Hard agree. I started doing this with two or three close friends a few years ago, and started ramping it up to more friends some time last year. Not everyone

Hard agree. I started doing this with two or three close friends a few years ago, and started ramping it up to more friends some time last year. Not everyone is willing to commit to monthly, but it's not as awkward as you might think. You could do one or two manually scheduled, and then after the meeting say "hey, want to make this a recurring get-together every [second thursday]?" Pro-tip: you may have better luck arranging a hangout time immediately after the end of the workday (depending on the geography between you and them), with you both parting ways to eat a late supper afterwards. In my experience folks are more willing to commit to that schedule rather than give up their evening to meet up after supper.