DIY Bangs Trim: Not Necessarily Recommended

not recommended for the weak at heart, but totally worth it if you're looking to save $10 to million bucks at a hair salon.

p.s.  isn't Scout cute looking out the window in the background? its his favorite watchdog perch.

You got a hitch in your giddy-up?

Down on your luck?

Worried about the big interview?

Need some encouragement for your new exercise routine?

Finding it hard to stay awake to study for your final?

Feeling the sting of buyer's remorse?

Anxious about making a life-altering decision?

Going through Dexter/Glee/True Blood/Mad Men withdrawals?

Trying to find the courage to stand up for yourself?

Recovering from a makeover gone wrong?

Experiencing S.A.D. symptoms?

Just realize that you finished an entire box of Wheat Thins all by yourself?

Or maybe you just feel like you're in a rut?

All of these songs will help you through this trying time.  Here are my favorite motivational tunes that will never let you down:

• Chiquitita, ABBA
• Super Woman, Alicia Keys
• You Should Be Dancing, Bee Gee's
• Judy and the Dream of Horses, Belle and Sebastian
• Diva Hustler, Beyoncé
• 9 to 5, Dolly Parton
• Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien, Edith Piaf
• Juke Box Hero, Foreigner
• Singing in the Rain, Gene Kelly
• Gotta Getcha Head in the Game, High School Musical
• I Am Changing, Jennifer Hudson, Dreamgirls 
• Be Somebody, Kings of Leon
• Make It Happen, Mariah Carey
• Grace Kelly, MIKA
• Jump (For My Love), The Pointer Sisters
• Go or Go Ahead, Rufus Wainwright
• I Don't Feel Like Dancin', Scissor Sisters
• You've Got the Love, The Source ft. Candi Staton

Also, if you read this article from the ZenHabits blog, Get Off Your Butt: 16 Ways to Get Motivated When You’re in a Slump, while listening to my playlist at the same time, you are 100% guaranteed to feel better.

What are your favorite motivational songs?

The Art of the Movie Makeover

With the New Year only a few days away, many of us are thinking about what our resolutions will be for 2010.  Paying off your student loan debt, getting toned Michelle Obama arms, learning how to make homemade fruit preserves, getting organized, or finally finishing that knitting project you started 4 years ago?  But maybe all you really need to start the new year off right is a simple makeover!  This is something that Little Sister and I both agree on.  Sometimes a new pair of boots, a haircut, or a colorful T is all it takes to change your whole attitude.  To get you inspired we've compiled a list of our favorite makeovers captured on film...

Calamity Jane  A good ol' tomboy turns girly and gets the guy story. The transformation scene also includes a home makeover set to song that is quite enjoyable.

Clueless  Rotating closet? Say no more.  A classic and the role of a lifetime for the late Brittany Murphy.

Cinderella  This old and wise tale could be the first ever makeover recorded in history.

My Fair Lady  The ultimate makeover title.  Whereas most movie makeovers are shown in a montage or a single scene, this entire film is dedicated to the Eliza Doolittle' metamorphosis.  It is after all, a process, not an event.

Pretty Woman  Yes!!

Roman Holiday   Because sometimes getting bangs is just enough to change your life.

Sabrina  Once again Audrey Hepburn stuns us all.  A year in Paris will always do the trick.

(see also: An American in Paris, Gigi, Amélie, and Ratatouille).

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers  Our one manly makeover on the list.  It's amazing what a clean shave, dancing lessons, and a jewel-toned button-down can do for a lowly back woodsman.

Strictly Ballroom  Don't be scared!  Just remove the thick lenses, get a hair straightener, apply some mascara, et voilà!  The vision of a lady.  It also helps to know the rumba.   

A special mention to makeover television programming:
What Not to Wear
And anything that Trinny and Susannah have ever done

What are your favorite makeover flicks?

Groupons Hooray!

I just bought a $30 groupon for $80 worth of salon services at Nirvana, an Aveda concept salon in Los Gatos. So worth it! I got my hair cut by a senior stylist, a head and hand massage and aromatherapy hair treatment. The lovely Michelle Williams and Zooey Deschanel were my inspiration for the cut...

The groupon plus $10 worth of amonia-free "darkest warm brown" hair dye from the beauty supply store = the cheapest most satisfying hair make over I've ever had!