Author Archives

Thinking Positive

Already 90 minutes late, William Brawner pumps the gas pedal of the rental van, jumps the curb and pulls up next to the 10 teenagers waiting in front of a half-abandoned [...]

Soundscapes: New Skatepark in Kensington

On Saturday, I visited Pop’s Playground on East Huntington Avenue in Kensington for the unveiling of a skate park in the once-abandoned park. Paula Sen and I put together this multimedia package to capture the event. This audio-slideshow was completed for Temple University’s Multimedia Urban Reporting Lab.

This week’s Philadelphia Weekly Cover

I spent a considerable amount of my time this summer researching and shadowing William Brawner—an HIV positive HIV/AIDS activist who runs a youth center for kids affected and infected by HIV—and the fruits of my labor were materialized today; as the cover story for this week’s Philadelphia Weekly. I hope you’ll read the piece and [...]

Jealousy Issues: Wish You Were There

Boomp3.com Photo by Ashley Myers
I spent the last three days in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, taking a break from the long, dwindling summer. I have some big things publishing soon, so it felt well-deserved. Coming up on this site:

Freelancing for unknown writers
The Great Interview
And as I approach my last semester at Temple University, The Job Hunt.

Stay [...]

The Journalist Toolbox: Recycling Your Content and Creating a Living Portfolio with From The Archive


Philly Grill: Tour Guide Disciplinarian Blondell Reynolds Brown

Last Thursday, City Council unanimously approved a bill that will institute a professional licensing process for Philadelphia tour guides, mandating that they test at 70 percent or better if they plan on declaiming publicly about the Founding Fathers. We put Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown, who introduced the bill, on the spot with a quick Philadelphia [...]

The Weekender: A.D.D. in A.C.

From Julio to Jay-Z … The talent playing Atlantic City this weekend is truly an absurd mix that spans half a century, crossing many demographics. First you’ve got Julio Iglesias Friday and Saturday at Caesars. I’ve gotta be honest, I have no idea what Julio sings or what the draw is, but he’s said to [...]

Confessions of a Writer: Employers Beware, I Drink Beer and Network Socially

There’s been a lot of talk in my circle (see end of article for links) about the importance of owning your name in Google. Right now, the top hit in a search for “Brian James Kirk” is my MySpace page. Just looking at that page above my professional web page causes brain hemorrhaging. No, that [...]

Soundscapes: Shawshank Let Down At Eastern State Penitentiary

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I met with a few friends for one of the city’s Fourth of July celebrations: the showing of Shawshank Redemption at the Eastern State Penitentiary. It was a great idea, but limited seating excluded the hundreds of people that were lined up outside (wrapped around the entire Southwest wall and nearly half of the [...]

Philly Grill: Blog Battler Buzz Bissinger

It’s been a week since best-selling author (and Philly Mag contributing writer) Buzz Bissinger assured himself internet immortality by tearing into Deadspin editor and sports blog ambassador Will Leitch during a live segment on HBO’s Costas Now. The blogosphere’s reaction — and his wife’s — was instantaneous and scorching, and Bissinger has been apologizing for [...]