Activities Bulletin
March 2020

Illinois is now in Phase 4 where groups are limited to 50 people. Indoor dining is possible but at lower capacities and subject to an explicit maximum number of people as well as no party of more than 10 and a time limit of 2 hours. Restau­rants may impose even stricter group or time restrictions. You must wear a mask except when seated. RSVP to verify that an event has not been cancelled and that you are one of the lucky ones that can attend due to restrictions. And why not host your own event, virtual or in-person?

1/ Sun­day

• ChiMe Activity Bulletin and Ad­ver­tising Deadlines. Last day for these submissions to the April ChiMe. Interested in organizing and hosting a virtual or in-person event? Find out how by tapping/clicking here.

• 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.

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. 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). RSVP recommended as event may be cancelled without notice. This event will recur on the first Thursday of the month.

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. To RSVP, or for more information about this event and/or SIG, contact Steve M., the SIG coördinator. 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. Their contact information is also in the March ChiMe.

11/ Wednes­day

Northern Exposure

• Northern Ex­po­sure Dinner Cancelled. 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.
  Event Cancelled Due to Coronavirus Concerns!!

13/ Fri­day

• Rock­ford Mensa Dinner 6:30 PM. Join Dave and other Rockford-Area Mensans for dinner at a venue TBA. To RSVP, for more information, or to get on our e‑mail list, contact Dave L., our Rockford-Area Coördinator. This event is usually recurs on the second Friday of the month.

14/ 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, 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

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. This event recurs on the third Sunday of the month.
  Restaurant Capacity Limited — Illinois COVID-19 Restrictions!!

Poetry SIG

• Poetry Dis­cus­sion Cancelled. 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. This event is usually held on evening of the second Friday of the month or the following Saturday or Sunday afternoon.
  Event Cancelled Due to Library Coronavirus Closure!!

17/ Tues­day

• 

  St. Patrick’s Day
  Sláinte!

19/ Thurs­day

• Downtown Lunch Cancelled. 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 March ChiMe.
  Event Cancelled — Cannot Dine-in at any Illinois Restaurant!!

• 

  Northward — Vernal in our hemisphere — Equinox

21/ Satur­day

• Conserv­atives Lunch Cancelled. 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.
  Event Cancelled — Cannot Dine-in at any Illinois Restaurant!!

• Beverly Area Saturday Salon (B.A.S.S.) Cancelled. 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. This event usually recurs on the 3rd Saturday of the month, about midday.
  Event Cancelled!!

• 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 also available in the March ChiMe.

24/ Tues­day

• Breakfast in the NW Suburbs Cancelled. 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 mandatory in case of possible cancellation or changes in venue. RSVP Ken L. via e‑mail.
  Event Cancelled — Cannot Dine-in at any Illinois Restaurant!!

• Downtown Lunch Cancelled. 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 March ChiMe.
  Event Cancelled — Cannot Dine-in at any Illinois Restaurant!!

27/ Fri­day

• Grand SlaM 2020 Cancelled. 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.
  Event Cancelled Due to Coronavirus Concerns!!

28/ Satur­day

• Monthly Gath­ering
  (Cancelled)
  This month’s gathering has been cancelled due to the fact that Benedictine University has closed all of its meeting rooms over concerns about the coronavirus. Our LocSec Laceé has issued a special statement which includes tele­con­fer­enc­ing info for the March Business Meeting.

  Test:

  Cancelled Until Further Notice.

  Business Meeting:

  5 PM via video teleconference.

  Game room opens:

  Cancelled

  Program:

  Cancelled.

  Party:

  Cancelled

  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. You can view the job descriptions and the required qualifications for all the open positions and ones you may be interested in. Or consider watching the children at the MG for a fee. 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 the CAM Zoom premium account!

  

  Monthly Gathering

  MG has been Cancelled!!

• Grand SlaM 2020 Cancelled. 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.
  Event Cancelled Due to Coronavirus Concerns!!

29/ Sun­day

• Grand SlaM 2020 Cancelled. through today, at the Drury Inn & Suites in 8700 Eager Rd, Brentwood, MO 63144. See Friday, March 27th for more information.
  Event Cancelled Due to Coronavirus Concerns!!

31/ Tues­day

• Sterling/Rock Falls/Dixon Dinner Cancelled. 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!!

* * * * *

1 April /Wednes­day

• ChiMe Activ­ity Bulletin and Ad­vertising Dead­lines. Last day for these submissions to the May ChiMe. Interested in organizing and hosting a virtual or in-person event? Find out how by tapping/clicking here.

• 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.

Northern Exposure

• Northern Ex­po­sure Dinner Cancelled. 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.
  Event Cancelled Due to Illinois Stay-at-Home Order!!