Weekly Log 12: 17 - 21 March 2025

Author: shaavan

weekly/2025/w-12.md

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+# Week 12: "Sharpening the Sword: Planning, Feedback & Action"
+
+> Week of 17 March 2025 – 20 March 2025
+
+## What I Worked On:
+
+- **Brainstormed and proposed solutions for
+  [#3669](https://github.com/lightningdevkit/rust-lightning/issues/3669)**:
+  Explored ways to allow blinded path creation independent of `ChannelManager`,
+  proposed a new trait-based design, and discussed it with my mentor for
+  feasibility and trade-offs.
+- **Flow PR Refinement**: Addressed key review suggestions and restructured
+  parts of the `OffersMessageFlow` logic to decouple `MessageRouter`
+  responsibility. The goal was to streamline the API surface while preserving
+  flexibility for both `ChannelManager` and independent users.
+
+- **Finalized and submitted
+  [#3658](https://github.com/lightningdevkit/rust-lightning/pull/3658)**:
+  Successfully handled feedback and pushed the PR to completion—another one
+  closed!
+
+- **Bitcoin Summit Presentation Prep**: Worked on outlining content for my
+  upcoming talk, refining the topics and building a base structure for the
+  visual storytelling aspect of the presentation.
+
+- **Revisited Issue
+  [#3320](https://github.com/shaavan/rust-lightning/commits/i3320b)**: Took a
+  fresh, simplified approach to solving the problem by first narrowing down the
+  issue and creating a more minimal test scenario to make incremental progress.
+
+## Reflections:
+
+This week was a **perfect blend of deep thinking, feedback-driven refinement,
+and concrete progress.**  
+From diving into the architectural depths of `OffersMessageFlow` to proposing
+practical solutions for peer-driven blinded path creation—each step involved
+sharpening understanding and structuring solutions mindfully.
+
+What stood out most was the shift between **strategic design thinking and
+hands-on execution**, especially in handling feedback gracefully and planning
+for scalability. The presentation prep also brought a refreshing change of pace,
+allowing me to reflect on the journey while preparing to share it.
+
+As the week ends, it feels like I’ve **planted seeds for stronger foundations
+ahead**, and I’m genuinely looking forward to the next stretch of work!