Every blogger needs a break now and then and this one’s no exception. I left New York two days ago but have been keeping up the pretence of being around because it is my mum’s surprise 60th birthday party today and I’m in England to celebrate with her.

I’ll be away for another twelve days. But I leave you in the capable hands of my friends and neighbors Ben, Nick, Simon, and William, all to varying degrees bloggers, and all Brooklynites who live within a ten minute walk of my apartment. In order of proximity, I present…

EiNY readers are already well-acquainted with Simon of the Brain. Simon is a native of Rochdale, Lancashire, which is also the home of Lisa Stansfield (although the less that’s said about that the better). Simon is currently coming to grips with fatherhood and a Canon Digital Rebel XT camera which he bought to chart his son Billy’s early days, weeks, and years.

Nick is a newbie to Brooklyn. He arrived here from the UK about three months ago. Nick was born up the road from my home town of Leeds in York. He works as a tech geek in Manhattan by day but his passions are politics and current affairs. Nick’s never blogged before, so I’ve got no idea what he is going to say. But I do know it will be worth listening to…

William aka Macboy is a cartoonist and Mac consultant. He is the animator of the wonderful NY Mug cartoon that I could watch again and again, creator of the Shabot6000 cartoons and animations which are zipping around the Internet, and has entered the blogging world in his own inimitable way with Lowercase L—charting the improper use of lowercase “l”s in signage across the city. I kid you not.

Last but certainly not least, Ben is soon to desert New York for the cooler air of Boston, where he’s jumping into the editor’s chair at The Jewish Journal. You may already have come across Ben at Anguswit. Expect politics—lots of politics.

So there you go. Thanks to all four for agreeing to look after EiNY for me. I know the site will be more interesting for their contribution. I just hope there will be room for me when I come back.