Kayla McArthur
@kayla.is
Sr. Eng Manager for Mobile Release Infra @ Google
Ex-Kindle for iOS TL
Based in 🇮🇪
Engineering, hiking, writing, digital art, and #iosdev hot takes
Opinions my own
kayla.is
Ex-Kindle for iOS TL
Based in 🇮🇪
Engineering, hiking, writing, digital art, and #iosdev hot takes
Opinions my own
kayla.is
Pinned
Kayla McArthur
@kayla.is
· Apr 17
NSChickenFilletRoll
[[NSChickenFilletRoll alloc] initWithFlavor:NSChickenFilletFlavorPlain mayo:YES butter:YES toppings:NSChickenFilletToppingTomato | NSChickenFilletToppingPickle]];
Me: Why has synchronization suddenly started failing on my iOS/macOS app? Did I break it with latest code change
[20 minutes later]
Me: ...why is BA blocking CloudKit syncing in their airport lounge?
Anyways, if you're in a BA lounge and CloudKit doesn't work, try a VPN 🙃
[20 minutes later]
Me: ...why is BA blocking CloudKit syncing in their airport lounge?
Anyways, if you're in a BA lounge and CloudKit doesn't work, try a VPN 🙃
November 7, 2025 at 9:42 AM
Me: Why has synchronization suddenly started failing on my iOS/macOS app? Did I break it with latest code change
[20 minutes later]
Me: ...why is BA blocking CloudKit syncing in their airport lounge?
Anyways, if you're in a BA lounge and CloudKit doesn't work, try a VPN 🙃
[20 minutes later]
Me: ...why is BA blocking CloudKit syncing in their airport lounge?
Anyways, if you're in a BA lounge and CloudKit doesn't work, try a VPN 🙃
TIL about the words executrix and testatrix.
November 6, 2025 at 9:33 AM
TIL about the words executrix and testatrix.
Using a loaner badge at work this week and constantly fearing staircases as I remember The Incident where my loaner badge stopped working in one half a decade ago.
November 6, 2025 at 9:08 AM
Using a loaner badge at work this week and constantly fearing staircases as I remember The Incident where my loaner badge stopped working in one half a decade ago.
I’m on a work trip to LON this week. Any mutuals that wanna hang out just shoot me a DM :).
November 3, 2025 at 6:14 PM
I’m on a work trip to LON this week. Any mutuals that wanna hang out just shoot me a DM :).
I think a lot of the time our general motivations are hidden from us, they exist, we just can't or don't know them.
I think I've finally figured out what really intrinsically motivates me after some deep reflection and some life stuff. It's really great to feel actually self-aligned in my choices.
I think I've finally figured out what really intrinsically motivates me after some deep reflection and some life stuff. It's really great to feel actually self-aligned in my choices.
November 3, 2025 at 9:52 AM
I think a lot of the time our general motivations are hidden from us, they exist, we just can't or don't know them.
I think I've finally figured out what really intrinsically motivates me after some deep reflection and some life stuff. It's really great to feel actually self-aligned in my choices.
I think I've finally figured out what really intrinsically motivates me after some deep reflection and some life stuff. It's really great to feel actually self-aligned in my choices.
Something wonderful about harvesting veggies and then immediately cooking them up for breakfast.
October 30, 2025 at 10:25 AM
Something wonderful about harvesting veggies and then immediately cooking them up for breakfast.
I should have a get together of compliance engineering people titled "Findings on Fun".
Or "Observations on Fun" if I don't want to give everyone a panic attack when they see a meeting invite for "Findings..."
Or "Observations on Fun" if I don't want to give everyone a panic attack when they see a meeting invite for "Findings..."
October 29, 2025 at 12:42 PM
I should have a get together of compliance engineering people titled "Findings on Fun".
Or "Observations on Fun" if I don't want to give everyone a panic attack when they see a meeting invite for "Findings..."
Or "Observations on Fun" if I don't want to give everyone a panic attack when they see a meeting invite for "Findings..."
Working on a new iOS and macOS app in my spare time to keep track of my routines and checklists because I haven’t found anything that really suits my needs yet and the only reason I seem so put together is checklists.
Will release it free when I’m done in case anyone else needs or wants it.
Will release it free when I’m done in case anyone else needs or wants it.
October 29, 2025 at 10:26 AM
Working on a new iOS and macOS app in my spare time to keep track of my routines and checklists because I haven’t found anything that really suits my needs yet and the only reason I seem so put together is checklists.
Will release it free when I’m done in case anyone else needs or wants it.
Will release it free when I’m done in case anyone else needs or wants it.
Getting diagnosed with ADHD has been funny. Lots of conversations that are some variation of:
Me: I have ADHD apparently
Friend: Oh. Um. I - I thought you already knew that
Retrospectively, fair point.
Me: I have ADHD apparently
Friend: Oh. Um. I - I thought you already knew that
Retrospectively, fair point.
October 26, 2025 at 4:08 PM
Getting diagnosed with ADHD has been funny. Lots of conversations that are some variation of:
Me: I have ADHD apparently
Friend: Oh. Um. I - I thought you already knew that
Retrospectively, fair point.
Me: I have ADHD apparently
Friend: Oh. Um. I - I thought you already knew that
Retrospectively, fair point.
Going through my old files from when I was younger and finding all my advanced graph theory presentations I did for the research group I was part of as an undergrad. I still love graph theory and see it everywhere.
Should find somewhere to post these, the book I based them on is out of print now.
Should find somewhere to post these, the book I based them on is out of print now.
October 26, 2025 at 10:17 AM
Going through my old files from when I was younger and finding all my advanced graph theory presentations I did for the research group I was part of as an undergrad. I still love graph theory and see it everywhere.
Should find somewhere to post these, the book I based them on is out of print now.
Should find somewhere to post these, the book I based them on is out of print now.
I'm curious to see how Swift for Android and Kotlin Multiplatform compare on various performance measures, particularly for complicated code and optimizations - I'd love to see a blog with comparisons.
October 26, 2025 at 9:00 AM
I'm curious to see how Swift for Android and Kotlin Multiplatform compare on various performance measures, particularly for complicated code and optimizations - I'd love to see a blog with comparisons.
Reposted by Kayla McArthur
Overhead the other day...
If someone asks you "are you in line?" what they actually mean is "would you please do better at standing in line?"
(Having endured an errand afternoon yesterday, let me tell you, it hit.) 😂
If someone asks you "are you in line?" what they actually mean is "would you please do better at standing in line?"
(Having endured an errand afternoon yesterday, let me tell you, it hit.) 😂
October 10, 2025 at 3:39 PM
Overhead the other day...
If someone asks you "are you in line?" what they actually mean is "would you please do better at standing in line?"
(Having endured an errand afternoon yesterday, let me tell you, it hit.) 😂
If someone asks you "are you in line?" what they actually mean is "would you please do better at standing in line?"
(Having endured an errand afternoon yesterday, let me tell you, it hit.) 😂
One of my least favorite things about managing iOS build systems is the weird interaction between things that are versioned in macOS (e.g. codesign) and things versioned in Xcode. The target triple + Xcode combination is not enough to actually know how things build.
October 8, 2025 at 9:46 AM
One of my least favorite things about managing iOS build systems is the weird interaction between things that are versioned in macOS (e.g. codesign) and things versioned in Xcode. The target triple + Xcode combination is not enough to actually know how things build.
Turbines get anxious this time of year.
October 8, 2025 at 9:44 AM
Turbines get anxious this time of year.
Migrating to a self-hosted PDS was relatively easy, except for some reason the relay didn't start picking up events my PDS published for almost a full day. If others run into this, giving it a day seemed to work for me?
Very odd, but overall can't complain about migration process and setup :)
Very odd, but overall can't complain about migration process and setup :)
October 6, 2025 at 7:12 PM
Migrating to a self-hosted PDS was relatively easy, except for some reason the relay didn't start picking up events my PDS published for almost a full day. If others run into this, giving it a day seemed to work for me?
Very odd, but overall can't complain about migration process and setup :)
Very odd, but overall can't complain about migration process and setup :)
At some level, almost all issues you deal with become complicated, and the answers become multifaceted and hard. As you get more exposure to these problems, you face another issue: when is it more time effective to escalate to those above you vs when is it more time effective to dig in at your level
October 2, 2025 at 9:55 AM
At some level, almost all issues you deal with become complicated, and the answers become multifaceted and hard. As you get more exposure to these problems, you face another issue: when is it more time effective to escalate to those above you vs when is it more time effective to dig in at your level
Reposted by Kayla McArthur
one of the best paths in healing from cptsd, depression, and anxiety, is getting into your body and being grounded
this can be ableist as a piece of advice given callously, bc not everyone has access to the resources or physical strength for physical activities (think MFS & long covid, for example)
this can be ableist as a piece of advice given callously, bc not everyone has access to the resources or physical strength for physical activities (think MFS & long covid, for example)
September 22, 2025 at 12:55 AM
one of the best paths in healing from cptsd, depression, and anxiety, is getting into your body and being grounded
this can be ableist as a piece of advice given callously, bc not everyone has access to the resources or physical strength for physical activities (think MFS & long covid, for example)
this can be ableist as a piece of advice given callously, bc not everyone has access to the resources or physical strength for physical activities (think MFS & long covid, for example)
Currently embracing that mental state where you become so interrupt driven that somehow you enter flow over the act of just managing the interrupts themselves.
September 15, 2025 at 7:41 PM
Currently embracing that mental state where you become so interrupt driven that somehow you enter flow over the act of just managing the interrupts themselves.
Reposted by Kayla McArthur
who called it "silicon valley office decor" and not faang shui
September 2, 2025 at 5:37 PM
who called it "silicon valley office decor" and not faang shui
Always slightly blows my mind when someone schedules something with me for more than six months out - like they expect me to still be alive, them to still be alive, the world to not have ended, etc in six months. It's kind of reassuring.
September 2, 2025 at 2:37 PM
Always slightly blows my mind when someone schedules something with me for more than six months out - like they expect me to still be alive, them to still be alive, the world to not have ended, etc in six months. It's kind of reassuring.
It feels absurd that I have all these weird hobbies that one would assume result in my many odd injuries, but the reality is most of my worst injuries are from stupid things like "ramming my head into a windowsill" or "I fell up the stairs because I was walking too fast"
August 25, 2025 at 5:18 PM
It feels absurd that I have all these weird hobbies that one would assume result in my many odd injuries, but the reality is most of my worst injuries are from stupid things like "ramming my head into a windowsill" or "I fell up the stairs because I was walking too fast"
Driving yesterday I noticed someone else on my street has a moon bounce, and felt incredibly envious.
Then I realized I was an adult and I can just...rent a moon bounce if I want one.
So. We'll see how my birthday goes.
Then I realized I was an adult and I can just...rent a moon bounce if I want one.
So. We'll see how my birthday goes.
August 24, 2025 at 1:37 PM
Driving yesterday I noticed someone else on my street has a moon bounce, and felt incredibly envious.
Then I realized I was an adult and I can just...rent a moon bounce if I want one.
So. We'll see how my birthday goes.
Then I realized I was an adult and I can just...rent a moon bounce if I want one.
So. We'll see how my birthday goes.
Had a good day with clear weather to hike Diamond Hill in Connemara National Park. I've been wanting to hike this one for some time, I'm so glad I finally had time.
Whenever I don't have time to get into nature something in me is really sad, and I don't realize it until I finally get out again.
Whenever I don't have time to get into nature something in me is really sad, and I don't realize it until I finally get out again.
August 21, 2025 at 11:06 PM
Had a good day with clear weather to hike Diamond Hill in Connemara National Park. I've been wanting to hike this one for some time, I'm so glad I finally had time.
Whenever I don't have time to get into nature something in me is really sad, and I don't realize it until I finally get out again.
Whenever I don't have time to get into nature something in me is really sad, and I don't realize it until I finally get out again.
Reposted by Kayla McArthur
play and rest is important for productivity and creativity. sitting there and pushing self to produce will only output mid tier results. the best work comes from a willing, eager, and well-entertained heart
August 21, 2025 at 6:12 PM
play and rest is important for productivity and creativity. sitting there and pushing self to produce will only output mid tier results. the best work comes from a willing, eager, and well-entertained heart
It's irritating how well gratitude journaling works.
August 20, 2025 at 8:47 PM
It's irritating how well gratitude journaling works.