Just a few months ago, Bazza was an absolute beginner in Mandarin. Since then he has progressed really fast and is working through the intermediate lessons. He has also done almost daily work on the wiki so that we can all benefit from what he is learning. He has been writing on the blog/comments sections for weeks – in Chinese! Now he’s getting the hand-writing down. Consider too that that the guy has a full-time job and about 5 million hobbies!
Well done, Bazza, you are an inspiration to us all. I think we need to reward such dedication… Let me think about that. Any suggestions on how to reward Bazza’s efforts? (I’m sure there’ll be lots!)
I feel like a proud dad.
pretzellogic on 
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Dave on
{ 18 comments… read them below or add one }
Ken
I am sure Aric has free time to arrange the chinesepod accessories link. When are there going to be chinesepod T-Shirts? Bazza can design it and should have the first for free.
Mike in Jubei
I second this blog, not a day goes by that Bazza is a) not mentioned and b) we see loads of work he’s done for us on the wiki, blog, etc.
Bazza, you’ve been with us since day 01, you’re family; please try to suss out a trip here soon.
(Mike, we’ll get right to work on that; but don’t give away my free time secrets…you’d be surprised how a 4-day weekend can be called “creative concept”, hee hee)
Aric
Very kind of you Ken.
I think I’m just prove that chinesepod works, I haven’t had much success at learning any second language in the past, so if I can learn Chinese I think anyone can.
Bazza
BTW Do you write with your left hand?
Mike in Jubei
Sweet, reminds me of my first attempts writing Chinese.
Are you really a 美國人 or was that just an exercise? Seems to me you are an 英國人, no?
对，我是英国人。 I just copied the lesson one dialogue.
No Mike, I’m right-handed.
woe cool, I can read all of that! Bazza, 你击碎了? Ni you mei you zhong wen lao shi hai shi ni zhi zi du shu? oh btw, wo kan bu dao ‘learning center’ de yi si. Wo ying gai mai ‘learning center’ ma? mei you qian! wo shi xiao qi guai
hey Bazza, ru guo ni yao lian xi zhong wen… women hui liaotian zai MSN (danman@pls.org) hai shi AIM (blackout203). Wo shi ba sui, mei guo ren xue shang.
Sorry Dan, I might need a translation of the that, I can’t quite work it all out.
If you want to practice chatting online, you can contact me on MSN (danman@pls.org) or AIM (blackout203)
I am always looking for someone to practice with
Ok that’s what I thought.
I don’t tend to use MSN that often but when I login again I’ll add you to my contacts.
Alternatively you can practise on the new chinesepod forum.
http://www.wushu.be/ChinesePod/
Ken, what’s Bazza’s grand price going to be? Is it
a first class one way ticket to Shanghai ?
Jenny’s mobile phone number ?
a ChinesePod calligraphy brush pen (fude-pen) ?
a ChinesePod coffee mug ?
Andreas, er, how does the mug sound???
We have mugs???
Something wrong with the system here…I don’t have any of the things Andreas mentioned!
I’m thinking we should start a “Convince Bazza To Come To Shanghai” movement.
Aric
I already have a nice calligraphy set.
If you sell Jenny’s mobile number on e-bay, it should easily pay for the first class ticket.
What about this: have Bazza give a guest appearance on one of Ken’s next pod-casts. Well, I wonder, would this count as a reward?
Here’s lesson 3, I think I’m getting neater.
http://www.bazzanet.com/chinesewrite3.jpg
I recommend to anybody , including Bazza, that they don’t try and use biro for Han zi. At least compare pencil, ink-roller, gel pens etc then decide.