To protect our members’ privacy, contact information has been
removed from this listing but isavailable on our website for members only.
Each of the CAM events has a link to the host’s RSVP information which
also takes you to this same information.
You must use the AM password reset which you can access by tapping/clicking
here.
If you forgot your id (e-mail address), contact the National Office.
Their phone number and e-mail address are at the bottom of AM login page.
Event E-Mails
CAM members will get periodic
e‑mails about upcoming events, including ones that did not make it into ChiMe,
or to get notified of any special events or last minute changes.
Illinois has once again loosened its restrictions a bit where
Indoor events are limited to 50 people.
Indoor and outdoor dining is allowed but at lower capacities and subject to an explicit
maximum number where no party exceeds 10 people.
There is an indoor time limit of 2 hours.
Restaurants and bars are free to impose even stricter group or time
restrictions.
You must wear a mask except when seated, however, also during any interaction
with staff and anyone who is not part of your group.
RSVPs -
Always contact the
CAM event host
as specified in the event details —
e-mail ,phone , or
Meetup .
About Meetup
About the CAM Meetup Closed Group
Meetup often includes events that are not in the
March ChiMe.
So 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.
RSVP, but you should always contact the CAM event coördinator
as specified. A few CAM event
coördinators are not members of Meetup, so for those events,
your RSVP there only lets other CAM Meetup members know you are attending,
plus you benefit by getting reminders.
It’s easy to use Meetup to add the
event info to your personal calendar.
Set up notifications and Meetup will e-mail you about
upcoming events. (You can adjust your Meetup e-mail
settings to limit notifications to one e-mail/day.)
Chicago Mensa Meetup -
All our events are listed; see who signed up, get notifications,
and add the event(s) to your personal calendar. Check out the
calendar,
Facebook -
The following CAM area- and youth-related groups have their own closed Facebook
groups which may have events not listed here nor on Meetup
(contact them to join):
Meetup often includes events that are not in the
March ChiMe.
So 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.
RSVP, but you should always contact the CAM event coördinator
as specified. A few CAM event
coördinators are not members of Meetup, so for those events,
your RSVP there only lets other CAM Meetup members know you are attending,
plus you benefit by getting reminders.
It’s easy to use Meetup to add the
event info to your personal calendar.
Set up notifications and Meetup will e-mail you about
upcoming events. (You can adjust your Meetup e-mail
settings to limit notifications to one e-mail/day.)
Chicago Mensa Meetup -
All our events are listed; see who signed up, get notifications,
and add the event(s) to your personal calendar. Check out the
calendar,
Facebook -
The following CAM area- and youth-related groups have their own closed Facebook
groups which may have events not listed here nor on Meetup
(contact them to join):
The organizers of the events listed on this calendar have expressed willingness
for members elsewhere in the world to join in. Please don’t give them a
bigger crowd than they can handle, and do be careful about time zones.
The displayed time zone is GMT! If you add them to your own calendar,
the time zone should convert to your specified time zone.
To have your virtual event added to this calendar, contact Matt C., the CAM Morning Coffee contact.
There may be other virtual events, which may be of interest to CAM members,
hosted by various local groups listed on the American Mensa Calendar of Events.
CAM Discord Access and More
Already a member?
Simply open up the Discord app, look for the
CAM
icon on the very left, and tap/click on it.
New?
A few days before the event, check out the Introductory Guide to Discord
as well as our CAM Discord FAQ for instructions
about getting the app and registering yourself.
Read the doc and/or peruse the various questions and answers to familiarize
yourself with our customized version.
About three days prior to the event, the Invitation Link, needed only by new
CAM Discord users, will be available as part of the event host’s contact info.
Tap/click on the button, then tap/click on the Invitation Link, and it
will open the Discord app you installed on your device. You must
acknowledge the displayed Code of Conduct to see all the rooms (aka
channels). Do this by tapping/clicking on the emoji symbol at the bottom that best describes
Your membership category.
Once you’ve done that, you’re in and won’t need an
Invitation Link again.
When you join a Discord event you won’t automatically
see all the participants like in Zoom when the host lets you in or you join a meeting
in progress. Instead you’ll scroll down and find the channel
specified as part of the event info. Unlike Zoom, you get to see the list of
names indicating who is in
the channel before you tap/click on it to join. And if there is someone
presenting, you’ll need to tap/click on the presenter’s
feed or double-click the Live button next to the
presenter’s name to enlarge the feed. And
when you leave, it’s immediate — none of that akwardness
that happens when you leave a Zoom event especially when in a breakout room.
It may feel weird at first but the learning curve is pretty short and
chances are you’ll like it better than Zoom and choose to use it any time
to video call a fellow Mensan.
CAM Morning Coffee 7 AM & 8 AM.
Both of these weekday online events are
not hosted which simply means when you join the Morning
Coffee channel (under Events) on our CAM Discord server,
you may be the first — wait several minutes and give the
others a chance to join you. Attendance is spontaneous and can be sporadic
— no individual is present every day, some days there are
several people, but there are days when no one participates.
You can expect casual conversation on
any topic you and the others would like to explore.
On Thursdays, the 8 AM CAM Morning Coffee group joins the 8 AM Conversation
with London Mensans so use their access info
(on Meetup) rather than Discord.
This month, due to differences in Daylight Saving Time schedules between London and Chicago, Conversation with London Mensans may be at 9 AM CDT so check the specific date.
In the mood for some interesting conversation?
It’s easy to check in any weekday and see who else is up for a chat.
Contact Matt C.
for general info. Both events will recur every weekday until further notice.
Discord Event!!
1/ Monday
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.
Casimir (Kazimierz) Pulaski Day Observed in Chicago & Cook County
City offices closed.
4/ Thursday
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!!
Emerald City RG through Sunday, March 7th.
Join Mensa of Western Washington for their virtual, 3-day RG
held via Zoom, Discord, and Scener.
Please register
in advance for free except for a few add-on events. Visit their
website or
Facebook event
more information.
Virtual Event!!
6/ Saturday
Vitual Snowball RG.
Central New Jersey Mensa will host a free, one day RG on
their Discord platform
featuring speakers, games, trivia,
and Werewolves. With the exception of a few add-ons, like the Escape Room, this event is free.
Follow the Snowball RG on
Facebook
to see their schedule as well as links to the add-on events or their
Snowball XLVII webpage for more info.
Discord Event!!
Northern Exposure Dinner Cancelled.
Join us for dinner at a venue TBD in Lake County.
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!!
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.
The number of attendees is limited, so RSVPs are mandatory.
This event is usually recurs on the second Friday of the month. Illinois COVID-19 Group & Mask Restrictions Apply!!
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 as well as the Zoom information.
This event is usually held on evening of the second Friday of the month.
Virtual Event!!
SwAG Session Cancelled.
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.
Event Cancelled Until Further Notice!!
Murder Mystery: Murder at a Renaissance Faire 7 PM.
Gentle Lords and Ladies, the jousting at Ye Olde Renaissance Faire isn’t meant to be
“to the death”—so why doth the Green Knight have a broken jousting lance buried
in his chest? Forsooth, who hath sneaked into his tent, before he got into his trusty armor, and
killed him dead? Was it one of his rival knights, in quest of a competitive advantage? Was it one
of the Faire’s costumed workers, seeking revenge? Was it one of the thousand fairgoers, in
search of a backstage thrill? Or mayhap the foul deed was done by—THEE!
Hear ye, hear ye we’re investigating a murder at a Renaissance Faire! Join us for this
GOBS-subsidized, virtual Zoom event, lasting about two hours. It will cost you nary a pfennig or
schilling to attend. We will need between
6 to 20 character players, so RSVPs are
required to play one of the roles. Reply via
Meetup
and send or message your e-mail address to
Karen G.
by Monday, March 8th, if you are interested in
playing a part. Sometime before the event, your character information will be e-mailed
to you. Costumes and props appropriate to your character are encouraged but not required.
If you want just to attend the faire and watch the mystery play out you can also do that!
The Zoom info is
listed as part of host
Karen G.’s
contact info.
So, gentle Lords and Ladies, let’s brush up on our old English and figure out what the
Green Knight did to deserve a jousting lance to the chest!
Virtual Event!!
14/ Sunday
Daylight Saving Time
starts. Remember to change your clocks by adding an hour
so you’re not late.
Futures & Fantasies
2:15 PM.
Despite losing her mom to a mysterious murder while in infancy, Miriam Beckstein loves her work —
reporting for a Boston tech magazine. But on discovering a money laundering scheme with story of the
year potential, she is fired, endures a mafia style death threat, and receives a knotwork locket of her
mother’s which transfers her to a parallel Earth and the kingdom of Gruinmarkt. Mounted knights
use automatic weapons, assassins transfer between worlds, and she is one of the six Clan families using
(or abusing) commercial and multiworld-transport power to maintain position and wealth in both universes.
Lionized as Countess Helge Thorold-Hjorth, she necessarily must master the social and political mores of
a Viking-esqe world with Soprano and Machiavellian ethics. Her sudden return inconveniences other
claimants to her mother’s power and rank, and some want her dead; new love Earl Roland may be too
faithful to her uncle Duke Angbard; and his intended, Baroness Olga, is anything but a mindless heiress
waiting for marriage. Twenty-first century tech enfolded in medieval to 19th Century customs and costumes
make delightful incongruities, but deeper secrets threaten everything Miriam has ever known.
Family Trade by Charles Stross is horrific, amusing and something Mensans can enjoy.
This review is combined from reviews in Library Journal (2010), Publishers Weekly, and
Booklist (Roland Green Copyright 2004).
See Steve’s detailed article in the February ChiMe
as well as his article about the author.
If COVID is still an issue (and I [Steve] suspect it will be), we will meet via Zoom.
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.
Virtual Event!!
Drawing with Pencils 7 PM.
Join the Art Studio NY for a fear-free drawing class using drawing pencils. No art experience
necessary! Our instructor is excellent at bringing people in at the level they are, so whether
this is your first, second, or zillionth drawing class, you're welcome to join in! Supplies
needed: B and 4B drawing pencils, a kneaded eraser, a paper drawing pad, and optionally,
blending stumps. Participants will get the Zoom information prior to the event. This is a
GOBS-subsidized event. The subsidized cost is $12.50/person for one CAM member and one guest.
The cost is $25/login if no registrant is a CAM member.
RSVPs are required; to RSVP and
get payment info,
e-mail Beth W..
Payment required to hold your spot.
Virtual Event!!
17/ Wednesday
St. Patrick’s Day Sláinte!
18/ Thursday
Conversation
with London Mensans 9 AM.
See Thursday, March 4th.
Time Change Due to Daylight Saving Time Differences!!
HotTopics 6 PM.
Join 10-20 of us in learning & sharing our views while having fun in a
friendly & safe environment! We will discuss the many sides of these topics:
Nature vs Nurture followed by The Doom Boom at ~7:30 PM.
Visit Chicago Mensa Meetup for links to some videos and articles on these topics. The day will come when we can gather again over coffee, but, until then, join us
by voice (and optional video
) over the Internet using the Zoom app.
The access info was provided to those who RSVP on Meetup or
e-mail Mike B. Meetup Virtual Event Not in ChiMe!!
Virtual Mixology with Mister Tootsie 7:30 PM.
What can do you do with figs and some date syrup? Oh—and vodka and tequila, too.
This month’s mixology class is focusing on fig drinks. We’re always
surprised at how well cocktails come together, so join us for this themed mixology
class. New “students” welcome! Participants will get a list of needed
ingredients and equipment, as well as the Zoom info, prior to the event. This is a
GOBS-subsidized activity. The subsidized cost is $10 for up to 2 people per Zoom login.
Participation maxes out at 15 Zoom logins. One person at each Zoom login has to be a CAM member.
If space permits, I’ll open this up to non-CAM members (unsubsidized @$20/login).
RSVPs are required; to RSVP
and get payment info,
e-mail Beth W..
Payment is required to hold your spot.
Virtual Event!!
20/ Saturday
Northward — Vernal in our hemisphere — Equinox
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.
Conservatives Lunch 1 PM.
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.
Illinois COVID-19 Group & Mask Restrictions Apply!!
Games and Conversation 7:30 PM.
Join us at the (virtual) WeissWard Home for Wayward Mensans (WWHfWM).
This will be an on-line event using CAM’s Discord server (if new to Discord,
tap/click here).
We’ll gather for conversation in the
Game Night Foyer
and then split into breakout rooms as desired for games. Recent games played have included
Welcome To, The Crew, 6 nimmt!, Code Names and
Incan Gold.
For more information, contact
Beth W.
Join us.
Discord Event!!
23/ Tuesday
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.
Dining will be indoors.
Separate checks are available.
Attendance is limited. RSVP required
in case of possible cancellation or changes in venue.
RSVP to Ken L. via e‑mail.
RSVPs by e-mail are not confirmed until you receive a reply e-mail confirming your reservation.
Otherwise you will be on a waiting list.
Illinois COVID-19 Group & Mask Restrictions Apply!!
Conversation
with London Mensans 9 AM.
See Thursday, March 4th.
Time Change Due to Daylight Saving Time Differences!!
26/ Friday
GOBS Request Deadline.
Today is the last day to
submit a request for GOBS funds to be approved at tomorrow’s
Business Meeting for any planned, eligible event, activity, or class taking place
after Saturday, March 27th
and through Saturday, April 17th
or later.
Monthly Gathering (Held via Discord )
The March Monthly Gathering takes place via video
teleconference using Discord.
Join the group as we all experiment with a different way of interacting.
BYOB and snacks
.
In this age of social distancing, aren’t you ready to have some fun and to try something different?
Volunteer
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.
* * * * * 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!
Program Topic:
Perennials 101
Heather Prince highly recommends perennials as a great addition to any landscape, whether your space
is big or small, sunny or shady, dry or wet, manicured or not-so-neat. She will provide ideas for
simple perennial combinations that look great in any yard or garden. We will find out what we need to
do to care for perennials, including fertilizing, deadheading, and dividing.
As well as being a professional horticulturist, Heather is a garden writer, speaker, and teacher. Members, see the full write-up in our
March ChiMe.
Discord Event!!
Passover begins.
31/ Wednesday
Dinner in in the Northwest Suburbs: Indo-Chinese 7 PM.
We will be dining, indoors, at
Bombay Chopsticks
which serves serves Indian, Chinese and Thai cuisine.
Separate checks are accommodated.
The restaurant is located at
721 W. Golf Rd. in Hoffman Estates
(in a strip mall on the south side of Golf Rd. (IL RT 58), just west of Higgins Rd.).
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 return e-mail with a confirmation. Otherwise you
will be on a waiting list.
Meetup Event Not in ChiMe!! Illinois COVID-19 Group & Mask Restrictions Apply!!
CultureQuest® Registration Deadline.
On Sunday, May 2nd,
at 3 PM CDT, all
across the country as well as Canada, all at the same time, teams of Mensans
will participate in a virtual 120-minutes-long contest to test cultural literacy
administered by American Mensa. Prizes will be awarded to the
twenty teams and one youth team with the highest scores!
Today was the last day to submit your team registration information & payment to
American Mensa.
Teams meeting virtually may take advantage of the CAM Discord platform with a dedicated channel;
just let the Discord team know the name of your team.
* * * * *
1 April/ Thursday
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, photographs, or short poems. Your fellow Chicago Area Mensans
would love to hear from you.
Virtual Downtown Lunch 1 PM.
Perhaps Mensa’s longest running event anywhere, Chicago’s
Downtown Lunch has gone virtual! Join us for conversation,
laughs, and attempts to define words you’ll never use again.
The Zoom access info is included as part of your host
Jon G.’s
contact information.
Thanks for being our 505th visitor to
March Events.
These pages and all content Copyright 2021
by Chicago Area Mensa, all rights reserved. Chicago Area Mensa is part of
American Mensa, Ltd.
Mensa® and the Mensa logo (as depicted for example in U.S. TM Reg. No. 1,405,381)
are registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office by
American Mensa, Ltd.,
and are registered in other countries by
Mensa International Limited
and/or affiliated national Mensa organizations.
Mensa does not hold any opinions, or have, or express, any political or religious views.
CAM
