In between looking for the pieces of my gutter that blew off in the 82-mile-per-hour wind last night, I’ve put together this list of what I learned this fall while exploring Denver.

I love to explore, more than almost anything else. I like to wade into something new, find out what I can, and report back to the rest of the world.

There is so much more to Denver than downtown. In fact, I think several other parts of Denver are more pleasant to walk: I like Uptown (east of downtown Denver) for a LOT of walking, and Highlands (west of downtown). I like looking at downtown Denver from the Auraria campus, when I’m walking to the bus station after watching a movie at Starz. Another local blog, Denver Infill, often comments on the walkability of Denver.

It’s a privilege to be told other people’s stories: how they came to start this shop or this restaurant, or why they love this neighborhood.

In seeming contrast, some days I prefer to be a fly on the wall. I can walk into a shop or restaurant one day and announce I’m reviewing it for my website, but other days I feel shy. I just want to sit and observe who goes by, listen to people chatting, and get a sense of the place.

I always feel a little nervous after emailing notice of my reviews. What if they don’t like it? But nobody ever complains—they are just glad to be noticed.

Speaking of being noticed, I’m happy that so many people visited my site and commented. I’ve blogged elsewhere in the past, mostly for family, and never reached out to other readers. My site has a small readership, but they keep coming back, and I’m grateful for that.

My point-and-shoot Olympus camera is not very good at capturing high-contrast settings. Luckily, I’m now the owner of a Canon Kiss Digital Rebel 300D (courtesy of my friend Margaret). It’s a bit outdated but still a step up for me.

This blog will never earn money from Adsense. In the four months I’ve been writing it, I’ve earned about $5. I’m not sure what I will try next.

I’m slowly developing a list of my favorite places in Denver: Ahimsa Footwear, D Bar Desserts, equipement de vin, Urban Pantry, Wen Chocolates. I’m looking forward to adding to it in 2009 and writing more about Denver for all of you.