4:45pm: GIFTED KIDS EAT RAW FISH. Would you and your gifted child like to try sushi without drop-ping a wad of money on something he or she might not eat? En Asian Bistro and Sushi Bar, at 19833 Century Boulevard in Germantown, has a Monday night special with selected sushi items for only $1 each. The event co-ordinator has eaten there, and reports that their sushi is top-notch. Dinner with the $1 specials starts at 5pm, but the manager has agreed to let our Mensa group in at 4:45 so we can try the sushi experience before the very small restaurant gets very crowded. Other Japanese food is also available, as is higher-priced sushi. You can find a menu, reviews, and directions, at www.enbistro.com. There is limited on-street parking, but there’s a large Safe-way parking lot one block away, at the intersection of Century Boulevard and Middlebrook Road. Children don’t have to be Mensa members to eat sushi with us—the coordinator believes that all kids are gifted. Please join us for a new and fun experience. There are no upper or lower age limits for this activity. NOTE: Gifted Kids activities are not childcare opportunities. Children must be accompanied by an adult or responsible teen. {MWM}

Noon: SUITLAND LUNCH BUNCH. Contact the event coordinator to learn the location in or near Suitland. {MWM}

6:30pm: HARFORD COUNTY CAMARADERIE. Link up with Northern Maryland’s Mensans for dinner and friendly, thought-provoking conversation at the Grand Buffet in Bel Air’s Festival at Bel Air mall (MD Route 24 and Bel Air South Parkway). The menu features both Oriental and American foods, all at reasonable prices. Just as in South Mountain Pizza, no reservation needed: simply ask for Mensa—the manager and natives are friendly. Contact the event coordinator for more information.

6:30pm: FIRST SECOND FRIDAY FILM FUN. Come to the Charles Theater, the 67-year-old Baltimore icon at 1711 North Charles Street (near the intersection with Lanvale Street), to choose and watch a distinctive film with other Mensans. Afterwards we’ll go to a nearby restaurant or coffee shop and share our thoughts about what we just saw. Please tell the event coordinator if you plan to go. {We’re making a one-week shift in First Friday Film Fun for May only, to avoid overlapping the RG.}

7pm: FRIDAY NIGHT SALON IN BETHESDA. Enjoy stimulating conversation as well as the best in French country cuisine at La Madeleine Café, 7607 Old Georgetown Road (at the corner of Old Georgetown and Com-merce Road, just one block from the Bethesda Metro stop on the red line). Park in La Madeleine’s own parking lot; on the street; or in the renovated and inexpensive public garage on Woodmont Avenue. Our format: We be-gin with casual conversation and then segue into a question-and-answer period after about an hour. Each partici-pant writes down a question he or she wants the whole group to address, then submits it anonymously. One of us reads the questions aloud, and the group discusses each one. No pressure—just fun (and being on time is NOT a requirement). If you have questions, please contact the event coordinator. This event is wheelchair-accessible. {MWM}

7pm: YSM WINE TASTING AND DINNER at Olives (16th and K Streets in NW Washington, DC). Please contact the event coordinator for more details. {MWM}

Noon: BRUNCH IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA at Matsutake Restaurant, 4121 Wilson Boulevard in Arlington across from Ballston Mall. Sushi and other Japanese buffet for $12.95. Free garage parking on North Stuart with validation; parking at Ballston Mall for $1. RSVP to the event coordinator by 11am today, Saturday the 10th. {MWM}

12:30pm: BLAZING, LIGHTLY ARMED MENSANS (BLAMS) GO SHOOTING at the state-of-the-art in-door target range in the NRA Headquarters Building at 11250 Waples Mill Road in Fairfax, VA (just off I-66 at U.S. Route 50; 703-267-1400; www.nrahq.org/shootingrange/nrahqrange). Women, men, novices, first-timers, and experts have all attended and enjoyed themselves. We usually have five to seven members at this event—for many, it’s their first Mensa activity. Noobies should arrive at noon for a required safety orientation, and can ex-pect training on a variety of rifles and pistols. The range staff is friendly, professional, and knows us well, so tell them you’re with Mensa when you check in. Wheelchair-accessible; free garage parking; pickup from Vi-enna/Fairfax-GMU Metro stop (orange line) available. RSVP helpful. Lunch afterward to shoot the manure. For more information, contact Adam Beslove at 703-929-7909 (cellular). {MWM}

1pm: CHEAP SHOWS. Meet the event coordinators for a movie at a Metro-accessible theater, followed by late lunch. Call on Friday night or Saturday morning to learn show and location. {MWM}

2pm: PARAPSYCHOLOGY SIG. Phone the event coordinator or use your ESP to reserve by Thursday the 8th. {MWM}

2pm: FREDERICK GAMES. We play board, card, and strategy games, including but not limited to Boggle, Jokers & Pegs, Scrabble, Spades, and Upwords. A core group of six people attends most sessions. We are ac-tively looking for new players, and you need not attend all or even most sessions to join us. You’re invited to bring a game to teach the rest of the group if you wish (though the hostess tends to dislike war and fantasy role-playing games and points out that there are plenty of other venues for those). Free non-alcoholic drinks are served, and you’re welcome to bring munchies to share if you care to. For more information, including direc-tions if you decide you’re interested in attending, please contact the event coordinator.

7pm: SIGSIG (SATURDAY/SUNDAY INDOOR GAMES SIG). Ah, the merry month of May! Warm weather, blooming flowers, high school proms, and SIGSIG too! Our gracious springtime host has invited us in-to her Columbia home, where we’ll have a fully blown case of spring gaming fever! Games, snacks, conversa-tion—it’s all there! {We’re working on the door prizes.} Bring your own favorite games and snacks and join the fun. Contact the host so she knows who is coming. So come what may, be there!

Noon: ROCKVILLE LUNCH BUNCH meets at El Mariachi Restaurant, 765-D Rockville Pike (301-770-5020; behind the IHOP in the Ritchie Center). Please call the event coordinator by close of business on Tuesday the 13th to reserve your place. {MWM}

6:30–10pm: POTOMAC GAMES NIGHT. See entry for first Wednesday. Theme: Unified. {MWM}

6:30pm: EARLY ZORBA’S. LAST OF THE SEASON! Catch an on-street parking spot as they open up at 6:30, then come to Zorba’s for an early dinner. Say ‘Hi!’ to the regular ‘DC Happy Hour’ MWM crowd, and a little before 8 o’clock walk about 1-1/2 blocks to the Cosmos Club, 2170 Florida Avenue in NW DC, for the free 8:15 meeting of the Washington Philosophical Soc. (refreshments afterwards). This event traditionally attracts an in-teresting crowd of M’s and apparent M-eligibles. Give it a try! Tonight we’ll hear the 77th Joseph Henry Lec-ture: Arsenic in Ground Water: Aquatic Chemistry and Mitigation through a Sustainable Filtration Technology, by Abul Hussam from George Mason University’s Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. For talk abstract, go to www.philsoc.org. For further information, or if you plan to attend, please contact the event coordinator. {MWM}

7pm: FRIDAY NIGHT SALON IN BETHESDA. See first Friday entry for details. {MWM}

7pm: MEETING OF THE MINDS: A lively, open forum for the exchange of ideas, opinions, and sentiments of all stripes, colors, and flavors. We promise eclectic ideas, a laid-back attitude, and a curious mindset. We’ll meet at the Friendship Heights Booeymonger’s Restaurant, 5252 Wisconsin Avenue in NW DC (202-686-5805; one-half block from the Friendship Heights Metro station on the red line). Plenty of parking in nearby parking garages; freshly made sandwiches, soups, and salads within. Beer and wine are also available, as well as a variety of unusual sodas. Booey’s is open until 1am on Friday nights, so come early, stay late, or meet in the middle. Wheelchair-accessible. No reservations required. For more information, contact the event coordinator. {MWM}

7:30pm: MARYLAND MENSA’S MONTHLY MEETING convenes on the south side of Baltimore in the Stillmeadow Church, 1.2 miles inside the beltway at 5110 Frederick Road (MD 144; exit 13 east off I-695, to-ward Irvington—the church is on the left-hand side). Admission and light refreshments are $4 for Mensans, $5 for guests and prospective members of Mensa (walk-ins welcome). May’s speaker hasn’t yet been identified, but his or her name and topic will be posted in the calendar on MM’s website (www.maryland.us.mensa.org) as soon as they’re known. To learn more about Maryland Mensa’s monthly meetings in general, contact MM Programs Officer Jean O’Donnell at 410-448-5952 or jeanodonnell66@hotmail.com.

1pm: MATURE MENSANS of any age, but particularly those already enjoying or eligible for retirement, are invited to join the event coordinator in comparing notes over lunch at Pebbles Pub, 7165 Security Boulevard in Woodlawn (at the intersection of Security and Rolling Road; 410-265-7878). The pub menu offers a broad selection of entrées, ranging from deli sandwiches through subs, pizza, chicken, beef, crab cakes, and broiled salmon. Please contact the event coordinator for more information, or just to tell him you plan to come (so he’ll know how many places to hold at the table).

1pm–late evening: NORTHERN VIRGINIA BOARD GAMES is a monthly event that alternates between two homes in northern VA on the third Saturday of each month. Participants include Mensans and others. We mostly play board games such as Princes of Florence, Lowenherz, Settlers of Catan, Carcassonne, Puerto Rico, lots of other Euro-type games, RoboRally, a couple of "train games" of various lengths, and—occasionally—word games, family games, or party games. We generally have between eight and 15 people. It’s a lot of affable quiet guys, a few women, and sometimes a couple of older kids who like games. We split into groups as the number grows, sorting ourselves by what people want to play. NoVA Board Gamers are not fiercely competitive, will teach you games, and will help you out when it’s your turn if you wish. We often discuss strategy during play, which sometimes leads to people pointing out a better play to someone and even letting them start over if they wish. There is no charge for this group, and it’s come and go as you please. You don’t have to bring any snacks unless you want to; we usually order pizza around 6pm. If you think you might be interested, please e-mail the event coordinator. {MWM}

2pm: FREDERICK GAMES. We play board, card, and strategy games, including but not limited to Boggle, Jokers & Pegs, Scrabble, Spades, and Upwords. A core group of six people attends most sessions. We are ac-tively looking for new players, and you need not attend all or even most sessions to join us. You’re invited to bring a game to teach the rest of the group if you wish (though the hostess tends to dislike war and fantasy role-playing games and points out that there are plenty of other venues for those). Free non-alcoholic drinks are served, and you’re welcome to bring munchies to share if you care to. For more information, including direc-tions if you decide you’re interested in attending, please contact the event coordinator.

2pm: GEN Y SIG. FREE PIZZA! Were you born between 1980 and 1992? If so, then you’re a member of Generation Y. Want to meet other Mensans your age? Mark your calendar and come to a meeting of MWM’s Gen Y SIG to find out who else is out there. Prospective members and guests are welcome. We’ll meet at Poto-mac Pizza across from the Friendship Heights Metro station (red line), 19 Wisconsin Circle, in Chevy Chase; 301-951-1127. Contact one of the event coordinators for more information. {MWM}

6pm: GOURMENSANS indulge their inner carnivores at Ben’s Chili Bowl, 1213 U Street in NW Washington. Ben’s has been serving hot dogs, half smokes, and their world-famous chili at the same address since 1958. Ben’s is located directly across the street from the U Street/Cardozo Metro stop on the green line; when leaving the station, use the 13th and U exit. Call one of the event coordinators if you need further information. {MWM}

6:30pm: SCIENCE SIG. Meet the event coordinator in the food court of the Ballston Common Mall, at the corner of Glebe Road and Wilson Boulevard (two blocks from the orange line’s Ballston-MU stop) in Arlington, VA for dinner and discussion of breaking science news and issues. {MWM}

7pm: FRIDAY NIGHT SALON IN BETHESDA. See first Friday entry for details. {MWM}

1pm: INNOVITATION: 2% FOR 100%. Innovitation melds the word "vita" ("life" in Latin) with "inno-vation". Our mission is to harness independent and creative thinking to effect positive differences in the world. We believe in a we-centric instead of me-centric philosophy. We meet to have stimulating discussion about is-sues facing our communities and our world, and to create or adopt innovative solutions to improve living and lives. All topics, ideas, and discussion styles are welcome. We encourage diverse opinions. All we ask is that each of us respects others and does not violate the law. We will meet at the Clarendon Barnes and Noble Book-sellers, (703-248-8244; close to Clarendon Metro). Please contact the event coordinator to confirm location. {MWM}

11am–2pm: BRUNSWICK BRUNCH is a new, recurring event on the last Sunday of the month. COME OUT TO THE COUNTRY for brunch at Beans in the Belfry, a trendy (believe it or not) café in the historic and photogenic town of Brunswick, Maryland. Enjoy a nice brunch menu with quiet jazz. Noise level does not inhibit conversa-tion. Child-friendly with children’s menu, dress-up trunk, dollhouse, kids’ books, and more on premises. For sample menus, directions, and a schedule of jazz artists, see www.beansinthebelfry.com. Please e-mail the event coordinator NO LATER THAN 10AM ON THE DAY YOU PLAN TO ATTEND so that she can give the café an approxi-mate headcount. No phone calls, please. You’ll have time to get to the New Members’ Open House (about an hour away), or you can make it a full day and go on to the gift shops and antique shops in Brunswick or in Fre-derick; visit the Railroad Museum (www.brrm.net) and see the rail yards and exterior of the historic train station; or go on to Harpers Ferry (just 15 minutes away), Antietam Battlefield (a little farther), or Monocacy Battlefield (in the other direction). For more, see www.hallowedground.org. There are also several wineries in Virginia and Frederick County, as well as a number of other great spots—plus rafting and inner tubing on the Potomac (www.rivertrail.com) and great fishing. {MWM}

11:30am: SUNDAY CHINESE BRUNCH. Join the event coordinator for a Chinese buffet at Best City Buffet across the street from the White Oak Shopping Center at 11305 Lockwood Drive in Silver Spring. The buffet is about $10. Please reserve before 9pm on Saturday the 24th. {MWM}

7pm: FRIDAY NIGHT SALON IN BETHESDA. See first Friday entry for details. {MWM}

7pm: MEETING OF THE MINDS: See May 16th entry for details. {MWM}

7:30pm: NORTHERN AREA FRIDAY AFTER WORK CARDS AND GAMES NIGHT (NAFAWCAGN). What a perfect way to end your work week—going to the hosts’ home for an evening of playing cards (Hearts, Oh Hell, etc.) and board games (Taboo, Times Up, trivia games, etc.). If you can’t make it at 7:30, that’s OK—you can come later (the games should be going on for hours). Also, you don’t have to be in the northern area—all are welcome (even y’all from down South!). Please let one of the hosts know you’ll be there, either by e-mailing (preferred) or by calling.