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 International Calendar contact.

There may be other virtual events, as well as in-person events, which may be of interest to CAM members, hosted by various local groups listed on the American Mensa Calendar of Events.

1/ Tues­day

  • ChiMe Activity Bulletin and Ad­ver­tising Deadlines. Last day for these submissions to the November ChiMe. Interested in organizing and hosting a virtual or in-person event? Find out how by checking out our guide to hosting events.

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

  • Zoom Lunch 1 PM. Perhaps the longest running Mensa event anywhere, Chicago’s Zoom Lunch (formerly known as the 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 email or call/text him. You may also RSVP via Meetup. We’d love to have you join us!
    Virtual Event!!

2/ Wednes­day

  • rosh

    Rosh Hashanah starts at sundown.

3/ Thurs­day

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  • Conversation with London Mensans 8 AM. Join a video chat with our kin from across the big pond in London at 2 PM BDT. RSVP (via Meetup preferred) to local host Carey S. to receive the Zoom sign-in information. The London host is Ian David Moseley.
    Virtual Event!!

9/ Wednes­day

  • Northern Ex­po­sure Dinner 6:45 PM. ZIP code fall within the Arctic Circle? Then you should have dinner with us. Join us at Kabul House in Evanston for some truly exquisite Middle Eastern fare. Located at 2424 Dempster St. in Evanston. NOTE: This event will be capped at 12 people. Please RSVP on Meetup or via Janice’s email, jesser@chicago.us.mensa.org , so she can reserve a big enough table.

10/ Thurs­day

11/ Fri­day

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  • Rock­ford-Area Dinner 6:30 PM. Join Dave and other Rockford-Area Mensans for dinner at the Thunder Bay Grille lo­cated at 7652 Potawatomi Trail in Rockford (NE corner of State St. and Bell School Rd., in front of the Holiday Inn). To RSVP , for more information, or to get on our email list, contact Dave L., our Rockford-Area Coördinator. RSVP required in case of cancellation, time, or venue change. Do not RSVP via Meetup. This event usually recurs on the second Friday of the month.

  • Poetry Dis­cus­sion Rescheduled. This event is usually held on the evening of the second Friday of the month.
    Event Rescheduled for next Friday, the 18th!!

14/ Mon­day

  • Dinner Out West: Old World style 6:30 PM. We’re going to Riganato Old World Grille, a well-rated Italian (and some Greek) restaurant at 700 E. State St. in Geneva. This is a GOBS-subsidized event. GOBS will cover ½ of your meal cost, including tax and tip (rounded up to the nearest dollar), up to a maximum subsidy of $15, for each CAM member and their guest. Cash, Zelle, or PayPal for your portion. Limit 20 people. Reservations are required so Beth knows how big of a table to reserve. RSVP via Meetup (strongly preferred) or directly to Beth W. no later than Saturday, October 12th.

  • columbus

    Indigenous People Day
    Columbus Day

    (Federal Holiday).
    The actual day that Columbus reached land in North America was the 12th.

15/ Tues­day

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  • MELT at Alexander’s Cafe 11:30 AM. Join us for the first MELT (Mensans Eating Lunch Together) at Alexander’s Cafe, 1725 N. State St. in Elgin. You can have breakfast or lunch—it’s up to you. Check out their menu. We can accommodate 12 people. RSVP by Sunday, October 13th, via Meetup (strongly preferred) or directly to Beth W.
    New Recurring Event!!

17/ Thurs­day

  • WeeM 48: Road Trippin’ Hotel Discount Deadline! Today was the last day you could book a hotel room at the WeeM discount rate of $129 at the Chicago North Shore Westin in Wheeling.

  • Supermoon Viewing tonight. Also a Hunter’s Moon. This is third of four consecutive supermoons and the closest. For more information about supermoons, visit earthsky.org.

18/ Fri­day

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

  • WeeM 48: Road Trippin’ Preregistration Deadline Alert! Join the fun at WeeM at the Chicago North Shore Westin in Wheeling starting Thursday, October 30th through Sunday, November 2nd. Today was the last day you could preregister for WeeM and qualify for a discount. Also, if you’re paying by check, it must have been received no later than today or any discount for which you qualified at the time of registration will not be honored. Come to WeeM and register at the door if you haven’t preregistered.

19/ Satur­day

  • 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. The venue will be The Patio, 2780 S. Highland Ave. in Lombard (NW corner of Butterfield and Highland, but you can enter only from Highland). RSVP by emailing Jim Z. the event coör­di­na­tor. You may also RSVP via Meetup. Open to non-Mensans; bring a curious friend.

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  • 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 emailing, put “BASS” in the subject line. This event usually recurs midday on the 3rd Saturday of the month.

  • Rainbow Mensans Restaurant Outing 5:30 PM. We’re going once again to All Meal Prep Kitchen & Café , located at 1100 W. Bryn Mawr Ave. in Chicago (Edgewater). Please contact Jim, the Rainbow SIG Coördinator (email or text preferred) by the evening of Thursday, October 17th, so that we can reserve sufficient seating. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Jim C. via email or visit our website at RainbowM.org.

  • Inquiring Minds: Lights, Camera, Chaos! Surviving and Thriving in a Very Crazy Business: Tales of a 35-Year Journey 1 PM. During this interactive session, we will delve into Bob Presner's journey through the film and television industry. We will follow a 16-year-old aspiring musician who evolved into a pivotal behind-the-scenes figure in numerous productions. The session will chart the unexpected career progression of this young folksinger who transitioned into a seasoned assistant director, production manager, line producer, and completion guarantor in the high-stakes world of show business.

    You will have the opportunity to ask Bob questions, in the Zoom Meetings format. You might want to know about his experiences rubbing shoulders and egos with acting legends such as Donald Sutherland, Angie Dickinson, and Russell Crowe. You will gain insight into the behind-the-scenes chaos and excitement of high-profile film sets, including tense and hilarious moments with rap icon Tupac Shakur and wrestling with the larger-than-life personality of Hulk Hogan.

    As the former president of Film Finances Canada and vice-president of Motion Picture Guarantors, as well as a line-producer, production manager, and assistant director, Bob Presner has been involved in over 500 projects, including feature films, TV movies and series, commercials, and documentaries.

    For all the details and to RSVP , visit the American Mensa Events website.
    Virtual Event!!

20/ Sun­day

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Dr. Gary Kitmacher

  • SFRM: Humans in Space 4:30 PM. Doctor Gary Kitmacher has worked for NASA at Johnson Space Center, Marshall Space Center, and NASA Headquarters for 44 years. He was especially involved as a designer of the ISS and Mir space station modules. He has served as a Principal Investigator for several experiments and flight activities.

    For more details, visit the SFRM Zoom RSVPs FB Group. To register, visit San Francisco Regional Mensa (SFRM)’s registration signup for this event.
    Virtual Event!!

21/ Mon­day

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  • Irish Mensa Lecture and Discussion: Tatoos 1 PM. Irish Mensa meets virtually on the third Monday of each month at 7 PM Irish Time; a discussion then follows the lecture.

    Tattoos are one of the 'distinguishing marks' specified in police descriptions, and long recorded on British passports. They have also often been seen as a form of writing on the body that conveys deeper messages about the bearer’s identity, especially for criminals.

    This lecture will discuss the original debates about the tattoo as a sign of criminal identity among 19th century European police and criminal anthropologists. It will conclude the series with some final reflections on the subjective and objective dimensions of identity and identification covered by these lectures.

    Professor Jane Caplan is Visiting Professor at Birkbeck, University of London, and Emeritus Fellow at St. Antony’s College, University of Oxford. She is a world-renowned historian specialising in Nazi Germany and the history of the documentation of individual identity.

    For the full write-up and to join, visit the American Mensa event. One does not have to register for the event — simply click on the Zoom link at the appropriate date and time.
    Virtual Event!!

22/ Tues­day

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  • 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 email. If you RSVP by email, your reservation is not confirmed until you receive a confirmation email.

23/ Wednes­day

  • Fear-Free Drawing with Pencils 7 PM. Let’s draw! We welcome newcomers. Art Studio of NY has amazing encouraging instructors—and many of us who thought we couldn’t draw at all have discovered that we can. The class is suitable for about age 8 and up—the kids who have joined us have had a great time. Supplies needed: B and 4B drawing pencils (or buy a set of 12 for about $6), a kneaded eraser (or regular eraser), a paper drawing pad (or just regular paper), 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 per person for one CAM member and one guest. The cost is $25/login if no registrant is a CAM member. To RSVPs and get payment information, email Beth W.. Payment required to hold your spot.
    Virtual Event!!

  • mole

    Mole Day
    Avogadro’s Number (6.02 × 1023)

24/ Thurs­day

27/ Sun­day

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  • Theodore Talk: Above and Beyond: The James Webb Space Telescope 2:30 PM. The James Webb Space Telescope, successor to the Hubble Space Telescope, is the largest space telescope ever constructed and is giving humanity its first high-definition view of the infrared universe. The JWST is observing early epochs of the universe, revealing how its galaxies and structure have evolved over cosmic time, exploring how stars and planetary systems form and evolve, and is searching exoplanet atmospheres for evidence of life.

    Goddard Space Flight Center astrophysicist Matt Greenhouse has served on the James Webb Space Telescope senior staff as Project Scientist for the science instrument payload since 1997. He will discuss the science instrument payload package, which includes four sensor systems that provide imagery, coronagraphy, and spectroscopy over the near- and mid-infrared spectrum, and how these instruments are being used to accomplish the JWST mission and goals.

    Greenhouse is the recipient of more than 20 individual performance awards and honors, including the NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal and the Robert H. Goddard award for Exceptional Achievement in Science. See the full write-up and find contact info on the American Mensa Events website. Even if you can’t attend the live talk, provided you register, you will receive a link to a recording of the event. Closed captioning enabled.
    Virtual Event!!

29/ Tues­day

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  • NNW Dinner: Serbian in Mount Prospect 6 PM. We will be dining at Balkan Taste for a casual Serbian dinner. It is lo­cated at 2354 S. Elmhurst Rd. in Mount Prospect (in a strip mall on the northwest corner of Elmhurst Rd. (IL Route 83) & Oakton Ave.). This is a GOBS-subsidized event where ½ the total cost (including tax plus a 20% tip, rounded up to the nearest dollar) —for a maximum of $20/person—of a CAM member’s and one guest’s dinner will be covered for a maximum of 15 people. Payment must be via PayPal or in cash; no coins will be accepted. RSVP Ken L. (Meetuppreferred; otherwise via email) by 10 PM, Sunday, October 27th. If you RSVP by email, your reservation is not confirmed until you receive a confirmation email.

  • Mensa Testing 6 PM. The location is in the River North neighborhood of downtown Chicago. You must prereg­ister and prepay — very limited seating. Parking is very expensive; public transit is strongly recommended! Latecomers (you must arrive before 6 PM to be admitted) 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!!

30/ Wednes­day

  • GOBS Request Deadline Noon. Today is the last day to submit a request for GOBS funds to be approved at this Saturday’s Business Meeting for any planned, eligible event, activity, or class taking place after Sunday, November 2nd and through the Wednesday before the December Business Meeting or later; to be eligible, events involving CAM members must be published in the issue of ChiMe corresponding to the month in which they occur.

31/ Thurs­day

  • Conversation with London Mensans 9 AM. See Thursday, October 3rd.
    Virtual Event!!
    Time Change Due to Daylight Saving Time Change Difference!!

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* * * * *

1 November/ Fri­day

  • ChiMe Activ­ity Bulletin and Ad­vertising Dead­lines. Last day for these submissions to the December ChiMe. Interested in organizing and hosting a virtual or in-person event? There’s bound to be an activity or a restaurant you want to try, but you just want some other people to experience it with you. So invite your fellow Mensans. Find out how by visiting our guide to hosting events.

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

Activities Bulletin
October 2024

October
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27 28 29 30 31    

RSVPs - Always contact the CAM event host as specified in the event details — email , phone , text , or Meetup .

About
Meetup

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 current calendar

About
Meetup

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 current calendar


Come & play at AGoG!
Feb. 14th – 16th

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