Activities Bulletin
February 2019

If you’ve joined Chicago Mensa Meetup, also check out the Calendar, which may have additional events posted that are not in the February ChiMe. (And if you haven’t, please consider signing up for this great tool — an active Mensa number will be requested to verify your Mensa membership before you can be added to our CAM Meetup group.) Meetup will have the same RSVP contact information that is on our website and in ChiMe. On Meetup, even though events may have an RSVP option, a few CAM event coördinators are not members of Meetup. You may RSVP there to let other CAM Meetup members know you are attending, to easily add the event info to your calendar, and to set up notifications for the events, but you should always contact the CAM event coördinator as specified.

In addition to the events listed below (which includes all those listed in ChiMe and usually all those listed on Meetup), some area groups and the youth-related groups have their own closed Facebook group where they may publish events which are not included on our website. Contact South Suburban Coördinator Jeudi or Southwest Area Group (SwAG) Coördinators Kevin and Steve for information on how to join their respective Facebook group. Contact Gifted Youth Coördinators Stacey/Stephen or the Teen Coördinator to join their Facebook groups.

1/Friday

• ChiMe Activity Bulletin and Advertising Deadlines. Last day for these submissions to the March ChiMe.
  Deadline was changed this month to Tuesday, January 29th!!

• ChiMe Editorial Deadline. Last day for editorial submissions to the March ChiMe. Please submit original articles, insights, puzzles, brain teasers, or short poems. Your fellow Chicago Area Mensans would love to hear from you.

2/Saturday

• Groundhog Day

5/Tuesday

• Chinese New Year Year of the Pig

7/Thursday

• Downtown Lunch 1 PM. Join us for lunch at Petro’s Restaurant located at Randolph and LaSalle (160 N. LaSalle St. in Chicago). To confirm the location and for reservations, contact event coördinator Gene E. before 11 AM.

• Southeast Side Mensa Social (SEMinalS) 7 PM. Mensa dinner at Cocula South Chicago located at 8847 S. Commercial Ave. in Chicago. We will probably be in the back room near the windows nearest Commercial Ave. I [Carol] will try to display a flag of some kind. For more information, contact Carol M. (her contact information can also be found in February ChiMe). This event will recur on the first Thursday of the month.

• E-Day. Mensa is celebrating Euler’s number by offering the online practice test, at a steep discount, for only $7.21 — today only!

8/Friday

• Rockford Mensa Dinner 6:30 PM. Join Dave and other Rockford-area Mensans for dinner at Ciao Bella Ristorante at 6500 E. Riverside in Loves Park (formerly the Basil restaurant, just east of the India House and west of Perryville Rd.). To RSVP, for more information, or to get on our e‑mail list, contact Dave L. the Rockford Area Coördinator.

• Poetry Discussion Rescheduled. Due to predicted weather conditions, this event will be held next Friday, on the 15th.
  Rescheduled!!

9/Saturday

• Games and Conversation 3 PM. Games at the WeissWard Home for Wayward Mensans, on Broker Rd. in Bloomingdale. We have a wide variety of card and board games. Bring a snack to share and your beverage of choice. Around 6, we’ll order in pizza. Call if you need a ride from the Medinah train station. For more information or to RSVP, contact Beth.
  New Event!!

• 
  SwAG Session

  SwAG Session 4 PM. Join the Southwest Area Group for its monthly, laid-back time together with food and talk of any imaginable topic. We meet at Kevin’s home (aka SwAG HQ) on Windstone Dr. in Plainfield. If possible, please bring a small dish to share. No pets — and please do not ask if an exception can be made. End time is 11 PM promptly. RSVP by one week prior (Saturday, February 2nd) is required. Kevin B.’s contact information is on our website. Please see the Southwest Area Group Facebook page for information; contact the Southwest Area Coördinators to find out how to join. We’ve been meeting on the second Saturday of the month. Hope to see you there!

12/Tuesday

• Downtown Lunch 1 PM. Join us for lunch at Petro’s Restaurant located at Randolph and LaSalle (160 N. LaSalle St. in Chicago). To confirm the location and for reservations, contact event coördinator Gene E. before 11 AM.

• Abraham Lincoln’s Birthday. State of Illinois holiday.

13/Wednesday

• 
  Northern Exposure

  Northern Exposure 7 PM. Jay Lovell’s, located at 766 Sheridan Rd. in Highwood, has reopened after extensive expansion, featuring “simply the finest” in made from scratch comfort food. Mike has made the supreme sacrifice of visiting Jay’s three times since it opened, trying the meatloaf, steak salad, and an omelet. All were eye-popping excellent. Please RSVP (no later than 10 AM) to our North Suburban Coördinator Mike B., so he can reserve a big enough table; also let him know if you need to cancel, even if it’s last minute (by texting), so the restaurant can change the seating and doesn’t wait until everyone shows up to take orders.

14/Thursday

• Capricon 39 through Sunday, February 17th. . This event promotes the sci-fi genre, and is being held at the Westin Chicago North Shore on Milwaukee Ave. in Wheeling. For more information, see the Capricon website.
  Public Event!!

15/Friday

Poetry SIG

• Poetry Discussion 7:30 PM. We’re having another SYOP (send your own poem) session. Please e-mail your copies and suggestions to Joe D. this month. Peter K. is hosting in his north-side place. Call him for directions. Contact Joe D., the SIG coördinator, for general information. The contact information is available on our Event Contacts page. This event is usually held on the second Friday of the month.
  Date Change!!

16/Saturday

• Conservatives Lunch 11:30 AM. Join other members of the Mensan cell of the Vast Right-Wing Conspiracy for lunch and “secret planning” at The Patio, 2780 S. Highland Ave. in Lombard. The Patio is on the NW corner of Butterfield and Highland, but you can enter only from Highland. Look for our reserved section in the northeast corner of the restaurant. RSVPs appreciated. Open to non-Mensans; bring a conservative friend. For more info, contact Jim Z. the event coördinator.

• Beverly Area Saturday Salon (B.A.S.S.) ~Noon. Spontaneous conversation in far SSW Chicago, approximate vicinity of 103rd St. & Western Ave. Please contact Rick E. the Beverly Area Coördinator, for this month’s location and the exact time as well as more information; if e‑mailing, put “BASS” in the subject line. Usually recurs on the 3rd Saturday of the month, about midday.

• Chinese on Saturdays 6 PM. We meet at Lao Sze Chuan House, 1331 Ogden Ave. in Downers Grove. Come for good food, good conversation, and occasionally some slightly warped humor. RSVP by 2 PM Saturday via e‑mail, Meetup, or phone. For those using the phone or whose Meetup messaging is blocked, provide a way you can be contacted about any last-minute changes to the event. For e‑mail or phone RSVPs, Walt L.’s contact information can be found on our website or in the February ChiMe.

• South Bend Mensa Dinner 6 PM. Contact Gary L., the South Bend Area Coördinator of Fort Wayne, Indiana Mensa, for location information. His contact information is available here on our website or in the February ChiMe.

W-Sub Sundays

17/Sunday

• West Suburban Sundays Noon. Join us for Sunday lunch in the southwest suburbs at the Major Restaurant at 301 W. Ogden Ave. in Westmont. The restaurant has a large variety of breakfast, lunch, and brunch items, reasonably priced. Please contact John or Betty N., the West Suburban Coördinators, by 2 PM on Saturday, February 16th and let them know if you are coming. Their contact information is also in the February ChiMe. This event recurs on the third Sunday of the month.


Pride Parade

• Rainbow SIG Social 6 PM. Dinner at Francesca’s Bryn Mawr-Edgewater, 1039 W. Bryn Mawr Ave. in Chicago. Contact Jim C. by Thursday, February 14th, so we know how many seats to reserve. Agenda items include new website and parade planning. Two blocks from the Bryn Mawr Red Line Station.

18/Monday

• Presidents Day. Federal Holiday.

19/Tuesday

• Mensa Testing 6 PM. Location just west of State & Ontario St. in Chicago. You must preregister and prepay — very limited seating. Parking is very expensive; public transit strongly recommended! Latecomers and anyone without an reserved spot will not be admitted. If you are or someone you know is interested in joining Mensa, see our Testing Information for contact details and additional dates/locations.
  Event Not in ChiMe!!

• 
  WSW Dinner

  Near West-Southwest (WSW) Mensans Dinner 6:30 PM. This month, we enjoy dining at McCook Bohemian Restaurant & Lounge, at 8300 Joliet Rd. in McCook. Spouses, dates, and significant others are also welcome. Reservations are not required, but please contact Jay V. so he can give the restaurant an accurate headcount. This event usually recurs on the third Tuesday of the month.

21/Thursday

• Downtown Lunch 1 PM. Join us for lunch at Petro’s Restaurant located at Randolph and LaSalle (160 N. LaSalle St. in Chicago). To confirm the location and for reservations, contact event coördinator Gene E. before 11 AM.

22/Friday

• George Washington’s Birthday.   

23/Saturday

• Our next Monthly Gathering is on April 27th.
  The April Monthly Gathering will be held at the
  Rolling Meadows Community Center,
  3705 Pheasant Dr., Rolling Meadows, IL 60008
  * * * * * *
  Our April MG will be free to all CAM members!
  If you can’t attend the MG, please mail your ballot.
  The locations of the MGs vary.

  Monthly Gathering
  Our February Monthly Gathering will be held the Rolling Meadows Community Center
  3705 Pheasant Drive in Rolling Meadows.
  We will have games and hospitality in their spacious auditorium, with overflow space in the lobby. The speaker event will be in the Card Room. There will also be a Parents-Kids Play Room available. Please note that we have this venue only until midnight, so plan accordingly. There will be a parent-child play room available. This gathering is open to the general public. So if you’re interested in learning more about Chicago Mensa, come join us. There is an admissions fee to help cover costs.

  
  Monthly Gathering

  Test:	4 PM.
  Business Meeting:	5 PM.
  Game room opens:	6 PM.
  Nominations for local officers:	7:15 PM.
  Program:	7:30 PM.
  Party:	8:30 PM - Midnight.

  The Nominating Committee is looking for qualified candidates to run for the elected positions on the Chicago Area Mensa Board of Directors. If you’re interested or just curious, see Deb J.’s article in the January ChiMe for details. You can also view the job descriptions and the required qualifications.
  * * * * *
  Our GenRep Megan has arranged for a free taxi to pick members up from the METRA station and to get them back in time to board the last train. Details are on our Monthly Gathering page.
  * * * * *
  Get involved! Chicago Mensa needs you. We’re looking for volunteers to fill some of the open positions listed both in the back of ChiMe or on the List of Officers. Or consider watching the children at the MG for a fee. You can also view the job descriptions and the required qualifications. Or try your hand at writing an article for ChiMe, submitting a photo, or creating a puzzle; see our Submission Guidelines for contact information and deadlines.

  Program Topic: Signposts on the Prairie
  In her presentation, “Signposts on the Prairie: A Passport to Where Illinois Began,” Krista August invites us to “Take a virtual road trip to Little Egypt and learn why Southern Illinois is considered to be where Illinois began. Along the way, we will encounter ‘signposts’ (historical markers) that recall prehistoric Illinois, early French settlement in the American Bottom, a consequential Revolutionary War campaign, and more. All this learning will be accented with recreational stops as well, including a virtual hike at a National Natural Landmark.”
  See the full write-up in our February ChiMe.

24/Sunday

• 
  Ethnic Dining

  Ethnic Dining: Philippine 6 PM. Join us for a Philippine dinner at Chicken Atiatihan located at 9054 W. Golf Road in Niles. We’ll start with a “boodle fight platter” and include other Philippine dishes for a bigger variety. One non-Mensan guest may accompany each member at the GOBS-subsidized cost, but additional guests will be charged the full price. Reservations are requested by Thursday, February 21st; attendance is limited. Contact Carey S. directly and include 1) your full name, 2) the names of any guests, and 3) the guest’s Mensa membership status. If you don’t receive a confirmation e‑mail, try again. If you need to cancel, let Carey know ASAP since your fellow Mensans may be waitlisted and would love your spot. Please try to avoid cancelling in the last 24 hours, but if you must, contact Carey by mobile phone, which you may also use if you are lost or will be late. If possible, text first, then call, as he may not hear it ring. More details on . See article in the February ChiMe. For Ethnic Dining notifications, updates, and all the details, sign up for the Ethnic Dining E‑Mails.

26/Tuesday

• Breakfast in Mt. Prospect 10 AM. We meet at at Jelly Café located at 1784 W. Golf Rd. in Mt. Prospect. Diverse and extensive breakfast fare available which now also includes Mimosas. RSVP to Ken L. no later than 24 hours before the event. This event will usually recur on the last Tuesday of the month.

• Downtown Lunch 1 PM. Join us for lunch at Petro’s Restaurant located at Randolph and LaSalle (160 N. LaSalle St. in Chicago). To confirm the location and for reservations, contact event coördinator Gene E. before 11 AM.

• Sterling/Rock Falls/Dixon Dinner Cancelled. The group will be on hiatus until spring. To get on our e‑mail list, please send a message to Dave L. the Rockford Area Coördinator. This event is usually scheduled on the last Tuesday of the month.
  Event on Winter Hiatus!!

Cheddar Curtain Dinner

27/Wednesday

• Cheddar Curtain Area Dinner 7 PM. It’s South-of-the-Border, north of the border! Please join us for our monthly Mexican feast, bringing together Mensans from both sides of the IL/WI state line. We’ll meet at Iguana Wana Mexican Grill & Tequila Bar located at 9080 76th St. in Pleasant Prairie, WI (a couple minutes east of Exit 344/US-50 on I-94). Please RSVP via e‑mail by 10 AM the morning of the dinner so I [Janice] can reserve us a big enough table. This event recurs on the fourth Wednesday.

28/Thursday

• Annual Gathering (AG) Rate Increase Alert! Today was the last day to register before the next rate increase. See the AML 2019 AG website for details about the “Mensa Rising” AG held Wednesday, July 3rd through Sunday, July 7th in Phoenix, Arizona. Online registration ends on Saturday, June 15th. Enter to win a trip for two to the AG. Hot place. Cool people. And register now for the Colloquium presented on Tuesday, July 2nd, where the topic is “Privacy in the 21st Century: Mystery or Myth?”

* * * * *

1 March/Friday

• ChiMe Activity Bulletin and Advertising Deadlines. Last day for these submissions to the April ChiMe.

• ChiMe Editorial Deadline. Last day for editorial submissions to the April ChiMe. Please submit original articles, insights, puzzles, brain teasers, or short poems. Your fellow Chicago Area Mensans would love to hear from you.

• Deadline for Nomination Statements. Candidates’ statements for publication in the April ChiMe are to be no longer than 500 words and cannot include any boldface, italic, or larger type; they should be sent directly to Stacey. She’d prefer them via e‑mail, or you may send your statement on disk to her at home. Her address was available on our website.

All March Events