Hey Happy Mother’s Day! Steve, did you forget? Only on Friday.

Back to class, should I continue? What did I say??

What will I do this summer?

Essay reading, getting into the groove. Using a new APP: GoodNotes 6. Much better than default MarkUp APP.

This just in, BREAKING! Trade war truce! Is that a surprise?! Stonks sore, GOLD drops!

18-40 

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-of-Steven-Sirski-00acfe344e164bfab191d3cddf6952b2?pvs=4

Newsletter over at stevensirski.substack.com

Language vlog on http://www.youtube.com/@stevenslanguagevlog

Hope you have a great Monday!!

00:00 Introduction and Mother's Day Wishes00:26 Reflections on Aging and Time07:23 Teaching Challenges and Email Dilemmas18:46 Summer Plans and Creative Projects28:16 Trade War Truce and Market Insights31:59 Conclusion and Farewell

End of week! Kinda! Make up class tomorrow.

Touched a student today! She learned how to make a paper koala in class.

New Pope! Pope Leo XIV! USAmerican. Did Trump call it? Will this Pope be at odds with the Chinese cardinals?!

Workout in! 7.02km in 47.34, then down to the gym for 105 or 110 pull ups, 210 push ups, 315 squats all with 5kg weights. Took over an hour to do.

Throat is doing okay, but still some coughing.

Applied for a position in Canada, we’ll see how this goes. Do I even want to go?

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-of-Steven-Sirski-00acfe344e164bfab191d3cddf6952b2?pvs=4

Newsletter over at stevensirski.substack.com

Language vlog on http://www.youtube.com/@stevenslanguagevlog

Hope you have a great weekend!

00:00 Introduction and Class Overview

00:59 Student Absences and WeChat Policies

02:39 Makeup Class and Koala Presentation

07:34 Challenges of Teaching and Student Behaviour

15:26 New Pope and Global Implications

19:06 Personal Fitness Routine

23:55 Reflections on Career and Future Plans

30:03 Conclusion and Farewell

Almost the end of the month! Already!

Dessert party on the weekend, how was it?

People are leaving, others are staying. Who and why?

GOLD a falling, so is silver. Barrick Gold changing their name: Barrick Mining. Ticker will stay the same in Canada: ABX.

John Paulson buying gold… MINES!

https://www.wsj.com/finance/investing/gold-prices-investing-alaska-mine-john-paulson-6952438a?

New video up for the Language Vlog: A trip to the aviation museum!

Canadian election! Who will win? Who’s even in the race?

Gotta go get my passport!

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-of-Steven-Sirski-00acfe344e164bfab191d3cddf6952b2?pvs=4

Newsletter over at stevensirski.substack.com

Language vlog on http://www.youtube.com/@stevenslanguagevlog

Hope you have a great start of week!

00:00 Introduction and Quick Updates

00:45 Podcast Production Workflow

02:37 Challenges with Transcription Tools

06:49 New Video and Dessert Party

12:34 Reflections on Career and Job Market

26:24 Investing in Gold and Financial Talk

33:26 Canadian Election and Final Thoughts

Brother n and fam off to Argentina! Other family arriving and going! Everybody seems to have time off! Not too many shorts posted this week as I’ve been pre-occupied and… it’s difficult to coordinate across time zones. Workout in! Shoulders, rows, deadlifts, accessories, and… excite bike for 15 minutes. Sprint for seconds every minute on the minute. Had to get a Theraband rubber bar cause my elbows weren’t doing so good. Winter solstice tomorrow! Shortest day. Watching Hart to Hart with Mumsy! And what has changed in Winnipeg? Jets, Bombers, Osborne Village, condos and houses. 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-of-Steven-Sirski-00acfe344e164bfab191d3cddf6952b2?pvs=4 December Drumming 2024 over here: https://skrskimuzik.bandcamp.com/album/december-drumming-2024 Newsletter over at stevensirski.substack.com (soon to be AI generated!) Language vlog on http://www.youtube.com/@stevenslanguagevlog Have a good weekend! 00:00 Introduction and Personal Updates 00:50 YouTube Partner Program and Tax Dilemmas 02:03 Business Setup and Tax Jurisdiction 05:28 Career Reflections and Future Plans 17:45 Workout Routine and Fitness Tips 24:02 Winter Solstice and Nostalgia 28:36 Changes in Winnipeg 39:39 Conclusion and Sign-Off

A free medical check up means this morning was spent navigating a Chinese hospital in broken English and Chinese! I can't remember how complete checkups are done in Canada, all in one place or all over the place? This hospital was very organized and had very little useless chatter. // Itse Friday, probably your end of week but I work tomorrow. Not too much going on these days! // Have a great weekend! // stevensirski.com

Out and about, met another guy who is working at the Universal Studios lot here in Beijing. Departure will be later this month. // Not much language studies done today as I had cleaners come over. The guy looked rather young, I guess I paid for training. // Cut short cause I gotta walk and dodge traffic! // stevensirski.com

A new month! Coming up to another spin around the sun! // Big news: Vaccinations are NOT required, but highly encouraged. More importantly, when is Universal Studios going to finally open its Beijing location? // Guessing my Chinese reading is at about a Grade 6 or 7 level since I'm able to read some types of comic books. Not that I read them that often. // Might have some busy weekends in Sept, when will I be able to record another PODCAST Episode? Some people are interested on being on. // Playing around with the website as I want to make it easier to navigate! // Hope Wednesday is good to you! // stevensirski.com

ALLERGIES! WHHHYYYYY?! Hay fever in Canada, but where I live in Beijing there is little chance of that! // Made a 3D well in Blender! // Focusing on HSK5 vocab every morning now. Aim to write the test early 2022 so gotta get those characters done. // Low months coming up, not least because I've got some vacay time coming up! // Hope Tuesday is going well for you! // stevensirski.com Just found out I can make paragraphs when using the anchor.fm website version, but not in the APP version!

End of August, school must be back, kids tryina hustle me to buy some popcorn while I'm on the run! // Deload week! I'm not even sure how to do one. // Looked at some practice HSK 5 test, they don't look as intimidating! // New vid up on YouBoob. // Received good news: nephew baptized. Received bad news: an Uncle passed away. Vichna pam'yat! Memory Eternal! // stevensirski.com

End of the 82 mile / 132km bike ride! Never been done before by me! Dropped a couple of kilos of weight but also ate a few more Starbucks chocolate muffins! // No Russian class today but will hit the books again tomorrow. // Might try roasting another batch of coffee again. // Putting up time lapses of my bike rides. Will post soon! stevensirski.com

THE VIRUS has been tamed AGAIN! people without vaccinations won't be allowed in some places and other 'two code' requirements. What will this mean for the Olympics? And are the vaccines performance enhancing? // Riding bikes, talking health, eating, exercise, age.

Breezers are nice, not sure I'd drink these too often. // Started my three days of cross-city cycling. Two more days to go. // Chinese vocab learning and looking for a way to study spoken Chinese in isolation. // Should Tuesday mornings become Chinese movie time? // Will take a break from Russian this week but I'm still thinking of taking one of the tests later in the year! // stevensirski.com

The Sound of The Knife Sharpener! 磨mo剪jian子zi来lai 锵qiang菜 cai刀dao // Zhongyuanjie this past weekend so lots of burnt offerings meant lots of smoke all over the city. // Roasted coffee beans over the weekend. // Trying to find a suitable Chinese grammar book. // Working on a website upgrade. No deadline on this. // stevensirski.com

Python programming FAIL! How DOES face detection work? // New YouTube videos are up, trying out short form to develop a habit of consistency. // Read Derek Sivers' book Anything You Want. He's the guy who founded CD Baby at the very beginning of the tech boom in the late 1990s. // Back to the books for HSK 5 as I'm now using Memrise to go through the necessary characters for this level. Let's get this done! // stevensirski.com

Super greens, are they worth it? Or just eat vegetables? Canada Post back to work! Any more strikes on the horizon? Walk around outside, up Wellington Crescent and down to Osborne Village. Monetization strategies: 1-webinars: intro to China, intro to teaching English? Intro to learning languages 2-English club online 3-vlogs, shorts, podcasts, language checks 4-ebooks: how to learn a language, how to develop good study habits 5-client work: translation, proofreading, video and audio work 6-coaching: is this teaching by another name? 7-brand deals: is this even possible as a language learner? 8-affiliate: Amazon, etc 9-courses: business English, podcasting for ESL! Vlogging for ESL! 10-Speeches/Talks 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-of-Steven-Sirski-00acfe344e164bfab191d3cddf6952b2?pvs=4 December Drumming 2024 over here: https://skrskimuzik.bandcamp.com/album/december-drumming-2024 Newsletter over at stevensirski.substack.com (soon to be AI generated!) Language vlog on http://www.youtube.com/@stevenslanguagevlog Have a good Thursday! 00:00 Introduction and Opening Remarks 00:35 Personal Background and Current Situation 02:03 Future Plans and Business Ideas 04:36 Reflections on Age and Life Stages 06:53 Content Creation and Technology Upgrades 11:19 Monetization Strategies for 2025 28:32 Super Greens and Health Supplements 32:52 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Looking into the Russian test, TORFL, how much, when, where? // Python learning and actually got something done! Was able to make a program that spit out a usable QR Code! Go ahead and scan it to see where it takes you! All I can day is... thankyou! // Close to the weekend, but every dat is a weekend now that THE VIRUS is raging. Beijing is still kind of in a bubble. // Working on Blender and things are coming together! // stevensirski.com

Russian morning on Duolingo and HelloTalk. Are you learning or trying to pick up? // Python afternoon and all I got done was a package installation. That took three hours. // Blender modelling! // Thursday already! // stevensirski.com

BACK ON TWITTER, is this a good thing? Is the site even relevant any more? TERRIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE (if it can even be called that). // AI movie editing IS possible, a couple of methods presented themselves today. Makes me wonder why I didn't figure it out sooner! // Trying out short form videos! // Hope you're having a good day! :D // stevensirski.com

Cottage cheese, macros, and maple syrup. // Next week, trying for 60 miles (80 km) on the bike. // Work cancellations means more time for study. Thinking... Xiaomi phone has some neat pre-built video clips, how can I make these myself? How can I code an AI-video editor for my phone on my own? // Keep thinking it's Wednesday but it's Tuesday. // Have a great day! // stevensirski.com

WALL STREET (English) SHUTS DOWN! Now getting sued! // QR codes and travel restrictions and NAT tests within 48 hours! // Are 'They' harvesting our DNA?! // Trip planning in September and October, will it even happen? // Gotta get going on that HSK 5! // stevensirski.com

Rode 48 miles or about 77 kms in the last two days! Never done that before! // Got home just in time for Russian class! // Want to try out one of the TORFL tests to gauge my current level! // Lockdowns are back! // Take a look at my Instagram @sirskisteven stories for some short vids I've posted! // Have a great weekend! // stevensirski.com

Is it Peak China? Doomsayers say what they will! // THE VIRUS is back and shutting things down. Work trips CANCELLED! // Let's talk about HOW to do things, not WHY THEY CAN'T BE DONE! // Cycling to and from work... 11 miles / 19 kms each way! FIRST TIME! // stevensirski.com

Lying down after dinner is a risky endeavor! Three hours later you WAKE UP and wonder... what happened? Thanks coffee martinis. // Olympics are over, China did well, can they do it again for the Winter Olympics? // Private school restrictions mean that THE GENERATOR is off! // THE VIRUS is back, lockdowns and restrictions everywhere! // Tracking macros, going to try... cottage cheese? // stevensirski.com

Done with the week! Productive! // Russian pronunciation is getting better, so says my teacher! Question: why does Russian have accented and unaccented О's but Ukrainian doesn't? We'll have to find out. // Finished the video soundtracks, sounds good! Same view, two perceptions! // People are leaving Beijing! Expat Exodus continues! // Have a great weekend! // stevensirski.com

Russian declensions, Starbucks muffins, timed readings, oh my! // Python Coffee Machine DONE! Tinder Bot? Why not? And how to deep fake a pic and scrape a website! // Working on soundtracks, the hardest part are the little tweaks. stevensirski.com

I think these workouts are keeping me sane. Today: squats, bench and accessories, didn’t try to push it too much. One lady there showed up with a nice grey outfit on… a change from her regular gym attire. Only 10 minutes on the stairs master because I spent 10 on the excite bike or whatever it is. Dreadful! Also working on a “trading stocks for foreigners in China” tutorial. Might be something people need. Did a rough draft today. Lots of ideas, need to publish some of the old ones, though. Job changes aren’t easy, why go through them? Thinking about the skills and thrills I’m looking for. Cold out there, not easy to go for a walk without bundling up. And done with Cantonese classes! Am I done with China? 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-of-Steven-Sirski-00acfe344e164bfab191d3cddf6952b2?pvs=4 December Drumming 2024 over here: https://skrskimuzik.bandcamp.com/album/december-drumming-2024 Newsletter over at stevensirski.substack.com (soon to be AI generated!) Language vlog on http://www.youtube.com/@stevenslanguagevlog Have a good Wednesday! 00:00 Introduction and Daily Routine 00:46 Life in Winnipeg 02:05 Balancing Work and Personal Life 05:22 Creative Projects and Future Plans 06:55 Thoughts on Job Changes and Expat Life 10:16 Fitness and Gym Experiences 13:48 LinkedIn and YouTube Strategies 28:38 Reflections on Language Learning 29:56 Conclusion and Sign-Off

3.5 hours of Chinese study in one block of time, that's a first! // 45 minutes to install a plugin to convert Chinese characters to pinyin with tone marks. Went with Google Docs! // Python PyCharm, spent the day setting that up. // Next up, soundtracking some timelapses! // stevensirski.com

Crackdowns and scrutinizing of education and gaming! More money to fitness! Learn your athletic vocab and you'll have a job! // Looked at how to create a flash card game for vocabulary learning. Will try that out for my HSK 5 word list! // What is possible to make with all of the tutorial works for programs like Blender and Motion? Ideas are a churnin'! // Wasted some time looking at the rumours for new Macbook Pros later this year. Time to upgrade? // Work being cancelled, are we heading for another lock/shutdown? stevensirski.com

THE VIRUS returns, variated! // Quiet weekend, SOO QUIET! // Friends and colleagues are leaving. // Back up plan: become a student again. // Saw a band called Peking Floyd. Guess whose songs they play? // stevensirski.com

China is leading in the medals because they have more gold medals. // Resurgence in cases, we can't travel to some cities now, NAT and vax aren't enough. // Whacked my head yesterday, a bit of blood. It hurt. Was looking under my bed for the source of rust stain on my bedsheets when I rose up too quickly and smacked my head against my open window. // Started watching season 2 of Why Women Kill. Not as good as the first so far as I can tell. // Annual wondering if I should move apartments and districts. stevensirski.com

Productive day. Studied Russian past tense, read some Chinese. // Looked at HSK 5 tests, doesn't look as intimidating as before. This is a step in the right direction. // Tracking macros. Never done this before. Not surprised I'm consuming too much fat, but am surprised not enough protein. // Re-listened to Episode 20 with Anna Bass and made show notes. See my website for info. // Used up free accounts on Soundcloud and Podbean so now will try out Anchor. // Typhoon hitting Eastern China, Grey skies and rain. Hope it's sunny days for you! // stevensirski.com

The Phantom Train – Ed Huckeby Why is winter so cold? Because it’s in Decemburrrr! Why did Rudolf get in trouble for his high school report card? He went down in history. Would be nice to have two weeks off instead of just working all the time, day in and day out. What holidays would I have if I had my own business? Even still, this trip hasn’t been a “vacation”, it’s been rather busy! Bell MTS taking my money! Or am I doing it wrong. LinkedIn videos in the works! Business English - new skillset unlocked? Am I getting fatter? I don’t feel fat but my stomach sure looks like it’s holding something back on me. 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-of-Steven-Sirski-00acfe344e164bfab191d3cddf6952b2?pvs=4 December Drumming 2024 over here: https://skrskimuzik.bandcamp.com/album/december-drumming-2024 Newsletter over at stevensirski.substack.com (soon to be AI generated!) Language vlog on http://www.youtube.com/@stevenslanguagevlog Have a good Tuesday!!! 00:00 Introduction and Winter Concert Recap 00:50 Snowy Winnipeg Adventures 05:18 Holiday Reflections and Work-Life Balance 16:43 LinkedIn Video Strategy 25:22 Fitness and Diet Concerns 28:35 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

More snow, and an old building burned down: https://winnipeg.ctvnews.ca/century-old-manitoba-creamery-burns-down-in-major-fire-1.7145198 Tried Popeye’s chicken, not sure how often I’d have that. Language Vlog Podcast Episode 20 is out! And another donation! New language check video out, too! Looking at university positions in China: would I be better able to leverage my time and energy there, even though it would be a drop in pay? December Drumming continues. Keeping it simple. And workout in! Full body with lots if pull ups! 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-of-Steven-Sirski-00acfe344e164bfab191d3cddf6952b2?pvs=4 December Drumming 2024 over here: https://skrskimuzik.bandcamp.com/album/december-drumming-2024 Newsletter over at stevensirski.substack.com (soon to be AI generated!) Language vlog on http://www.youtube.com/@stevenslanguagevlog Have a good start of week! 00:00 Introduction and Setup 00:45 Daily Life and Reflections 01:35 Gym Routine and Fitness 07:20 Food Adventures 10:09 Language Vlog and YouTube Journey 22:36 Career Thoughts and Future Plans 30:08 December Drumming and Final Thoughts

Is the Friday the 13th?! It is! And ALMOST a full moon. Full workout in, added ten pounds to the deadlift to total 95+95+45‎ = 235. Thirty minutes on the stepper, but went mostly easy. Rows and shoulders as well. Feeling a bit of tennis elbow so had to pull back on the accessories, will have to get another band or something. Did some Chinese reading while on the warm up walk. Then Cantonese in the evening. LinkedIn video I think has to be different from YouTube or TikTok. That is to say, since it’s aimed at a more business audience, it was to look instructional for a workplace environment, ie, skill building, not just motivational blah blah blah. How is that book Crucial Conversations? Turns out I’m quite aggressive and controlling. Who knew? We all did, Steve. Language vlog podcast in the works, episode 20, I have ideas for this… Doanate 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-of-Steven-Sirski-00acfe344e164bfab191d3cddf6952b2?pvs=4 December Drumming 2024 over here: https://skrskimuzik.bandcamp.com/album/december-drumming-2024 Newsletter over at stevensirski.substack.com (soon to be AI generated!) Language vlog on http://www.youtube.com/@stevenslanguagevlog Have a good weekend!! 00:00 Introduction and Setting the Scene 00:59 Adjusting to a New Routine 02:15 Travel and Language Learning Challenges 06:28 Workout Routine and Gym Encounters 15:16 Social Media Insights and Strategies 26:14 Crucial Conversations Book Review 30:00 Language Vlog and Podcast Plans 31:59 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

LinkedIn No Go - not the marketing scheme of old, will need to re-do some things. Canada video doing okay, but is it China for the win? Book buying: do I even need these? Do I have the time? I Heard There was a Secret Chord by Daniel J Levitin, A Short History of Canada by Desmond Morton, The Trunk by Kim Ryeo-Ryeong. Chinese stocks prepping a pop… again. Never mind stocks, how’s your Cantonese? Toes are tingly from a miscalculated walk! And, can I program ChatGPT to be my operations manager? 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-of-Steven-Sirski-00acfe344e164bfab191d3cddf6952b2?pvs=4 December Drumming 2024 over here: https://skrskimuzik.bandcamp.com/album/december-drumming-2024 Newsletter over at stevensirski.substack.com (soon to be AI generated!) Language vlog on http://www.youtube.com/@stevenslanguagevlog Have a good Thursday!! 00:00 Introduction and Opening Thoughts 00:37 Reflections on Home and Family 02:34 Dilemma: Stay in China or Move? 04:18 LinkedIn Marketing Challenges 06:15 Language Learning Journey 12:42 Book Buying Decisions 16:21 Chinese Stocks Analysis 21:00 Cantonese Learning Reflections 26:05 Cold Toes and Winter Walks 27:57 ChatGPT as an Operations Manager 30:44 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Where does a country’s central bank buy gold from? I mean, China didn’t allow the buying of gold for the last year then all of a sudden restarted just a month ago or so. McNally Robinson for lunch, do you still buy books?? Reading Crucial Conversations. Bought it years ago, never read it. Workout in! Squat did well, bench was done with dumbbells (got up to 65 lbs each hand) LinkedIn blocking my msgs now, BOSS Zhipin also a little confusing to touch base with people. I’m told Billibilli is the platform for young people these days. December Drumming updated. Tix looking expensive back to Beijing, but the market is popping. Will banks move? 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-of-Steven-Sirski-00acfe344e164bfab191d3cddf6952b2?pvs=4 December Drumming 2024 over here: https://skrskimuzik.bandcamp.com/album/december-drumming-2024 Newsletter over at stevensirski.substack.com (soon to be AI generated!) Language vlog on http://www.youtube.com/@stevenslanguagevlog Have a good one!! 00:00 Introduction and Initial Thoughts 00:51 Considering a Move: Beijing to Dalian or Zhengzhou 03:08 Winter in Winnipeg: A Cold Reality 07:04 Musings on Gold and Central Banks 10:05 A Day at McNally Robinson 16:39 Reflections on Reading and YouTube 22:09 Fitness Routine and Observations 24:50 LinkedIn Challenges and Business Strategies 27:14 December Drumming and Travel Plans 28:27 Stock Market Insights and Final Thoughts 30:24 Conclusion and Farewell

Snow again! But not too cold… but how would I know as I never did go outside today! First time touching the drums in over a year! Kinda sucked. Only hit the snare drum and tried out some rudiments. Steve, are you not going back to China? I guess I should get going… though I said the same thing about Canada. Automation for the win! Zapier AI can modify my text input and spit out a decently well-crafted Notion database item sourced from my weekly newsletter. Beautiful! YouTube a go go! 940 subs and LOTS of comments! People sure do have an opinion about Canada these days! Recorded some more shorts for the language vlog, and I’m seeing how it’s a bit of a justification for all this “stuff” I have. Might be time to start going through it. And the Chinese stock sparkle a fizzles! Why why why? No one knows. 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-of-Steven-Sirski-00acfe344e164bfab191d3cddf6952b2?pvs=4 December Drumming 2024 over here: https://skrskimuzik.bandcamp.com/album/december-drumming-2024 Newsletter over at stevensirski.substack.com (soon to be AI generated!) Language vlog on http://www.youtube.com/@stevenslanguagevlog Have a good one!! 00:00 Introduction and Personal Updates 01:03 Returning to China: Taxation and Visa Challenges 04:30 Exploring Freelance Opportunities 07:31 Cold Email Strategies and Lead Generation 18:23 Language Learning and Notion Database 25:15 YouTube Growth and Content Strategy 30:27 Chinese Stocks and Market Insights 31:47 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Snow, but not cold New language vlog podcast out! Episode 19! Should I start posting these videos too? New walk n talk vlog out on the language vlog: lots of comments about the decline of the West and the rise of the East (re: China). Do you believe that? Then why do so many people want to leave China?? Workout in: Snow removal Walk Weights Steps for 35 minutes Gold and Chinese stonks a poppin! Who said what? Well, the central bank said they’re buying gold again so POOF goes the markets… upwards, that is. 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-of-Steven-Sirski-00acfe344e164bfab191d3cddf6952b2?pvs=4 December Drumming 2024 over here: https://skrskimuzik.bandcamp.com/album/december-drumming-2024 Newsletter over at stevensirski.substack.com (soon to be AI generated!) Language vlog on http://www.youtube.com/@stevenslanguagevlog Have a great weekend!! 00:00 Introduction and Current Status 01:35 Reflecting on Past Decisions 03:10 Career Contemplations 04:35 Challenges of Balancing Projects 07:40 Thoughts on Relocation 09:21 Weather and Daily Life in Winnipeg 12:23 Podcast and Content Creation 20:47 China vs. Canada: Viewer Reactions 31:35 Investment Insights 34:16 Conclusion and Farewell

End of week! Sunday classes? Moved. Online for the make up class. Students were happy.Spent the day typing out Russian declensions, all to be put into ElevenLabs.Workouts in! 4.20km in 26.39, then to the gym for 105 pull ups with a 5kg weight, 210 push ups, 315 squats, both with 5kg weight. Makes me think, what’s the longevity of this workout? Then back out for another 4.00 km in 24.59. Yes, 8 km total.Back inside but nowhere to go. Omegle… have you been on it at all lately? Wasn’t bad, other people said lots of d pics but I think I only saw two vah jayjays. Talked to a few people. Was thinking, good place for marketing?Sensitivity of the Chinese internet, what can you post and what should you not?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/@stevenslanguagevlogHope you have a good weekend!00:00 Introduction and Class Schedule Adjustments01:03 Weekend Plans and Makeup Classes05:14 Reflections on Teaching and Future Plans09:03 Daily Routine and Workout Regimen14:28 Language Learning and Technology Integration20:27 Struggles with Language Learning Tools22:28 Balancing Multiple Language Courses24:32 Exploring Omegle: A Blast from the Past26:53 Unexpected Conversations on Omegle34:35 Marketing Ideas and Social Media Engagement37:21 Debating China's 5,000 Years of History42:18 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Happy St. Nick’s Day! Oy khto khto? Zapier for the win! FINALLY got the “AI” to modify the Youtube Description input into social media channel output! Only took a year and a half! BEAUTIFUL! Will save me some monies on Fiverr! Why the sudden shift? Cause Zapier now allows you to use AI by Zapier (which is just OpenAI) as part of their paid plans. I can avoid the API fees! Now… to do this podcast AND the Substack email! Workout in! Big bar was occupied when I showed up so had to use the little bars (dumb bells?) Shoulders, Rows, Deadlift (added 20 lbs), accessories (arms, traps) + 35 minutes on the stepper… NOT easy to read Chinese while stepping. Some swimming competition on in the morning so it was busy! Recorded a new walk n talk vlog, should have it out this weekend. Why China? Why Canada? Why not either?! TD Bank gets SLAMMED! Time to buy? BMO booms upward and dddddamn missed that one! Happy St. Nicholas Day! ОЙ ХТО, ХТО, МИКОЛАЯ ЛЮБИТЬ.
українська народна пісня
Ой, хто, хто Миколая любить,
Ой, хто, хто Миколаю служить,
Тому святий Миколай, На всякий час помагай,
Миколає! Ой, хто, хто к ньому прибігає, На поміч його призиває,
Той все з горя вийде ціло, Охоронить душу й тіло,
Миколай! Ой, хто, хто спішить в Твої двори,
Сего Ти на землі і в морі
Все хорониш від напасти,
Не даєш му в гріхи впасти,
Миколає! Миколай, молися за нами,
Благаєм Тебе зі сльозами.
Ми Тя будем вихваляти,
Імʼя Твоє величати,
На віки. OH WHO, WHO, NIKOLAI LOVES.
Ukrainian folk song
Oh, who, who loves Nicholas
Oh, who, who serves Nicholas
Therefore, Saint Nicholas, help me at all times,
Nicholas! Oh, who, who runs to him, Calls for his help,
He will always come out of grief whole, Protect soul and body,
Nicholas! Oh, who, who will hurry to Your courts,
You are here on earth and in the sea
You bury everything from harm,
You don’t let him fall into sins,
Nicholas! Nicholas, pray for us
I beg You with tears.
We will praise You,
glorify Your name,
For ages. 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-of-Steven-Sirski-00acfe344e164bfab191d3cddf6952b2?pvs=4 December Drumming 2024 over here: https://skrskimuzik.bandcamp.com/album/december-drumming-2024 MYMYM2024 here: https://www.youtube.com/@mayyoumakeyourmovie Newsletter over at stevensirski.substack.com (soon to be AI generated!) Language vlog on http://www.youtube.com/@stevenslanguagevlog Have a great weekend!! 00:00 Oy Kto Kto? 01:01 Personal Updates and Current Location 02:11 Microphone Troubles and Solutions 03:46 St. Nicholas Day and Ukrainian Traditions 05:24 Automation Breakthrough with Zapier 15:57 Fitness Routine and Gym Encounters 20:34 Upcoming Plans and Language Studies 23:24 Canadian Banks and Stock Market Insights 30:21 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Another microphone mishap! The thing just cut out in the middle of the recording? How was it otherwise? Certainly holding the microphone closer to my mouth. Cold, but no snow today. Should warm up this weekend. Would it be possible to make 30,000 rmb per month in the Chinese stonk market? Need capital, and don’t confuse a bull market for brains. Trying to find this book I bought years ago about buying land and real estate overseas. It’s been a while already. But I did find an English translation of Herodotus’ Histories, I’ve always admired the guy for his style of writing and inquisitiveness. 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-of-Steven-Sirski-00acfe344e164bfab191d3cddf6952b2?pvs=4 Newsletter over at stevensirski.substack.com Language vlog on http://www.youtube.com/@stevenslanguagevlog Have a good Thursday!!! 00:00 Introduction and Microphone Features 00:37 Weather and Personal Updates 01:18 Microphone Review and Issues 02:38 Podcasting Equipment and Preferences 12:24 Investment Strategies and Market Insights 24:56 Historical Anecdotes and Reflections 31:55 Conclusion and Sign-Off

STUFFED! East Indian food for dinner, omg. Red Top diner for lunch, big breakfast there. Workout in! Bench, squats, accessories. Bench, had to dial back the weight a little, but squat added another ten pounds to the bar. Sun dogs, ever seen them? All I know is that it’s cold when they are out. Dealing with stuff, got rid of an old fog machine, black light, and strobe light that have been sitting around gathering dust. When do you get rid of stuff? And my apologies for the microphone mix up yesterday…. it didn’t record properly. 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-of-Steven-Sirski-00acfe344e164bfab191d3cddf6952b2?pvs=4 Newsletter over at stevensirski.substack.com Language vlog on http://www.youtube.com/@stevenslanguagevlog Have a good Wednesday!!! 00:00 Introduction and Microphone Troubles 00:42 Apologies and Daily Routine 01:09 Microphone Issues and Solutions 04:21 Social Interactions and Reflections 08:21 Military and Family Stories 11:51 Decluttering and Giving Away 14:55 Dinner and Cultural Experiences 22:17 Workout Routine and Reflections 25:59 Sundogs and Canadian Weather 28:11 YouTube Channel and Future Plans 29:10 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Snowy, but nice. Stonks a poppin! Is that a China rally underway? New mic! How does it sound? Did some shopping today. Old books, what do you do with them? How many times do you move a book before you just get rid of it? December Drumming continues, May You Make Your Movie continues, soon launching a Chinese language course… lots to go on. How do I make this easier on myself? 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-of-Steven-Sirski-00acfe344e164bfab191d3cddf6952b2?pvs=4 Newsletter over at stevensirski.substack.com Language vlog on http://www.youtube.com/@stevenslanguagevlog Have a good Tuesday!!! 00:00 Microphone Comparison Test 00:40 Backup Recording and Episode Start 01:52 Daily Life and Reflections 06:48 Travel and Aging 09:30 Podcast Equipment and Setup 23:55 Old Books Dilemma 30:13 December Drumming and Future Plans 31:40 Conclusion and Farewell

Welcome to December! Last month of the year! Beginning of December Drumming! Here we go! This is a lot easier than March Motion and even MYMYM. Will I still get those done?

Tracks here: https://skrskimuzik.bandcamp.com/album/december-drumming-2024 Language vlog podcast out - all about the reality of being an expat. Will probably make a second, follow up video to this and post it later in the week. Looking at upgrading some tech, microphones, cameras, etc. Can finance in Canada easier than in China. Still coughing. Went to the youth symphony tonight, interesting. Apparently responding “then who’s going to fix it” to the statement “It’s Baroque” warrants a scowl from the nieces. When does a joke become old and funny? Guess I should look at tickets back to Beijing… but the market is doing so well! And, apparently I DID write a book in November this year, so kudos to me for actually getting that done!

Intro to Chinese course sign up here >>> https://sendfox.com/lp/m40px0 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-of-Steven-Sirski-00acfe344e164bfab191d3cddf6952b2?pvs=4 Newsletter over at stevensirski.substack.com Language vlog on http://www.youtube.com/@stevenslanguagevlog Have a good start of week!!! 00:00 Introduction and December Plans 00:54 Returning to Canada: Family and Reflections 02:04 The Reality of Being an Expat 04:26 Language Vlog Podcast and Chinese Course 10:21 Creating and Marketing Email Drip Campaigns 14:16 December Drumming and Music Projects 19:35 May You Make Your Movie 2024 23:08 Tech Upgrades and Podcasting Equipment 26:25 Youth Symphony and Cultural Observations 30:08 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

It’s gotten COLD! Workout in! Shoulders, rows, deadlifts and… stairs! Thirty minutes of that! Add on some accessory work and a short run, done n done. Mall stabbing in Polo Park! One of the big malls here in Winnipeg. Portage Place Mall closing up shop… it hasn’t been good since it opened. Lots of theft and not a very safe area. Convo with one of the cousins: guns, travel, and the state of the country. He wants out! Seems like everyone has a problem with a manager… so why are they there and what would it be like without them? 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-of-Steven-Sirski-00acfe344e164bfab191d3cddf6952b2?pvs=4 Newsletter over at stevensirski.substack.com Language vlog on http://www.youtube.com/@stevenslanguagevlog Have a good weekend!!! 00:00 Introduction and Weather Update 01:08 Health and Fitness Routine 04:30 Work and Business Ideas 07:21 Conversations with Cousin 13:05 Canadian Politics and Remote Work 25:30 Safety Concerns and Local News 30:14 Weekend Plans and Conclusion

I forgot to put the perogie instructions at the end of the episode on Tuesday. Will put it at the end of today’s and Tuesday’s. Canada post still on strike, the dock workers were on strike, anyone else? Done Russian classes for now! Working on an email drip campaign for the language vlog: language learning and learning basic Chinese. This would be the first draft of the books I was looking to create. As a result, never did get around to working on that video. How is Winnipeg doing? -Across the board cafe - been full a few of the times we drove by -Not many drunks or homeless wandering the streets - but it is cold outside (Vancouver was popping off with them, tho) -The neighbourhood hasn’t changed all too much, but there are a few more multiplex dwellings instead of solo houses. -Most places are still open that I can remember. And Chinese stonks look bottomy - is there a gearing up for another rally underway? 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-of-Steven-Sirski-00acfe344e164bfab191d3cddf6952b2?pvs=4 Newsletter over at stevensirski.substack.com Language vlog on http://www.youtube.com/@stevenslanguagevlog Have a good Thursday!!! 00:00 Starting the Recording 00:15 Pierogi Instructions and Strikes 00:51 Life Updates and Future Plans 02:02 Forgotten Pierogi Instructions 03:38 Canadian Strikes and Government Interventions 06:42 Language Learning and Haters 11:08 Email Drip Campaign for Mandarin Chinese 22:47 Winnipeg Observations 30:10 Concluding Thoughts and Market Insights 32:36 Blueberry Pierogi Recipe

Can I say I’m tired of the cold? Workout in! Having fun trying to calculate kg to lbs. Bench, squat, accessories + a 7.00 km run in 37.03. Did I actually run 7km or is my watch lying to me? Six laps to a mile, 3.6 laps to a km. Why is it abbreviated “lbs”? Apparently from the Latin “libra”… but where does the “s” come from? Some say “little beef stacks”, which I thought was an interesting answer. Walked back and made another vlog for the YouTube channel. Thought it might be interesting to take a look at one of the malls here. Russian class done, nieces are studying Spanish. Could I study Spanish? I’m told it’s easier. What if I went to Uruguay instead? Guess I should pay rent. How are those stonks doing? 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-of-Steven-Sirski-00acfe344e164bfab191d3cddf6952b2?pvs=4 Newsletter over at stevensirski.substack.com Language vlog on http://www.youtube.com/@stevenslanguagevlog Have a good Wednesday!!! 00:00 Introduction and Setting the Scene 00:42 Daily Life and Reflections in Winnipeg 03:33 Language Vlog and Cultural Observations 10:54 Family Time and Technology 11:47 Workout Routine and Challenges 15:03 Thoughts on Learning Spanish 22:41 Trading Stocks While Traveling 28:44 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Surprised at how many people talk about Trump! Russian class done! Two more to go. What’s my plan? Chinese books in the making, how so? AI and more? What would YOU have liked to know when you first wen to China? Looking into Facebook Ads, add in a VA doing Lead Gen and… maybe this could be a good way to build up a clientele? Don’t forget newsletter marketing. Bringing back some flour to China - can I? Also some maple and corn syrup. You can find a lot of this stuff in China, so I think it’s kind of lost its importance to “stock up”. JellyCats, have you ever heard of these things? All the rage now, apparently. Bought a croissant. Should I get a new computer here 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.com And on Notion: https://stevensirski.notion.site/SSAB-The-Audio-Blog-of-Steven-Sirski-00acfe344e164bfab191d3cddf6952b2?pvs=4 Newsletter over at stevensirski.substack.com Language vlog on http://www.youtube.com/@stevenslanguagevlog Have a good Tuesday!!! 00:00 Introduction and Setup 00:38 Extended Stay in Canada 02:29 Business Considerations and Planning 04:37 Reflections on Past Decisions 07:44 Managing Freelancers and Workload 09:02 Trump's Influence in Winnipeg 12:33 Tech Purchases and Financing 15:42 Language Learning and Teaching 17:31 Chinese Books Project 23:44 Lead Generation Strategies 28:19 Bringing Canadian Goods to China 31:33 Jelly Cats Craze 32:55 Conclusion

33.20 Making Blueberry Perogies

Bank of China overseas withdrawal fee was 32.84 RMB for $400 CAD, 46.54 RMB for $660 CAD. Max withdrawals seem to be $1000 CAD. This is in addition to the $3.50 CAD ATM fee. Kinda expensive, innit? SLV newsletter out, podcast out. Freelancers sorted… had to draw up a proper ChatGPT prompt for them. Is this the new requirement for bosses? Or have I just been dialling it in and finally clued in to what is needed to help someone else do work? Workout in! Two! But not the same style! 30 min walk 45 min weights: slow dumb-bell movements, pull ups, some legs. Nothing specific, but lots of cross-body movements. 46 min 26 sec for a 7.02 km run Second work out: Shovelling snow! AT LEAST 25 minutes! There is a Crossfit gym/box near I’m staying, might be interesting to check out. Finally feeling better and slept a solid amount of hours over the weekend. Signed up for Kijiji so I can start posting stuff to get rid of. Even if not on this trip, then soon. 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-of-Steven-Sirski-00acfe344e164bfab191d3cddf6952b2?pvs=4 Newsletter over at stevensirski.substack.com Language vlog on http://www.youtube.com/@stevenslanguagevlog Have a great start of week!!! 00:00 Introduction and Snow Shoveling 00:47 Travel Updates and Family Visits 01:53 Health and Supplements 04:13 Bank of China Withdrawal Fees 05:37 SIM Card Concerns 06:51 Newsletter and Podcast Updates 09:30 Freelancer Management 14:40 Workout Routine 18:56 Winter in Winnipeg 24:07 Conclusion and Final Thoughts