A Normal Life
...by guest blogger Gale from "L'esprit de l'escalier"

"Who is a wise man? He who learns of all men." --The Talmud

The quote from the Talmud says almost everything you need to know to know about why bazza's blog deserves a Bestest Blog nod. I found the quote on Bazza's site, A Normal Life, which abounds in common wisdom, good humor, and heart.

Bazza is a humanist, and I mean that in the best sense of the word. He's one of the most genteel souls I have met in cyberspace. He has well crafted opinions on a range of topics: history, art, music, architecture, classic cars, and football, to name a few. But it's not his style to shout anyone down. Bazza lifts up the people and places he profiles in his blog and elevates other bloggers up with gracious comments.

I first met bazza when he surprised me by stopping in on my book blog. See, I had designed it as a best-books-for-women site, all pink and dishy-- a place where only men completely secure in their sexuality would fear to tread.

Enter bazza. His comment on my book blog (the first I received, mind you) was: "I enjoyed your review of The Wonder Spot. Makes me want to read it and I'm not a chick. (English, middle-aged Jewish male). I think good writing is good writing and anything well written is worth reading."

Readers of a normal life have come to expect regular features such as lighthearted quizzes, pictorials of English countryside and architecture as he travels about England, and a growing list of his heroes--men and women--such as William Shakespeare (complete with sonnet), Maya Angelou, Andres Segovia, Homer Simpson, and Olympic medalist Michael Johnson. Perhaps my favorite hero post is about Charles Darwin from August 1. Bazza's biographical entry about Darwin is informative but congenial and relaxed. I felt as if I knew Darwin after reading that post.

Other favorite posts on A Normal Life are his photos of the flower gardens on Clacton-on-Sea from July 20, a quirky post on how cows moo with accents on August 23, the beautiful scenery of Old Amersham posted on September 9, his jpegs of Cezanne paintings sprinkled throughout, and a very funny photo he snapped on September 8 directing onlookers to a Secret Nuclear Bunk .

I have no doubt you'll find something you'll like at Bazza's blog. It's the kind of place you visit and think, "Now there is a beautiful soul. I'd like to read more of his work. I'd like to be his friend." Let him know that Gale and Bestest Blog sent ya!