The Audio Blog of Steven Sirski

What a nap! This is in strict contrast to one of my students who left class saying she was going to the bar in Sanlitun. She invited me but I declined the offer. We got snow! And it’s cold! Debates are over! Did it wrong since I booked resubmits on Friday afternoon and they all showed up! Sneaky cell phone usage! Getting essays done, this is the last weekend! iTalki closes applications aaaaand… I...

Reading Reddit and what do the Elders say? What of the ESL industry, its career progression, and WTF you’re supposed to do in it? What happens to the long-timers? Should I get an MA in TESOL? TEFL? Whatever? That would move me into administration, this is something I was looking at with the DELTA a few years back. I know people who the full suite of DELTA Modules completed, and they’re still worki...

HEY! What about GOLD?! YouTube introduces AI Studio… sounds like ChatGPT! SLV Episode 67 recorded, not published! Checking out iTalk. And what about this six month thing? What else is there to say? Donate to the show! PayPal link below! https://www.paypal.me/stevensirski?locale.x=en_CA ***Show notes n tracks up on stevensirski.com And on Notion: https://stevensirski.notion.site/SSAB-The-Audio-Blog...

Impatience to leave is not a good sign! Hello students, this is an exam! Have there been any highlights from the debates? Yes! How did the sound go? Wasn’t there when I woke up but I had to play my ocean waves throughout the night. And what could the next six months look like? Donate to the show! PayPal link below! https://www.paypal.me/stevensirski?locale.x=en_CA ***Show notes n tracks up on stev...

I’m guessing she just turned it down… why not turn it off? Teacher! You’re so serious! Wait, I wasn’t before? Isn’t this an exam? I guess exams begin but to me it’s just a speech. No SLV podcast recorded just yet, spent much of yesterday setting up cameras! Tried out the Zoom H5 and then… decided to just record it tomorrow. No workout on Sunday, a small workout today (full body), three runs: 3.51...

I’m glad it’s over! No more “teaching”, just grading. First set of debates in, one really good, one really bad. (Guy showed up just before the debate was to start!) Got crunched… Granola gives me a review of my year. Workout and feeling it! Thinking I might have to re-arrange my workout days. Should I put the pull ups at the beginning of the week? 3.51 km run in 26.52, off to the gym to do unweigh...

Up from a nap, am I getting sick? It is cold outside. There’s a gym on campus?? I should’ve known. (Not a very big one.) DaVinci workflow update, how did it compare to Descript? (It failed. MUCH faster in Descript.) And looking into TCM… can it replace my current supplement stack? Western SupplementTCM EquivalentNotesCoQ10黄芪 (Astragalus)Energy, ATP supportPQQ灵芝 (Reishi)Mitochondrial growthBaco...

Listening through last year’s December Drumming… apparently I DID do it! But Jamuary 2025? Nope. DaVinci to take over Descript in my workflow? Not just yet. But it could lead to more automation! Went to the library to have a look around, not bad. Kinda miss being able to sit in a library. Too bad the area near the magazines and journals smelled like toilet. Workouts in! COLD outside! But that new...

Ripping out apartments again! It’s COLD outside! Students FINALLY showing up, should they be included? Less students showing up overall, but those who do… some fall asleep. The semester is almost over, which things are winding down in terms of classes, but winding up in terms of grading. And SLV Episode 66 is up and out! Thinking… should I start scripting? How is DaVinci working out? Donate to the...

The State of the Drum begins! December Drumming! Will I continue? Can I continue! How will I continue!-Song A Day Jonathan Mann still continues!-70% bad, 20% good, 10% gold SLV Episode 66 recorded but not yet published, how is it editing with DaVinci Resolve Studio? (Made some mistakes.) Workouts in! 3.51 km run in 26.24, then to the gym for chest and back, then back out for another 4.51km run in...

About that AI revolution and who’s it affecting… remember how I said yesterday that there are LOTS of jobs IF you’re willing to move? And are businesses willing to help out? Well, what if AI is taking away jobs from the developing countries by way of AI voice calling?! And what if the JOBS ARE IN the US AND the people in these developing countries ARE willing to move?! And what about China impleme...

Layoffs are happening, but why? Is it because of AI or because of… over-hiring? Is the middle class being squeezed into a rental life?https://www.wsj.com/personal-finance/the-middle-class-is-buckling-under-almost-five-years-of-persistent-inflation-4d783aee?mod=itp_wsj,djemITP_h-No Agenda says that we’re headed to a new world order of rental living Tina Huang on the current employment atmosphere-do...

More wind and a possibility of snow! Workouts in! Post-class run 3.54km in 26.50, off the to gym for legs and some shoulders, then back out for another 7.51km in 53.30. How am I learning DaVinci? In Chinese! Will it work this time? Pizza with kale, am I doing it wrong? And some thoughts on the labour market as it stands. (To be continued…) Donate to the show! PayPal link below! https://www.paypal....

Black Friday deals a go go! How many do you really need? Despite my middle class struggles, seeing and thinking about what I could get now to make life a bit easier (in terms of video editing). Every expat says “This time is different!” But it never is. It’s simply easier to keep going where you are rather than moving any further. What else did ChatGPT say about going to the Middle East? No real w...

Big winds a howling! Still got the workouts in today! 3.53km run done in 20.36, then to the gym for chest and back, then back out INTO THE WIND for a 4.51km run in 30.24. Feeling rather knackered now. SLV Episode 65 recorded and published, how was DaVinci in the workflow? Grading continues, will I make the deadline? And what sort of deadlines can there really be? Just get it done. And what about t...

No class this morning so an easy start, but that got me thinking… Stay in China or head on out? A few things to think about: There are no foreign billionaires living in China. What about millionaires? Workouts in! Still feeling heavy doing these pull ups. Did 105 or 110 total, 25 with 5 kg, 25 with 10 kg, plus 210 push ups, 315 squats. 4.51km run in 28.36, then another 5.01 km run after the gym in...

They had red velvet cake at breakfast! Preparation for speaking presentations begin! A panel debate - one example is if a good education is needed for a happy and successful life. Successfully convinced one class to stay for an extra hour so we don’t have to have class tomorrow morning! I should clarify, I didn’t START drinking at 13, I had my first beer at 13… though maybe my Dad gave me a sip wh...

Fell asleep early last night! Trade schools for the win?https://www.wsj.com/opinion/ford-motor-ceo-jim-farley-mechanic-shortage-autos-skilled-workers-334ae52d?mod=itp_wsj,djemITP_h Workouts in! 7.51km morning run in 49.28, then modified afternoon chest and back workouts, then ran back to the university for 5km in 29.33 to invigilate the exam. Had to modify the typical back workout so not as focuse...

Hey, I’ve been pirated! My Military Museum video has been re-uploaded and dubbed over in Chinese by some fake YouTube account. Guess I gotta make a claim. DaVinci installed! Speed Editor charged! Does it work?! Not as intuitive as Final Cut. But LOTS of memory being taken up. (DaVinci for iPad is a different subscription.) No workout in, but putting in suggestions for work… waitaminute, is this fr...

Cold outside and the heat is on! New SLV Episode out, new video up! Where to go next?! All that tech I talked about on Friday, is it necessary?-Final Cut Pro-Apple Motion-FxFactory-BorisFX -DaVinci Studio-MotionVFX-Speed Editor-Blackmagic Camera-Blackmagic Cloud Pro Cam I & II by MomentHalide Mark II -Logic Pro-iZoptope Workouts in! Saturday, Sunday, Monday… and tomorrow? 3.52km in 24.56, then...

You dropped the ball, Steven! You could’ve got them talking about math! Bought DaVinci… I can always return it. Downloading some video editing plugins, looking to make video editing fun again. I spent money on the audio editing, should I do the same with video? Workouts in! 3.51km run in 26.04 (with a backpack, computer n all), then off to the gym for 110 or so pull ups, 220 push ups, 330 squats....

Are they asleep already? Just who IS living next to me? SLV Episode 64 recorded, getting a little better at focusing my episodes. All about Music Engineering. Was NOT as dorky as it could’ve been… even showed them some old videos of myself! Peaked into another class to see what the students were doing… they were sleeping! Students doing math in class… maybe cause their marks aren’t so good and the...

Lost, then found! Good thing I ran around! Displaced my university food card and so had to go looking for it. Found it as someone had put it on the curb. Workouts in! No morning run, but did end up doing 8km after the gym this afternoon. took 54.52. Chest and glutes again today. How is the Maca motivation going? How is your Chinese going? Donate to the show! PayPal link below! https://www.paypal.m...

Lest we forget! Remembrance Day in the West, shopping day in China! Anything good to buy? Doesn’t look like it. Workout in! And trying some different APPs. Did back and shoulders today. Currently trying out the APP Hevy. Looks interesting, but too bad I can’t copy + paste my workout. Maybe AI has made me lazy?-Hevy-Strong-Strava-runo APP-Tempo-PUSH-JeFit-iMuscle2-Runkeeper And should I go study Ch...

Back is killing me after sitting in this chair all weekend! Marking begins! Starting early and looking to get it done quick. Workouts in! 3.5km run in 20.57, then hitting legs today, then back out for another 4.5km run in 27.42. SLV Episode 63 up and out! Stats looking good. And a bit of sad news: a death in the family, how do bereavement flights work? Donate to the show! PayPal link below! https:...