Activities Bulletin
February 2020

1/ Satur­day

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

• 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/ Sun­day

• 

  Groundhog Day

3/ Mon­day

• CultureQuest ® Registration. On Sunday, May 3rd, at 3 PM CDT, all across the country, all at the same time, teams of Mensans participate in a 90-minute-long contest of general trivia administered by American Mensa. Prizes will be award­ed to the twenty teams and one youth team with the highest scores! Today is the first day you can submit your team registration information to American Mensa. The registration deadline is Tuesday, March 31st (tomorrow). CAM teams may apply for GOBS funds to cover the team registration fee. Team captains should read the GOBS instructions and fill out the online application form.

6/ Thurs­day

• Downtown Lunch 1 PM. Join Gene and Sue E. for lunch at the Exchequer Pub at 226 S. Wabash Ave. in Chicago. For res­ervations and/or to be put on the mailing list, contact event coördinators Gene or Sue E. before 11 AM. Their contact information is also in the February ChiMe.

• Southeast Side Mensa Social (SEMinalS) Cancelled. 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. To RSVP or for more information, contact Carol (her contact information can also be found in the February ChiMe). RSVP recommended as event may be cancelled without notice. This event will recur on the first Thursday of the month.
  Event Cancelled Due to Weather!!

7/ Fri­day

• E-Day. Mensa is celebrating Euler’s number by offering the online practice test, at a steep discount, for only $2.71 — today only! Mensans, encourage your friends to try it.

8/ Satur­day

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. RSVP by one week prior (Saturday, February 1st) is required. Please see the South­west Area Group Facebook page to RSVP and for information about this and other SwAG events; contact the South­west Area Coördinators to find out how to join (Kevin’s contact information is also on our website). We’ve been meeting on the second Saturday of most months. Hope to see you there!

• 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. Please RSVP by 2 PM 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. This event recurs on the 2nd Saturday of the month.

11/ Tues­day

• Downtown Lunch 1 PM. Join Gene and Sue E. for lunch at the Exchequer Pub at 226 S. Wabash Ave. in Chicago. For res­ervations and/or to be put on the mailing list, contact event coördinators Gene or Sue E. before 11 AM. Their contact information is also in the February ChiMe.

• 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 a 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!!

12/ Wednes­day

Northern Exposure

• Northern Ex­po­sure Dinner Cancelled.Please join us for dinner at Chrissoula’s, a highly rated recommended hotspot, lo­cated at 602 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Libertyville featuring the finest in Greek cuisine. “Chrissoula’s is a true chef-driv­en restaurant lo­cated in the heart of Libertyville’s downtown restaurant row. Join us as we introduce new and modern dishes inspired by Greek and Mediterranean flavors and ingredients. All dishes and their components on our menu are made in-house, bringing our guests a true homemade meal and experience. Chrissoula’s is named after and for our Yiayia [grandmother] and has been a dream in the making since 2008.” Many fine items under $20 including Kebabs, homemade Gyros, swordfish, shrimp, Moussaka, salads, etc. Ask for Mike’s party. Please RSVP (no later than 10 AM) to our North Suburban Coördinator Michael 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. You may also RSVP via Meetup.
  Event Cancelled Due to Illinois Stay-at-Home Order!!

• 

  Abraham Lincoln’s Birthday
  State of Illinois holiday.

13/ Thurs­day

CAM Promo Table at Capricon

• Capricon 40 through Sunday, February 16th. 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!!

14/ Fri­day

Rockford Mensans

• Rock­ford Mensa Dinner 6:30 PM. Join Dave and other Rockford-area Mensans for dinner at the Ciao Bella Ristorante, lo­cated 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., our Rockford Area Coördinator.

15/ 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 a table with a red Meetup sign. 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.

Poetry SIG

• Poetry Dis­cus­sion 1 PM. Mark L. has arranged a meeting room for us in the Wilmette Library. Joe D. will accept poetry selections from the rest of us and compile them. You can e-mail him your selections. As the date approaches, e-mail or call him for a copy of the poems and di­rections to the library (1242 Wilmette Ave. in Wilmette, a little east of Green Bay Road). The library charges $20 for the room and having snacks there, so we need attendees to pay $2 to Mark and bring a snack to share. Contact Joe D., the SIG coördinator for general information about this SIG. This event is usually held on evening of the second Friday of the month or the following Saturday or Sunday afternoon.
  Schedule Change!!

• 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. There will be a new puzzle to do! Perhaps a game of euchre or Double Deck Cancellation Hearts will break out. Bring a snack to share and your beverage of choice. We’ll have something(TBD) for dinner about 6 or 7. Call if you need a ride from the Medinah train station. For more information or to RSVP, contact Beth.

• 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.

16/ Sun­day

W-Sub Sundays

• West Suburban Sundays Noon. Join us for Sunday lunch in the south­west suburbs at the Steven’s Family Restaurant at 2393 63rd St. in Woodridge. The restaurant has a large variety of breakfast, lunch, and brunch items, reasonably priced. Please call John or Betty N. or e-mail John N., the West Suburban Coördinators, by 2 PM on Saturday, February 15th 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.

17/ Mon­day

• 

  Presidents Day
  Federal Holiday

18/ Tues­day

• Serbian Dinner in Mt. Pros­pect 6 PM. We will be enjoying a casual Serbian dinner at the Balkan Taste. It is lo­cated at 2354 S. Elmhurst Rd. in Mt. Pros­pect (in a strip mall on the northwest corner of Elmhurst Rd. (IL Route 83) and Oakton Ave.). It was rated 4.5 stars on Yelp. Sepa­rate checks are available. Please RSVP e‑mail Ken L.. RSVPs are strongly suggested in case of possible cancellations or changes in venue.

20/ Thurs­day

• Downtown Lunch 1 PM. Join Gene and Sue E. for lunch at the Exchequer Pub at 226 S. Wabash Ave. in Chicago. For res­ervations and/or to be put on the mailing list, contact event coördinators Gene or Sue E. before 11 AM. Their contact information is also in the February ChiMe.

22/ Satur­day

• 

  George Washington’s Birthday

• Monthly Gath­ering
  The location of our February Month­ly Gath­ering was the Rolling Mead­ows Com­munity Center
  3705 Pheasant Dr. in Rolling Meadows.
  Games and hos­pi­tal­ity are in the spacious auditorium, with overflow space in the lobby. The speaker event is in the Card Room. A Parents-Kids Play Room is available after the Mensa Test. Please note that we have this venue only until midnight, so plan accordingly. 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 February ChiMe or January ChiMe for details. You can also view the job descriptions and the required qualifications.
  * * * * *
  Our GenRep Greg 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: 1812 Chicagou; A Scalping, a Murder, and a Massacre
  Patrick McBriarty offers an intimate look at Chicago’s genesis story focusing on the five months of April through August of 1812. During this time, residents of the remote military, French, and Indian trading post experienced an Indian attack and scalping, a murder at Fort Dearborn, and a massacre.
  See the full write-up in our February ChiMe.

23/ Sun­day

Ethnic Dining

• Ethnic Dining: Persian 6 PM. Join us for a Middle Eastern/Persian buffet at Reza's Restaurant, including one glass of champagne, lo­cated at 40 N. Tower Rd. in Oak Brook. More details in the February ChiMe.

  One guest may accompany each CAM member at the GOBS-subsidized cost of $20, but additional guests will be charged the full price of $40 (cash only; payable upon arrival). Children under 10 years of age ~½ price. Reservations are required by Thursday, February 20th; attendance is limited. Contact Carey S. directly and, for each person in your party, include 1) their full name, 2) their CAM membership status, and 3) if applicable, also specify who is under the age of ten. 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. For Ethnic Dining notifications, updates, and all the details, join the Mensa Connect Ethnic Dining Group.

25/ Tues­day

• Breakfast in the NW Suburbs 10 AM. Breakfast and conversation on the 4th Tuesday in various lo­ca­tions. This month’s lo­ca­tion: Honey-Jam Café lo­cated at 2944 W. Euclid Ave. in Arlington Heights (west of the race track and east of Rohlwing Rd., on the north side of the street). It is rated 4 stars on Yelp. Sepa­rate checks will be available. Attendance is limited. RSVP strongly suggested in case of possible cancellation or changes in venue. RSVP Ken L. via e‑mail.

• Downtown Lunch 1 PM. Join Gene and Sue E. for lunch at the Exchequer Pub at 226 S. Wabash Ave. in Chicago. For res­ervations and/or to be put on the mailing list, contact event coördinators Gene or Sue E. before 11 AM. Their contact information is also in the February ChiMe.

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

• 

  Mardi Gras

28/ Fri­day

• Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo (C2E2) through Sunday, March 1st. This event promotes the latest and greatest from the worlds of comics, movies, television, toys, anime, manga and video games, and is being held in the South Building of McCormick Place in Chicago. For more information, see the C2E2 website.
  Public Event!!

• Annual Gathering (AG) Rate Increase Alert! Today was the last day to register before the rates increased again. See the AML 2020 AG website for details about the “Nerd Camp” AG held Wednesday, July 1st through Sunday, July 5th in Kansas City, Missouri. Online registration ends on Friday, June 12th. Missouri loves company, after all! And reg­ister now for the Colloquium presented on Tuesday, June 30th, where the topic is “Advances in Food Science.” Register today for Friday’s Gala Dinner featuring Dr. Kate Darling presenting “Where AI Meets IQ.”

29/ Satur­day

* * * * *

1 March /Sun­day

• 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.