The Audio Blog of Steven Sirski

Deep greens and runnings Quarantines lifted! What about vaccinations? The generator is back on but it doesn't seem as loud. One year of working from 'home' and that's it?! Wow, that kinda didn't take long. If you didn't have to be where you are, where would you go? Do I have to be in China any more? Are there still opportunities here? World Juniors are on! THIS is a typical post-Christmas activity...

Boxing Day... day off in Canada. How was Christmas? Baking and cooking: all edible, some more than others. Kutia Borscht Perogies Shortbread Pumpkin Pie Watched Scrooged... havent seen that movie in a long while! No morning workout but yes to afternoon. Called home and was kinda thinking Id rather be there than here, but that has to be taken with a bit of salt. Work week begins again in China... a...

Christmas Eve eve Ukrainian Christmas songs on the keyboard Streets are quiet and media is making a big dral out of the spike in COVID cases here. Wasnt that the idea? No morning workout but I did get an afternoon workout in. Christmas cooking: last year we tried perogies and kutia, this year I want to add borscht and shortbread. And there is a question: if working from home, how much longer can I...

Christmas is upon us, debates of its religiosity abound, end of year already... any plans? Three years of COVID lockdowns and now it's over... but what to do with all that freedom? Website updated... I think. Was giving me errors so I dont know if December Drumming page actually saved or if it's just the cache in my browser. Market action... Santa Claus rally gearing up? Show notes n tracks up on...

One office worker tapping away on a desk, tap tap tap two little office workers tapping away on a desk, tap rap tap rap three little office works tapping away on a desk, the boss walks by, and tells them "you should start a band. I'll sing."

A common office job pastime: tapping on the desk. How do you musicafy that?

An easy jazz track with just cymbals and a bit toms for good measure.

Winter solstice! Another month till Spring Festival Work out done Late morning Reading Hyperspace by Michio Kaku... still kinda depressing! But... the universe could not be flat... ie, it could be like a globe. So... are we looking directly across at these stars or could they even be from another parallel universe? Also... why is it that some parts of our bodies can regrow but others can't? Show n...

The feeling of feeling better! McDonald's Monopoly... did you know it was basically a scam the entire time? Like, not by the company, but by the one guy in charge of putting the winning stickers on... he just sold them to people he knew. And other nostalgia... Show notes n tracks available.on stevensirski.com Have a good one!

Website updated, newsletter out, feeling better but still stuffy. December Drumming continues with trying some new things. And Episode 35 of the bigcast is out! Featuring fellow expat Tatiana, blogger, podcaster, and event coordinator here in Beijing. We recorded this episode just as my building was being shut down back on November so it's a good thing it was over Skype. Have a listen at thr end o...

Still fighting 'it', painful morning but some painkillers fixed that. December Drumming still rolling along. I seem to be sticking to digital kits this year. May try to move away towards the end of the month. Connection issues persist. Looking ahead for the next few months and what I can expect to accomplish. I might need some other help but I'm not sure where because all of my stuff is very much...

The pains continue but found some old painkillers. Wearing sweaters to help roast out the virus. Connection issues didn't match up with my consciousness times. Going slow but still going. Show notes n tracks up on stevensirski.com Stay well out there!

Short one today cause I think Ive got it... THE VIRUS! Pain all over, slept most of the day. Could be the start of something much worse or a one and done. Progression of symptoms. Didnt eat very much and no working out! Stay well out there folks.

You sick yet? No. Lucky man! Not sure for how long. Got a scratchy throat right now. Ah, yea, I felt like that on Saturday. Then it hit later that night. You'll be fine cause you're healthy, it's just the first 2 or 3 days that suck. Eeeps! Soooo... did three miles after work cause... throat is scratchy. Who knows what the week will bring! Hong Kong open! No quarantine! Would love to go again! And...

Ah that's how you change the keyboard to auto correct. Don't be a journalist in the Middle East, Grant Wahl collapsed. Sports writer, caused some issues with wearing a rainbow shirt to the World Cup. Dust storm so afternoon run was a no go. Morning workout... not cold but still a mental wall. Aaand qr code tracking gone! Take your screenshot now cause tomo the health tracking app is gone-o! Is thi...

The virus spreads! Aiya! December drumming tracks, let's see what I can finally post today! Worked on some new tracks. Made some drafts but wasnt happy with how they turned out. A day off turned into a day on sooo that kinda occupied my time. Workouts in! Morning: 3 miles - 33.32 67 pull ups 125 pushups 205 air squats (i think) total time - 22.37 Did these all in rounds of 5 10 15 respectively Aft...

Remember how I said I didn't know anyone who had COVID? Well... that's changed. Yahoo no longer available in China? This was a surprise. Duibujib for dinner... Korean food for foreigners. And very good. Air raid for Jiang Zemin - forgot to post this earlier SSP36 in the worx! DELTA M2 and M3 ideas. December Drumming continues... Show notes n tracks up on stevensirski.com Have a good one!

How did the DELTA go? So what next? NAT and restaurant entrances. People are talking about Ukraine but apparently Haiti isnt doing too well, just lawlessness. Need to update December Drumming! Show notes n tracks up on stevensirski.com Have a good one!

Wow... that changed quick! No NATs needed for most places, just scan and keep going. Travel opens up but... does anyone have any vacation days left? When will China open its borders and when will it let its people get passports again? That being the case, some seem to be taking off for the holidays: Britain, France notably. DELTA prep... last day! Kinda want it over with but at the same time want...

Last couple if days before DELTA M1... how do you analyze the form of the phrase ...'as if...'? Spent most of the day reading through the A-Z of ELT brushing up on terminology. Cant wait until this is over! Haha Double workouts but hard to get out this morning. Is it just me or? Well... fewer people out there anyway. December Drumming continues but connections have been spotty. And why are all the...

No more PRC tests to ride the rails! No more testing if you work from home! No more mass testing! And this is how China will reverse its dynamic zero: it will just change the numbers. And the science (or news reporting thereof)! Canada gone from World Cup, but at least they scored a goal. Why is Canadian soccer so bad? December Drumming starts! Stay tuned for today's track. Making stir fries with...

Last month of the year, second last of the Chinese zodiacal year. Next up is the Year of the Rabbit. Jiang Zemin dies, market rallies! The ominous bag of vegetables, big blue tents, and which doors are still open? Dedicated connection to upload. Five hours on Sunday. But... would it even work? Oh Canada... does China still have a grudge? Maybe that's why my connection isnt so good. And what did I...

Jiang Zimen has died, age 96. Will Hu Jintao get the same mention? DELTA reading... one week out. Lots about methodologies. Cold cold cold and windy... inside workout in the morning but then outdoors for the afternoon. A revisit of some workouts I did when the pandemic firat started. Second workout was skip n ballz, but shortened the number of rounds to 6 and did four rounds of skip n ballz. Was a...

Could and windy! Like real windy! Beijing city lockdown? No, but maybe you don't have to get tested all the time. How do I qualify? Spent the day updating the website and working on Episode 35. Thinking... do I need to upgrade my microphone? NaNoWriMo - still have more to do. Automator programming... so close. Six hours on Saturday Show notes n tracks up on stevensirski.com Stay warm out there!

Proof of COVID vax not needed for Canada and many other countries as of October 1 2022 ?! What happened?! Aaaaaannnndddd... on cue... Beijing cases drop. But that's not why the assisted connection devices have been so bad... Need a new desk as Im trying to set up this MIDI controller I got. Getting cold outside, but that's not stopping the people. World Cup continues... have it on but not followin...