Release Notes: Week 52
Week of Dec 23
The Christmas week. Most of this happened Dec 24-25 in a focused build session.
Personal Site Launch
Shipped samzoloth.com from zero to production:
Core architecture:
- Next.js 15 with App Router
- Tufte-inspired layout for case studies
- Playful hero with hover animations
Sidenote system: Went through three iterations (imperative DOM → pure CSS → React context). Final version handles collision avoidance and degrades to tap-to-reveal on mobile.
WIP overlay system: Badge pattern for content that exists but isn't ready to show. Password protection layer for sensitive client work.
Mobile TOC: Collapsible table of contents with scroll-spy and fade effect.
Polish: Dynamic favicons, image optimization, deferred iframe loading, anonymized stakeholder names in case study.
Client Work
Handoff preparation: Set the team up for a smooth 3 weeks without me. Translated stakeholder requests into prioritized backlog items with clear acceptance criteria. Documented in-progress work and decision context so nothing would stall. The goal: the team should be able to move forward without needing to wait for my return.
The Pattern
This was a shipping week. Personal site went from nothing to deployed. Clear goal, compressed timeline, minimal distractions.