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/ Sunday

-
ChiMe Activity Bulletin and Advertising Deadlines. Last day for these submissions to the February 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 February ChiMe. Please submit original articles, insights, puzzles, brain teasers, or short poems. Your fellow Chicago Area Mensa members would love to hear from you.
5/ 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!!
-
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.
6/ Friday

-
A Gathering of Gamers (AGoG) - Preregistration Rate Increase Alert! Join us for a relaxing weekend of games and hospitality on February 17th – 19th. Today was the last day you could preregister for AGoG and qualify for the best AGoG discount. You can, however, still preregister and qualify for a discount through Friday, February 3rd. By preregistering, you may pay with PayPal , and, once you get to AGoG, you avoid the hassle of filling out forms at registration plus you’ll get a pre-printed badge. So instead of wasting time at registration, you can start playing! Also, if you’re paying by check, it must have been received today, else the best discount will not be honored.
8/ Sunday

-
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.
10/ Tuesday
-
Downtown Lunch: Virtual 1 PM. See Thursday, January 5th.
11/ Wednesday
-
Northern Exposure Dinner Cancelled. Northern Exposure is taking a break this month.
Event on Hiatus This Month!!
12/ Thursday
-
Conversation with London Mensans 8 AM. See Thursday, January 5th.
13/ Friday

-
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!!
14/ Saturday

-
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.
16/ Monday
-
Martin Luther King Jr. Day
-
AGoG Hotel Rate Increase Alert! If you haven’t booked your room, you’ve missed your chance to book a hotel room at the AGoG discount rate of $122.
18/ Wednesday
-
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.
19/ Thursday
-
Conversation with London Mensans 8 AM. See Thursday, January 5th.
-
Downtown Lunch: Virtual 1 PM. See Thursday, January 5th.
20/ Friday

-
Gallery Talk - Sounds in the Sea: The Art and Science of Ocean Acoustics Lecture 7:30 PM. Part of the Fermilab lecture series, this one given by Lindsay Olson, Visual Artist and Fermilab’s first Artist-in-Residence. We are visual creatures. But underwater, visibility falls off dramatically and the kinds of visual observations that biologists use to study terrestrial ecosystems are not practical. Studying what is happening under the ocean requires a different approach. Ocean Acoustics uses sound to listen in to what’s happening and collect data that illuminates life in the ocean. This project makes visible the invisible world of sound in the sea. Lindsay created densely embroidered silk panels that help describe what researchers are discovering. The artwork illustrates the largest daily migration of zooplankton, the sound enhancing SOFAR channel, phytoplankton and the dramatic vocalizations of marine life gathered by hydrophones. Ms. Olson drew inspiration from the work of the Swiss embroidery artist Lissy Funk. In this talk she will also describe the challenges and rewards of a scientific voyage off the eastern seaboard of the United States. Free but Registration required. Also view previous event recordings.
Public Virtual Event!!
21/ 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, 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!!
22/ Sunday
-
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!!
-
Lunar New Year
Year of the Rabbit
24/ 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. 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.
25/ 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 Saturday, January 28th and through Saturday, February 18th 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. For CAM events, it’s recommended you submit the GOBS request and get it approved before submitting your event information for publication in ChiMe — so no later than today for events planned for March or later. March events need to be submitted by the 1st of February to the activities editor to be included in the March ChiMe. An article must be featured in the March ChiMe for GOBS-subsidized April events with an RSVP deadline in March (same 1st of February deadline but article e-mailed to the editor; see editorial deadline).
If you’ve registered for CultureQuest® (get all the details), but have not submitted your request for GOBS funds, today was the last chance to submit a GOB request before the January monthly Business Meeting. The entire registration fee (and only the registration fee) will be covered and reimbursed after the event for approved GOBS requests.
26/ Thursday
-
Conversation with London Mensans 8 AM. See Thursday, January 5th.
Our next
Monthly Gathering
is on
February 18th.
AGoG will be held Feb. 17th – 19th. Both
will be held
at the
Westin North Shore Hotel
601 N. Milwaukee Ave., Wheeling, IL 60090
The locations
of the MGs vary.
28/ Saturday
-
Monthly Gathering
(Cancelled)
This month’s gathering has been cancelled due to the fact that weather conditions make travel dangerous!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.
MG has been Cancelled!!
* * * * *
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.
* * * * *
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.
* * * * *
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!
31/ Tuesday
* * * * *
1 February/ Wednesday
-
ChiMe Activity Bulletin and Advertising Deadlines. Last day for these submissions to the March 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 March 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.
RSVPs:
To protect our members’ privacy, contact information has been removed from this listing but is available 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.
Password Issues?
You must use the AM password reset. 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 webpage.
Event E-Mails
CAM members will get periodic Mensa Connect 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.
Activities Bulletin
January 2023
January | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 |
22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 |
29 | 30 | 31 |

Already a CAM Discord member?
Simply open up the Discord app, look for the
CAM
icon on the very left, and tap/click on it. You’ll often find fellow gamers online
even when no official CAM event is taking place.
New?
A few days before the event, check out the Introductory Guide to Discord as well as our CAM Discord FAQ for instructions about downloading the Discord app on the device you’ll be using, 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 as a button. Tap/click on the button, then tap/click on the Invitation Link, and it will open the Discord app you installed. 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. 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.
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 to video call a fellow Mensa member/group who is part of the CAM Discord community and definitely to play online games while chatting with everyone participating.
RSVPs - Always contact the CAM event host as specified in the event details — e-mail , phone , text , or Meetup .
Meetup
Meetup often includes events that are not in the January 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.)
And why not host your own event, virtual or in-person?
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 group has its own closed Facebook group which may have events not listed here nor on Meetup (contact them to join):
- Southwest Area Group (SwAG): Kevin & Steve - Coördinators
Meetup
Meetup often includes events that are not in the January 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.)
And why not host your own event, virtual or in-person?
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 group has its own closed Facebook group which may have events not listed here nor on Meetup (contact them to join):
- Southwest Area Group (SwAG): Kevin & Steve - Coördinators
Come & play at AGoG!
Feb. 17th – 19th