From the Editor in Chief, U.S.

Fans,

Two words on the week-long hiatus: My. Bad.

After my big birthday weekend, which by the way was much fun and much too short, I was whisked away to the magical southern metropolis of Charlotte, N.C., for a less-than-thrilling week at the NAB Radio Show, the nadir of which was a toss-up between a toothpaste-less first morning, a dinner-less and sleepless Wednesday night and the story I was sent down there to write for the convention newspaper being cut. From the front page, no less. And then to come home to a Chris-less house, it was just more than this old gal could take. I'm sure you all agree that with Chris gone (or in the reader's case, Chris Weekly) there isn't much to do but wash back a handful of Benadryl with some Grey Goose and just wait it out. I'm kidding, of course!

But alas, the clouds have parted, for Chris, who at this point has been separated from me for 4 days, 18 hours, 46 minutes and 23.2 seconds thanks to society's mandate that he work for a living, comes back to us this evening around 9. Rejoice! Join me in exultation! Here comes the sun, indeed.

Having said that, I'd like to take this opportunity to thank our legions of readers for sticking with us through such a difficult period. Our Broadway show went unexpectedly dark for a week. But you, the ticketholders, remained steadfast in your devotion, waiting anxiously yet patiently for the lights to come up again. And to continue with my theatre metaphor, the fact that you've been on the edge of your seat for our next post is a testament to the necessity of this publication. We're really doing something special here at Chris Weekly. [cue the violins]

So then, we're back. And what can you expect in this week's issue? Well, for starters, content! Ha! On the real, we hope to bring you the highly anticipated play-by-play of Chris's Continued Legal Education event in [our honeymoon city of] Vancouver; and, more importantly, the passing of another month means it's time to select October's Friend of Chris! Though I'm certainly not one to rush along my favorite season, autumn, enlisting the CW readership to stand up and be counted in voting for the next recipient of [arguably] its most distinguished award makes it worthwhile.

For those who are new to the CW community, the Friend-of-Chris honor is not something we take lightly around here. Sure, we'd all love some special recognition for our dedication to Chris, not to mention the magnanimous patience required to be an active part of his life. But we're sure you understand that there can be only one monthly winner. Nominees are asked upon learning of their candidacy to write a 150-word paragraph explaining why they should be selected. We will then post these paragraphs so that you, the reader, can vote for your Friend of Chris. Astute readers have noted that this was not in fact the process for the inaugural Friend of Chris Award in September, and CW apologizes for not giving the readership voting rights at that time. But we hope those wounds have healed and you'll participate in this election with no hard feelings. Suffrage is alive and well here at CW, trust. Stay tuned for Meet the Candidates!

Chris Weekly: He can't lose with us in tow.