validation error = no recent posts

i am getting a validation error “i think” because my tag does not have the required tag = as a result i don’t have any “recently” entries showing = and i don’t know how to fix it…

1) here is my code =

<ul class="block first">
<li>
<h2>Recently</h2>
<ul class="dates">
/ul>
</li> </ul>

2) i went ahead a copied code from a forum member’s site (ok?) and jlynne’s would looks like this =

<ul class="block first">
<li>
<h2>Recently</h2>
<ul class="dates">

<li><a href="http://jlynne.exit-23.net/2008/01/09/the-9-hour-meeting/"><span class="date">09.01</span> The 9 Hour Meeting </a></li>

</ul>
</li> </ul>