PlainsPeaking 1 February 2006 The Newsletter of Plains and Peaks Mensa, Southern Colorado Volume 22 Issue 2 http://www.plainsandpeaks.us.mensa.org/ February 2006 Notes from our LocSec Sandy Halby Hello, fellow Plains & Peaks Mensans! Before I go any further tact me by the 15 th of March if you’re interested in participating typing up my LocSec News – I want to give a HUGE, HUGE in CultureQuest® this year. THANKS and BIG, BIG HUG to Heather Preston, our Newsletter Editor, for bailing me out in December. I had family here and Over the past few months, I’ve received several e-mails from then was very ill over the holidays (I’m fine now, American Mensa regarding “Member Benefits” ser- thank Ipthar - and going like mad to catch up on REMINDER TO ALL vices and products available to members of Mensa. I everything). Heather – I owe you not only one, PLAINS & PEAKS MEN- would encourage you to check out those services and but several!! Thanks again!! SANS - If Colorado products at the American Mensa web-site, under Springs Police Department “Marketplace.” I’ve taken advantage of several of On to Mensa news … Please, if you have e-mail, goes to “ACCIDENT these offers, like the VPI Pet Insurance discount and let American Mensa know your CORRECT e- ALERT” or “COLD RE- the magazine “mental_floss” subscription discount. dress. We send out our electronic PlainsPeaking PORTING” during severe Who knows – you might find something there to newsletter to the e-dresses that are listed on the weather, and there is a take advantage of – like the travel and car rental dis- official American Mensa membership roster we Plains & Peaks Mensa count – or just getting financial information. receive each month. You can check your per- event scheduled, consider As I type this up for Heather to include in the news- sonal information and e-dress by going to the that event CANCELLED. letter, I’m waiting to hear back on our guest speaker American Mensa website (www.us.mensa.org) If in doubt, call the event for February. Please check our calendar for the Feb- and logging in to the Members section. sponsor or Sandy Halby. ruary Main Monthly Meeting information. Also – if Our Mensa Education and Research Foundation you have an idea for a guest speaker or activity, (MERF) Scholarship program is nearly completed for this year. please let me know and we’ll see if we can arrange a Plains & The deadline for MERF essay contest submissions was the 15 th of Peaks event! And – if you’ve got a restaurant you want to try, let January, and we received eight entries. Our judges, Al Ackerson, me know that, too – and we can set up either an ExComm there or Larry Lukenbill, and Jenny Balderrama, will be reviewing the Ultimate Saturday Supper. entries and coming up with local winners, whose essays will be forwarded to the Regional level for further competition. One Please check our calendar for other Plains & Peaks Mensa events local winner will receive a $300 scholarship this year and have – like dinners and poker night! And, do plan on joining us for an activity or evening out!! Hope to see you soon! the potential to win more at the Regional and National levels. It’s time to start thinking about CultureQuest® again!! (Boy, Sandy does a year go by fast!!) We must have our teams formed, entry In This Issue paperwork submitted, and payment of $40 per team submitted by the 31 st of March. In case you’ve not played CultureQuest® be- LocSec Notes.................... 1 fore – or are new to Mensa – I’ve sent an article to Heather to NomComm-ent ................ 1 include in this newsletter. You can also visit the American Mensa website and click on “Events” for rules, etc. Please con- M’sPeak............................ 2 February Birthdays......... 2 NomComm: Phenomenal Cosmic Power — Itty Bitty Living Space Aloha................................. 2 The National Nominating Committee (NomComm) is looking for volunteers to help Join Kids Trek at AG...... 2 with the selection of candidates for national offices. Each local group can have one rep- It’s Culture Quest! .......... 3 resentative to the NomComm and most business is now conducted on-line. There are Officers............................. 3 two NomComm meetings per year - one for procedures and another for “Meet the Can- didates.” If you want to be involved with Mensa on the National level, here’s your February Calendar.......... 4 chance! For more information about the NomComm, please see the January 2006 issue Colloquium 2006.............. 5 of the Mensa Bulletin (page 16). Contact Sandy by 20 Feb 06 to submit your name, or Movie Quiz....................... 5 contact Stormie Kullman, the NomComm Chair. Her address/phone/e-mail is included in the 2006 Mensa Bulletin article. ( ...) PuzzleMents..................... 5 PlainsPeaking 2 February 2006 M’sPeak (editorial) Heather Preston Well, that went fairly well! For anyone who likes sushi or tem- in there I will have visiting relatives, so my attendance may pura or udon noodles or stuff stir-fried on a teppan table with a lapse. They are not official Mensa events. Wish they were! :-) lovely décor, the new Jun’s on Centennial and Fillmore was a blast. Not to mention the company—more people the first time, A Few More Things to Keep Mensans Busy: just two of us the second time, but I managed to remember the Conversation Café , East Library, 5550 N. Union Blvd. Featur- yellow balloon the second time around. Mensans are so cool! ing lively conversation that respects different viewpoints. Satur- days, 10-11:30 a.m. Begins Sat., Feb. 4. Call 205-5175 for Games Night also went pretty well, and Al Ackerson cleaned up more. by getting over 230 in a 4-person game (have you tried that? Carnivale and Parade Call for Entries , for Manitou Springs' There’s a lot less room than in a 2-person game, and so his Mardi Gras-style festival. Seeking individuals, groups, musi- bingo-ing was a big deal). Sandy and Al both mentioned we cians and anyone entertaining to participate in the festivities on should do more Scrabble nights for the word people — heavens, Sat., Feb. 25. Call 685-4317 for more. yes! Mumbo Jumbo Gumbo Cook-Off , during Manitou Springs This seems like the right place to mention that if you are good at Carnivale on Feb. 25. For Gumbo Cook-Off information and Scrabble and want to play people who are REALLY good at rules call 685-5089. Scrabble (as in, have NSA ratings—that’s National Scrabble Have a great February — and if despite all this, it turns out less Association, in case you were having thoughts about your cell than great, at least it’s brief! phone), you should try showing up at the Village Inn on Garden of the Gods anytime after 6 pm on Monday evenings. There are Get on the AA----ListList ee----listlistlistlist nice but very good Scrabble players who meet there to keep their skills up — they were very friendly and probably too help- If you’d like e-mail reminders of upcoming Plains & Peaks ful to me last week when I gave it a try. One of the players will Mensa events, please contact Sandy ... Sandy sends out e-mail play two people simultaneously, which is good if you are a reminders a couple of days before a Plains & Peaks Mensa slowpoke like me. Might want to bring a board and tiles if you event (when she remembers). She uses bcc: so your e-dress have ‘em! I will try to make it to these regularly, but somewhere says private. Happy February Birthday! Unlocking the Future Marion Gaskins Justin Fetherolf The Kids Trek at the Mensa World Gathering to be held in Or- Jennifer Browning lando this summer would like to hear from those of you willing Gerard Clayton to share your time and talents with our children. This would be a Maureen Henderson wonderful opportunity to provide the skills of our diverse cul- tures to others who can then take them home and share them Bob Bowers with their friends and classmates. It could also unlock a gate that Anita Russell could open to a path that these children will follow for life. Deborah Johnson Glenn Spencer When I was in school a long, long time ago, teachers had the Al Ackerson time to add to the basic curriculum and greatly enhance our edu- David Haukom cation. We received the art, dancing, physical education, and Frank Shelton theatrical training that is now being cut from so many schools here in the U.S. Many of my classmates went on to careers in [and to the rest of you February babies! — Ed. ] art, in television, on Broadway, and in the movie business as NOTE: If you don’t see your birthday posted here, check on well as becoming scientists and basketball stars. I wonder if this your personal information release status: please contact Ameri- would have been so if we had not had all those extras? can Mensa (1-800-66-MENSA) or go to www.us.mensa.org and under Member resources, select the PDQ section. If you can share your time and talents on any of the three days of Kids Trek, either as presenters, assistants, or escorts, please Aloha! contact Kay Klasen [email protected] and Martha Feld mar- Welcome New Members [email protected], please note WG06 in the subject line. If Todd Hollenbeck and Kenneth Jordan — Hello, and welcome to you do not have a computer and would like to send a note, mail Plains & Peaks Mensa! to Kay Klasen - WG06 Volunteer Coordinator, 8823 NW 20 Manor, Coral Springs, FL 33071.