Quick! Everybody get angry about something!

First Thursday is a monthly event on S. Congress, when the stores stay open late and cheesy vendors hawk their crocheted berets (sorry, but en masse even I find them a bit silly) or light-up photographs of the state capitol.

Last night, the fellah and I were enjoying First Thursday. He bought a wooden bowl from India. ("I wish I didn't have a bowl fetish," he says.) I bought size 9 dpn from Hill Country Weavers at 20% off and (I really shouldn't have) this blue vintage dress, also on sale, for only $27 (but it fits and it's cute!).

We made our way through the doom-and-gloom, fire-and-brimstone preachers in bad suits who were threatening us with hell unless we converted to Christianity. We disregarded their poorly designed flyers and laughed somewhat smugly at their expense, as they really ought to have wondered if perhaps one might both be Christian and attend First Thursday at the same time.

Then, at the very next corner, a guy with floppy hair was handing out poorly designed flyers advertising a protest at the state capitol on Sept. 11. It said, "If you can't make it to New York this Sept. 11, don't worry!"

I was a bit confused. "What are you protesting?" I asked him.

"Oh. Lots of things. Environmental policies, you know. There's going to be lots of stuff at the protest."

Dear me.

I do love free speech.