Remember how as a kid you marvelled: Isn’t it lucky that there’s exactly the right amount of news in the world to fit in the newspaper?

Now an adult you marvel: Isn’t it lucky that there are exactly the right number of stories, jokes, sly insights and tear-jerking inspirations to fit in a Toastmasters meeting?

Of course, if you were to extend the allotted time by, say, two hours, the stories and jokes and inspirations would expand to fill it, VanCore members discovered this week.

It was actually a relief to adjourn to a nearby pub after the meeting, because nobody was satisfied when Victoria’s and Bobby’s speeches came to a screeching halt after seven minutes.  “And then what happened?” we asked. And over little plates of fish tacos and teeny tiny hamburgers, Victoria and Bobby gave us the goods.

We don’t do this enough. That is, go out not just as colleagues but as friends. We VanCore-ites feel our club strikes a great balance between professional development and tummy rubs. You can’t help but become attached to the people you’re telling intimate stories to in a little room week after week. It’s like the Stockholm Syndrome, but with Finns (Loa).

Social time strengthens any group. As the saying goes, the club that imbibes together, survives together.