Rek Bell

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2024

I don't know what it is, but I had a lot of trouble writing my 2024 yearly review. I published it a lot later than I usually do. It isn't because I think what I did that year wasn't noteworthy, it was, but I had trouble finding the motivation to put it into words. It may be because of recent, insistent spell of moroseness... more on that later.

The year began with the completion of the re-upholstering of all of the cushions on our boat. I first embarked on this ambitious endeavour in November, but because Pino housed a surprising total of 18 cushions it took a long time to complete - wait, is Pino mostly cushions? Yes, apparently. Some shapes were trickier than others, but all that was required to do it right was to be meticulous, a 'measure twice, cut once' kind of approach. The rest is all technique, learned by watching videos of more experienced seamspeople. Pino feels better overall with new upholstery.
I am extremely proud of the work I've done. I did the research, made the measurements, bought the materials, and did the work. Good job, Rek!

In January I made the decision to stop drinking. I wrote about why at length in a short post entitled no alcohol. I am glad that I was finally able to give that up. Many people around me have physical ailments, and I want to do the best I can for myself. In fact, many people in my family have cancers, and brain diseases, conditions that drinking can aggravate.

I worked on many short comics for hakum this year. I made sure to allot weeknights to drawing comics, reserving time to do it has kept me happy this year. It is very important that I keep time for it, otherwise I just feel terrible overall and it affects my other work. I'm really just having fun with it, learning to enjoy shading with pencils again.
I also got some coloring pencils for rabbit waves, I hope to get better at that too.

I moved my domains away from Netfirms and transfered them to WHC. Netfirms has been terrible for a long, long time, but moving seemed like such a hastle that I constantly delayed it. I bought my first domain with them in 2005, since then the website's UI has gone from ok to barely functional. I enjoy WHC so far.

Because of the rise of AI-generated garbage, I found it very hard to find good information on the internet. While doing general research, I often landed on webpages that were hosting erroneous generated content:

A site about how to fill a pillow looks legit at first, then lapses into how to make filling for food. A site about boating uses fake people to write articles about boating, talking about how to make trips they've never done or never plan to do (obvious from the writing).
I am fighting this in my own way, by building an extended list of bookmarks.

On April 22nd, Andrea, a friend, fellow sailor, and marina neighbor, passed away(cancer). Andrea was an excellent watercolor artist, specializing in dreamy scenery of the B.C. coast. We spent many afternoons on the dock, sharing stories, drinks in hand. Andrea was modest, soft-spoken and kind, she would always leave room for you in a conversation - a rare trait. Jim, her partner, gave us a graphic novel called Va’a: Virée aux Tuamotu by Benjamin Flao et Troubs, belonging to her. Now, we carry a part of Andrea with us wherever we sail.

Then, in early May, we set sail for Southeast Alaska. I've described the trip at length in the Victoria to Sitka logbook. It was not an easy trip, but we saw many beautiful things, and learned a lot more about the engine. When failures occur, there is always something to learn. I was not enchanted with the breakages when they did happen, because it was stressful, but I am proud that we were able to solve them. I saw bears for the first time on this trip, lots of whales, a puffin from afar, and I got to meet some albatrosses again.

I still have a fear of waves, I don't think that it will ever go away, but at least I can still sail in open water. Fear is not a bad thing. Fear keeps me safe.

End of the year we went back to see family out east for a month. Devine had to fill in as Santa this year for the Christmas party because Frank was ill, and it was of the funniest things I have ever seen. It was a 'you-had-to-be-there' kind of moment. When my sister asked her 6-year old what he thought of Santa, he said, "Santa is crazy." I laughed so hard when I heard that. Usually, Santa isn't so light on his feet, so energetic, but Devine, being gazelle-like in nature, leapt over furniture when leaving the house.
I got meet my sister's newborn on this trip, it is funny to think that she was born on the same day as her. I am really grateful to have mended my relationship with my younger sister, that was really important to me, we are doing well.
My goal this year was to be home for Christmas. I got to know my aunt and godmother better, and got to see spend time with another aunt who has severe Alzheimers.
I love spending time with my parents, but going there is also really difficult because I know that eventually I have to leave, and it is always effing hard. The evening before we left to return to Pino in Victoria at the opposite end of the country, we watched a film with my parents. We were leaving at 4am the next morning. At one point, my mom, who was sitting on my left, leaned up against me, head on my shoulder. I could tell she was crying, she had seen this movie before so she knew it was nearly the end, which too meant that our time together was ending. I didn't cry, but only because I had done so prior to coming upstairs. The 3 days leading to our departure I always feel empty... and the return to Pino is not easy, either... which accounts for my current moroseness.

I am heartbroken, forever torn between people and places.

What do I want for 2025? I want to make an effort to be more tolerant of others, to learn to say nothing when people say things that bother me instead of saying something while angry. I've gained nothing by being angry. I can be very passionate about certain issues, I can be very outspoken... but I ought to learn how to talk about what bothers me in a calm way, and if I can't do that than I just ought not to respond at all.
I also want to motivate my parents to keep active, especially my mom, because I am afraid that she too will get Alzheimer (she already complains about having some memory issues).

My favorite book this year was Beryl Markham's West With the Night, my favorite series was I'm a Virgo by Boots Riley, and my favorite movie is a tie between Jordan Peele's Nope and The Rocky Horror Picture Show(yes, I only saw it this year for the first time and I am SOLD).

Resume of the year

2024 reading list

2024 watched movies/series list

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