Conversation with London Mensans 8 AM. Join a video chat with our kin from across the big pond in London at 2 PM BST. I [Carey] participated previously, along with a few other CAM members, and had a very nice chat with some of our “siblings” in the London area. RSVP to local host Carey S. to receive the Zoom sign-in information. The London host is Ian David Moseley.
Virtual Event!!

Downtown Lunch: Virtual 1 PM. Perhaps the longest running Mensa event anywhere, Chicago’s Downtown Lunch is held every week, alternating between Tuesday and Thursday. Join us for conversation, laughs, and attempts to define words you’ll never use again. The Zoom id is 836 1178 6315 and the passcode is 190710; it is also included as part of your host Jon G.’s contact information if you prefer a link. Questions? Contact Jon via e-mail or call/text him. We’d love to have you join us!
Virtual Event!!

City Dinner at Athenian Room 7 PM. Athenian Room, 807 W. Webster Ave. in Chicago (Lincoln Park). The website indicates they accept cash only. Tina Fey recommended this restaurant on David Letterman and it looked pretty good! This is a GOBS-subsidized event for which any CAM member and up to one guest qualifies; GOBS will cover ½ of your tab, including tax and tip, up to a maximum of $25/person. Any additional guest and anyone RSVPing after the GOBS cap of 15 people is reached pays full price. To RSVP contact Hilarie C.by Monday, January 2nd.

Futures & Fantasies 2 PM. F&F will discuss The Empire of Gold, by Shannon A. Chakraborty. Banu Manizeh of Nahid and her military commander Dara (resurrected from the dead) have seized Daevabad. She believes any means whatever is justified to return the city to the perfections of Nahid rule.

But all is not perfect. Daevabad is a shambles of wrecked buildings and unburied dead whose magic has vanished. Dara has serious doubts about the bloodletting his military career has entailed. Manizeh’s idealistic opponent, Prince Alizayd of Qatani has partnered with the street-wise con-artist turned healer Nahri and both have fled to Cairo in fear of their lives. Manizeh is Nahri’s mother but they know better than to trust that connection overmuch.

Alizayd is determined to return to, retake, and reform the city, but Nahri is torn between the satisfactions of living in her old hometown and the desire to return to a city where her reward for superb healing was the leadership of a revived Nahid hospital. She was widely loved and lost many friends in Manizeh’s assault.

See the ar­ticle in the December 2022 ChiMe for more details. The discussion will take place in Conference Room G on the 3rd floor of the Oak Park Public Library, 834 Lake Street in Oak Park. Water, soda and light snacks are acceptable. Parking is available under the building. To RSVP , or for more information about this event and/or SIG, contact Steve M., the SIG coördinator. The number of in-person attendees is limited, so you must RSVP. This will be a hybrid meeting, so if you need the Google Meet link, please let us know when you RSVP. F&F usually meets on the second Sunday of most odd-numbered months.

Downtown Lunch: Virtual 1 PM. See Thursday, January 5th.

Conversation with London Mensans 8 AM. See Thursday, January 5th.

Rock­ford Mensa Dinner 6:30 PM. Join Dave and other Rockford-Area Mensans for dinner at Franchesco’s Ristorante, lo­cated at 7128 Spring Creek Rd. in Rockford (just east of Perryville Rd. and behind JMK Nippon restaurant). To RSVP , for more information, or to get on our e‑mail list, contact Dave L., our Rockford-Area Coördinator. RSVP required in case of cancellation, time, or restaurant change. This event is usually recurs on the second Friday of the month.

Poetry Dis­cus­sion 7:30 PM. Our poetry group is now using Zoom for meetings. Interested persons who are not currently members of the poetry group can contact Joe D. , and he will e-mail the poems to be discussed or you can view them by tapping/clicking here. This event is usually held on evening of the second Friday of the month.
Virtual Event!!

Saturday Movie & Dinner 4 PM. We’ll see A Man Called Otto, starring Tom Hanks, at the AMC Randhurst 12 Theaters ), located at 200 Randhurst Village Dr. in Mount Prospect. After the movie we’ll hike across the street to the Blackfinn Randhurst Grill located at 157 Randhurst Village Dr., for dinner and debriefing. To RSVP (welcome, but optional), send an e-mail Bill S.. If you show up and can’t find us, text Lisa S.. We hope to see you there!

Northwest Suburbs Games Night 7 PM. Bring your favorite game and a snack to share to the Lake Zurich home of Lesley J. I will provide coffee, tea, and Italian sodas. If you prefer another beverage, please feel free to bring some with you. I have playing cards and a small selection of games, a pool table, and an electronic dart board. This event is limited to individuals who’ve been vaccinated or who have a valid medical reason they cannot be vaccinated. Please call me if you have questions or need directions (address included as part of Lesley J.’s contact info.

Dinner Out West 6:30 PM. Beth is in the mood for a good hamburger; Matt and Hieu suggested The Filling Station Pub and Grill at 300 W. Main St. in St. Charles. This is a GOBS-subsidized event. GOBS will cover ½ of your meal cost, including tax and tip, up to a maximum of $10, for each CAM member and their guest. Reservations are required so Beth knows how big of a table to reserve. RSVP directly to Beth W. no later than Tuesday, January 17th.

Conversation with London Mensans 8 AM. See Thursday, January 5th.

Downtown Lunch: Virtual 1 PM. See Thursday, January 5th.

Conserv­atives Lunch 11:30 AM. Join other members of the Mensan cell of the Vast Right-Wing Conspiracy for lunch and civilized Un-PC conversation. No forbidden questions, no unchallengeable answers. This lunch happens on the third Saturday every month, but the location changes and can’t always be determined in time to make the ChiMe schedule. If you’re curious about the location and the COVID restrictions at this month’s meeting place, e-mail Jim Z. the event coör­di­na­tor. Open to non-Mensans; bring a conservative friend.

Beverly Area Saturday Salon (B.A.S.S.) ~Noon. Spontaneous conversation in far SSW Chicago, approx­i­mate vicinity of 107th 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. This event usually recurs on the 3rd Saturday of the month, about midday.

Games Night at the WWHfWM 7:30 PM. Join us for Games, Conversation, and Pretentious Drinking at the Weiss Ward Home for Wayward Mensans (WWHfWM) in Bloomingdale. Help us finish the cream liqueurs from Pretentious Drinking we forgot to take out for NYE. Get in game-playing shape for AGoG. Conversation will cover as many topics as people think to talk about. Although there will be alcohol, we’re a well-behaved bunch, and non-drinkers of all ages (that means kids, too) are welcome. Bring a snack to share and your beverage of choice (if it isn’t liqueur, wine, or beer—we have that covered).
Event Not in ChiMe!!

Rainbow Mensans Potluck 5:30 PM. Larry L. and Thom N. are inviting members of the SIG to their home off Sheridan on the northside of Chicago for a potluck. Arrive anytime after 5:30 PM and plan to eat starting at 6. Participation is limited to 14 persons. RSVP the Rainbow SIG coördinator (e-mail or text preferred) by Wednesday, January 18th and let us know what you’ll bring. If you have questions other than about RSVPing, contact Larry L. (address included as part of the contact info). Reasonably priced indoor parking with an entrance on the south side of the building off Sheridan Road is available. Take the downward ramp into the building. The garage attendant will direct you up to the lobby. Staff will phone Larry to say you have arrived and then give you access to the elevator.

Mission - NASA Takes A Shot In The Dark 6 PM. A giant space rock wiped out the dinosaurs 65 million years ago. Could Earth be hit again? You betcha! Researchers were stunned in July of 2019, when a previously undetected "city killer" asteroid, that was up to 427 feet wide, came within 45,000 miles of Earth — less than one-fifth the distance to the moon. If the asteroid had struck the Earth, it would have gone off like a very large nuclear weapon.

So, what can be done to predict future catastrophes from near-Earth objects?

Hosted by Southeast Michigan Mensa. Learn more and register on the American Mensa website.
Virtual Event!!

Break­fast in Mount Pros­pect 10 AM. Breakfast or lunch and conversation at Jelly Café lo­cated at 1784 W. Golf Rd. in Mount Pros­pect (northwest corner of Golf Rd. and Busse Hwy.), featuring a large and diverse menu. Sepa­rate checks are available. Use Meetup, but if not on Meetup, RSVP to Ken L. via e‑mail. If you RSVP by e-mail, your reservation is not confirmed until you receive a confirmation e-mail.

Downtown Lunch: Virtual 1 PM. See Thursday, January 5th.

Conversation with London Mensans 8 AM. See Thursday, January 5th.

Monthly Gath­ering
(Cancelled)
This month’s gathering has been cancelled due to the fact that weather conditions make travel dangerous!

Monthly Gathering

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.
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The Deadline for Candidate’s Statements is Thursday, February 23rd. The 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 to Deb J. via e-mail.
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Volunteer
Get involved! Hone your leadership, organizational, or web skills. 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. Try your hand as the Gifted Youth Coördinator, Communications Officer, website programmer, or as a MG Hospitality Volunteer. You can view the job descriptions and the required qualifications for all the open positions and ones you may be interested in.
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Express Yourself
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. Host your own event or your own virtual event using Discord!