Raise a glass to the Canadian Olympians!

This week’s meeting of VanCore toastmasters began with a toast to the Olympic ethic: perseverance, courage, and extremely low body fat.

That’s Toastmasters’ credo, too, of course. (Minus the body-fat part.)

Cory, our VP of Education and the closest thing VanCore has to an Olympian, chaired. He fired the starting gun at 3:15 sharp. Whereupon Susan told a joke. (A brave thing to do in these jokeless times. Have you noticed hardly anyone tells “jokes” anymore?)

Word of the Day: “Rendez-vous.” Connie ran with it, telling a tale of lost-in-translation set in Montreal.

Victor elevated the discourse, as usual, with a speech on the impossibility of love. He invoked Greek philosophy, Buddhism, and Christian tradition, exploring the meaning of Eros vs Agape. No one is quite sure whether to genuflect before Victor or give him a hug.

Angela weighed in with a thoughtful and insightful evaluation.

Today was bittersweet as we said farewell to Cal, who has landed a job in Langley. Appropriately, he spun a Table Topic speech on work life and home life: the preparation he makes for clients and the words of discipline he reserves for his young son.

VanCore regulars and prospective guests take note: our Open House at Coal Harbour Community Centre will take place Aug. 22, between 3:30 and 4:30 pm.

Note also that we need to find an alternate meeting place for Aug 29, as the CMEC boardroom, our usual digs, is booked that day. Any ideas of where we can rendez-vous, please let Connie or one of the executive know ASAP. Perhaps an Olympic venue from 2010?

Prospective guests are invited to join our downtown Vancouver Vancore Toastmaster’s Club Wednesdays at 3:15pm-4:30pm.  Location is at the AME office, Ste 800 – 889 W Pender St. at Hornby St.