Three things. Three things in this week's Letters to the Editor, that is:

—Gary wrote in just to be mean, pretty much. Mean to First Thursday ("safe commercial art") and its attendees ("hollow masses yearning to be cool"), and, of course to us, although he is grateful for one of the many uses our paper is available for: being used as a barrier between his ass and a wet bench. It's only our pleasure, fun guy.

—Meanwhile, Renee, who regrets no longer living in our fair burg, wrote a lengthy pep talk to those of us who remain, apparently to fortify our spirits against the coming colder, wetter months. Her strategy was basically to list off all the things we have that shan't be taken for granted. Turns out? It's mostly to do with plants and grocery stores. So we have that.

—And finally, Chelsea astutely points out that we are still covering local comedy and giving it the print space it deserves, when it deserves it, which is so, so very often.

The Mercury letters page: Take a topic, leave a topic.