Activities Bulletin
March 2020

1/ 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.

• 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 can be found here on our website.

• Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo (C2E2) ends today. This event promotes the 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!!

• Mensa of Wisconsin RG Registration. The RG will be held Friday, April 17th through Sunday, April 19th, just outside of Geneva, at The Ridge at W4240 WI-50 in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. The theme is “Science:Magic, a Continuum.” Your registration fee includes: Four hospitality rooms, open early and late, for games, snacking, beverages, and chatting — plus three meals. The registration form is on the Mensa of Wisconsin RG website. Their website will be updated as more details become available. Rates increase after Saturday, March 21st.

• SEMMantics Registration. Join the Southeast Michigan Mensans for their 2½ day RG held Friday, April 17th through Sunday, April 19th at the Detroit Metro Airport Marriott at 30559 Flynn Dr. in Romulus, MI. For more information, visit their website, where you can reg­ister and which will have the most up-to-date information.

• 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! Submit your team registration information to American Mensa. The registration deadline is Tuesday, March 31st. 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.

• Metropolitan Washington Mensa RG Registration. The RG will be held Friday, August 14th through Sunday, August 16th, just outside of our nation’s capital, at the Sheraton in Reston, Virginia. The theme is Pandemic RG 2020 Around the World. The registration form is on their RG website or view their flyer.

5/ 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. Do not RSVP via Meetup since neither are members. Their contact information is also in the March ChiMe.

• 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. To RSVP or for more information, contact Carol (her contact information can also be found in the March ChiMe). You may also RSVP via Meetup. RSVP recommended as event may be cancelled without notice. This event will recur on the first Thursday of the month.

7/ Satur­day

8/ Sun­day

• 

  Daylight Saving Time starts. Remember to change your clocks by adding an hour so you’re not late.

• Futures & Fantasies 2 PM. We will discuss the short story collection Exhalation by Nebula and Hugo award winner Ted Chiang. From Time: “The nine stories in …Exhalation probe the intersections among technology, science and philosophy. They ask big what-if questions, from the implications of time travel on free will to the impact of kids being raised by machines.” See Steve’s detailed ar­ticle in the February ChiMe on page 15. 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. You may also RSVP on Chicago Mensa Meetup. F&F usually meets on the second Sunday of most odd-numbered months.

10/ 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. Do not RSVP via Meetup since neither are members. Their contact information is also in the March ChiMe.

11/ Wednes­day

RSVP for Northern Exposure no later than 10 AM. You may RSVP via Meetup.

Northern Exposure

• Northern Ex­po­sure Dinner 6:50 PM. Please join us for dinner at Miramar Bistro, in Highwood. If you like atmosphere, you’ll love this “French Bistro with Cuban Accents!” Celebrated proprietor Gabriel Viti’s masterpiece offers a wonderful & playful menu, superlative service, and a setting that is sure to please. They have graciously agreed to include many affordable items from their lunch menu for our party. Please ask for Mike’s party. Located at 301 Greenbay Rd. in Highwood. 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.

13/ Fri­day

• Rock­ford Mensa Dinner 6:30 PM. Join Dave and other Rockford-area Mensans for dinner at the Olive Garden Italian Kitchen, lo­cated at 6367 E. State St. in Rockford (on the south side of State St. between Mulford and Perryville). To RSVP, for more information, or to get on our e‑mail list, contact Dave L., our Rockford Area Coördinator. Do not RSVP via Meetup since Dave is not a member.

RSVP for West Suburban Sundays held on Sunday, March 15th no later than 2 PM on Saturday, March 14th. You may RSVP via Meetup.

 

SwAG Session

 

RSVP for Chinese on Saturdays no later than 2 PM. You may RSVP via Meetup.

14/ Satur­day

• 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, March 7th) 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 March ChiMe. This event recurs on the 2nd Saturday of the month.

• 

  π Day

• π Day. Mensa is celebrating π Day by offering the online practice test, at a steep discount, for only $3.14 — today only! Mensans, encourage your friends to try it.

15/ 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, March 14th and let them know if you are coming. Their contact information is also in the March ChiMe. You may also RSVP via Meetup. This event recurs on the third Sunday of the month.

Poetry SIG

• Poetry Dis­cus­sion 1 PM. Our annual treat is here: poems selected by Mary G. A significant change: we will meet at the Wilmette Library. Contact Mary for a copy of the poems, and Mark L. for 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. Do NOT RSVP via Meetup. This event is usually held on evening of the second Friday of the month or the following Saturday or Sunday afternoon.
  Schedule Change!!

17/ Tues­day

• 

  St. Patrick’s Day
  Sláinte!

19/ 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. Do not RSVP via Meetup since neither are members. Their contact information is also in the March ChiMe.

20/ Fri­day

• 

  Northward — Vernal in our hemisphere — Equinox

21/ 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. You may also RSVP via Meetup.

• 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.

• 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 March ChiMe. Do NOT RSVP via Meetup since Gary is not a member.

24/ Tues­day

• Breakfast in the NW Suburbs 10 AM. Breakfast and conversation on the 4th Tuesday in various lo­ca­tions. This month’s lo­ca­tion: 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 will be available. Attendance is limited. RSVP strongly suggested in case of possible cancellation or changes in venue. Use Meetup, but if not on Meetup, 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. Do not RSVP via Meetup since neither are members. Their contact information is also in the March ChiMe.

25/ Wednes­day

• 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. Mensa members, forward your AML Mensa September e‑mail with our local group Mensa Voucher Program (MVP) Code (“WindyCity19”) now to any interested non-members so they can pre­reg­ister and perhaps take this test for free. Questions? Contact our Testing Coördinator.
  Event Not in ChiMe!!

27/ Fri­day

• Grand SlaM 2020 4 PM. The St Louis Mensa Area RG is being held today through Sunday, March 29th, at the Drury Inn & Suites in 8700 Eager Rd, Brentwood, MO 63144. They’ll have Programs, food, and conversation from Friday evening through Sunday afternoon. Visit the St Louis Area Mensa RG websitefor details.

Our next Monthly Gathering is on February 22nd.
The February Monthly Gathering will be held at the
Rolling Mead­ows Com­munity Center
3705 Pheasant Drive, Rolling Meadows, IL 60008

The locations of the MGs vary.

 

CAM March Monthly Gathering @Bene­dictine Univer­sity

28/ Satur­day

• Monthly Gath­ering
  Our March Month­ly Gath­ering will be held at Bene­dictine Univer­sity
  5700 College Rd. in Lisle.
  The gathering will be held in Goodwin Hall (building 8 on the campus map) which is near the south-center end of the campus. The parking garage (building 7 on the campus map) is closest to Goodwin Hall. The business meeting, games, and hos­pi­tal­ity will be in room 411. Parent-child play and testing will be in room 212. Our speaker will be in room 321. Note: The rooms tend to be a bit chilly, so you may want to bring a sweater or sweatshirt. The Monthly Gathering di­rections section has more detailed information about parking and driving instructions. 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. Members, RSVP via Meetup to let your friends know you’re going to be there.

  

  Monthly Gathering

  Test:

  4 PM.

  Business Meeting:

  5 PM.

  Game room opens:

  6 PM.

  Program:

  7:30 PM.

  Party:

  8:30 PM - Midnight.

  The Deadline for Nomi­nation Statements is March 1st. 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 Deb J..
  * * * * *
  Mensans, forward your Mensa Voucher Program (MVP) code (“Windy­City19”), that AML e‑mailed you in September, to non-members, who may, at no cost, pre­reg­ister for any of the supervised tests held before the end of March.
  * * * * *
  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: Limelighting Leading Ladies Trivia Contest
  March is Women’s History Month, and so it seems appropriate to limelight that gender. Local Mensan Theo S. has put together a trivia contest to test our knowledge of, in particular, women who are famous. There will be six topic categories that she will choose from to focus on, namely: Images, TV, Music, History, Literature, and Movies.
  See the full write-up in our March ChiMe.

• Grand SlaM 2020 held Friday, March 27th through Sunday, March 29th, at the Drury Inn & Suites in 8700 Eager Rd, Brentwood, MO 63144. See Friday, March 27th for more information.

29/ Sun­day

• Grand SlaM 2020 held Friday, March 27th through today, at the Drury Inn & Suites in 8700 Eager Rd, Brentwood, MO 63144. See Friday, March 27th for more information.

31/ Tues­day

• 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!!

• CultureQuest ® Registration Deadline. 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! Submit your team registration information to American Mensa. Today is the last day to submit your team registration information & payment to American Mensa. 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.

* * * * *

1 April /Wednes­day

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

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

• Mensa of Wisconsin RG Registration. The RG will be held Friday, April 17th through Sunday, April 19th, just outside of Geneva, at The Ridge at W4240 WI-50 in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. The theme is “Science:Magic, a Continuum.” Your registration fee includes: Four hospitality rooms, open early and late, for games, snacking, beverages, and chatting — plus three meals. The registration form is on the Mensa of Wisconsin RG website. Their website will be updated as more details become available. Rates increase after Saturday, March 21st.

• SEMMantics Registration. Join the Southeast Michigan Mensans for their 2½ day RG held Friday, April 17th through Sunday, April 19th at the Detroit Metro Airport Marriott at 30559 Flynn Dr. in Romulus, MI. For more information, visit their website, where you can reg­ister and which will have the most up-to-date information.

• CultureQuest ® GOBS Deadline. If you’ve reg­istered, but have not submitted your request for GOBS funds, you still have time before the pseudo April Monthly Business Meeting. On Sunday, May 3rd, 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! Submit your team registration information to American Mensa. The registration deadline is Tuesday, March 31st. 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.

• Metropolitan Washington Mensa RG Registration. The RG will be held Friday, August 14th through Sunday, August 16th, just outside of our nation’s capital, at the Sheraton in Reston, Virginia. The theme is Pandemic RG 2020 Around the World. The registration form is on their RG website or view their flyer.