The Audio Blog of Steven Sirski

Ooof, hot outside, but is it anything like Beijing? Not really. It also doesn’t last as long. Tummy hurts after eating Famous Wok! Am I no longer used to it? Uniqlo Winnipeg is open, how are the prices? How is it to work there? Chatr Mobile set up and and easy change… my phones don’t take eSIM. My apologies about the late posting of yesterday’s episode! I fell asleep as I was trying to choose the...

Back to Winnipeg and time to rest! What a weekend! Dauphin town, family reunion, and lots of driving around. How was it and what did you do? -lots of mosquitoes! -ate a lot and saw a lot of people -the city has changed quite a bit (it’s expanding), -flood damage in the city was minimal but it hit the hospital, -couldn’t breath in the hotel because… pollen? -but it did have a decent selection of we...

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 a...

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...

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...

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#a2 Search “AIRS Automated Import Registration System” https://airs-sari.inspection.gc.ca/airs_external/english/decisions-eng.aspx And hello from Canada! How was the flight? Crying. Lo...

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 Reap...

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. W...

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 gam...

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....

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 cream And is fois gras now a thing in China...

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 w...

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...

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 ri...

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 t...

Summer continues and it’s getting hot! Getting up at 3 am again… why don’t I just stay up? Cleaning begins, what else can I throw away? More clothes, shoes, cables and studio stuff. Still finding it hard to depart with some stuff. Talking with people around the compound, is 36 almost 40? And a Mother encourages her son to leave Beijing… the economy here is no good! Making plans for the summer mont...

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...

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...

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 jiaoz...

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 b...

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:/...

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 serious Read 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?? Donat...

Markets slammed! Why? Who knows! Chinese stonks a dropping even HARDER! Building up the website bit by bit, why not just use Wordpress? Let’s try to vibe code it. Workout in! Deadlifts.. OWIE! 120kg for 3 reps. Should’ve warmed up first. Still managed to get the weighted run done in: 6.51 km in 1hr 2 min 17 sec. 70 pull up, 140 push ups, 210 squats… what about the others? Did 30-40 weighted pull u...

To the embassy I go to get not ONE, but TWO copies certified of my degree. What’s the latest? It IS an authentication that can be used IN CHINA! What does HR lady do? Goes to CSCE to check and lo and behold, YES it can be used! Does she even know what she’s doing? “I’ve never had someone apply from within Beijing before.” Maybe you should have said something. GOLD hitting 873 SELL 887 BUY per gram...

Apostille update, re yesterday’s confusion. 1) Still have to send it to Ottawa, but then it has to go to the Chinese embassy to be authenticated. I’m ready to give up. Don’t care any more. I don’t think they even know what’s going on. Tomorrow I’ll go to the Canadian embassy anyway to get some documents in order. Stonk market a dropping! China stonks getting SLAMMED! Do they PROCEED a US sell off?...