The Audio Blog of Steven Sirski

Better record this now because jet lag a startin’! How ya feeling? Yesterday’s episode was ROUGH!Class is in! And how does it feel to be back? How are the students? What’s it like?Learning some new APPs: Tencent Docs and WeChat groups, but much more freer than last year.And are you seeing any changes? Not much… other than a new elevator and sign: don’t pee in the stairwell!Donate to the show! PayPal link below!https://www.paypal.me/stevensirski?locale.x=en_CA***Show notes n tracks up on stevensirski.comTranscript and more available on Google Drive: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1om1Geup1o6Adi-A8kTAnCf12Zo7nDkAt?usp=sharingNewsletter over at stevensirski.substack.comLanguage vlog on http://www.youtube.com/@stevenslanguagevlogGoogle Stock Tracker Sheethttps://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1kbpCC2cieuq23zYyr0-WznPRogVX0aS86BF4_vPvgMY/edit?usp=sharingHope you have a great start of semesters!00:00 Back in Beijing Jet Lag03:05 Flights Luggage and Winter Plans04:57 First Day Teaching Again07:15 Campus Commute and Facilities14:38 Office Hours and Tracking20:19 Assignments and AI Rules23:44 Content Strategy Substack Shift26:31 Student Boundaries and Participation36:25 New Apps and Apartment Changes41:12 Wrap Up and Links

End of week and end of my time in Canada! I can’t believe it’s over and… I can’t believe I couldn’t get it to work.Packing almost done, next up, getting stuff ready to sit for another year. When will I come back?Another recording done! Let it Crash! Or something like that.And are you ready to get back to Beijing? Back to China?Donate to the show! PayPal link below!https://www.paypal.me/stevensirski?locale.x=en_CA***Show notes n tracks up on stevensirski.comTranscript and more available on Google Drive: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1om1Geup1o6Adi-A8kTAnCf12Zo7nDkAt?usp=sharingNewsletter over at stevensirski.substack.comLanguage vlog on http://www.youtube.com/@stevenslanguagevlogGoogle Stock Tracker Sheethttps://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1kbpCC2cieuq23zYyr0-WznPRogVX0aS86BF4_vPvgMY/edit?usp=sharingHope you have a great weekend! See you in Beijing!00:00 Last Night in Canada01:44 Goodbyes and No Visitors02:22 Book Gifts Gone Wrong04:51 Three Days of Transit07:16 Teaching Prep and Creative Labor11:00 Packing Lists and China Snacks11:52 Why China Again17:24 Cymbals Album and Microphone ROI23:20 Online Teaching Dream Failed28:17 Content Strategy and Language Vlog31:30 Final Packing and Loose Ends36:10 Not Ready for Beijing42:00 Wrap Up and Links

Up and at it 6 am… or thereabouts. Gotta get back into the swing of things.Happy sun spin to me and out for dinner with Mumsy!Sorting files and hoping I’ve got the shots I needed… won’t get any of this done until next week.—Check for differences:diff -rq /path/to/computer/folder /path/to/external/drive/folder(Returns a blank line if folders are 100% identical.)Dry run (Simulate copying missing files):rsync -avn --ignore-existing /path/to/computer/folder/ /path/to/external/drive/folder/Actual transfer (Copy missing files only):rsync -av --ignore-existing /path/to/computer/folder/ /path/to/external/drive/folder/
(Note: The forward slash / at the end of the first folder path and the space after it are required.)Useful Keyboard ShortcutsUp Arrow: Recalls your last used command.Option + Left/Right Arrow: Moves the cursor word-by-word.Control + K: Clears/deletes everything from the cursor to the end of the line.—Upstairs a workin’ on that cymbal album… Why? Some latency issues and stick around for a sneak peak.And, interesting conversation, if kids want to use social media, should they get a job?Donate to the show! PayPal link below!https://www.paypal.me/stevensirski?locale.x=en_CA***Show notes n tracks up on stevensirski.comTranscript and more available on Google Drive: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1om1Geup1o6Adi-A8kTAnCf12Zo7nDkAt?usp=sharingNewsletter over at stevensirski.substack.comLanguage vlog on http://www.youtube.com/@stevenslanguagevlogGoogle Stock Tracker Sheethttps://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1kbpCC2cieuq23zYyr0-WznPRogVX0aS86BF4_vPvgMY/edit?usp=sharingHappy Sun Spin!00:00 Early Start Reset00:33 Leaving Winnipeg Soon02:13 New Semester Schedule05:16 Skills Split Teaching Plan07:08 Morning Routine Workout08:21 First Week Prep Meeting09:38 Icebreakers And Class Ideas11:24 Packing Gifts And Visa14:25 Gear Loss And Filming Runs17:36 Birthday Dinner With Mom18:26 Magazines And Media Rants22:05 Backing Up Travel Footage22:29 Sharing Photos via Drive23:56 Terminal Backup Tricks25:51 Diff and Rsync Explained27:55 Vlog Titles and Thumbnails29:59 Cymbal Album Motivation35:02 Logic Pro Latency Problems38:59 Avoiding a Vanity Album40:33 Kids and Social Media Debate46:18 Wrap Up and Links

Hello from Winnipeg! Made it back after some trouble with the flight. They destroyed my luggage!$20 for a pint?! There goes the food budget!Back into the Peg and getting ready to go once again. Bought the cigars I needed and Halloween Kisses. What else do I need?And I did a manly thing today: I cleaned an eaves trough!Donate to the show! PayPal link below!https://www.paypal.me/stevensirski?locale.x=en_CA***Show notes n tracks up on stevensirski.comTranscript and more available on Google Drive: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1om1Geup1o6Adi-A8kTAnCf12Zo7nDkAt?usp=sharingNewsletter over at stevensirski.substack.comLanguage vlog on http://www.youtube.com/@stevenslanguagevlogGoogle Stock Tracker Sheethttps://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1kbpCC2cieuq23zYyr0-WznPRogVX0aS86BF4_vPvgMY/edit?usp=sharingHope you have a great one!! 00:00 Back in Winnipeg01:01 Toronto Security Chaos03:15 Water Bottle Standoff06:24 Random Pat Down Drama08:32 Twenty Dollar Pint11:54 Forced Gate Check14:21 Zipper Break Fallout17:52 Racing Back to China19:54 No Screens No Plugs21:05 Travel Lessons Learned21:20 Airport Legalese Mode22:29 Shouldve Kept Carry On22:57 Do Airlines Track You24:09 Back In Winnipeg Errands25:34 Microphone Rental Regrets26:37 Flight Back To Beijing Plan29:44 Insurance Timing Trap35:07 Travel Vs Medical Coverage37:45 Cleaning The Eavestrough43:04 Maybe A New Career44:49 Wrap Up And Links

Made it! Hello from Toronto! The Great Grand American Road Trip is now over and it’s back to work for this guy!Lyft to the Gordie Howe International Bridge, yes, the same one that was in the news a while back. Apparently Canada paid for it, but now the US wants to charge tolls or something like that. No idea. Took 45 minutes to walk across… but that’s because I was taking pictures.How was your last day in Detroit and in the America? Pretty good.-Buddy’s Pizza (talked about that yesterday)-Riverwalk-Walked much of the way back to Hamtramck-Didn’t make the Polish Village Restaurant-Saves the Day closed out the Labour Day Hamtramck Festival.And yea, how was border security?Donate to the show! PayPal link below!https://www.paypal.me/stevensirski?locale.x=en_CA***Show notes n tracks up on stevensirski.comTranscript and more available on Google Drive: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1om1Geup1o6Adi-A8kTAnCf12Zo7nDkAt?usp=sharingNewsletter over at stevensirski.substack.comLanguage vlog on http://www.youtube.com/@stevenslanguagevlogGoogle Stock Tracker Sheethttps://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1kbpCC2cieuq23zYyr0-WznPRogVX0aS86BF4_vPvgMY/edit?usp=sharingSafe travels!

To Dauphin I go! How’s the flooding? Shared driving responsibilities with Mom. $200 a night for a hotel room? I guess it is high season! And lots of mosquitoes!Apparently I was wrong about FIFA Women’s World Cup, as I was looking at a different tournament. Brazil will host the 2027 edition and the 2031 edition looks as if it will be hosted across a few countries. Job application continues to be an absolute mess. Not enjoying this at all as the HR lady keeps messaging me about every little thing AND now wants me to pay for the translation of the apostille. Starting to think I should’ve asked for more.Did I tell you about the Russian signature on the apostille?What about my videos being ripped off by AI slop on YouTube??And damnit, can’t get my eSIM to work!Donate to the show! PayPal link below!https://www.paypal.me/stevensirski?locale.x=en_CA***Show notes n tracks up on stevensirski.comAnd on Notion: https://stevensirski.notion.site/SSAB-The-Audio-Blog-of-Steven-Sirski-00acfe344e164bfab191d3cddf6952b2?pvs=4Newsletter over at stevensirski.substack.comLanguage vlog on http://www.youtube.com/@stevenslanguagevlogGoogle Stock Tracker Sheethttps://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1kbpCC2cieuq23zYyr0-WznPRogVX0aS86BF4_vPvgMY/edit?usp=sharingHope you have a great weekend!!

Feeling the effects of jet lag and how do pilots do this?Slept well but feel like a train wreck!Up early-ish, out for a run… only 2km done.Troubleshooting internet connections, make sure your DNS serves are configured properly!Out for the day with the fam swimming for the first time in a long time… what a workout!And the criminal background check is done, now we wait for the Chinese admin to do their thing!Donate to the show! PayPal link below!https://www.paypal.me/stevensirski?locale.x=en_CA***Show notes n tracks up on stevensirski.comAnd on Notion: https://stevensirski.notion.site/SSAB-The-Audio-Blog-of-Steven-Sirski-00acfe344e164bfab191d3cddf6952b2?pvs=4Newsletter over at stevensirski.substack.comLanguage vlog on http://www.youtube.com/@stevenslanguagevlogGoogle Stock Tracker Sheethttps://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1kbpCC2cieuq23zYyr0-WznPRogVX0aS86BF4_vPvgMY/edit?usp=sharingHope you have a great one!!

Did I offend Sebastian? Numbers are down!Meeting people and learning their ways! Jerry from JAL (flew for them for 20 years), Paul and William from Newfoundland (whom I thought were USAmericans!), Jordan just from South Africa and going back to Regina, and MJ from Korea but living in Saskatoon!How was the last leg into Winnipeg? Not bad, but certainly wasn’t easy.How’s the airport? What did you do? And how’s the city??After we landed, stayed up and tried to get some work done like setting up cell phones, etc. (Didn’t work. Don’t have an eSIM!)Then… took the bus back to my Mom’s house! Haven’t taken the bus in FOREVER! How was it? Did I get stabbed? Did I even have enough money?!Hanging out with the nephews.Suffering from cat allergies already.And how is the jet lag?Donate to the show! PayPal link below!https://www.paypal.me/stevensirski?locale.x=en_CA***Show notes n tracks up on stevensirski.comAnd on Notion: https://stevensirski.notion.site/SSAB-The-Audio-Blog-of-Steven-Sirski-00acfe344e164bfab191d3cddf6952b2?pvs=4Newsletter over at stevensirski.substack.comLanguage vlog on http://www.youtube.com/@stevenslanguagevlogGoogle Stock Tracker Sheethttps://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1kbpCC2cieuq23zYyr0-WznPRogVX0aS86BF4_vPvgMY/edit?usp=sharingHave a great one!! Sleep well!

They took my duck ’n’ chicken! It’s an economic decision, NOT a biohazard!Import Agency:https://inspection.canada.ca/en/importing-food-plants-animals/food-imports/food-specific-requirements/approved-countries/china#a2Search “AIRS Automated Import Registration System”https://airs-sari.inspection.gc.ca/airs_external/english/decisions-eng.aspxAnd hello from Canada!How was the flight? Crying. Lots of it. Lots of families travelling. Sat next to a family with three kids! They must not be Mainlanders. Smelled like poop. And then the kid started crying two hours in. What about the AirPods? They didn’t have the nature sound cancellation.Amazing how eleven hours of your life can just pass by. What did I get done?Two episodes of Succession, Season 3, Episodes 3 and 5, I think.Barely any editing done.TRIED to get to the airport early aaaaand yet still just made it as boarding was underway.Packed up some DaoXiangCun and got some cars for the boys. A couple other gifts that needed to be repaid. Hot so it was hard to stay not sweaty.Traveller’s tips:Bring earplugs or ocean waves on your phone (make sure AirPods are charged)Don’t drink alcohol. Drink lots of water. Welp… what’s worse, a glass or wine or beer or a crying child?Compression socksChange of clothes in your backpack. Especially undershirts Brush your teeth before your first flight.Zinc and magnesium It’s going to suck.Lastly, make more money to afford business classDonate to the show! PayPal link below!https://www.paypal.me/stevensirski?locale.x=en_CA***Show notes n tracks up on stevensirski.comAnd on Notion: https://stevensirski.notion.site/SSAB-The-Audio-Blog-of-Steven-Sirski-00acfe344e164bfab191d3cddf6952b2?pvs=4Newsletter over at stevensirski.substack.comLanguage vlog on http://www.youtube.com/@stevenslanguagevlogGoogle Stock Tracker Sheethttps://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1kbpCC2cieuq23zYyr0-WznPRogVX0aS86BF4_vPvgMY/edit?usp=sharingSafe travels!!

Is it the weather? The workouts? The upcoming plans? Or the testosterone?!FIFA is over and Spain wins! 1-0. Goodbye Messi. Not an overly exciting game (only watched the last half of it) but it did go into extra time. Next will be in 2030 in Spain, Morocco and Portugal. Would love to go to Morocco. Missed the half time show. Apparently there were a bunch of singers there.Used up the Carolina Reaper beef jerky! Put the last few pieces into a chilli and it was AMAZING! Gf thought it was a bit spicy.Getting ready to get going again… Am I getting tired of this?Oh, and about that used clothes idea… it’s actually cheaper to just go to Decathlon. But there are very few Decathlon stores in Canada. Donate to the show! PayPal link below!https://www.paypal.me/stevensirski?locale.x=en_CA***Show notes n tracks up on stevensirski.comAnd on Notion: https://stevensirski.notion.site/SSAB-The-Audio-Blog-of-Steven-Sirski-00acfe344e164bfab191d3cddf6952b2?pvs=4Newsletter over at stevensirski.substack.comLanguage vlog on http://www.youtube.com/@stevenslanguagevlogGoogle Stock Tracker Sheethttps://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1kbpCC2cieuq23zYyr0-WznPRogVX0aS86BF4_vPvgMY/edit?usp=sharingHope you have a great start of week!00:00 Packing Mood Check00:35 Travel Day Logistics02:20 Airline Change Drama03:23 Workout Motivation Dip05:23 Gym Clothes Strategy08:01 Toronto Budget Planning11:25 Sleep Shift and World Cup13:36 Final Match Breakdown16:26 Future Cups and US Soccer19:39 Googling Womens Cup Confusion21:31 FIFA Dates Confusion22:19 Canada Trip Stress24:20 Visa Passport Anxiety28:57 Testosterone And Supplements34:00 Six Week Countdown38:09 Carolina Reaper Chili45:56 Wrap Up And Links

BREAKING NEWS! Numbers are down! Who’s upset and why? Maybe Air Canada employees listen to this podcast after all? Numbers are down!Also BREAKING, summer simmering hard, how to train and gain in the summer months? Absolutely gassed. All I want to do is… read. -Did go for a run today, 5km in 40 minutes. Slow as ever, no weights today. Might do them tomorrow. Feels more mental than anything else. What about next week in Canada? (Wasn’t going to bring workout clothes with me but… Canada and the US have more of a second hand clothing culture than Asia. Soooo, what if I just got a bunch of old shirts and shorts, used them once or twice, and then out they go?)This just in: email lists are still a thing. How do you connect, and project, through the digital clutter? Email list a creating — this time for IELTS. 31 Days to Better IELTS is a newsletter-style course I’m developing under the SLV branding. I am still looking to host in-person workshops this summer, but I honestly have no idea what to do.Coming soon: a one stop shop for all your podcast needs! Working on a Google Drive for the show! Pics, transcripts and audio files a go go!And Steve, what’s with all the breaking?Donate to the show! PayPal link below!https://www.paypal.me/stevensirski?locale.x=en_CA***Show notes n tracks up on stevensirski.comAnd on Notion: https://stevensirski.notion.site/SSAB-The-Audio-Blog-of-Steven-Sirski-00acfe344e164bfab191d3cddf6952b2?pvs=4Newsletter over at stevensirski.substack.comLanguage vlog on http://www.youtube.com/@stevenslanguagevlogGoogle Stock Tracker Sheethttps://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1kbpCC2cieuq23zYyr0-WznPRogVX0aS86BF4_vPvgMY/edit?usp=sharingHope you have a great weekend!00:00 Breaking News Cold Open00:37 Why Ratings Need Breaking03:21 Air Canada Episode Fallout06:10 Daily Podcast Routine10:42 Audio Gear And Workflow15:59 Summer Training Slump19:57 Time Stress And CNS Recovery24:28 Packing Versus Workouts25:48 Disposable Gym Clothes Idea26:59 Laundry Logistics Stress28:54 Overthinking And Lethargy29:29 Hair And Workout Scheduling30:34 Cutting Hair Story Options31:58 Scaling Back Everything32:44 Email Lists And IELTS Course34:15 Band 6 To Band 7 Breakdown35:58 Systematic Errors Explained38:19 Speed And Memorization Tactics43:49 Monetizing Courses On YouTube45:52 Sharing Files And Translations47:27 Wrap Up And Sign Off

Flight moved! The price increases seem to be a system feature, not a flaw! Blocking people from trying to shimmy the tickets, or something like that. Tuesday is departure day, am I ready? What will I do?Stuff a goin bye bye! Stamps, keyboards, and postcards. What’s next? Books?Speaking of going bye bye, the shout at 5am must’ve been… Argentina scoring. Bye bye England! Did NOT get up for the game but watched the highlights. England was up 1 until the 85th minute and then… Argentina scores. Then they scored in extra time. Wow. I guess the guy upstairs is an Argentina fan.Trump coin a go go! Only dead presidents may preside? But Trump has recently talked about being number one on the hit list. Is this foreshadowing?Steve, it ain’t you, it’s the SanFu! The hottest time of the year, no wonder you’re feeling a little low down.Donate to the show! PayPal link below!https://www.paypal.me/stevensirski?locale.x=en_CA***Show notes n tracks up on stevensirski.comAnd on Notion: https://stevensirski.notion.site/SSAB-The-Audio-Blog-of-Steven-Sirski-00acfe344e164bfab191d3cddf6952b2?pvs=4Newsletter over at stevensirski.substack.comLanguage vlog on http://www.youtube.com/@stevenslanguagevlogGoogle Stock Tracker Sheethttps://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1kbpCC2cieuq23zYyr0-WznPRogVX0aS86BF4_vPvgMY/edit?usp=sharingStay cool out there!00:00 Flight Change Drama00:30 Air Canada Pricing Tricks04:22 Red Eye Route Plans06:22 Not Ready Yet09:08 Stamps And Postcards14:45 Stamp Collector Notes17:43 Decluttering Before Leaving18:38 Bye Bye England23:49 World Cup Schedule Talk25:22 Trump Coin Rumors28:30 Intel Agency Theories36:56 Sanfu Summer Slump39:13 Wrap Up And Links

WTF AIR CANADA! Jacking prices up just as I’m about to place my order. Maybe by the end of this podcast tickets will be cheaper. ***UPDATE: It seems like it is a feature of the system to prevent abuse! Prices returned to their regular levels after the episode was recorded!***IBM is It’s Been Mauled! WTF happened? AI! Really? Or just profit taking? IBM has been here before and will be here again.Building up processes and figuring out which email marketing systems work best. How to do a campaign properly? Email Octopus, Loops, Kit, SendFox (I forgot I had paid for this one), Zapier, and more. Did get a run done but no weights: 7km in 48 min 14 sec. Kinda hot out there. Thinking it might be time to take some time off.And how is life without the collagen?Donate to the show! PayPal link below!https://www.paypal.me/stevensirski?locale.x=en_CA***Show notes n tracks up on stevensirski.comAnd on Notion: https://stevensirski.notion.site/SSAB-The-Audio-Blog-of-Steven-Sirski-00acfe344e164bfab191d3cddf6952b2?pvs=4Newsletter over at stevensirski.substack.comLanguage vlog on http://www.youtube.com/@stevenslanguagevlogGoogle Stock Tracker Sheethttps://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1kbpCC2cieuq23zYyr0-WznPRogVX0aS86BF4_vPvgMY/edit?usp=sharingHope you have a great one!! 00:00 Cold Open Gripes00:32 Recording Earlier Workflow02:01 Transcripts And Timestamps04:44 Listener Perks And Photos07:50 Ebook Ideas And Payoff10:22 Air Canada Fare Spike12:29 Meetups And Podcast Vibe17:42 IBM Flash Crash Breakdown21:29 China Stocks Rebound Tracker23:04 IBM Oversold Signals24:29 Options Risk Reality27:25 Seasonal Stock Timing27:51 Email Funnel Frustrations32:15 Choosing Newsletter Tools37:55 Hot Run And Training Break40:37 Supplements Without Collagen46:06 Wrap Up And Links

Cleaning continues, gf says “It’s not that much.” But… I DID post some stuff for sale! Met up with a few old colleagues. How are they doing?-Off to the Friendship Store (?)-Ate at Carbo, a pasta-ria-Then to DuLi for dessert but they didn’t have anything worth sticking around for-So off to Jenny Wang’s supermarket (a knock off of Jenny Lou’s?) for ice creamAnd is fois gras now a thing in China? Is this why Blue Frog introduced it a while back? Kinda makes me wonder, why can’t you start a business in China? Well, what great idea do you have? WSJ article here:https://www.wsj.com/world/asia/forget-france-china-is-the-new-foie-gras-championDonate to the show! PayPal link below!https://www.paypal.me/stevensirski?locale.x=en_CA***Show notes n tracks up on stevensirski.comAnd on Notion: https://stevensirski.notion.site/SSAB-The-Audio-Blog-of-Steven-Sirski-00acfe344e164bfab191d3cddf6952b2?pvs=4Newsletter over at stevensirski.substack.comLanguage vlog on http://www.youtube.com/@stevenslanguagevlogGoogle Stock Tracker Sheethttps://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1kbpCC2cieuq23zYyr0-WznPRogVX0aS86BF4_vPvgMY/edit?usp=sharingHope you have a great one!! 00:00 Don’t Botch the Ending00:26 Reuniting With Colleagues01:04 Xinjiang Trip Memories03:46 Why She Returned05:34 Airport Searches Talk07:15 The Exit Plan Question09:45 Back to Teaching English12:44 English Classes and AI Shift18:30 Friendship Store Night Out20:43 Late Recording Reflections21:44 Decluttering and Selling Stuff29:48 Rent, Moving, and Timing31:01 China’s Foie Gras Boom36:06 Business Ideas and Passion43:20 Wrap-Up and Farewell

Workout in! But gotta get ready to go. What’re the plans for the summer so far?Spent the weekend reading, was quite nice. The Stand, Singapore is STILL not an Island, and some other books and newspapers.Argentina, England, France and Spain advance! Justin Beiber to perform at the FIRST FIFA World Cup half time show? Is the US showing the world how to do this competition?Got some rain over the weekend while the rest of the country gets flood warnings. (Typhoon Bavi hitting the southern regions.)Did I tell you my breakfast place closed down? At least until September.ChatGPT updates and where did all my projects go? And do I even need them any more?Donate to the show! PayPal link below!https://www.paypal.me/stevensirski?locale.x=en_CA***Show notes n tracks up on stevensirski.comAnd on Notion: https://stevensirski.notion.site/SSAB-The-Audio-Blog-of-Steven-Sirski-00acfe344e164bfab191d3cddf6952b2?pvs=4Newsletter over at stevensirski.substack.comLanguage vlog on http://www.youtube.com/@stevenslanguagevlogGoogle Stock Tracker Sheethttps://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1kbpCC2cieuq23zYyr0-WznPRogVX0aS86BF4_vPvgMY/edit?usp=sharingHope you have a great start of week!00:00 Morning Catch Up00:31 Canada Trip And Visa Timing03:13 Apartment Stress And Neighbors05:31 Decluttering And Packing Books06:28 Summer Plans And Travel Costs08:33 Weekend Reading List10:55 Newspapers And Media Contrast14:49 World Cup Semifinals Talk16:36 Trump Rumors And Halftime Show23:00 Beijing Rain And Climate Thoughts26:57 Baozi Shop Closed32:20 Filming Food Spots As An Expat34:53 ChatGPT App Changes And Costs42:52 Wrap Up And Links

Spent the morning reading books. Bilahari Kausakan’s Singapore is Still Not an Island. Also reading The Unspeakable Loss by Nisha Zenoff… about losing a child. Why am I reading this?Rained all day, but that didn’t stop the workout! Bought a 4-day pass for 88 RMB, but gotta keep the APP topped up over 50 RMB. Deadlifts today, some weighted hangs, then out for 7km run in 48min 19 sec followed by 50 pull ups outside in the rain… then another 50 inside. All unweighted, but got them in!Slept well, still felt lethargic this morning. How’s life without collagen?Got some Chinese in.And have I moved my flight yet? No! News from Canada: flooding! CNUF cancelled this year!Donate to the show! PayPal link below!https://www.paypal.me/stevensirski?locale.x=en_CA***Show notes n tracks up on stevensirski.comAnd on Notion: https://stevensirski.notion.site/SSAB-The-Audio-Blog-of-Steven-Sirski-00acfe344e164bfab191d3cddf6952b2?pvs=4Newsletter over at stevensirski.substack.comLanguage vlog on http://www.youtube.com/@stevenslanguagevlogGoogle Stock Tracker Sheethttps://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1kbpCC2cieuq23zYyr0-WznPRogVX0aS86BF4_vPvgMY/edit?usp=sharingHope you have a great weekend!00:00 Apple Camera Headache01:20 Captive Portal Tricks02:43 Should I Post Video05:52 YouTube Monetization Math09:44 Too Many Projects11:37 Tax Deductions Logic13:58 Scaling Back Plans15:40 Stuff and Drum Kits18:28 Reading and Chinese Practice20:58 Singapore Geopolitics Book23:54 Grief and Loss Reading32:31 Rainy Workout Recap38:12 Ethiopia Move Chat40:57 Canada Floods and Travel44:23 Wrap Up and Links

Wow what a sleep! After yesterday’s episode I tried to do some Chinese then decided to lie down for a bit… 12 hours later I get up! Feel pretty good!What’re these new accounts you’re setting up and how are you social media plans going?What are your plans for the summer? Thinking, wondering about how to scale back yet get more from each post.And going through more stuff with a view to getting rid of it all. Today: Chinese books. Just how many pages can you read in a day? How many books do you need to keep? And does it matter what types of books you read?Donate to the show! PayPal link below!https://www.paypal.me/stevensirski?locale.x=en_CA***Show notes n tracks up on stevensirski.comAnd on Notion: https://stevensirski.notion.site/SSAB-The-Audio-Blog-of-Steven-Sirski-00acfe344e164bfab191d3cddf6952b2?pvs=4Newsletter over at stevensirski.substack.comLanguage vlog on http://www.youtube.com/@stevenslanguagevlogGoogle Stock Tracker Sheethttps://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1kbpCC2cieuq23zYyr0-WznPRogVX0aS86BF4_vPvgMY/edit?usp=sharingHope you have a great one!! 00:00 Waking Up and Reset00:26 Why Keep a Beijing Apartment02:34 Rent Reality and Negotiating03:51 Minimalism vs Expat Comfort06:44 Do I Really Need This Stuff09:02 The Weird David Head Story11:30 Chinese Books and Language Goals17:12 Journaling and Writing Characters24:48 Kids Books and Giving Them Away26:16 English Books and Reading Doubts32:39 How to Read to Learn33:39 The 12 Hour Nap Explained37:49 New Accounts and Content Strategy41:34 Summer Plans and Weekly Videos46:38 Wrap Up and Thanks

Colombia and Switzerland! To penalty kicks! Didn’t realize they still did these. Woken up at 1.50 am by an excited neighbour… Argentina won. The funny thing about Chinese sports commentary is that none of them look like they know what they’re talking about. Where are the former Olympians or professionals?What about being almost 40? And how is the Beijing economy?And funny thing about listening to the early episodes of No Agenda: first, Adam Curry swears a lot more, second, episode three… they talk about a couple of European backpackers who… overstayed their visa in the USA! How long did it take them to get out?? And WHY? Management Training Corporation.Workout in! Last day of the pass, should I get a new one?Setting up a new accounts, let’s try it this way.And remember I asked if there was any other happy news last week before I went to Singapore, I forgot to mention, a former colleague just had a baby… and she’s going through the apostille process too!(And yes, I forgot to put the rain at the end of yesterday’s episode.)Donate to the show! PayPal link below!https://www.paypal.me/stevensirski?locale.x=en_CA***Show notes n tracks up on stevensirski.comAnd on Notion: https://stevensirski.notion.site/SSAB-The-Audio-Blog-of-Steven-Sirski-00acfe344e164bfab191d3cddf6952b2?pvs=4Newsletter over at stevensirski.substack.comLanguage vlog on http://www.youtube.com/@stevenslanguagevlogGoogle Stock Tracker Sheethttps://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1kbpCC2cieuq23zYyr0-WznPRogVX0aS86BF4_vPvgMY/edit?usp=sharingHope you have a great one!! 00:00 Cold Open Banter00:35 Beijing Update and Job Paperwork03:27 Visa Deadline and Busy Days04:09 World Cup Wake Up Call06:02 Penalty Kicks Explained09:10 Flight Change and Selling Stuff10:55 Chinese Sports Commentators14:54 Turning 40 and Beijing Economy Chats15:36 Gym Friend Age and Family Life18:53 Beijing Property Wealth Reality20:27 Kids Versus Freedom Reflection22:12 Homebody Travel Routine23:40 Aging Talk and Beard Thoughts25:19 Beijing Jobs and Salaries29:47 Leaving Beijing Dilemma33:22 No Agenda and Detention Story35:45 Privatized Prisons and Due Process39:47 Workouts and Admin Updates40:43 New Baby and Apostille Hassle44:36 Wrap Up and Links

Didja make it back, Steve? Didja make it back? Yes, I did. Hello from Beijing, China. Which connections are working now?Happy 250 US America!England wins! Canada loses!How was the flight back? OOF!Final thoughts on Singapore?Hello to Sebastian from Dublin! Came up to me after recording Friday’s episode and then we were seat mates on the plane!And great news over the weekend as Final Cut Pro newest release now includes AUTOMATIC SUBTITLES!Donate to the show! PayPal link below!https://www.paypal.me/stevensirski?locale.x=en_CA***Show notes n tracks up on stevensirski.comAnd on Notion: https://stevensirski.notion.site/SSAB-The-Audio-Blog-of-Steven-Sirski-00acfe344e164bfab191d3cddf6952b2?pvs=4Newsletter over at stevensirski.substack.comLanguage vlog on http://www.youtube.com/@stevenslanguagevlogGoogle Stock Tracker Sheethttps://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1kbpCC2cieuq23zYyr0-WznPRogVX0aS86BF4_vPvgMY/edit?usp=sharingHope you have a great start of week!00:00 Back in Beijing01:24 Singapore recap and visa fallout04:18 YouTube focus and going online09:35 VPNs that work in China12:11 America 250 and media bias14:24 World Cup talk and responsibility rant21:32 Flights home and China job logistics26:11 Meeting Sebastian on the plane31:05 Overnight flight strategy and Singapore thoughts39:05 Final Cut Pro captions breakthrough42:14 Wrap up and links

And out of Singapore we go! Three days, is that enough, eh? Yes. I’m tired.Final day walk around the city, Little India, Chinatown, and the Raffles Hotel (no Singapore Sling for us this time). Owie my feet hurt!Neat little find, some oils from India. Like cologne but not as strong. Trust the people who sweat! Did we buy anything else? Just chocolates from Singapore, 8 for $10! Yesterday we paid more per box. I guess we’ll see how each tastes. SILVER a popping! How do we know? A stop at Bullion Star. People a shoppin!And how is Changi airport? Yes, it’s the airport with the big waterfall inside of it. No food shops near A Gates in Terminal 3, just fyi.Donate to the show! PayPal link below!https://www.paypal.me/stevensirski?locale.x=en_CA***Show notes n tracks up on stevensirski.comAnd on Notion: https://stevensirski.notion.site/SSAB-The-Audio-Blog-of-Steven-Sirski-00acfe344e164bfab191d3cddf6952b2?pvs=4Newsletter over at stevensirski.substack.comLanguage vlog on http://www.youtube.com/@stevenslanguagevlogGoogle Stock Tracker Sheethttps://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1kbpCC2cieuq23zYyr0-WznPRogVX0aS86BF4_vPvgMY/edit?usp=sharingSafe travels back!00:00 Leaving Singapore00:33 Changi Airport Setup02:42 No Food at A Gates04:37 Waterfall and Terminals07:45 Trip Recap Overview10:12 Little India Morning Walk11:24 Scented Oils Find15:05 Raffles Hotel and Long Bar20:24 Chinatown and Coffee24:23 Durian Redemption 99 Trees27:29 BullionStar Gold and Silver36:56 Midnight Flight Wrap Up39:15 Final Sign Off

Another busy day walking around and back to Sentosa. Beaches (Siloso, Palawan, Tongjeng), billy carts (luges), and the southern most point of continental Asia. And almost lost my phone. That was scary.Today’s food samplings included:-Tim Hortons for coffee and donuts, which were as good as what’s available in Canada.-Then up to the food court at Vivocity at the Sentosa sky train for water jiaozi, roast duck, and kaya sandwiches by Toast Box. Lots of carbs!-Evening time we tried Mr. Coconut, a coconut milk shake.-Popiah = some sort of roll-And A&W… which was nothing like in Canada.Off to the Gardens by the Bay for a light show at night and a walk back to the hotel with a stopover at the Merlion.And the underground skate scene in Singapore… how is it? Quite in the open. Donate to the show! PayPal link below!https://www.paypal.me/stevensirski?locale.x=en_CA***Show notes n tracks up on stevensirski.comAnd on Notion: https://stevensirski.notion.site/SSAB-The-Audio-Blog-of-Steven-Sirski-00acfe344e164bfab191d3cddf6952b2?pvs=4Newsletter over at stevensirski.substack.comLanguage vlog on http://www.youtube.com/@stevenslanguagevlogGoogle Stock Tracker Sheethttps://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1kbpCC2cieuq23zYyr0-WznPRogVX0aS86BF4_vPvgMY/edit?usp=sharingSafe travels!00:00 Day Plan Teaser00:32 Visa Run Mishap01:50 Heat And Tourist Pace03:36 Early Start No Window04:26 Sentosa Luge Basics06:43 Chairlift Nerves08:36 Tourism Staff Vibes10:43 Beach Hopping Tour13:09 Cleaners And Crowds16:44 Phone Lost And Found18:47 Singapore Food Mix20:05 Tim Hortons And Toast Box22:16 VivoCity Food Court23:11 Douyin Coupons Debate25:22 Basement Food Finds25:46 Mr Coconut Shake25:56 Papaya Popiah Rolls26:50 Mochi Rice Treats28:24 A&W Expectations Clash31:38 Food Court Drink Drama33:29 How It Tasted34:29 Michelin Popiah Recap36:03 Gardens Light Show38:36 Singapore Versus China39:23 Merlion And Marina Walk44:44 Underpass Youth Scene46:45 Anti Drug Messaging48:58 Wrap Up And Links

Happy Canada Day!Made it to Singapore and enjoying my time.How was the flight over? Did you get over the visa incident? Had a few people reach out to commiserate, empathize and sympathize. Off to Universal Studios Singapore AGAIN! Did we get all the rides in? YES! Well… I did. The gf’s niece and sister didn’t want to go on the super fast rides, but we went on a few of the moderate ones and the big screen rides as well. A few shows, but Waterworld is closed until the end of December. Despite what I said yesterday, none of the rides seemed closed today, though the Battle Stare Galactica had technical issues throughout the day which meant they closed… then reopened with much shorter rides.What’s the plan for tomorrow?Donate to the show! PayPal link below!https://www.paypal.me/stevensirski?locale.x=en_CA***Show notes n tracks up on stevensirski.comAnd on Notion: https://stevensirski.notion.site/SSAB-The-Audio-Blog-of-Steven-Sirski-00acfe344e164bfab191d3cddf6952b2?pvs=4Newsletter over at stevensirski.substack.comLanguage vlog on http://www.youtube.com/@stevenslanguagevlogGoogle Stock Tracker Sheethttps://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1kbpCC2cieuq23zYyr0-WznPRogVX0aS86BF4_vPvgMY/edit?usp=sharingSafe travels!00:00 Canada Day Arrival00:28 Visa Overstay Story03:27 Law Lessons and Fines08:36 Singapore Heat and Hotel09:53 Audio Podcast vs Video13:39 Midnight Flight Review18:09 Why Singapore Works21:36 Universal Studios Day25:22 Rides Lines and Food37:50 Tomorrow Plans and Wrap

Well, happy pre-Canada Day, now pay 500 RMB and leave the country within the next 24 hours.So what happened and why? What’s the solution and where to next?Will it still be Singapore or… will you renew your visa?Anything else happy to talk about? VPN’s dead. AND… you can take 50 grams of gold and silver out of China without declaring it. Duly noted.Donate to the show! PayPal link below!https://www.paypal.me/stevensirski?locale.x=en_CA***Show notes n tracks up on stevensirski.comAnd on Notion: https://stevensirski.notion.site/SSAB-The-Audio-Blog-of-Steven-Sirski-00acfe344e164bfab191d3cddf6952b2?pvs=4Newsletter over at stevensirski.substack.comLanguage vlog on http://www.youtube.com/@stevenslanguagevlogGoogle Stock Tracker Sheethttps://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1kbpCC2cieuq23zYyr0-WznPRogVX0aS86BF4_vPvgMY/edit?usp=sharingHope you have a great one!! 00:00 Cold Open Visa Panic00:39 Who I Am And What Happened01:52 Airport Stop At Passport Control05:46 No Onsite Fix Flight Lost07:29 Police Pickup And Charge Translation08:56 Station Intake Translator And Emotions10:40 Inventory And Phone Concerns12:10 Inside The Holding Cell16:37 Waiting Lunch And Rule Double Standards20:26 Manager Interrogation Fine And Visa Extension25:40 Visa Overstay Shock26:51 Taiwan Visa Argument28:43 How China Counts Days31:15 Fine Before You Leave34:26 Paperwork and Cameras36:44 500 RMB and Transcript39:03 Holding Cell Waiting42:54 Released and Family Fallout44:46 Rebooking Singapore Flight47:57 Lessons and Final Warning

End of the month and preparing to go yet again! Don’t be late, though this time the gf paid!Sorting stuff and throwing out! When we get back it might be time to get seriousRead a book on how to make it on YouTube, I think I’m doing it wrong. WHERE’S YOUR STORY??And went to see an acrobatics performance… WOW! What would you do if one of them showed up late to class, or missed it entirely??Donate to the show! PayPal link below!https://www.paypal.me/stevensirski?locale.x=en_CA***Show notes n tracks up on stevensirski.comAnd on Notion: https://stevensirski.notion.site/SSAB-The-Audio-Blog-of-Steven-Sirski-00acfe344e164bfab191d3cddf6952b2?pvs=4Newsletter over at stevensirski.substack.comLanguage vlog on http://www.youtube.com/@stevenslanguagevlogGoogle Stock Tracker Sheethttps://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1kbpCC2cieuq23zYyr0-WznPRogVX0aS86BF4_vPvgMY/edit?usp=sharingHope you have a great start of week!!00:00 Packing and deadlines00:38 China visa countdown01:51 Singapore flight mixup04:06 Decluttering travel wardrobe08:33 Sentimental shirts11:33 Selling stuff and lease risk14:04 Life speeds up in your 40s18:32 Universal Studios plans21:16 YouTube grind and blueprint25:07 Aristotle and Storycraft26:39 Vlog Inspirations and Formats29:25 Story Versus Plot Basics30:01 YouTube Blueprint Takeaways34:21 Passion Versus Teaching37:51 Document or Present Language Learning40:50 Singapore Plans and Video Ideas41:58 Chinese Acrobat Show Highlights49:31 Packing Up and Sign Off

Some rain! Finally things will cool down.Up and out to the gym I go! The cleaning lady… didn’t really clean. Barbell rows, shoulder press and then 100 pull ups (no push ups or squats). 7km run done in two parts.Update on the Beijing ID card sale: you have to choose whether to get it in store (more expensive) or buy it online. Once you choose, you can’t change it. And not applicable to foreigners.Steve, you mentioned you’d talk about your biggest mistakes in trading, what were they? AEM.to = sold too soon. PD.to = sold covered calls and they got exercised in January 2021… then went on a multiple year run.And have you ever considered starting a stock market newsletter? Yes. I have. I didn’t think I’d like it. And what about all the ideas I’ve had?Donate to the show! PayPal link below!https://www.paypal.me/stevensirski?locale.x=en_CA***Show notes n tracks up on stevensirski.comAnd on Notion: https://stevensirski.notion.site/SSAB-The-Audio-Blog-of-Steven-Sirski-00acfe344e164bfab191d3cddf6952b2?pvs=4Newsletter over at stevensirski.substack.comLanguage vlog on http://www.youtube.com/@stevenslanguagevlogGoogle Stock Tracker Sheethttps://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1kbpCC2cieuq23zYyr0-WznPRogVX0aS86BF4_vPvgMY/edit?usp=sharingHope you have a great weekend!00:00 Rainy Day Kickoff00:36 Continuity Camera Setup03:26 Stormy Weather Check04:08 Dragon Boat Surprise05:06 Smog And Ventilation07:11 Low Battery Interruption08:10 Gym Cleaning Rant12:01 Workout Recap And Routine14:05 Beijing Subsidy Blocked17:02 Degree Verification Maze19:16 Apostille Process Explained21:05 When China Joined22:38 China Apostille Shift23:15 Online Notarization Costs24:29 One And Done Paperwork25:02 Stock Trading Pivot26:06 Big Miss Agnico Eagle27:31 Trading Journal Basics31:04 Taxes And Selling34:45 Covered Calls Gone Wrong38:07 Air Conditioning Success Metric38:41 Newsletter Idea And Audience42:45 Substack Plan And Credentials43:59 Wrap Up And Links

Ow, I’m sore! Guess the leg workout was good enough.Steve, sounds like you don’t like Warren Buffett, nor Mohnish Pabrai. But what if they offered you a job? Would you take it? What would YOUR value proposition be? (Or what if Codi Sanchez offered you a job, would you take it? What would your offer be? She has a podcast studio!) Key takeaways:-Keep your job (Buffett was employed in several capacities and didn’t become Berkshire Hathaway’s chairman until 1970… when he was 40.)-Put all your eggs in one basket… AND WATCH THAT BASKET!-Don’t get divorced. Work out another agreement.-And… go to school? (Wharton School of Business, Masters in Economics, and New York Institute of Finance)-This kinda runs counter to the whole “get a job in the trades” theme that pops up from time to time.Apostillation continues… why isn’t this on record?Chinese stonks look like they’re bottoming (in New York).And someone sent me $1000. Did I take it?Donate to the show! PayPal link below!https://www.paypal.me/stevensirski?locale.x=en_CA***Show notes n tracks up on stevensirski.comAnd on Notion: https://stevensirski.notion.site/SSAB-The-Audio-Blog-of-Steven-Sirski-00acfe344e164bfab191d3cddf6952b2?pvs=4Newsletter over at stevensirski.substack.comLanguage vlog on http://www.youtube.com/@stevenslanguagevlogGoogle Stock Tracker Sheethttps://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1kbpCC2cieuq23zYyr0-WznPRogVX0aS86BF4_vPvgMY/edit?usp=sharingHope you have a great one!! 00:00 Cold Open and Context00:51 Recapping Codie and Pabrai02:29 Buffett Myth vs Reality04:35 What If They Hired Me07:09 Cody Podcast Job Dilemma10:52 Buffett Quotes Revisited13:09 Rule One Keep Your Job17:34 One Basket Strategy18:55 Don’t Get Divorced20:09 Go to School for Finance21:39 Picking Finance Certificates24:03 Online vs In Person Courses24:54 Taxes and Write Off Basics26:58 How Much Investing Knowledge28:34 Trades vs Market Investing32:12 Stock Tracker and PayPal Plug34:20 China Stocks and Leveraged ETFs39:02 Apostille Passport Paperwork40:45 Turning Down a Personal Loan42:29 Wrap Up and Links

Workout in! Leg day truncated by a tweak in the back. Did get a run inHey, Steve, did you buy SpaceX?! NO! Why not?! Stupid buying GOLD!Warren Buffett and the circle of competence… WTF does that even mean?!? I don’t know SpaceX so I shouldn’t buy? But who am I to disagree with a billionaire who got stock investing right? And I don’t mean Mr. Buffett, but Mr. Mohnish Pabrai on the Cody Sanchez Podcast.-Buffett’s Dad was a stock broker and then a US Congressman = money-The pinball machine = made up a name to sound important (the barber’s could’ve taken the money. What were they thinking?! Who do you criticize, Buffett for lying or the barbers for not be more savvy?)-The golf balls = Buffett didn’t want to do hard work. Welp, I think most would agree that the most recent generations don’t want to either!-So where does this leave Buffett’s stance on investing? What about Pabrai?-Why haven’t I been able to do the same in the Chinese market? Why did I miss the big opportunities in the Canadian market?Listen here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1XnDEXPfyBAfnyGyRJuJFQ?si=q0WtyyEKQGWGC6vrWCT_kwGotta get my degree apostilled?! MORE MONEY OUT THE WINDOW!And it’s shopping day! 618! Who cares? How much money do you have to spend?! Looking to get a new sports watch. Can I get a discount? Only if you have a Beijing ID card. Don’t I have one after TWELVE YEARS of living here?! Nope.Donate to the show! PayPal link below!https://www.paypal.me/stevensirski?locale.x=en_CA***Show notes n tracks up on stevensirski.comAnd on Notion: https://stevensirski.notion.site/SSAB-The-Audio-Blog-of-Steven-Sirski-00acfe344e164bfab191d3cddf6952b2?pvs=4Newsletter over at stevensirski.substack.comLanguage vlog on http://www.youtube.com/@stevenslanguagevlogGoogle Stock Tracker Sheethttps://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1kbpCC2cieuq23zYyr0-WznPRogVX0aS86BF4_vPvgMY/edit?usp=sharingHope you have a great one!!00:00 Cold Open and Big Day01:12 Back Tweak at the Gym03:18 Run Stats and Gear Plans04:27 618 Sale and Beijing ID06:50 Trade In Discounts Explained08:36 Foreigner Excluded From Subsidies10:38 Choosing the Xiaomi Watch12:07 Degree Rejected and Apostille Shock17:41 Cost Breakdown and Contract Timing20:49 Liquidate Everything or Commit23:38 SpaceX IPO and Option Emotions24:49 Principle Over Money and New Podcast25:52 Buffett Fanboy Setup27:09 Jesse Livermore Cautionary Tale28:46 Why Youre Not Buffett32:54 Bond Deal Reality Check33:54 Circle of Competence Test38:05 Hype Media And IPOs39:57 Buffetts Pinball Hustle42:48 Golf Balls And Hard Work44:15 China Bureaucracy Doubts46:39 Chinese Market Competence Gap48:05 Wrap Up And Links

Hey, is podcast equipment a tax write off? Only if it makes money, Steve. Is this the benefit of working from home?Publishing continues. A difference in numbers, but YouTube is the only one that pays.Video night in Taipei TikTok = 0YouTube = 79Instagram = 118XHS = not published yetHow long do you stay in a museum?TikTok = 27194 (and climbing)YouTube = 49Instagram = not published yetXHS = 180GOLD getting low, time to look at it a little more closely. 894 RMB as of this recording, and RSI is in oversold territory.Workout in! 6.51km in 46.22. Then some kettlebell work.And was late to my Chinese class… oops! Thankfully we re-scheduled for the next hour. how are your studies going?Donate to the show! PayPal link below!https://www.paypal.me/stevensirski?locale.x=en_CA***Show notes n tracks up on stevensirski.comAnd on Notion: https://stevensirski.notion.site/SSAB-The-Audio-Blog-of-Steven-Sirski-00acfe344e164bfab191d3cddf6952b2?pvs=4Newsletter over at stevensirski.substack.comLanguage vlog on http://www.youtube.com/@stevenslanguagevlogGoogle Stock Tracker Sheethttps://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1kbpCC2cieuq23zYyr0-WznPRogVX0aS86BF4_vPvgMY/edit?usp=sharingHope you have a great one!! 00:00 Cold Open Banter00:30 Late Chinese Class Story02:27 Book Smart vs Street Chinese06:50 Italki Lessons and Real World Practice08:02 Speaking to a Billion Idea11:14 Podcast Gear Tax Write Offs13:03 Depreciation and CCA Basics15:40 Cross Border Tax Complications18:17 Profit Expectation and Fraud Warnings19:39 Starting a Business in China21:31 Publishing Stats Across Platforms22:51 TikTok vs YouTube Performance24:49 Follower Counts Check26:36 China Platforms Monetization28:47 English Teacher Series Idea30:02 Gold RSI Setup32:37 Gold Stocks Watchlist34:21 Adding GLD To Tracker38:25 Options Trading Warnings41:51 Workout And Missed Class43:03 Wrap Up And Support

Chinese classes continue! How is your Chinese? Bought a few packages in an effort to bolster my speaking. Thinking… new YouTube series? Speaking to a Billion? One man’s quest to speak with every single Chinese-speaking person?Chinese subtitle workflow getting easier to do, continuing on with the basic FCP caption workflow.FM! Missed DELL! Micron! Markets continue to crash! (I put them on the list on May 7th!)Run done 6.51km in 43.36, kbells done, no gym fun, but out in the sun.It’s that time of year! Spraying for bugs! Got sprayed by a mist of malathion!And Apple updates its App Guidelines, did I miss something, but were dating apps easy to make??App Guideline 4.3(b) New Language:…Certain kinds of apps, such as dating, flashlight, sound effects, wallpaper, simple timers, and fortune telling, are well established on the App Store and we will not accept new submissions unless they offer a meaningfully different or improved experience. … Other kinds of apps, such as drinking games, Kama Sutra, fart, and burp apps, are mediocre, low-quality, or low-effort and do not add value to the App Store.Donate to the show! PayPal link below!https://www.paypal.me/stevensirski?locale.x=en_CA***Show notes n tracks up on stevensirski.comAnd on Notion: https://stevensirski.notion.site/SSAB-The-Audio-Blog-of-Steven-Sirski-00acfe344e164bfab191d3cddf6952b2?pvs=4Newsletter over at stevensirski.substack.comLanguage vlog on http://www.youtube.com/@stevenslanguagevlogGoogle Stock Tracker Sheethttps://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1kbpCC2cieuq23zYyr0-WznPRogVX0aS86BF4_vPvgMY/edit?usp=sharingHope you have a great one!! 00:00 Cold Open Updates00:38 Visa Countdown Reality02:55 Cheap Italki Routine05:07 Speaking to a Billion08:40 Fixing YouTube Strategy13:36 Chinese Progress and AI14:33 Subtitle Workflow Breakdown16:57 Chip Stocks and Misses24:00 Run and Bug Spray27:23 WWDC and Shortcuts AI32:41 App Store Crackdown37:27 Wrap Up and Links

Dae ha min guk! Clapclap clapclap clap! Arrived!BARELY got onto the flight! I completely misjudged the time it would take to get to T2 and when we got to the airport the check in was closed. Since I only had carry on, I asked if I could just get the boarding pass. He said no, it closes an hour ahead of departure. The papers have already been sent to immigration. Interesting. Gf chimes in and tells him that my visa expires today he has to leave. I was then ushered through.Now, that could’ve been avoided if we had left earlier AND not purchased cheap airport express tickets on Xianyu.And offered a night out, so we go!A German guy who’s been backpacking for the last month, French girl who’s studying Bahasa Indonesian in Bandung (full scholarship), and. New Zealander doing a search for his roots in China.Windy and cold!How’s the hostel?? Cheap, but… now I’m reminded of how small the rooms are and… gritty.And now… an interview with Morgan and Amos from Australia!Donate to the show! PayPal link below!https://www.paypal.me/stevensirski?locale.x=en_CA***Show notes n tracks up on stevensirski.comAnd on Notion: https://stevensirski.notion.site/SSAB-The-Audio-Blog-of-Steven-Sirski-00acfe344e164bfab191d3cddf6952b2?pvs=4Newsletter over at stevensirski.substack.comLanguage vlog on http://www.youtube.com/@stevenslanguagevlogGoogle Stock Tracker Sheethttps://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1kbpCC2cieuq23zYyr0-WznPRogVX0aS86BF4_vPvgMY/edit?usp=sharingSafe travels!!00:00 Back in Korea00:59 Cheap Ticket Chaos02:31 Check In Cutoff05:35 Flight and Arrival07:05 Six Month Surprise08:49 Hostel Life Mapo12:28 Logistics and Gym Talk16:37 Meeting Hostel Travelers17:46 Fried Chicken Night29:28 Seoul Versus Beijing34:12 Interview Setup Aussies37:23 Morgan and Amos Intro38:56 Travel Plans and Teaching43:24 Canada Visa Fee Rant44:58 Brexit Visa Headaches45:41 Working Holiday Age Limits46:45 Why He Chose Teaching48:20 Rural Placement Bonuses50:41 How Rural Is Rural51:55 Family Roots Wales to Oz55:29 First Impressions of Seoul56:35 Next Stops Gyeongju Busan58:40 Seoul Highlights and Neighborhoods01:03:22 Why Korea Over Japan01:05:28 Food Expectations and Budget Eats01:09:29 Night Tents Soju Bombs01:10:55 Soju Gets You Fast01:11:41 Next Stops Beyond Seoul01:12:32 Museum Fatigue Ancient Pots01:13:48 Learning Korean Basics01:16:02 Eating Like Locals01:18:48 Planning Routes By Train01:22:08 Monolingual Aussies Abroad01:23:28 Hostel Life Digital Nomads01:26:08 Minimalism After Van Life01:28:19 Korean Beer Cass vs Terra01:33:06 Techno Nights Live Music01:36:19 Next Trip Sri Lanka Debate01:38:40 Wrapping Up The Chat

Episode 38 editing... welp, may just have to switch up the source microphones. Gold... when it seems obvious... it is? But it isn't? Takeaway Thursday, what did you eat today? Masks no longer compulsory, but encouraged! Why wasn't ChatGTP made in China? Show notes n.tracks up on stevensirski.com Have a good one!

Just some mix up of sounds created in Logic Pro. Very rough.

Day three of the Jamuary song-a-day challenge for 2023!

Track #2 for Jamuary.

A weekly wrap up of the topics discussed on this week's podcasts! July 25 to 29 2022.

End of month! Humidity hits! Tough waking up today, is skipping destroying me? Or was it the Nordic curls I tried yesterday? I feel those today! Haven't felt a strained muscle in a very long time! Quarter Murph done and another two miles and slow mo workout in the aft. Gold bounces! Crypto charges! If you're not publishing, do you exist? What do you think? August Animation? With work hitting full time now, how to make time for anything else? Show notes tracks n vids up on stevensirski.com Have a.good weekend!

HUGE shout out to the coders n programmers that have created such cool tech! Trying to livestream from my.phone while using the recorder app AND overlaying show notes from another APP! Simply neat and impressice! More SLV vids up: walking and eatinf chocolate. Can't live stream from my phone cause I don't have enough subscribers on Youtube just yet. So go subscribe! :D August animation... have been thinking about this. I guess I want to hear if I still have an apartment before committing to this month-long project. I bought a bunch of plasticine and thought it would be fun to play around with. Began assembling Episode 31 of the podcast. Wanted to have it released but then all of a sudden got drafted into work sooo had to re-arrange things. Behind the scenes walkthrough? Bike ride today morning, then mobility, a run and a skip in the aft. Show notes tracks n vids up on stevensirski.com. Have a good one!

Right... livestreaming can have connectivity issues. Sprints... still... eeech, BUT, I've noticed that doing sprints of skipping has been cutting down on fat. Like, noticeably! There's something beautiful about hearing the rain... but can you sleep with it always there? HSK flashcards continue... SLV videos continue and an idea for a TikTok channel! Show notes tracks n vids up on stevensirski.com! Happy humping day!

Flash card HSK - slowly going through the several decks I have have: physical, Ankidroid x3, and Memrise. New vids up on SLV, tongue twisters! Are they actually useful for teaching ESL? SpaceLab, ever been? Neat but food is only 还可以. A report from Slovenia and... Georgia! Live streaming... did I just eliminate my evenings out?! Is there another way I could do this to give me some flexibility? Show notes tracks n vids up on stevensirski.com Have a good Tuesday!

Trying to broadcast while recording, thinking of setting up a new channel on YouTube Downloaded THREE DECKS of flashcards on Anki PLUS Memrise, we're hitting those characters hard! Thinking... if I don't get an apartment renewal contract, I may be forced to move which would mean... uni job? Are they still available? Been posting a few English vids on my language vlog, some tips on learning languages. It seems like it's a good idea. How to do Chengyu? Curious, what would you want to hear on this daily digest of a podcast or something similar? Is there anything missing? Ten wondering thoughts: 1. Mandatory exercise would mean you have to dance with your boss. Mandatory exercise means that if you are the boss you have to lead the dance. 2. I think I need a day off. Why? I don't feel well. What's wrong? I'm sick of work. :D 3. Whatever you're doing right now, can you imagine doing it in 15 years' time? :O That's something to think about! 4. What species do you think they will first use for an authentic-look, real-world view camera in a smartphone? Would it be fish eyes or something else? 5. One thing I've found that has helped me get excited for the next day: buy good coffee. 6. If were overheard by your boss complaining about your job and management, etc., and then he she they walked up to you and said the job is yours, do you think you could do it? 7. Most populous cities have had generations of people walk over their land. Do you think your footsteps are historical? 8. What technology do we take for granted today will be obsolete in a hundred years? I kinda think bluetooth (yes, like bluetooth mice n headsets) 9. Bamboo sheets? Why aren't they more common? 10. If you could do a TV show of your life, would you? What would it be like? Show notes n tracks up on stevensirski.com Have a good start of week!

Rain! Unexpected but that will cool things down. Another bike ride this morning, 10 miles / 16 kms, plus a one mile run after. Afternoon workout was a run and kbells... then I ripped a callous off. Ow. DRUGS! Shrooms, pot, kava etc., do we need them? What about alcohol or caffeine or tobacco? What about music? Why do so many musicians partake in these substances? Indigenous cultures around the world have used these things... why are they not more mainstream? Watching this Netflix doc called 'How to Change Your Mind' with Michael Pollan -he talked about going off of coffee for three months on Joe Rogan's show some time back. DONE first book for HSK 5, I can't help but feel rather sleepy when reading these texts! Looked into radicals Show notes tracks n vids up on stevensirski.com! Have a good weekend!

That generator is still on! Gold looks good! Is it a replacement for cash? Zhengzhou bank runs and red QR Codes! What about crypto?! Episode 31 in the books! Recorded and now onto editing. GoPro battery swollen and stuck... required some finaggling with a knife but got it out. Battery still works but it's a pain to get it out and I wonder if it's safe. Noodle place gone! Shut down as of yesterday. Their breakfast was alright but it was the fact that it was always open that was good. It was one of those places that serves delivery people and other passersby, not typically foreigners. It was the last hold out of that stretch of buildings and now it is gone! Aaannd... Ancient Greek Civilization for English Learners! Show notes tracks n vids up on stevensirski.com Have a good one!

Another going away party! And a few words from someone who has been in the country for over nine years. What do you want to accomplish in that country? Why do you want to go? When do you know that it is time to leave? Would you swim in Liangma River? HSK prep continues, eech buuut... I'm the only one left in the country from my former Chinese class! The others have left! Podcast episodes in the works! Two a days: some slow n steady days. Lift heavy, but slow, instead of blitzkrieging through a hundred kbell swings Show notes tracks n vidz up on the site stevensirski.com

Hot and did not sleep well! Another bike ride this morning and a skip n ballz workout in the aft. New SLV up, took a while to get rendered, not sure why. Podcast lineup in the works! NFTs: airplane tickets as collectibles?! If the airlines can garner another 10% profit... they will. How to make an NFT? How to open a wallet? Which currency to use? Ethereum seems to be the on that comes up a lot. Ten ideas for music NFTs: 1. Music files mp3/wav, 2.MIDI files, 3. Project file, 4. The making of the project (video/audio + maybe a special thank you), 5. Images of the WAV form (like a film strip) that also contains a music file built-in, 6. USB of everything, 7. Blog post with screenshots (ebook?) 8. Meeting with maker + video n audio of the meet up 9. Jpeg poster of cover art (+wave form of soundscape?) 10. Cover art for the song itself Show notes n tracks up on the website stevensirski.com Have a good one!

On vacation! Relaxing!... Except for all the noise! Generators and air conditioners running all the time! Aiya! Hot AF as we are now into the 伏天 fu tian, the three sets of hottest times of the year. Ten days each for a grand total of 30 more days of this! +34 pretty much all the time and hardly a wind. Stay hydrated! How much sun is bad for the skin? And hasn't SPF even come under scrutiny as it absorbs into the body and does who knows what? HSK 5 test most defo did not pass BUT this gives me a good jumping off point AND should kick me out of my complacency. Aiming for three hours a day of language use. Went to JingA after and met a guy from Winnipeg! He's returning to Canada soon and so that makes two people from the city now going back. He actually recognized me because he saw me running around the neighbourhood with my camo weight vest. Ha! Website updated. Along with Chinese studies thinking I might spend August focusing on animation. Bought some Chinese plasticine and was thinking of trying out more stop motion. Show notes tracks n vids up on stevensirski.com Have a good start of week!

HSK 失败了！ #FAIL Or at least not very good. Didn't freeze or anything but simply was not prepared enough. Areas to work on: reading speed at HSK 5 level which means more practice dense. These texts are dense and the answers aren't always easy to see... at least in my impression. Vocab! Much more work on this. Words forgotten: 失败, 休息, 提高, 胳膊 (arm), wrist, keyboard 键盘. If going by the gauge of 2-3 hours of study increases your grade by 1 point, then at the very least this test will give me an indication of how much more I need to do. Finish the textbooks, finish the mock tests, finish the test prep book!

Friday night! Night before HSK 5 test! Still not really nervous, more just want it over with! Almost done with the second go through of the textbook, will probably need one more go through to finish them up. Then the workbook practice tests. Spent the day listening to all of the texts and reviewing vocab. Will continue to focus on vocab review and practice some writing before the test tomorrow. Never did any practice tests cause... they're soooo loooong! My big issue is vocab (for reading and listening) and then grammar for the correct the sentences portion. Looked at the HSK 6 books, they actually don't look as daunting as they once did. KNIFE SHARPENER! Half Murph again this morning: 2.08 mile run (time 20:45) 1.01 mile weighted run (10:31) 7 rounds: 5 or 6x pull up variations, 12x pushups, 20x squats (22:11) 1.06 mile weighted run (11:29) Time: 44m 11s That piano sound? A car backing up! I should have known this! Ten ideas for languages to learn! Show notes n tracks up on stevensirski.com Have a good weekend!

Dual workouts in, mostly cardio. One hour bike in the morning, run and skip in the aft. Gotta get those legs moving if you want skipping to count. Five or whatever hours of Chinese studies. Went from Chapter 18-30 in the second book with a glance at vocab, grammar and collocations. Tomorrow hope to go through the rest of the book and do a couple of practice tests. Half Murph tomorrow again, remember to hydrate! Watching Don Draper on Mad Men. Never really watched the show but a guy at work likes it. Looked around at a few uni jobs, there are some in the area. Today's bike ride showed me how close some of them were! Did I mention the ten jobs I see foreigners doing here in Beijing? 1. ESL teacher (international schools) 2. voice over actors / voice talent 3. acting (low budget / commercial) 4. bartending 5. management (corporate) 6. beer brewer 7. filmmaker 8. stunt personnel / trainer 9. self defense training 10. Douyin personality (in Mandarin) 11. Copyeditor / proofreader 12. Journalist Looking ahead, how often should you change jobs? Show notes n tracks up on stevensirski.com Have a good one!

Joe Ro saying the govt saying alien aircraft could be real sounds fishy while it's navy pilots seeing these craft in airspace reserved for military.... hmmm now that you put it that way... Webb telescope and it's latest picture of deep space! Russia makes bullets, Ukraine doesn't. Remember media saying Russian troops were retreating? Or were they letting the separatists take up the fight? Three more days, reading us tough and slow! Am I making progress? Two workouts again, up early and out early. Wondering, could I use a white noise machine to wake myself up at an earlier time? Would sound better than some abrasive alarm going off. I swear I heard a one note piano this morning... Show notes n tracks up on stevensirski.com Have a good day! Slava Ukrainii!

Omicron Variant Sub BA.5.2.??.!! Shanghai shanghai'ed! Ten years from now, what will you have wished you did sooner? Are there still avenues left to explore here in China? Living in China or leaving? How do different places compare? Family considerations, both old and new, environment, what else needs to be considered? Ten places: Dubai, Abu Dhabi, France, Kuala Lumpur Malaysia, Seoul or Busan South Korea, Tokyo Japan, Montreal?, Vancouver?, London?, Slovenia?! Opportunity to study, now using Daily Zhongwen on YouTube for reading the HSK books for me! Test prep reading is tough! Show notes n trcks up on stevensirski.com Have a good one!