CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Codes
ACW all children welcome; BYOB bring your own beverage; CO clothing optional; C/D cat/dog at residence; FE fictitious event; FFE fragrance-free event; FFO finger food only; LCR light carpet rules (no red wine or other staining substances; can also mean no shoes); MO members only; NC no children; NPC, PC no public calendar, public calendar; NMPCW new members, prospects, and candidates welcome; NS, S, S/NS, SO no smoking, smoking, provisions for both, smoking outside; NXM not exclusively Mensa event; RSE regularly scheduled event; WBC well behaved children; WCD, WCE, WCI, WCP wheelchairs difficult, easy, impossible, possible; RSEs are reprinted verbatim unless an update is received by the deadline for the issue in which a change is requested.
Note: Children under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.
Web Calendar Policy
Our policy is not to list events on the Web calendar unless requested to do so by inclusion of the “PC” (“public calendar”) code. If the PC code is not included, your event will default to NPC (no public calendar) and will not be included in the Web calendar. Home addresses (and directions to same) are not listed on the Web, but city and contact information such as telephone and e-mail are unless requested otherwise.
Meetup
SFRM maintains a MeetUp group for events announced on short notice. See meetup.com/SFMensa
To List Your Event
Length limit: 120 words. Submit items to the Calendar Editor at . Items must be received by the deadline listed in the calendar to guarantee inclusion. Items must include host’s name, date and time, location, and applicable codes (above), and should also include phone (including area code) or e-mail address. Notices are published on a space-available basis subject to the discretion of the Calendar Editor. The policy for inclusion in the calendar is based on the SFRM bylaws.
WEEKLY EVENT
End of February
February 26 – Sunday
12n Cafe Discussion: Time Travel (vacation?). When would you want to “land”? Temporarily or permanently? Why? Fun with Paradoxes? Changing History? See March 5. (RSE Su)
12:30p Theodore Talk: Comedy is a Funny Business. We all like to laugh (or at least most of us do). From class clown to comedy kingpin, Dustin Kauffman has been making people laugh, one way or another, for most of his life. He first appeared in front of a crowd at an open mic night in 1999. Within six months he was performing professionally. He started touring in 2003, appearing in clubs in New York, Chicago, Seattle and Los Angeles. Tired of the life on the road, he returned to Kansas City in 2014, where he … sold flooring. Which he was very good at. But still, it didn’t carry the same thrill as entertaining people. So he began thinking about his own comedy club. In the summer of 2018 he signed a five-year lease on what used to be a Waid’s Diner, and before that a small four-screen movie theatre. In April 2019 the Comedy Club of Kansas City opened. At least for a while, until Covid shut it down. Dustin will talk about what is like to run a comedy club. Check out more details about this event at www.meetup.com/sfmensa/events/290721968. PC
2:30p Speaker Series: On Becoming a Spacefaring Society. Ejner Fulsang will discuss the generational evolution that a society will have to make in order to become a true spacefaring society. The talk addresses the science and technology behind the series. It focuses on propulsion, space habitats, mission architecture, and genetic modifications necessary to become a space-adapted human. All concepts presented are plausible. Fulsang graduated from West Point with a BS in Engineering and flew choppers in Korea. After leaving the Army, he spent 20 years working in engineering and marketing. He spent ten years as a proposal manager at NASA Ames and SETI. Twenty years ago, Fulsang took up writing. He is best known for the hard SciFi Galactican Series. He is currently working on the fourth book of a planned six. This is a Zoom event, hosted by Judy Unger. RSVP on SFRM Meetup to get the link. PC
7p Channing Club. See March 26. (RSE 4 Su)
27 – Monday
6p Online Board Games. See March 18.
March 1-7
March 1 – Wednesday
6p Genius of Birds Book Discussion. Join us for a discussion of The Genius of Birds by Jennifer Ackerman one chapter at a time. This week we’re reading Chapter 1, From Dodo to Crow: Taking the Measure of a Bird Mind. This is a Zoom event. The login details are listed on Meetup. Hosted by Pia Smith. PC (RSE W)
4 – Saturday
6p Start the Month Right. At Elna and Adrian Tymes’ home in Mountain View. Come celebrate the 43rd year and longest running monthly social event in all of American Mensa (at Elna’s home every month since 1981)! Potluck dinner, unstructured socializing, games, and talk. We provide the main dish; you bring salad, bread, or dessert to share and YOB. $1 donation requested. No reservations needed. Info (650) 969-6650. Guests of Mensans must be accompanied by the member. Masks optional. PC, SO, WBC, WCD, C/D (RSE 1 Sat)
6p In-Person Teton Tea. In addition to the existing Zoom Teton Tea Party we will begin having an in-person Teton Tea on the first Saturday of each month, from 6p to 9p, starting March 4. We are meeting at the Berkeley home of Annie Hallatt, phone (510) 548-8252. She writes: “I will have a bonfire in the brick fireplace and chairs to sit around and sing. We can also go inside of Annie’s Hall if the weather gets wet or windy. We will have Teton Tea (wine, tea, raspberries, lemons, and sugar, served hot) and would love you to bring treats to share. I also have a wood stove to keep the space warm if we need it. I will put a sign out to let you know you have arrived at the house. I have a piano if someone wants to play it. I look forward to sharing our songs. Bring songs and music to share.” Please be fully vaxxed and boosted and bring a mask for when we’re not eating or singing. Hosted by Kevin Langdon. PC (RSE 1 Sa)
5 – Sunday
12n Cafe Discussion: TBD. Cafe Discussions are lively, interesting, and you always come away with something to think about in the week to come. Drop in and stay for as long as you like. This is a Zoom event. The login details are listed on Meetup. Hosted by James Monschke. PC (RSE Su)
4p Albany Hill Hike. Join us for a one-hour scenic and historic hike up and around Albany Hill. The trail is steep in spots, but the views are expansive. Special bonus: We have scheduled the Sather Tower Solar Beacon to shine directly upon us as we arrive at the top of the hill. Meet under Pacific East Mall Jumbotron just behind the bus stop on the east side of Pierce St. between Central Ave. in El Cerrito and Washington Ave. in Albany. Free parking is available in the mall lot, which is seven tenths of a mile from the El Cerrito Plaza BART station. Please contact Roberta Maguire to make sure she is in town at robertamaguire/a/t/hotmail.com or (510) 292-6370. PC, ACW, NMPCW, NS, WCI, NXM (RSE 1 Su)
7 – Tuesday
5p Tuesday Tipplers will meet at San Rafael Joe’s, 931 4th St., San Rafael 94901, at 5p for drinks in the bar and then move on to dinner in the dining room after an hour. Park on the street or in the city garage behind the restaurant. If you have questions e-mail Ed Sabrack at edsabrack/a/t/comcast.net or call (415) 472-3725. PC (RSE 1 Tu)
Intelligencer Deadline. Deadline for calendar events, advertising, members’ free ads, and all other content. See above for information on submitting events. PC (RSE Tu after 1 Sa)
March 8-14
8 – Wednesday
6p Genius of Birds Book Discussion. Join us for a discussion of The Genius of Birds by Jennifer Ackerman one chapter at a time. This week we’re reading Chapter 2, The Bird Way: The Avian Brain Revisited. This is a Zoom event. The login details are listed on Meetup. Hosted by Pia Smith. PC (RSE W)
9 – Thursday
11:45a South Bay Lunch. Meet at Scrambl’z, 5055 Almaden Expressway, San Jose 95118 (near Hwys. 85 & 87), (408) 269-2900. Voted one of the best breakfast restaurants around. Extensive menu online at www.scramblzalmaden.com. Sandra Anderson, (408) 997-3187. Vaccinated only, please. PC, NMPCW, WCE (RSE 2,4 Th)
10 – Friday
7p Palo Alto Dining at Dinah’s Poolside. It seems time for American cuisine. Spring is coming, so we are poolside; but it’s March, so we are indoors. The restaurant is at 4261 El Camino Real, 94306. The menu is short, but the items look good. To reserve, contact Susan at (650) 714-4972 or Susan.Heimlich/a/t/gmail.com at least two days before the event, and be sure get a confirmation. Ask for Susan, and please bring cash. Vaccinated people only please. PC, NMPCW
11 – Saturday
4p Big Ideas Reading Group: Noise: A Flaw in Human Judgment by Daniel Kahneman. On Zoom. Noise: variability in judgments that should be identical. Wherever there is judgment, there is noise. Yet, most of the time, individuals and organizations alike are unaware of it. They neglect noise. With a few simple remedies, people can reduce both noise and bias, and so make far better decisions. Noise is packed with original ideas and explains how and why humans are so susceptible to noise in judgment – and what we can do about it. For April 8 on Zoom: A Series of Fortunate Events: Chance and the Making of the Planet, Life, and You by Sean B. Carroll. We have a list of books read at www.bigideasreadinggroup.com/BIRG2.html. For questions and invitations to our Zoom meetings please contact Chris Boyd at snoboyd/a/t/sbcglobal.net. PC, NMPCW, NXM (RSE 2 Sa)
12 – Sunday
12n Cafe Discussion: TBD. See March 5. (RSE Su)
2:30p Speaker Series: Elder Caring. Elna Tymes will discuss what kinds of living facilities/programs are available for elders and what is appropriate for which kind of care. This is a Zoom event, hosted by Judy Unger. RSVP on SFRM Meetup to get the link. PC
5p Academy Awards Party. Join your fellow Mensans to watch the Academy Awards show at Geri Randall’s home in San Rafael. This is a potluck dinner – Geri will provide the main entrée. Please bring beverages, a salad, hors d’oeuvres, side dish, or dessert. Space is limited, so this gathering is limited to 15 guests. To RSVP (required) and to get directions, e-mail Geri at gerirandall/a/t/hotmail.com. It would be helpful if you RSVP on the SFRM Meetup page as well. PC, NC, BYOB, C/D, NMPCW, NS, WCE
13 – Monday
4p San Francisco Pub Get-Together. Stop by after work or, if you don’t work downtown, just come anyway. All Mensans and their guests are welcome, provided that they are at least 21, at Patriot House in 2 Embarcadero Center (Sacramento St. between Front St. and Davis St.), SF 94111. Take the inside escalator to the 2nd floor, turn right twice, and then follow the sign to the stairs to the 3rd floor. The restaurant’s entrance is near the top of those stairs on the 3rd floor. Look for the Mensa logo on our table or ask one of the waitresses to find us. Starting at 4p, but arrive when you can and leave when you’re ready. We will be there for several hours. They have a Happy Hour from 4p until 6p, with the kitchen closing at 9p and the bar closing at 10p. RSVP preferred on Mensa’s Meetup site at www.meetup.com/SFMensa, less preferred by e-mail to Barry Krasner at bwkbwk/a/t/pacbell.net. If you find that you can’t come after RSVPing “Yes”, please change your RSVP to “No” before the event takes place. PC, NC, NS, NMPCW (RSE 2 M)
14 – Tuesday
6:45p Puzzled Pint. Who likes PUZZLES? The kind where part of the game is to figure out what you need to be doing in the first place? Want to do it as part of a team, so you can bounce ideas off each other, and let someone else do the parts that you find uninteresting? This is a monthly event held in the Bay Area (and simultaneously elsewhere in the world), at a convenient pub where we might order food and drink before or during the game. RSVP to Karl Heuer at puzzles/a/t/sfmensa.org or (650) 648-3594 (voice or text) to reserve your spot and learn the address; it’s almost always either Sunnyvale or Mountain View, near Central Expressway. PC, NMPCW, NS, NXM (RSE 2 Tu)
March 15-21
15 – Wednesday
5:30p Re-BORG. Berkeley-Oakland Restaurant Group is reborn and revived in honor of the incomparable Cathy Roha, who initiated this event and hosted it for many years. Assimilate delicious food and interesting conversation at a good restaurant somewhere in the central East Bay. Bring cash, your vaccination card, and a mask. Limited seating. E-mail or call ahead for location up to a week ahead. RSVP by 3p on Tuesday, March 14. Roberta Maguire, robertamaguire/a/t/hotmail.com, (510) 292-6370. PC, NS, NMPCW, ACW (RSE 3 W)
6p Genius of Birds Book Discussion. Join us for a discussion of The Genius of Birds by Jennifer Ackerman one chapter at a time. This week we’re reading Chapter 3, Boffins: Technical Wizardry. This is a Zoom event. The login details are listed on Meetup. Hosted by Pia Smith. PC (RSE W)
16 – Thursday
Thursday Munchers is canceled for March. PC (RSE Th after 2 Tu)
18 – Saturday
6p Online Board Games. Come explore some board games that can be played on the Web. If you’re new, please create a (free) account at boardgamearena.com and follow the setup instructions. We’ll meet online with Zoom to establish voice contact, and then we’ll decide on a game to try out. RSVP on the Meetup calendar if possible, otherwise contact Karl Heuer at puzzles/a/t/sfmensa.org or (650) 648-3594. PC, NMPCW, ACW
7p Teton Tea. Teton Tea Parties are folk-singing parties going back to the 1950s. We welcome both traditional folk singing and singer/songwriters. Our 3rd Saturday meetings are currently on Zoom. Join the Zoom meeting: us02web.zoom.us/j/6912937135?pwd=WVlpMEs1SCs0c1FoZk5seUhoREVaZz09. Meeting ID: 691 293 7135. Password: berkeley. Hosted by Kevin Langdon, kevinlangdon86/a/t/yahoo.com. PC (RSE 3 Sa)
19 – Sunday
12n Cafe Discussion: TBD. See March 5. (RSE Su)
March 22-31
22 – Wednesday
6p Genius of Birds Book Discussion. Join us for a discussion of The Genius of Birds by Jennifer Ackerman one chapter at a time. This week we’re reading Chapter 4, Twitter: Social Savvy. This is a Zoom event. The login details are listed on Meetup. Hosted by Pia Smith. PC (RSE W)
23 – Thursday
11:45a South Bay Lunch. See March 9. (RSE 2,4 Th)
24 – Friday
6:30p Virtual Happy Hour. Mix up your favorite beverage. Bring out some happy-hour munchies and join us for a virtual relaxing time. RSVP on Meetup for the Zoom Link. Hosted by Judy Unger, junger2040/a/t/gmail.com. PC (RSE 4 F)
26 – Sunday
12n Cafe Discussion: TBD. See March 5. (RSE Su)
7p Channing Club is a wide-ranging discussion group which has been meeting, in one form or another, for over half a century. There are no assigned topics; we discuss whatever is on participants’ minds. Our meetings are currently on Zoom. Join the Zoom meeting: us02web.zoom.us/j/6912937135?pwd=WVlpMEs1SCs0c1FoZk5seUhoREVaZz09. Meeting ID: 691 293 7135. Password: berkeley. Hosted by Kevin Langdon, kevinlangdon86/a/t/yahoo.com. PC (RSE 4 Su)
27 – Monday
6p Online Board Games. See March 18.
29 – Wednesday
6p Genius of Birds Book Discussion. Join us for a discussion of The Genius of Birds by Jennifer Ackerman one chapter at a time. This week we’re reading Chapter 5, Four Hundred Tongues: Vocal Virtuosity. This is a Zoom event. The login details are listed on Meetup. Hosted by Pia Smith. PC (RSE W)
FUTURE FLASHES
April 1 – Saturday
6p Start The Month Right. See March 4. (RSE 1 Sa)
6p In-Person Teton Tea. See March 4. (RSE 1 Sa)
2 – Sunday
12n Cafe Discussion: Topic TBD. See March 5. (RSE Su)
4p Albany Hill Hike. See March 5. (RSE 1 Su)
4 – Tuesday
5p Tuesday Tipplers. See March 7. (RSE 1 Tu)
Intelligencer Deadline. See March 7. (RSE Tu after 1 Sa)
5 – Wednesday
6p Genius of Birds Book Discussion. Join us for a discussion of The Genius of Birds by Jennifer Ackerman one chapter at a time. This week we’re reading Chapter 6, The Bird Artist: Aesthetic Aptitude. This is a Zoom event. The login details are listed on Meetup. Hosted by Pia Smith. PC (RSE W)
8 – Saturday
4p Big Ideas Reading Group. See March 11. (RSE 2 Sa)