Remember Me..

Oh wow..

I am very rarely surprised. Which is such a shame because I do like surprises. Like with presents, my sister O is the only one who ever surprises me. Great surprises like a blackberry and a new contract paid for for 6 months like she did last year. Or this year: the greatest present ever: Isai, my iPod Touch 4th Gen. I never see it coming.

I just finished watching Remember Me, another one of those haunting movies that I'd managed to avoid for ages. I am NOT a twilight fan- AT ALL, and the idea of watching Robert Pattinson for 113 minutes did not excite me but i'd run out of movies to watch.

So I watched it. Now due to the unbelievable amount of movies (rommies esp.) that I have seen; I am very good at predicting whats about to happen. I don't do it on purpose, but at some points whilst watching a film there'll be a running narration in my head- "so now he's going to come through the door, she's gonna see him, they're going to make up, and sexy time will ensue".

The ends approaching, issues are resolving themselves in that neat way that can only happen in movies and then... He's in his dad's office and this tense, 'somethings about to happen' music is playing. And my brain is running around thinking of all the pandora's boxes.. trying to find the one that's still open. No they're shut, so what is it? What's the cause of the music? With only 5 minutes left of the movie..WHAT IS IT?

And then it happens.
I realised 10 seconds before what it was going to be, but still: I did not see it coming.
Oh wow.

I do love being surprised.

Rella x


Once again, not a recommendation..
although I did think Rotten Tomatoes' rating was a bit harsh..
but each to their own right?

When life hands you lemons...

Note: I wrote this yesterday but apparently didnt press publish...


I like baking.
I don't bake as much as I used to but on this gap year its something I've been doing more of. I've conquered the chocolate cake, discovered the joys of ganache and lost sorely to chocolate chip cookies. Infact this blog was going to be icantbakecookies.blogspot.com.. This defeat still pains me. I still don't understand how it happened, my dough was amazing, and then it gets in the oven and..DEFEAT.

Anyway, I'm going to make a lemon drizzle cake. I've never made one before but I've got a recipe and a playlist and sunshiny optimism lol. Lets see how this goes..

Rella x

#1 Weird things you do when you're alone...

I'm going to do it.
In an effort to blog more and blog consistently I am going to attempt a 30 day challenge. I tried this once on le book face and lasted ONE DAY ha! But this will be different. I will try harder.

So here we go.

Weird things I do when i'm alone? Other than talk to myself? Like full blown conversations..but never out loud :s
Erm, I make these noises. Like random 'cant-really-describe' 'what-kinda-noise-is-that?' noises. I lie with my laptop and just let my vocal chords loose. Sometimes I sound like an engine being read it's last rites, sometimes like a malnourished antisocial cat having a go at karaoke.. It's never the same sound twice and it's never planned. I'll be reading something and then all of a sudden I find myself making these noises..and then it makes me laugh. So it's late at night, the whole house is quiet, and i'm in my room in absolute hysterics. Guffaws, chortles, deep belly laughs..till somebody asks me who I'm talking to or what am I watching and my reply? Nobody, nothing..

I completely understand if at this moment in time you are questioning my sanity. What does sane even mean? (Googles...)It's all subjective anyway *shrugs*

Rella x

Music: Why I love CB Rae

I am the worst person to give music recommendations to.
MANY have tried, few have succeeded. My taste is vague and extremely specific at the same time. It's inconclusive.. It's very I dunno, I like what I like. That said, I can love/like a musician and only love a handful of their discography. Actually this is always the case.

So continuing the whole getting to know each other here's some more music I love.

Corinne Bailey Rae


The only thing I don't like about liking BRae is that people expect me to like her. It comes with the territory I guess but yeah. I love her voice, and there are a few songs of hers that really resonate with me for whatever reason.
#1. Like a star. Obviously. This was one of the first songs I learnt on the guitar. And it taught me the all important F7|E7| movement that I had no clue about and have grown to appreciate. It's one that has stuck with me from 14ish. Also, at fourteen just discovering my voice, it was something I needed to hear. I didn't have that huge- gospel, bellowing voice that was the norm (amazing, but still the norm), or that riff-y deeper soul-y voice either. So to hear Rae with her unassuming, beautiful and spectacular in its own way voice; I learnt to be comfortable with and accept my own.

#2. Are You Here. Why do I love this? I don't know. I don't even understand what she says in alot parts of it.  But I do. I love it, I heard this back in my Spotify days and listened to it over and over again. No but really what is she saying? LOL. But for real, ignoring the lyrics barrier, I feel it..

#3. Love's On Its Way. Another Spotify find. In fact her album came out and eventhough i'm not an album-listening type person usually, I told myself to check it out. I love her live, I love how in control she is of her sound, and despite her unassuming voice; she doesn't get bogged down or overshadowed by the live instruments. If it's your first time hearing this its probably better to listen to the album version first.

#5. Since I've Been Loving You. I could count the Led Zeppelin songs I know on one hand. That would be one. And it's this one. Obvi I know of them but that's it. I heard this song when going through her discography on spotify one day and yeah. It makes the list. It was only later that I found out it was a cover. I love what she does with her voice and I love how distinctive she is when she could so easily be plain.

Lastly, eventhough there's still a few I could put on here...

#6 Is This Love?. Another spotify find. The original is one of my favourite songs. As in, OF ALL TIME. At one point, it was my go-to song when people put me on the spot and asked me to sing them something. Hearing her do this made me respect her on a whole other level for some reason. She made it her own but without taking away from it. Or I dunno..making it about her and not about the song? It's like she paid homage to it. Do you get what I mean? I remember hearing it and thinking "Did she really go there? Wow she went there! Eeissh,...SHE WENT IN!!" Translation: Well done Rae.

Rella x

*sigh* Movies galore!

So I'm writing this while on the phone to tmobile customer services *rolls eyes* and sorting out my blackberry. This bb rubbish has been going on for close to two months but I'm not bothered because I have my beloved iPod Touch 4.
But yes the point of this was my film watching has gotten out of hand lol. To be honest though there's not really much else to do at the moment. June is such a boring month for me ¬¬

Since the last post I've watched some good rommies and some 'why am I watching this crap' rommies aswell.
My favourtites so far are: Adam
I can't believe I hadn't heard about this movie already. Why was it so DL? I loved it. I try not to contemplate why I go so swoony (for lack of a better term) over male leads that seem incapable of love and then, well, love. I dunno.. that sort of sitch effects me much more than: meeting- attraction-conversation-drama- love. But yeah, Adam; I really enjoyed it.

Up next is Whip it.
There are some movies that haunt me. I don't mean in a 'watching it I got this haunted feeling' way. I mean literally. When looking for movies to watch, looking at recommended films lists after a movie I particularly liked there are the ones I always see. Whip it was one of these. Now I'm not a rebellious person but we all have our moments right? When a movie haunts me I REFUSE to watch it. Eventhough I know eventually I am going to and i'll probably enjoy it...but it's the principle. I am my own person and what not LOL. So yeah, it haunted me, I resisted but eventually succumbed. It was another surprising one. For one I thought that it was going to be one of those 'teen- highschool movie' type films (not that theres anything wrong with those) and it wasn't. There were grown-ups in it! Gasp! I also loved that despite directing the movie Barrymore didn't make it about her. As in her role was very small but still entertaining. I liked seeing that side of her. Wait. This is not a film review blog. I'll move on..

Oooh. I watched this one yesterday. Again how did this slip through the cracks? Especially since i'm a Moore fan (my version of being a fan means i'll say 'Oh Moore's in it'). Dedication. *sigh* I fell in love with this guy..."You can accuse me of many things but never of not liking you". Are you kidding me? How am I not going to want to have his babies? After marriage of course lol. Yep, it was another example of incapable of love but evidently not.

Today's film was Mozart and the Whale. Now, i've been in love with Josh Hartnett ever since 40 days and 40 nights but this movie was like renewing our vows to each other hehe..It was interesting because a few days ago I watched Adam in which one of the couple has Aspergers but in this one both of them had it. It was infuriating and engaging and well a great watch.

Methinks now would be a good time to say i'm not making recommendations here, my taste is well- mine. But we're getting to know each other right? I'll leave it at that. I watched an offensive amount of movies these past few days. Some were great, some blah and some; somewhere in between.
But no film watching tonight, oh no siree! Today is friday which means rehearsals with New Progression!!!! Wooo!! Reh/rehs as its affectionately called is and has been, for the past two years, the highlight of my week (unless something major happens) and this is the day (that the Lord has made)..seriously can someone take these brackets away from me? I can't control myself! (that's what he said) SEE WHAT I MEAN?

Ok. I got sidetracked. But i'm back. Did you miss me? (I can leave you two alone). Thats the last one I promise...kinda. But yeah, reh: great music great people the most jokes you can ever have..i'll be coming home today with Dave on my back, joy in my heart and what was it? Peace all around me? Hm..that might become a regular. *sigh* once again I digress. I've always said (I've never said this in my life) once the digression takes over its time to call it a day. So my dears. It is indeed a day.

Don't be mad that you wasted your time reading something that may or may not have added anything to your life, or day, or hour (this could go on for a long time) (or at least until nanosecond) (wait what's smaller than a nanosecond?) (Googles..).

Oops I did it again (that's what she said)

Rella x

Time.. and Sufjan

So I'm abit of a romance movie addict.
Which is funny because I tend to be a bit cynical when it comes to le opposite sex sometimes.. not always.
But yes, I'm a romantic.
And on this gap year I have watched more romance movies and read more books than I can count or remember..
Today's latest fix was TiMER. Which was good :) It wasn't AMAZING, of life changing, but I wasn't sitting there thinking this is such a waste of time. Ha! Get it? (lol)
I totally fell in love with Mikey at the end.. the whole "you just totally hurt my heart and i'm trying to be a man about it" *sigh*
But seriously, 22?? that's totally in my age range. Mikey we could work!! lol.

Anyways, the point was I was pleasantly surprised when he turned on the radio and Sufjan Stevens comes up. Yeah, back to the music bit of this blog. Sufjan is like a must on any playlist I make, and I make alot. Im talking 'Washing up', 'Tidying up room', 'Trying to sleep'. 'Cooking in hostile territory'. You name it; he's on them all. So in honour of the TiMER, but more as an excuse to share some of the music I love, here's some <3 Stevens <3

A lark in the park

me and Ade :)

It was more about spending time with the guys than anything else. Sure we performed and conquered despite the crappy sound and clueless sound engineers. We had a good time, Fi's set went well but oh the laughs and larks and overall good vibes.

Walking down mare street, singing in four-part harmony, people stopping to listen.
Enjoying the sunshine. The crazy dancing and disco revival. All of it. Whenever New Progression gets together, eventhough it wasn't all of us, and we weren't there to be New Progression, we were there to be HD and Ionna. Despite all of that what a lark we had!



 We were early, the festival was running late, iPhone's were lost, then found, I have a new pair of sunglasses courtesy of Usaa but above all It was great to be able to support the people that have supported me so often.

And at the end of the day the sun was still shining. I walked home to yet another playlist with Dave on my back, peace around me and joy in my heart.

Grace, Me, Jalud, Stephanie and Fi
aka the girls <3 and Jalud

Ade, Tohib, Me and Usaamah

Who am I? Omoba?

The D'Prince reference? It all started with a drive from my house to the cinema with my sister O. 2 hours worth of driving and an afrobeat cd on repeat later and the question Who am I? Is always followed by Omoba.

I am Rella J. A singer, arranger, candlestick maker...
Joke. To be short, I write songs, sing them and people clap.
I'll leave it at that for now. As I said before, we'll get to know each other.

I never did get that sleep you know *sigh*. Today i'm playing guitar for Fi. Fi is a singer in New Progression (my band) and today's do is at the Clapton Arts Festival. I'll let you know how it goes.

I need to go cut my nails x

Now or never..Not a poem. Its too late for full sentences..

It's 5:35 am.
I am yet to sleep.
I need to sleep.
I can't sleep ¬¬

I've been meaning to start this.
Here it is: Without the 'Ay'
Because my name is Rella J
and more will be revealed.

Want to get to know each other?
Share some words
a few thoughts?
Opinions? Dreams?

I'm playing for Fi later on today
I need sleep,
Can't seem to fall asleep
In time my dears, more will be revealed.