The Audio Blog of Steven Sirski

Steven Sirski

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PLACES & TRAVEL
UPDATED DAILY

The daily musings of an expat in Beijing.

4H AGO

SSAB - February 19, 2026

Too long, Steve! Too long! How was that summary of China? Some automation success! Getting closer to a better blog-writing workflow. DaVinci title success! Chinese captions done and did completely within DaVinci! Still not a smooth workflow, but it’s something to start with. A simple truth about AI: It’s a tool. If you like being a gear head, then ya, you’ll be cool. But it’s a tool like anything else. So, is it worth it to quit your job to pursue this? No. I don’t think so. And how is Canada doing in the Olympics? Canada advances against South Korea in curling! Men beat Norway! What about women’s hockey??? USA 2-1 in overtime. STRESSFUL! 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 one!! 00:00 Cold Open: Notes Too Long + Quick Teasers 00:33 Winnipeg Check-In & Olympics Near the Finish Line 01:17 Explaining the Podcast (and Why I Don’t Promote It Much) 04:22 The Length Problem: Daily Voice Memo vs. Publishable Writing 07:56 Substack + Building an AI Workflow to Turn Transcripts into Posts 14:28 The 4-Agent Editing System (Analyze → Clean → Polish → Critique) 18:17 DaVinci Resolve Breakthrough: Chinese Subtitles via SRT + ChatGPT 24:45 A Simple Truth About AI: It’s Just Patterned Text Prediction 30:03 Career Advice: Don’t Quit Your Job for AI—Learn It Like Any Tool 33:21 Team Canada Olympics Update: Heartbreak in Women’s Hockey + Curling Wins 40:33 Wrap-Up, Links, and Final Thoughts (Go Team Canada)

42 min
1D AGO

SSAB - February 18, 2026

Oh the Olympics! How stressful! Men’s hockey! Women’s hockey! Relay Speed Skating! Curling! OMG what a stressful game! Women play for gold tomorrow! (And why does the camera guy open the door after the goal? SHUT THE DAMN THING! IT’S UNSAFE! Aaaaand Czechia had SIX PLAYERS on the ice when they scored?! Workout in and one of the best and hardest to date! THREE ROUNDS! Should I start Crossfit? And China: where to go, when, why and how? 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 Go Team Canada! 00:00 Cold Open: Olympics on the TV & winter vibes 00:27 Meet Steven: back in Canada, sick for a month, still podcasting daily 01:34 Why this daily ‘raw, unedited’ podcast exists 03:47 Watching the Olympics in Canada vs. China (and what gets shown) 09:06 Men’s hockey thriller: Canada vs Czechia goes to OT 12:09 Women’s hockey gold medal preview + curling update 14:16 Relay speed skating heartbreak: Canada’s stumble, Korea’s surge 17:53 These Olympics feel ‘normal’ again + looking ahead to 2030 19:35 Hockey broadcast oddities: the open door & too many players 21:39 Workout recap: late gym strategy and a killer circuit session 24:46 China goes visa‑free for Canadians: what changed & what’s still unclear 25:59 Visa logistics: visa-on-arrival, onward tickets, and extending at the PSB 28:22 Planning your trip by season: heat, fall colors, and Great Wall views 29:14 Business vs. teaching vs. sourcing: figuring out your real goal 30:33 Where to do business: Shanghai, stock exchanges, and nearby factory cities 32:50 Sourcing 101: Yiwu-style showrooms, MOQs, and the Guangdong supply chain 34:29 Classic culture route: Beijing highlights, language realities, and Xi’an’s terracotta warriors 38:09 Chongqing & Chengdu: laid-back vibes, hills, hotpot energy, and pandas 40:39 South China & Hong Kong: currencies, money movement, Shenzhen tech, and the Canton Fair 48:12 Wrap-up: city cheat sheet, sourcing agents, and where to find more

51 min
2D AGO

SSAB - February 17, 2026

So much to do, so… lots of time? Website, AI, Chinese, family get togethers, gym, imagine if what I try to do during the day was my job? No fines at the library? But replacement costs after 21 days! How’s the book reading going? Aaaand all these ideas of creating language learning materials from your own content… has been done before. Dogme, anyone? 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 one!! 00:00 Show Notes, Big Plans & a New Idea Brewing 00:36 China’s 30-Day Visa Change + Where to Go (Coming Soon) 02:09 Expat Life Logistics: Schedule, Beijing Apartment & Time Management 03:27 Rabbit Hole: TEFL Career Progression, Wealth-Building & “Groundhog Day” Teaching 07:20 Breaking Out: Upskilling, Delta Fears & Grammar Weaknesses 10:28 Starting an English Immersion Camp in Canada: The Dream vs Reality 19:13 Monetizing the “Night Shift”: Turning Side Projects into the Day Job 21:10 Switching Gears: No More Library Fines + Why Borrow Books 22:38 Decluttering Heavy Reads & The “Bookshelf Ambiance” Dilemma 27:00 What Is Dogme? Teaching Unplugged & Emergent Language Explained 32:45 Applying Dogme to High-Level Learners (IELTS) + What He’s Studying Next 35:19 Wrap-Up: Tomorrow’s China Episode + Links, Support & Sign-Off

37 min
3D AGO

SSAB - February 16, 2026

Happy Long Weekend! It’s Louis Riel Day! Who was he?! -Founder of Manitoba (only declared in 1992) -One of the Métis = French+First Nations marriages -Led a couple of rebellions -Was hanged Olympics continue, too bad I couldn’t live in a city where I could see the Olympics! Canada going for gold, women’s hockey team to play the US! Off to China? Thirty days free! What’s the catch? To the Leaf! The controversy! https://deal.town/monocle.com/the-monocle-minute-on-design-wednesday-23-august-2023-F3FNEB64L https://www.wallpaper.com/architecture/the-leaf-greenhouse-and-garden-complex-winnipeg-canada https://digital.bnpmedia.com/publication/?i=803346&p=52&view=issueViewer https://www.reddit.com/r/Winnipeg/comments/1hp14l3/assiniboine_park_conservancy_blames_contractors/ https://www.ctvnews.ca/winnipeg/article/assiniboine-park-conservancy-sued-over-the-leaf-construction-project/ And off to The Grove for a pint and a feed! Heard some people reminiscing about Winnipeg! 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 新年快乐! 00:00 Long Weekend Check-In: Louis Riel Day & Being Back on the Prairies 02:37 Olympics Update: Hockey Rivalries, Rare Fights & Snow Sports 06:22 Global Holiday Season: Tet, Lunar New Year, Presidents’ Day & Canada’s February Break 06:53 Who Was Louis Riel? A Crash Course in Métis History 09:58 How Canada Expanded West: Hudson’s Bay Company, Fort Garry & the Red River 14:13 Rebellions, Exile, Execution: Riel’s Legacy and Why Manitoba Celebrates Him 21:09 China News: 30-Day Visa-Free Entry for Canadians? What It Means 23:42 Geopolitics Sidebar: Intelligence Recruiting Videos & Spring Festival Timing 26:32 Winnipeg’s ‘The Leaf’ Greenhouse: What It Is and Why It’s Controversial 29:18 Inside The Leaf: Tropical Heat, Butterflies, and a Winter Escape 35:22 Off to the Pub: The Grove, Local Arts Chatter, and the Price of a Pint 37:41 Wrap-Up: History Theme, Links, Newsletter, and Support the Show

39 min
6D AGO

SSAB - February 13, 2026

It’s the long weekend! Louis Riel Day here in Manitoba, Family Day in other parts of the country, aaaaaannnddd….Spring Festival! Markets closed until the 24th. (Hope you sold.) Happy Valentine’s Day! Update on that credit card idea. how much interest would you have paid over the last 18 years? (Interesting to note that one of the websites I looked at differentiated between credit card balance and credit card debt - balances being less than $5000 and “generally small” and they pay them off every month. Then what are the other expenses?) https://clippingchains.com/2019/03/11/tracking-spending https://clippingchains.com/2020/08/31/the-real-cost-of-home-ownership/ My input: “The $20,000 (with $15,000 of it charged at 24% interest, $5,000 of it charged at 0% except for a 1-time 3% administration charge) would be paid in minimum monthly instalments of about $250-$500 until the balance reached about $3000 CAD total at which point it would be paid off in total. This would continue for the last 18 years.” -Bear in mind, that money would/could be used to live in another part of the world, for travel, or as an emergency fund. -These numbers do NOT preclude the idea of contributing to savings as well. Workout in! VERY FEW people in the gym this morning. EMPTY by the time I left (10.00am) Pink as a calming colour? Never thought of it that way. And the Reuben or the burger, which one was best? Tough call. 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 one!! 00:00 Opening Notes: Long Weekend, Gym Vibes & Quick Updates 00:39 Winnipeg Weather Check + Festival Weekend Preview 01:50 Louis Riel Day: Manitoba History in a Nutshell 02:50 Spring Festival Timing + When to Watch the CCTV Gala 03:42 What the CCTV Gala Is (and Why People Love to Hate It) 05:35 Fireworks in Winnipeg?! A Quick Reality Check 06:28 Spring Festival Traditions + China Market Closure & Make-Up Workdays 08:15 Valentine’s Day Across Time Zones: Calling China from Winnipeg 10:30 Credit Cards vs Houses vs Travel: The Money Question Returns 14:19 Tracking Spending & “Good” Debt vs “Bad” Debt (Mortgage vs Credit Cards) 18:44 The $20K Credit Card Scenario: Balance Transfers, Rates & Living Overseas 23:14 Running the Numbers: Cycles, Minimum Payments & Interest Totals 23:47 Credit Card Cycles vs Mortgage Interest: The Big Comparison 24:24 Living Anywhere on 0% Liquidity: The Thailand/Singapore Angle 24:55 “This Is What Banks Do”: Bonds, Debt, and Financial Shenanigans 26:25 House Equity vs Freedom: What You Give Up (and Gain) 26:44 Spend the Interest on Experiences: Travel, Skills, and Building a Product 27:23 The ‘Museum of Cool Stuff’ Problem: Real Estate, Security, and Costs 29:29 Rolling Debt + Savings: Subscription Logic and Cashflow Thinking 31:32 Arbitrage Ideas & Side Income Offsets (and Why You Might Skip It) 32:39 Use ChatGPT to Run Your Own Numbers (Not a Recommendation) 33:38 Gym Check-In: New Year Crowds Fade + Today’s Chest Session 35:49 Why Pink Feels Calming: A Coworking Space Conversation 37:59 Reuben vs Burger (and Subway Cookies): The Winnipeg Food Report 41:32 Final Wrap-Up: Links, Support, and Sign-Off

43 min
FEB 13

SSAB - February 12, 2026

Workout in! Including shovelling! Had to get it done cause the weather was nice. World’s best burger in 2026? Toad in the Hole Winnipeg? Hey, can I do that? What about for a podcast? Talking to people, met a guy from the office, from Eritrea/Sudan, came to Canada 20 year ago, church sponsorship, stay at home Dad. But so is his wife? And what about buying a house? What does JL Collins say? https://clippingchains.com/2020/08/31/the-real-cost-of-home-ownership/ https://jlcollinsnh.com/2023/03/02/why-your-house-is-a-terrible-investment/ https://jlcollinsnh.com/2012/02/23/rent-v-owning-your-home-opportunity-cost-and-running-some-numbers/ 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 one!! 00:00 Introduction and Early Evening Routine 00:39 Podcasting Journey and Expat Life 02:41 Winter in Winnipeg: Challenges and Experiences 04:53 Snow Shoveling Adventures 12:36 Networking and Language Learning 13:37 Meeting a Multilingual Friend 19:23 Unraveling a Stay-at-Home Dad's Story 21:51 Discussing Financial Freedom 23:37 Debating Minimum Wage and Savings 25:05 Questioning Financial Advice 27:22 The World's Best Burger 29:53 Home Ownership: A Critical Look 32:04 Reflecting on Life Choices 38:15 Credit Cards vs. Mortgages 43:25 Concluding Thoughts and Resources

44 min
FEB 12

SSAB - February 11, 2026

Workout in, empty gym! Thinking… Wednesday is often circuit day, what if I split these up over the week? At work, it was a networking event. Alllll women. Social media account people. What do I know? Well, apparently, quite a bit about the content creation tools. FCP, DaVinci, Zapier, etc. Interesting conversations. Wordpress success, time to renovate? Not gonna lie, kinda wonder if and why not can I not just do travel vlogs? Maybe that will be my retirement plan? JL Collins. Who’s he and what does he have to say about money? https://jlcollinsnh.com/stock-series/ https://jlcollinsnh.com/2023/03/02/why-your-house-is-a-terrible-investment/ https://www.gocurrycracker.com/renters-for-life - “Spend the weekend working on a side hustle to earn extra income, or fix the leaky pipe in the basement?“ -But, just because you’re renting, doesn’t mean you’re investing your money (ie, the difference between what you’d pay as a home owner and a renter). The article kind of assumes that you know something about money and are able to see / gauge where the growth is. Running those metrics of housing vs stocks is hard to do, especially if you’re not willing to be itinerant. -Interesting view on writing things off against the property, and not sure how much of that is applicable to Canada: -“The US Government provides huge subsidies to landlords. Need a new light bulb? Write it off. Need to drive to Home Depot to buy said light bulb? Write off the trip. Insurance, basic maintenance, current expenses… all written off. And the Granddaddy of them all: depreciation. Nearly $4k of income can be earned tax free for each $100k in building value.” 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 one!! 00:00 Introduction and Yesterday's Episode Recap 00:48 Honoring My Father: A Clean Episode 03:49 WordPress Success and Automation Journey 13:33 Morning Routine and Gym Reflections 19:27 Networking Event and Social Media Insights 29:34 Financial Advice and JL Collins 37:50 Concluding Thoughts and Farewell

39 min
FEB 11

SSAB - February 10, 2026

Out with the fam for Dad’s memorial lunch. Hug your loved ones! Canadian women’s lose to the USA 5-0! What does it mean? How are the Olympics going? James JL Collins on money, investing, and following the rules: https://jlcollinsnh.com/stock-series/ -you’re financially free when you can live off of 4% of your investment income. He assumed people kept jobs or that the income could keep steady. I took time off. He has a series of posts on buying a house I’d like to read. Wondering if it’s time to start a blog about the Chinese market. 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 one!! 00:00 Introduction and Memorial Lunch 00:55 Reflecting on My Father's Passing 01:43 Friends and Losses 05:12 Family Gatherings and Reflections 14:33 My Father's Influence on Finance 22:25 Stock Market Lessons and Advice 35:17 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

37 min

TRAILER

The Audio Blog of Steven Sirski (Trailer)

The Audio Blog of Steven Sirski

07/29/2021

•

1 min

The daily musings of an expat in Beijing.

Creator

Steven Sirski
Years Active

2022 - 2026
Episodes

1.2K
Rating

Explicit
Copyright

© Steven Sirski
Show Website

The Audio Blog of Steven Sirski