Shannon and I help the Philadelphia Brewing Co. celebrate its one year anniversary in their Kensington brewery on the first day of the second annual Beer Week on Sat., March 7, 2009.

They say Philadelphia is the best beer city in the country.

So, after doing very little to celebrate the city’s noted Beer Week last year, I knew I had to get into the game this year.

I got the chance to get inside the Philadelphia Brewing Co. on Amber St. in Kensington, drink free beer (with tips) and eat free Philly hot pretzels. It was its first year anniversary party and their new Shackimaximum draft only craft beer is flavorful though heavy.

Below see Mayor Michael Nutter tap the inaugural keg last year.

It was just shy of 6.5 miles, but I didn’t know that at the time.

In my continued effort to train for the Broad Street Run and with the motivation of my ideological demands to explore a new neighborhood, I took out tonight for a long run without much direction or purpose.

I got lost.

On Feb. 8, 2009, Flat Stanley visited the Liberty Bell, which was used to call attention to the July 8, 1776 first public reading of the Declaration of Independence and was used as a symbol to a variety of human-rights issues.

Today I had my second outing with Flat Stanley, who was sent to me by the second-grade class of Debbie Reinhardt in Kinnelon, N.J. I first took Stanley to Washington, D.C. for the inauguration of President Obama.

Share our tour below.

My first traditional driving ticket because I "disregarded a stop sign" the night of Feb. 7, 2009 in Frankford.

I’m promising myself I won’t swear in this post.

I was heading out to catch up with some high school friends Manayunk, a trendy neighborhood in northwest Philadelphia, just before 10:30 p.m. tonight. My night ended unceremoniously less than a half hour later – with police intervention.

The maternal side of my family, including my grandmother, in the middle, whose house we were emptying in this photograph from summer 2006. My grandmother died last week, and I was privileged, though saddened, to eulogize her at her wake.

I don’t think I was ever naive enough to believe all the experiences I wanted to have were pleasant ones.

Today I eulogized my maternal grandmother, who died last Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2009 at the young age of 74.

After my first trip to the Pen & Pencil Club on Jan. 28, 2009. Photo by George Miller.

Tonight was my first trip to the Pen & Pencil Club, the oldest press club in the country, located in Center City Philadelphia.

As a freelance journalist in Philly, I am seeking sponsorship to become the society’s newest and youngest member, and boy am I excited.

I’ve long heard the stories, of trouble and off-the-record hijinks.

If I only I could speak of first joining 50 years from now with  a half century of membership behind me.

The crowds east of the Washington Monument watching a large screen TV feed of the Obama inauguration on Jan. 20, 2009. Photo by Christopher Wink.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — More details to come later, but below see shaky video of the crowds around the Washington Monument, where I heard and watched – via a large TV screen – Barack Obama become the 44th President of the United States of America.

I’ve decided to do my New Year’s Resolutions by month this year for two reasons. For one, I can accomplish more with more specific, better timed goals. I also can look back at more concrete accomplishments than broad year-long hopes.

They are simpler but better appreciated, I think. I also intend to start them in the signified month, but, if they carry-over, to continue them throughout the year.

Below, see what I’m hoping to do, month by month.

This is Shannon and me on Penn's Landing in Philadelphia watching the city's fireworks display.

Last night I helped welcome 2009 with fireworks over the Delaware River. See how the start of the 20-minute fireworks display looked from Philadelphia’s Penn’s Landing below.

I got my first mp3 player for Christmas – a Microsoft Zune – and loaded all 8 gigabytes of memory already. I’ve always been skeptical of them, but I will use it to run and train-travel. Amazing.