Happy New Year 
I’m back, did you know I’d left? - Think of me like a legacy feature that nobody knows how to turn off - I’m still here, and I’m Not Done Yet!
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Happy New Year, Carl! I’m looking forward to more walk-and-talks.
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Thanks Ian of @KnackPros - I hope you’re keeping safe and well 
That was a very nice video, actually.
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Thanks @PeterG - I appreciate the feedback.
I appreciate this is the “Knack Forum”, so please accept my apologies for posting another ‘walk and talk’. The feedback has been pretty positive and this video was a hard one to record. I may be a computer nerd, but hopefully this personal insight shows the human side of the “human in the loop”.
The digital world is increasingly flooded with AI “slop”: generic, soul-less content created by algorithms. While AI has its place, and I’m a big user of it; I believe it’s the raw, human stories that actually resonate and connect us. This is just me, rambling on a golf course at -5°C, trying to make sense of life’s recent punches.
If you’re just here for the tech, there is a link in the description to a great walkthrough of the new Knack Finder tool with Stephen Chapman. Otherwise, thanks for joining me on the journey.
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Love your ramblings and openness @CarlHolmes. Keep well!
Enjoyed the videos and honesty thanks Carl.
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Thanks for the positive feedback @Craig_Anderson
PS
I forgot to say sorry about your mum 
Craig Anderson
M 029 8904910
W www.gonogo.co.nz
W www.youtube.com/@kiwitales
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I appreciate your thoughts on my mother’s passing. A few days before she died, I asked her if she had any regrets. She mentioned that she’d always liked the idea of Australia but her lifelong hatred of spiders meant it probably wasn’t meant to be.
Then, after a long, thoughtful silence, she looked at me and said, ‘No. I have no regrets. I did everything I wanted to do.’
In my mind, I saw her reach out and put a final, bold tick in the box of life.
Life: Checked 
Done 
She lived a life true to herself, and I owe her so much for that example. I intend to continue my own journey in exactly the same vein.
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What a great thing to be able to say that on your death bed.
Can’t ask for more than that. A lesson to us all for sure!
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That is beautiful Carl. Best
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Very nice video, Carl. It’s grounding to hear you talk about these things; it’s easy to get caught up in our work and forget that our relationships are most important. Sorry to hear about your mum, but happy to hear she had a long fulfilling life. Looking forward to seeing more Knack tutorials as well, I’ve had to reference your videos on several occasions when I’m looking to do something. Take care.
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This week has been about the reality of “red tape” and legacy. I’ve spent time navigating the UK death certification process (which has been far more protracted and stressful than I ever anticipated) and preparing for my late mother’s funeral on 20th January 2026.
I talk about the handwritten life story my mum left behind. Despite my love for tech, my attempt to use AI to help write her eulogy was a failure. It turns out that some things simply require a human heart.
The big personal shift is that, as of this week, I have officially retired from commercial Knack client work. After 41½ years in the workforce and almost a decade in this community, I’ve finally passed the financial finish line. I have handed my clients over to the capable hands of Craig Winnall, Amanda Mower, and Hugo Cox to ensure they are well looked after while I focus on what’s next.
I appreciate that my journey is not unique, but it has helped me straighten some things out in my mind while I navigate these new waters.
If you’re just here for the tech, I’ve posted a separate tutorial on reloading previous values in forms using KTL to help speed up your data entry.
Otherwise, thanks for joining me on the journey. I’m not done yet.
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Hi everyone,
I’ve posted a tutorial on Auto-Focusing fields using jQuery here, but for those following my “Not done yet” journey, I’ve just uploaded a more personal update.
It’s been a strange, heavy week. Between starting my first “official” week of retirement and preparing for my mum’s funeral on Tuesday 20th Janaury 2026, I’ve found myself in a bit of a no-man’s land.
In this update:
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Retirement “Time Warp”: Experiencing that “what day is it?” feeling much sooner than I expected.
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The Chapel of Rest: Sharing a very personal (and somewhat harrowing) experience of saying a final goodbye to my mum yesterday.
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The Eulogy: The challenge of writing and rehearsing a tribute to a parent while navigating the mourning process.
Life goes on, and I’m definitely not done yet.
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