On this sunny 28th day of the lunar month, we gathered at home for New Year’s preparations.

In the morning, I practiced driving a manual car, gradually gaining confidence despite some initial stalling. After lunch, I drove my sisters to town and back, improving but still finding intersections tricky.

In the evening, we celebrated with fireworks, with each person contributing to the fun. The laughter of children and the warmth of family made the night truly festive as we approached the Chinese New Year.

After the rain stopped, the house felt calm and refreshing.

I took my uncle for his IV treatment and picked up a package at a chaotic delivery station. In the afternoon, I played cards for a while before Yaoyao, Sisi, Hanghang came over because they were worried about their Mom. Later, I picked up bicycles in town and played chess with the kids.

We ended the evening with firecrackers and laughter before I turned in early.

Rain made the day chilly and inconvenient, but it was filled with family moments.

After taking my uncle to the hospital for a quick IV session, I returned home for Mom’s noodles, which Hamer and Coco adored, each finishing two bowls. In the afternoon, I spent time with Yoyo and practiced driving before heading out to pick up Xiaoyan.

Heavy rain and traffic made the return challenging, but arriving home to a lively and welcoming family made it all worthwhile.

This morning, I went to the hospital to take over for my dad, who’s been caring for my uncle during his IV treatment. Dad wasn’t feeling well and was found to have high blood pressure, so he decided to get an IV drip himself. The hospital’s basic conditions and elderly rural patients left me feeling reflective.

In the afternoon, I played with Yoyo, who resisted napping but eventually joined me to read on the bed. While reading, I fell asleep first, only to find she had also dozed off.

Today, I traveled from Beijing to Yueyang to pick up Hamer, and together we continued to Yingtan. The journey home was smooth yet eventful, with Hamer impressing me by carrying her own luggage the entire way and saying heartfelt goodbyes to her playmates before she left Yueyang.

At home, we were warmly welcomed by my family, and Dad jokingly expressed surprise that Xiaoyan wasn’t with us. In the evening, Hamer happily reconnected with her cousin Coco, and the two played together until late at night.

Today was a lucky day filled with good news. I received recognition for my 230 Tips project, and my visa interview was unexpectedly approved. Back in Beijing, I found out my promotion to Senior SDE was confirmed, bringing immense joy. My colleagues’ efforts to secure my presentation slot at the developer conference also moved me greatly.

In the evening, Xiaoyan and I enjoyed a delightful vegetarian dinner. Tomorrow, I’ll travel to Hunan to bring Hamer to my hometown. Despite a busy day, I feel energized and grateful.

Our company’s year-end party on Monday and Tuesday was packed with performances, games, and activities, but the dinner felt rather dull.

The next day, we visited Longqing Gorge to see the ice lanterns, where the frozen gorge turned out to be the highlight of the day. Later, two colleagues and I traveled to Shenyang for a visa appointment.

2025-01-19 TIL: Scheduled Tasks in ChatGPT & Gaelic Football

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Scheduled tasks in ChatGPT

In this early beta feature, you can create scheduled tasks to enable ChatGPT to run automated prompts and proactively reach out to you at set times. This feature helps automate repetitive tasks and improves productivity by providing reminders or personalized interactions. Examples of Scheduled Tasks:

• “Give me a briefing on AI news each afternoon.”
• “Practice French with me daily.”

Gaelic football

Gaelic football is a fast-paced, action-packed sport that combines elements of soccer, basketball, and some of the world’s fastest sports.

• Originating in Ireland centuries ago, it’s now gaining popularity in North America.
• It features free-flowing gameplay, requiring both skill and athleticism, with players passing, kicking, and scoring in a dynamic, high-energy match.

Today was calm and uneventful. I started the morning late, tidied up the living room. Xiaoyan got up and practiced piano, where she showed noticeable improvement.

Xiaoyan spent the afternoon watching Normal People, while I napped and bought fruit and dumplings.

In the evening, I practiced driving S-curves and felt much more confident compared to before.

2025-01-18 TIL: How to Separate a Sectional Sofa & Types of Pianos

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How to Separate a Sectional Sofa

Sectional sofas are designed with hooks and latches that connect individual pieces, making them easy to detach, move, and rearrange.

• Locate the Connectors: Find the hooks, clasps, or latches that join the sofa sections. These are usually located underneath or between the sections.
• Detach the Sections: Gently lift or slide one section to unlock it from the connectors. Be careful not to force it to avoid damage.
• Move and Rearrange: Once separated, you can easily move, rearrange, or store the individual pieces as desired.

How Much Does A Piano Weigh?

There are three primary types of pianos: Grand, Upright, and Electric. The average upright piano weighs between 200-1,000 pounds.

• Grand pianos: The largest type of piano, also known as a Horizontal Piano due to its horizontal string alignment. Offers a rich, full sound but requires significant space.
• Upright pianos: The most common type of acoustic piano, also called a Vertical Piano because its strings are strung vertically. Designed to be more compact, making it ideal for smaller spaces.
• Electric pianos: Also known as Digital Pianos, they are popular among beginners and traveling performers. Lightweight and portable, making them easy to move and maintain.

Today started early as I tidied up the house and moved out the sofa. I received disappointing news that the conference schedule was refused, but my lead actively followed up.

My colleague’s gifted piano was delivered, and Xiaoyan even played a few simple tunes.

In the afternoon, Xiaoyan got a flu shot while I organized the house before joining her at our classmate’s place. We enjoyed the movie Her Story and a delicious homemade feast.

Today brought a sense of relief as everything I had worried about was finally resolved. I successfully rescheduled my visa interview and completed all the required documents.

Our show rehearsals went well, and I finished the last video, which turned out great. Unfortunately, one of my colleagues caught the flu and can’t attend the annual meeting.

In the evening, Xiaoyan and I enjoyed Luosifen at Guilin Restaurant. It had been a while, and I especially loved their crispy and flavorful Guo Shao. These past few days, Hamer has been having so much fun at hometown that we’ve had little chance to sit down and chat with her.