Today was a mix of focus and small joys. I tackled threading issues in Identify and knocked out several bugs—always a satisfying rhythm. Scored discounted shoes at MUJI and enjoyed a cozy tofu soup dinner.

Hamer called a few times just to chat, showing both her need for connection and her growing thoughtfulness.

Xiaoyan left for Qingdao and reconnected with an old friend. I ended the night doing nothing in particular, just watching Goodboy TV series past midnight. Sometimes, that’s enough.

I spent the day chasing down a sluggish Identify popup issue—and finally cracked it with a clever use of ConfigureAwait(false). Along the way, I tested using AI tools (Cline + Kimi K2) to spin up a WPF app, which turned out smooth thanks to my familiarity with the platform. Compared to building an iOS app yesterday, this was far more efficient.

The day ended with some badminton, dinner with family, and a relaxing video scroll.

Before bed, I finally used my new SSD to back up files from both my and Xiaoyan’s computers. While cleaning things up, I realized how little I’ve organized over the years. Just browsing my Downloads folder felt like opening a digital time capsule—messy, but filled with memories and traces of everything I’ve done.

After a restless night and an early team meeting, I spent the day tracking a tricky performance issue and brainstorming a long-desired personal project. In the evening, I tested building an app using AI tools—Cline+Kimi K2 failed to deliver, but Claude Code exceeded expectations with a solid, well-structured output. I also enjoyed its confidence and quirky vocabulary like discombobulating. A $5 spend felt worthwhile.

TIL: iOS App not using full height of the screen

Problem:
iOS app is not taking the whole height of the screen.

Reason:

“where I removed … the launch screen”
All iOS apps MUST have a launch screen storyboard, even if the rest of the app is done without storyboards.

Solution:

1. Go to the target’s build settings
2. Search for Launch Screen (Generation)
3. Turn the value to Yes

I started the day feeling oddly anxious and had a disturbing dream, but things turned around by evening. After a productive afternoon recording an MCP demo and helping Hamer learn how to send a video on her own, the real highlight was paddling on the Liangma River with Xiaoyan. Drifting on the calm, dark water beneath city lights and a soft breeze was pure peace—two hours of simple joy that erased all the day’s stress.

We spent a laid-back weekend at home—brunch, late mornings, and home-cooked dinners. Xiaoyan had a thoughtful moment while planning a meal for Yaoyao, and I enjoyed watching The Redeem Team, reliving the 2008 Olympic comeback. A riverside concert at Liangma River surprised us—singers performing to boaters on the water. Hamer, still away, cried out of anxiety over her upcoming poem recitation, reminding me how sensitive she is to unfinished tasks.

I woke up early today and realized our wall clock was off—it was already 6 a.m. Spent time digging into Semantic Kernel issues with little progress, then headed to the office to finish up some MCP server config and optimize old code, which really boosted usability.

Xiaoyan returned home and shared a stunning photo from a closed-door event. In the evening, Hamer called and burst into tears, saying she missed us deeply. After some comforting talk, she calmed down and hung up with a hint of relief.

After skipping two weeks of journaling due to burnout and family visits, I felt uneasy—like I was losing a habit and missing moments worth remembering. Today, I started writing again. I made good progress on an AI-related MCP project and realized how deeply I focus when tackling tough problems. Hamer is enjoying her summer with cousins—seeing their joy reminded me why these memories matter.

After being jolted awake by thunder, I coordinated with family on summer plans for Hamer, who’ll be accompanied back to their hometown by my two visiting sisters.

Recent days were tiring—lacking midday rest led to drained evenings and skipped journaling.

At work, UI implementation tasks for the AI project consumed two full days, with progress slowed by perfectionist tendencies. Hamer stayed up late doing homework but still woke up on time, often snuggling in bed briefly before rising. Dinners were handled outside. Xiaoyan has now arrived in Bangkok, marking the start of her Thailand trip.

The day began with lingering thoughts about Wikipedia integration, but priorities were handled sensibly. At work, I presented recent AI project updates in a well-received PPT, sparking lively team discussions. In the afternoon, I focused on documenting code and exploring DocFX for unified developer docs, though initial setup needs more work.

After work, we played badminton at a new, bustling venue. Yaoyao picked up Hamer, and together they joined us—Hamer happily interacted with my colleagues. After dinner and a park stroll, we returned home, where Hamer once again worked on homework with admirable persistence until late.