Morning and Happy Friday!

Registration is good for both today’s AAJ State Affairs presentation and discussion on Medical Records/CIOX & AI Deepfakes at noon ET and for our Zoom Series topic on Social Media & Advocacy for the Rest of Us (Wed, Jan 24 at 4pmET) with Heather K. Sager, AAJ’s new Director of Strategic and Digital Communications and Media.

If your TLA has a Social Media presence, please add it to your member record – it will help us create a more relevant plan of presentations once we know the range of capabilities.  Please also feel free to let me know your comfort level (or lack thereof) with SM and the various platforms, like Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, Snapchat, etc.  If enough folks feel like a tutorial on how to set up an account would be helpful (or even mission critical!), we’ll know to fit that into the plan.

Good news!  We have a breakfast sponsor for Saturday’s program during the Winter Meeting.  Physician Life Care Planning is joining us at the first-timer Partner level and agreed to the additional sponsorship.  I also had a great conversation with a representative from the Austin CVB, Visit Austin and they are very excited about hosting our Winter Meeting.  If you are looking for help in finding a venue for your TLA’s reception or need ideas of sights to see when we’re not meeting, they’ll be happy to provide suggestions.  Reach out to Dane Piper, Director of Convention Services.  The latest NATLE conference flyer on the event page for registration steps and links.

On the flip side, Strategic Capital has revised their marketing efforts and is now targeting structured settlement brokers as their audience.  They won’t be renewing their Silver Justice Partnership this year.

That’s the NATLE Weekly Wrap.  Have a great weekend!

P.S. In case you’re still here…Living in the north as I do, winter is also flannel sheet season.  I switched out the percale for flannel a few weeks ago and added the heated blanket.  Climbing into a warm bed with sheets that don’t remind you of making snow angels as a kid, but without the snowsuit, is pure bliss.  Pair that with flannel PJs and I regularly wake up in the same position after several hours…it’s like Velcro and rolling over is not worth the struggle.  I never relish getting out of bed in the morning during winter, but even less when the boiler craps out.  I knew, for sure, that something was amiss Wednesday morning when I turned the shower knob as far as it will go – a point I don’t normally hit.  I like a melt-your-skin-off hot shower and this was barely north of tepid.  As I scurried back to my room to get dressed, I stuck a finger in the register – like I really needed more confirmation – it was stone cold.  Thankfully, I’m on the Cadillac-level service plan and a repair guy came within a few hours.  Meanwhile, I thank my lucky stars for the heat pumps I had installed just over a year ago.  The bad news was that a plastic part had seized and he’d have to order it.  The good news was that it only took a day and he came back to install it right away.

P.P.S. It’s National Popcorn Day.  I’ll just say, it’s a wonderful thing to have fresh kernels for an air popper.  Several years ago someone gave me an assortment of “gourmet” popcorn, but the kernels weren’t heavy enough to stay in the popper.  Flouting the instructions and leaving it unattended while I fetched the butter, I ended up with kernels all over the kitchen.  At full speed, they ricocheted out of the bowl and bounced off the walls.  What a mess.

Good Afternoon and Happy Friday!

AAJ’s COP meeting falls on the 4th Monday this month, so we have shifted our NATLE Zoom Series to Wednesday, Jan 24th at 4pmET.  Heather Sager has recently joined AAJ’s staff as Director of Strategic and Digital Communications and Media.  Her presentation is titled, Social Media & Advocacy for the Rest of Us.  Once relegated to the interns, platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok have become integral to the long-term success of every organization.  But where do you start if you don't have a team of social media mavens at your disposal?  We'll walk through the current landscape, take a look at different approaches, learn best practice basics, and discuss how to take early steps or continue your journey.  Click on the linked date above to register.

AAJ State Affairs will be presenting updates on timely issues that many of you are (or will be) facing on the legislative front.  The first of these updates will be next Friday, January 19th at 12pmET, though the “issue” is TBD.  I’m hoping to send out an announcement later today.

I’ll be requesting the registration list for the Winter Meeting from AAJ a few weeks out (the week of Jan 22nd), so I will distribute to the EDs in case you need to plan receptions or just like to know who’s coming.  If you are still on the fence about attending, the JW Marriott is sold out for Saturday, but the AAJ conference accommodations page has a links to nearby hotels.  Check out the NATLE conference flyer on the event page for registration steps and links.  More information on our meeting room, topics, and speakers was added this week, so check out the latest.

That’s the NATLE Weekly Wrap.  Have a great weekend!

P.S. In case you’re still here…I'm one of the millions having a “dry January”.  I’ll admit that during the early end of the lockdown, my wine budget increased to the point where I thought the guys who pick up my recycling might judge me poorly.  (I tend to overthink things, fyi.)  I’ve since cut back to pre-pandemic levels and cutting it out completely for (at least) a month isn’t a big deal.  My father was a teetotaler since my high school days when he recognized that he’d be thinking about his next cocktail before he finished his first one.  Also, his uncles died of cirrhosis long before I was born, so he felt the tendency might be in his DNA.  Since he’s moved into the independent living facility where they host happy hours a few times a week, he’s started enjoying a glass of wine again.  He stops at one, though, which he’s learned is his limit.  For me, the first few times going out to dinner with him where we’d both order a beer must have felt a little like a parent sharing a first adult beverage with their child.  So weird.

Good Afternoon and Happy First Friday!

As we embark on a new year at NATLE, look for a refresh on the 4th Monday Zoom Series, as well as updates from AAJ State Affairs on the timely issues many of you are facing on the legislative front.  While the Zoom Series is monthly, the frequency of the State Affairs updates has yet to be determined.  The idea is to provide the real-time status of bills such as UM/UIM, trucking, AI, asbestos, and encourage any on-the-ground insights from the TLAs.  This input will be included in the updates from State Affairs.  The exact format and anticipated attendees are also TBD, but discussion will include audience participation on lessons learned and arguments that worked, or didn’t.  The first of these updates will be January 19th, so stay tuned for an announcement next week.

We still have seats available for the Winter Meeting, but I recommend reserving your room ASAP – the JW Marriott is sold out for Saturday, but the AAJ conference accommodations page has links to nearby hotels and a handy counter with “nightly availability”.  Check out the NATLE conference flyer on the event page for registration steps and links.  More information on topics and speakers has been added this week, so check back for the latest.

That’s the NATLE Weekly Wrap.  Have a great weekend!

P.S. In case you’re still here…In this space a few weeks ago, I mentioned that I was participating in a clinical study run through the hospital.  It was conducted over the course of a few months and after two MRIs and a PET scan, the last procedure was a spinal tap to collect a few mLs of fluid.  This was my first lumbar puncture and, thankfully, it ended up not being a big deal.  The only near-miss in the dignity department was that I almost passed out.   I didn’t think it was imminent when my face got really warm – which I let him know about – but then I said, “Oh, and there goes my hearing”.  In case you’ve never [almost] fainted, it sounded like I had earmuffs on and the doc and nurse were talking to me from far, far away.  Without my having to move a muscle, they had me on the bed in one smooth, calm maneuver…obviously something they’d practiced.  The doc performing the tap reassured me that it’s not an unusual reaction to fiddling with the spinal column.  It was nice to hear that I’m not a wuss. 

Good Morning and Happy Friday!

This is arguably the quietest week of the year in NATLE-land, so this is a short Wrap.

Registration for the Winter Meeting is strong at over 50, including Justice Partners.  If you haven’t had a chance to sign up, I recommend reserving your room at the JW Marriott since the block tends to sell out.  Check out the conference flyer on the event page for registration steps and links.  More information on topics and speakers is being added as it comes in, so check back for updates.

That’s the NATLE Weekly Wrap.  Have a great New Year's Eve!

P.S. In case you’re still here…Not one to be accused of passing up excitement, I made use of the quiet week and cleaned the filters in my dishwasher and vacuum cleaner.  Good times. 

Good Morning and Happy First Day of Winter!

We notified Esquire Bank that they received Board approval to become NATLE’s newest Gold tier ($10k) Justice Partner.  They are very excited to join us again in Austin and are mulling a breakfast or break sponsorship.

The last Speaker Profile for Steven Stout is delayed while he’s out of the office.  As part of the Winter Meeting agenda on Sunday, Feb 11, he will talk about the value of the state societies of association executives, as well as the Certified Association Executive designation, dispelling any myths about the course and exam.

If you plan to come to the Winter Meeting and can arrive by about 5pm on Friday (Feb 9), our Justice Partners TrialSmith, Skribe and Counsel Financial will host a Happy Hour for NATLE members near the Marriott.  The conference flyer is available on the event page along with registration steps and links.  More information on topics and speakers is being added as it comes in, so check back for updates.

The NATLE executive committee (Valerie O'Brien, Joan Maloney, Sara Schuett, Alison Dodge, and Barbara Jorden) confirmed that the now-Board decided the Leadership Symposiums will be held virtually in the even years.  That puts us in April 2024 for the next one.  Stay tuned for more information on the programming, but in the meantime, please let me know if you have suggestions for topics and/or speakers.

That’s the NATLE Weekly Wrap.  Have a wonderful holiday!

P.S. In case you’re still here…Since I’ve been freed from the obligation/hassle/tension of gift giving – Dad has everything he could possibly want (and multiples, no less) and I’ve finally convinced him that it makes me anxious to get more “stuff” – I can avoid the cluster of harried humanity at the mall, but still take advantage of the online deals if I really want something.  Case in point, I’m sitting on my new QOR360 active-sitting chair.  While I didn’t technically get a monetary deal, it is my gift to myself of (hopefully) improved posture…I catch myself slouching, big time, as I work on my computer.  To pay for it, I’ve been part of a study through the clinic at the hospital that is looking at the effects of a drug on the memory of women “of a certain age” and I had been wondering how to best spend the modest check for participating.  This new chair seemed like the perfect excuse.  Merry Christmas, to me. 

Good Morning and Happy Friday --

The next Speaker Profile of the Winter Meeting will go out this afternoon on Alysia Roden, CMP, CEM.  She is the VP of Sales with Visit Austin and will talk about the benefits and ease of working with your destination’s Convention & Visitor’s Bureaus.  She’s an Aggie, so all you sports fans, be sure to “bring it”.

If you plan to come to the Winter Meeting and can arrive by about 5pm on Friday (Feb 9), our Justice Partners TrialSmith, Skribe and Counsel Financial will host a Happy Hour for NATLE members near the Marriott.  The conference flyer is now available on the event page along with registration steps and links.  More information on topics and speakers is being added as it comes in, so check back for updates.

That’s the NATLE Weekly Wrap.  Have a great weekend!

P.S. in case you’re still here…so, the story of Dad’s scam incident from last week gets worse.  Over dinner Friday night at our new favorite pub, he said (brace yourself), “Besides my debit card number, I also gave him my social security number.”  I don’t doubt that he also shared his date of birth for the trifecta, so I immediately tried putting a freeze on his credit.  Turns out, he’s not even in the reporting agencies’ system – he paid off his mortgage years ago and has never had a credit card.  I’m still waiting to hear from his financial advisor if that alone is a blessing that will prevent someone from opening a new card or if we should set him up with a card for the simple reason of being able to then implement a freeze.  The end of this week can’t come fast enough.  I’m looking forward to picking up a pizza tonight and catching up with a friend I’ve known for 30 years. 

P.P.S. Happy First Birthday to Clifford Hinkle!!

Good Morning and Happy Friday --

This afternoon, our Justice Partners Working Group will meet with the Esquire Bank representative for the final step in vetting their products and services for relevance to NATLE’s members and your TLA members.  As long as they pass muster with the Working Group and receive Board approval, they'll join us in Austin as our newest Gold tier Justice Partner.

The first Speaker Profile of the Winter Meeting went out this week about Pete Allman, CPA, CFE.  He will address Association Tax & Financial Matters.  Trust me, I encouraged him to come up with a sexier title for his session, but despite not making it any more colorful, the subject is always timely.  The “CFE” stands for Certified Fraud Examiner, so maybe he’ll lead with a juicy anecdote.  Additional profiles will come out next week along with a call to bring examples of your favorite non-dues revenue ideas.

If you plan to come to the Winter Meeting and can arrive by early afternoon on Friday (Feb 9), our Justice Partners TrialSmith, Skribe and Counsel Financial will host a Happy Hour near the Marriott.  The conference flyer is on the drawing board, but the broad agenda is available on the event page along with registration steps and links.

That’s the NATLE Weekly Wrap.  Have a great weekend and Happy Hanukkah!

P.S. in case you’re still here…I got a panicky phone call from Dad yesterday morning.  He said he’d received an email on Wednesday morning from Microsoft telling him that his email had been hacked.  Yep, you know what’s coming.  Long story short, he called the number in the email and gave them his debit card number to purchase the highest level of security to prevent this from happening again.  While he was still describing (justifying) why he did it, I was already pecking out a quick note to his Morgan Stanley rep to alert her to the scam and to cancel the card.  Dad started to get suspicious only when the not-really-a-Microsoft agent then pushed him for his bank account information.  You’ll only hear me say this once, but thank goodness Dad is so literal.  He pushed back by saying that his funds are with Morgan Stanley and it’s not technically a bank.  Besides, he continued, his daughter (me) handles his finances.  How is it that these people’s brains don’t melt from the burden of being so evil to prey on the vulnerable?