The Power of Prayer

Next time I should ask for a million dollars

Last week I wanted to get my haircut, but haircuts are freaking expensive and I wasn't getting paid for several days. I actually went back and forth as to whether to schedule a hair appointment or wait until payday. My hair is long and thick and normally something I love, but not when temperatures are hot and sunny and slightly humid. My hair then turns into a dry, straw-like hot mess.

I actually prayed on it. I mean I feel kind of shallow, ok, a LOT shallow for praying for something as materialistic as money for a haircut, but you know what? It worked.

I needed $70 for my haircut (told you it was expensive!) and it was just not the kind of extra money I could spend. I went to bed thinking about it, praying about it, trying to budget around it and I kid you not in the morning I had an alert that $70 was being transferred to my checking account!

Of course, this deposit was not from God; it was from a friend of mine who owed me money from several months ago. BUT, I find it highly coincidental that the exact amount I was stewing about came into my account within hours after asking for it.

My whole point is this: Haircuts need to be cheaper. I need not to be so vain. And God really does answer prayers. You just have to ask.

50/50 Challenge: Inching Closer

I'm in the home stretch as far as movies go. I saw "The Heat" with Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy which sounds like an insta-success, but sadly, I was semi-disappointed. I love them both, but felt the movie overall was a bit bland. There was a lot of cursing and action, but it was good girl Sandy with bad girl Melissa and those characters are starting to feel a bit boring.

I also saved a bunch of documentaries on Netflix. I watched "That Guy...Who Was in That Thing" which kind of sounds like what it is. It's a documentary about actors you may vaguely recognize but can't pinpoint what you've seen them in. They discuss their struggles as actors and how they got to where they are. All I know is that I did recognize one of the actors because he's in one of my favorite movies - "Hitch" - at least that's where I think I recognize him from. 

Meryl Streep is the BOSS

I also finally read another book. I read the follow-up to The Devil Wears Prada. Revenge Wears Prada was similar with a lot of famous name and place dropping. Honestly, a good beach read but the story kind of fell off and became dull for me which is how I felt about the first book. In this book, Andy is married, getting ready to have a baby and has joined with her former arch nemesis Emily to create a successful wedding magazine. This is one case where the movie was better than the book and if they call in the same cast for this sequel, then I will most definitely watch. Mostly for the clothes. And glimpses of New York. And Meryl Streep.

Movie #40: The Heat

Movie #41: That Guy...Who Was in That Thing

Book #15: Revenge Wears Prada - Lauren Weisberger

50/50 Challenge: Steve Carell x Two

I love movies. There are several "classics" that I haven't seen but that doesn't mean I love movies any less. I think it means that when I was kid my mom was very big on us going out to play rather than letting us watch movies inside or taking us to the theater. As a matter of fact, I barely ever remember having my parents take me to the movies. But now I see at least two or three a week.

I almost to my goal of 50 for the movie part of this challenge which can give me more time to read books, but to be honest, I want to keep track of my movies to see how many new movies I actually will see this year.

For those of who haven't seen "Despicable Me 2" it's a good one both for kids and adults. It's entertaining and fun and silly much like the first one, which was a smidge better. It's one of two movies Steve Carell is starring in this summer.

It's all about the minions for 'Despicable Me 2' http://t.co/AScs64iX23 via @examinercom #DespicableMe2
— Courtney Hartmann (@courtney2bambi) July 3, 2013

I also saw "The Way, Way Back" recently and it was fantastic - definitely recommend! I love summer, coming-of-age movies. They make you be reminiscent about your own summer growing up and you can relate to how tough and great it was all at the same time. Steve Carell plays a different kind of character for this role, not very likable, but I still think he's amazing. But it's Sam Rockwell who I fell in love with -- there's something about a slacker that means well, no?

I can venture a guess that by August I will have hit 50 movies. There are so many I haven't seen, so many I want to see and then of course, there's Netflix.

What's your favorite summer movie?

Movie #38: Despicable Me 2
Movie #39: The Way, Way Back