What We Read During the Long Weekend, Tuesday, May 19, 2026

Good afternoon The Moosa Slobodian Network friends,

Ali and I had such a wonderful time recording this afternoon’s episode. You will be able to find a full list of the books we mentioned further down in this newsletter

Have a listen to today’s episode at the following link: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6jjkfW25ZxKd2lK3RweLeU

Show Notes

Aliasgar Moosa and Macara Slobodian discussed the recent consolidation of all of their show websites into a single platform. To reflect this, they decided to record a network-wide commercial that will represent all of the shows, as well as update the show outros since the individual sites no longer exist.

Public Website Navigation and Category Cleanup: Following the consolidation of three websites, the hosts performed a thorough cleanup of existing posts and categories to resolve issues with duplicate pages and incorrect categorization. They implemented a “flat” naming structure for all categories to improve organization and navigation for visitors, ensuring that users and the hosts know exactly what they are subscribing to or posting to (00:03:53).
Post Scheduling and Traffic Engagement: Macara Slobodian observed that scheduled posts were previously delayed, which they speculated may have been caused by having too many categories; however, the new flat naming structure appears to have resolved this issue. Aliasgar Moosa clarified that the timing of posts is dependent on traffic drawn to the site, noting that engagement is currently picking up (00:06:00).
Finalizing Site Cleanup and Menus: After ensuring posts were correctly categorized and deleting empty categories, the team removed duplicate “About” and “Contact” pages (00:08:56). They updated synchronization patterns, added missing items like the books panel and network pages, and streamlined the public site by adding show-specific menus and sub-menus to improve accessibility (00:10:49). The hosts expressed appreciation to WordPress support for their assistance in sorting these issues out on Saturday (00:12:26).
Show Schedule Adjustment: The hosts confirmed they will continue their shows on Sunday afternoons instead of returning to their original Monday schedule, as they found the Sunday slot works better for their needs. They will provide a formal announcement in their newsletter, and the updated schedule will begin on Sunday, May 24th, 2026, at 3:30 p.m. Eastern (00:13:58). They encouraged listeners to join 15 minutes early to hear extra content not included in the podcast version (00:15:07).
Network Show Promotions: Before the break, Macara Slobodian and Aliasgar Moosa encouraged listeners to support other programming on the Musa Slobodian Network and beyond, specifically mentioning Siena T Radio, Weekly in Sports, and Techstravaganza (00:16:19).
Book Discussion – My Name is Barbara: Aliasgar Moosa shared their experience reading “My Name is Barbara” by Barbra Streisand, praising the memoir for its authenticity and the author’s storytelling style. Macara Slobodian agreed, noting that the author does not shy away from personal details and creates a listening experience that feels like someone telling stories rather than reading from a book (00:34:35) (00:44:25).
Book Discussion – Building Trust: Aliasgar Moosa discussed reading a resource about building and maintaining trust in the workplace, noting their interest in the communication aspects of the topic. They confirmed that this was a resource they already owned and were revisiting, explicitly stating they would not purchase a new version (00:37:25).
Book Discussion – The Picture of Dorian Gray: Macara Slobodian provided an update on reading “The Picture of Dorian Gray,” explaining that they are about 20% through the book and prefer to read this classic slowly to properly analyze the themes and ideas presented (00:40:19).
Book Discussion – Once Upon a Wardrobe: Macara Slobodian reported starting a new historical fiction novel titled “Once Upon a Wardrobe” by Patti Callahan, which explores the origins of Narnia and the significance of storytelling (00:41:28). They found the book to be a sweet, light read that emphasizes how fantasy and stories can reveal truths and help people navigate reality (00:43:04).
Future Content and Discussion Topics: The hosts expressed interest in expanding their future discussions to include the theory of music and the history of teaching (00:46:25). Aliasgar Moosa also mentioned plans to follow up on recent announcements from Apple and potentially invite a representative from Apple Vis to discuss the news on the show (00:47:48).
Next Meeting Topic: The hosts decided that the topic for their next Sunday show will be “The Story of Human Language” by John McWhorter, and they noted that a corresponding newsletter will be published soon (00:49:06).
Toronto Maple Leafs Front Office Update: Aliasgar Moosa announced an update regarding the Toronto Maple Leafs front office, specifically the hiring of Matt Sundine and John Sha to leadership roles and the departure of head coach Craig Baroo (00:49:06).
Guest Appearance and Show Subscription: The Ali Musa show will feature a guest, Gil Martin, who hosts “Locked on Islanders” and “Locked on NHL,” to discuss the Maple Leafs front office changes. The show airs tonight, Tuesday, May 19th, at 7:00 p.m. Eastern, and the hosts encouraged listeners to subscribe to all YouTube channels and the network newsletters to stay updated on future content (00:50:19).

Upcoming Schedule and Workshops: The team outlined upcoming events, including a Books Panel on May 29th at 7:30 p.m. Eastern to discuss “Anxiously Attached” by Jessica Baum, and a Techstravaganza Workshop on Wednesday, May 20th, 2026, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. Eastern, which will focus on customizing VoiceOver commands on the iPhone (00:53:33). Additionally, they announced a bonus show on Monday, June 8th, 2026, at 3:30 p.m. Eastern, featuring guest Carrie Morales to discuss AI in the workplace, their experience using Android, and content creation (00:54:46)

List of Books We Read This Week (With Links to Find Them on CELA or Audible)

Find My Name Is Barbra, by Barbra Streisand on CELA at the following Link: https://celalibrary.ca/node/24823305
Find How to Build and Maintain Trust in the Workplace on Audible at the following link, (This Title is currently free with membership): https://www.audible.ca/pd/B0FC6YCWTS?source_code=ASSORAP0511160006&share_location=pdp
Find The Picture of Dorean Gray on Audible at the following link, (This particular version is currently free with membership): https://www.audible.ca/pd/B075VD96C9?source_code=ASSORAP0511160006&share_location=library_overflow
Find Once Upon a Wardrobe on CELA at the following link: https://celalibrary.ca/node/23896253

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