The Audio Blog of Steven Sirski

Blue skies and holidays, but getting cold outside. Automation success! On-device transcription done! But is it a good idea? Terminal AI!? Better or worse? It’s very… computery. Claude Terminal could look at a JSON and create FCPXML files. The problem? Is it safe? Now someone knows which files I have on my computer and how I structure my system. Security risk? Or paranoia? And videos getting done,...

Enjoy yesterday’s show? Thinking I might do another China-focused episode. And yes, I need to get my website in order so I can line up all these different episodes Videos getting sorted and I may not have as many as I thought I would! Out to Taco Fest to see some old folks, where are they and what are they doing now? And time to talk about bonds. WTF are they and how do they matter so much? Bonds...

Hey it’s National Day break! Golden Week Number One! Let’s look at the history of China, who, what, where and why are they important? It’s National Day here in China and the country is celebrating its Golden Week, a time when workers and students alike take an extended time off from their duties and often go travelling. In today’s episode I wanted to cover a bit of the history of the country as I’...

Classes done and now it’s time for a break! These kids must feel a little bit relaxed! Russian class done and it hurt! Why do I do this to myself? How do you even prepare for a first class? And what is the Callan Method? (Rapid fire questions.) We don’t get paid until the 5th! Whoa! But it’s a good time to buy GOLD! Or is it? And how are those videos coming along? Singapore a singing, should I hav...

I liked yesterday’s episode, I think it was an actually valuable discussion. So much so, I might re-record it for Substack. Is the market about to correct? Wouldn’t be a surprise at all… unless you don’t follow these things. https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/investing/opinion/2026/09/17/dont-fight-the-fed-opportunity-coming-up-brooke-thackray/ -Markets tend to decline in October, I’ve noted this before....

He took a degree in Chinese history… in Chinese?!? I must be doing something wrong! Stay away from the market! Says her father, who has a PhD in Economics! I don’t blame him! Meeting with the head faculty… about those office hours! Video editing getting done and my Singapore video taking off… why? Chinese classes a go go and trying to keep up the writing! And, what’s the use of learning Chinese? O...

Happy Mid-Autumn Festival! Got the moon cakes! Feeling better! Maybe it’s my only fan?! My breakfast place is STILL CLOSED! WTF happened? Video editing getting done, should I move this podcast onto video? New Chinese class! How was it? Talked about eating pig’s ears. And, Steve, have you seen any changes in the neighbourhood? -“Older” lady who worked at April Gourmet no longer there. -Cass beer no...

Hey we got rain! Probably the last for a while! Why haven’t the leaves turned colour yet? Up and out early to… study Chinese? Practicing Chinese writing once again! Gotta get into the habit! Last Chinese class today with one of my teachers, but signed up with another one AND… another language? Why? Out to the gym for deadlifts then back to the apartment to run on the treadmill! Steve, is that the...

It’s the weekend! No work tomorrow, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday! Two classes next week! Up and out for a workout this morning, feeling alright, mostly back workout today. No run yet. Meetings all day and it seems like a better idea than classes… but, it’s more work. How much do I have to carry the conversation and listen to the same responses? And, many plans for the upcoming holiday? Other t...

Too soon on the “I don’t hurt!” post-gym sesh! Owie! Up and out for a run early this morning, and wondering how workouts actually change. Is it because you stop doing the things you don’t like? If you continue to work out for a while, then you start to add some variations and if you stop, you’re like, why am I doing this? Thinking all these books… did some math on how much time I spend doing each...

I’ve been PSB’d! Passport gone until October 8th! Now the lovely yellow paper is all I got! Class prep and podcasts, will they work? Off to the gym and hitting 75 kgs on the bench! Could I bench my body weight? Squats lagging bigly. Missed a Chinese class! And thinking… 1100 RMB for teaching an infant? Where do I sign up?! Donate to the show! PayPal link below! https://www.paypal.me/stevensirski?l...

New donation! Thank you! Join the club! Paypal link in the show notes! First week done and it already feels like it’s going faster! Gotta keep the students speaking! So far, so good! Evening orientation for the newbies: don’t talk sht about sht! Up and out this morning for a workout, deadlifts, pull ups and upper body. When can I get my run in? And Beijing has banned drones! Like, even having them...

How about this: we record right now so we don’t have to fight through the jet lag? Fell asleep right after recording yesterday’s episode and up at… 2 am again! Never did eat my guobaoriu! Finished The Stand! Finally! Looking at the condition of the book, looks like I should just get rid of it. What’s next? How were those books for the gf? Can she read them? Yes… but understanding is still a bit di...

Quick! Record now before my food shows up and I fall asleep! Jet lag strikes and up at 2 am! Went for a walk and no one was out. Last first class done, now onto the second. Meetings a go go and what are the office hours really? And when is class prep or grading time? FREE apparently. Off to the gym in the morning for the first workout in a very long time and then a run in the afternoon… now my che...

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!...

Hello from Beijing! Back to the city and into my humble abode… again. Still. How was the trip? How was the food? It was decent but has been better. Same with the snacks. No brownies this time. They seem to be giving free beer on domestic flights these days. Watched Suits, Succession, and Narcos. Are you a YouTuber? And, do you like being back? Donate to the show! PayPal link below! https://www.pay...

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/steven...

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 missi...

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?lo...

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 l...

Hello from Detroit, Michigan! Got in Saturday morning (sorry I didn’t publish Friday’s episode until later). Got about three hours of sleep and… that wasn’t enough. Weekend review. Out and about in Detroit, Coney Island hot dogs, Buddy’s Pizza, Detroit Institute of Arts, Lime Bike, Hamtamck Hostel Donate to the show! PayPal link below! https://www.paypal.me/stevensirski?locale.x=en_CA *** Show not...

Oh man! The Cleveland air show is this weekend! And that Rock and Roll Hall of Fame looks enticing! Made it to Cleveland! How was the drive? How was the sleep? Saw Lake Erie and dipped my toes in. Did a quick tour of Buffalo in the morning. Canalsides, AKG Art Museum, war ships, and Charlie the Butcher Beef on Weck. And yea, the sleep sucked but good thing I got to the car rental agency at 6.30am...

Wow, America! This is insane! Nowhere cheap to stay! Did try the Buffalo Wings at Gabriel’s Gate. Park Street Steak sandwich, too… and that’s my food budget for the day. Right now at Ulrich’s Tavern not far from Kevin’s Guesthouse… they wouldn’t take me because I don’t have anyone at the hospital, “It’s against our charter.” “I’d rather donate to you than a hotel. Can I volunteer?” “There’s the Ci...

My apologies about the delay in posting yesterday’s episode. Many technical delays! iPhone got SOAKED! Couldn’t charge. Couldn’t upload. OOPS! Hello from Buffalo! What’s it like? It’s raining! Surprise surprise and there’s a tornado warning. No cheap places to stay. Thinking about staying in the airport… unless I take this guy’s offer up at the bar to stay in his hotel room… Steve, say wha? I did...

Welcome to the America! Yes, checked in late to the hostel, much to the chagrin of the owner, Jeff! Found him at the bar down the street! Sounded gruff on the phone but was very nice in person, very knowledgeable.  China visa video doing okay, 500+ views so far. Keep the stories a coming, Stevie! How was the crossover into the US? Not bad, though nerve-racking, border guard was curious how long I...