From the Editor in Chief, U.S.

Hello dear readers,

I come to you today with heavy heart (and eyelids) as I lament the unofficial passing of both a revelrous holiday weekend and another wonderful summer. The dawns and dusks of September bring cooler temperatures (which make the commute more pleasurable for Chris!) and the familiar roar of school buses. The kid in me will always yearn for new clothes, TrapperKeepers, pens and bookbags around this time.

Chris was rather in demand this summer, naturally, so when asked about his immediate schedule, he told CW he's looking forward to "mayjah R&R." Between the months of June and August, Chris visited Montreal, Virginia Beach (yes, it counts!), Buffalo, The Hamptons, and Mammoth Lakes, Calif. Additionally, Chris played the role of Best Man in the D.C. production of Friend-of-Chris Ryan Gates' July wedding. He was spotted rocking out to some great live music too, including Wilco, The Cat Empire and The Scanner Freaks; and of course, he RENOVATED OUR BATHROOM. The man is a wonder.

And so, in this issue perhaps moreso than others, CW lauds Chris's indefatigable will with the much-ballyhooed photo expose, "The Lavatory." Though some images may not be appropriate for young children or overly hygienic persons, CW feels the public has a right to see these photos. The bathroom had not been redone since 1976, Chris deduced, and featured chartreuse wallpaper; scalloped fake-marble basin; wretched Chateau by Moen hardware for the sink and rapidly-deteriorating shower/tub; and a two-piece toilet! Chris worked tirelessly on this project, motivated by the near-forgotten joy of in-house bathing, and undeterred by our condo's slanted walls.

Look at the photos. Study them. And don't let this happen to you. If we can keep just one bathroom from reaching such depths of squalor and poor decor, then CW has done its job.