<aside>
            <!-- related information about this post -->
            <?php the_meta(); ?>
      	</aside>

that's it!

// it makes this code:

	<aside>
            <!-- related information about this post -->
                <ul class="post-meta">
<li><span class="post-meta-key">currently reading:</span> alice in wonderland, another book</li>
</ul>
        </aside>

// i want it to output this:

<aside>
            <!-- related information about this post -->
                <ul class="post-meta">
<li><span class="post-meta-key">currently reading:</span> alice in wonderland<br />another book</li>
</ul>
        </aside>