Zoom About Ellen - video journaling and sharing ways to dream big and live authentically

Self-discipline ~ My word for 2011

Yes, self-discipline is the word. It seems like the answer to tons of my anxiety and focusing issues. I have a lot of motivation but not a lot of will-power when it comes to staying on task. Impulsivity often gets in the way of me disciplining myself to create a schedule and adhere as closely to it as possible, to stay on task and to bring projects to completion. My big joke is that I get distracted by what is "shiny" not what is relevant to what I'm trying to accomplish in the moment. Seems like a no brainer, right? Not so much for us ADHD peeps. So I'm taking it further and consulting with the experts out there to find out what systems work best for you. As it turns out, I've tried lots of what's out there and have yet to find one that encompasses everything I need in a way that I'm motivated to stay updated. So...please leave me a comment telling me what works for you...

I just heard that 40 is the new 30...Hee, hee

I have to say I'm feeling pretty proud of myself right now... I turned 40 on Monday and actually followed through on the threat to learn how to snowboard. It wasn't looking good when I got really sick last week and was having trouble shaking it. I was not so sure in my weakened state that I would be able to muster up my usual freakish (like Monica) strength and get out there but I DID it and here's the proof...

Note the talent of my instructor (and friend) Kevin...He was able to hold the flip AND the back of my jacket as we were getting off and not fall! WOW! Super fun... although my bum is sore and I have nice looking bruises on my knees, I am heading back out for another go on Friday...I'm thinking about padding my tush like in the old Charmin commercials. I'll make sure I have the flip for that one too! :)<

Keep the fire burning and the sparks flying!

Looking for my inner wise woman...where is she?

So...I'm back with all of my drama. Seriously, last weekend I had the opportunity to attend Chicks Who Click in Boulder, CO. The event was organized by Gwen Bell and Denise Smith and was full of amazing chicks (and a few guys). Jen Grant and I had the bonding hang out time which I so covet by sharing a hotel room...ask her how many times she had to ask me to SHUT UP so she could read, work, finish reading an email, etc. LOL!  The whole event, including tweetups and karaoke, was so inspiring, energizing and enlightening. I wish I could attend and event like this at the very least 2x a month, but you know, not very realistic. ANYWAY, I wanted to share one of the many experiences I had during the actual program, that will stick in my mind and be integrated into my move forward strategy (at least the part where I actually find my inner wise woman). Here is a list of some of the speakers at Chicks Who Click 09. http://www.chickswhoclick.com/collaborate.html To learn more and follow news of the next event check www.chickswhoclick.com. I highly recommend this event and barring MAJOR interruption, will go every year! Oh yeah, and here is a twitter summary found at #cwc09, the flickr stream and Gwen Bell's write up after the event if you still need convincing of how much YOU need to be at Chicks Who Click 2010!

AND...quick shout out to ZoomAlbum (and my Dad) for sponsoring my trip. I was able to giveaway 3 kits and make ZoomAlbums (thanks to the Epson printer that Barbara Jones brought) for Gwen and Denise of the tweetup on Friday night! Also to Smilebox, for allowing me to offer a FREE premium subscription to all who attended the event! GO CHICKS!!!

Who Needs Sleep?

I know the video is around 4 minutes, but I promise it will be worth your while to watch. Maybe you'll relate and feel validated and maybe you'll feel empowered know the answers to my sleep dilemma and think "thank GOD I'm not at messed up or as in denial as she is!" WHATEVER! Just please watch and leave me a comment and there might be something cool in it for you!!! (Hint, hint) Is Daniel Dumas encouraging me or what in his Wired article "Three Smart Things About Sleeping Late?" I just want to put another big THANK you out to Mr. Dumas and if he were here in front of me, he'd get a BIG hug and kiss from me for telling me that it's better for me to SLEEP IN! HA, to hubby who says I can train my body if I just forced myself to go to bed early. BTW, another expert recently told me that there are people who are hard wired from back in caveman days to work different shifts and I was clearly a "night watch" type of person. THANK YOU VERY MUCH! But seriously, how do I make up for the sleep i'm losing and still be a good mom, take care of the house, work, my health (running) and all of the stuff a WAHM like me needs to be productive, effective and not be institutionalized? COMMENT AND TELL ME PLEASE and I will love you forever!!!

My secret life as a weather girl...

Ack! I just realized that this is my first post in 2009 and it's gonna be about ANOTHER flood in our area. This time "they're" saying that it's as bad as the flood in '68, which would be worse than the one in '08 or '06 or the ones in '95 when our town was under water. Here's a video of the river before I packed up the kids and fled to higher ground...
Check this out... This is a photo my friend Kevin sent from Snoqualmie pass of the face of Hyak, one of the ski areas up there. The face slide right off and knocked a house off of it's foundation!

Crazy time here...lots of evacuating and shelters being set up. It happened so fast!

Getting hourly updates from hubby who is at the house with the pets. He thinks we'll be an island but won't flood...I'll keep you posted.

Meanwhile, I'll be heading off to Boulder tomorrow for Chicks Who Click...talk to you from there :)

Escape Mommy Guilt!

Here I am, sitting in a Les Schwab tire center in Albany, OR replacing bad tires and feeling frustrated for tons of reasons that may be obvious and others I won't bother you with when I remembered this video I made in November at the airport when I was on my way to SLC for a retreat. It totally fits with struggles that I know other work at home moms wrestle with and also coincides with this post from Sparkplugging's WAHM 2.0 Here's the thing...this has been a HARD year...I know not just for me and I have to keep reminding myself to STOP being so hard on myself! I mean seriously here's what Kelly McCausey said and I have to get it to stick in my brain so I cut myself some slack...

"Add any extra stress or special circumstances and the pressure to make the right choice about your time and attention becomes overwhelming."

So...in 2009 (actually starting NOW) I'm going to not just listen, but REALLY HEAR what the Universe is telling me and what my intuition is telling me...which by the way coincides with the Universe. I'll leave you with my most recent message from The Universe, which if you aren't already signed up for these, you should be. It never hurts to get messages a couple times a week that tell you YOU ROCK (which, btw, you should already know). Here's my message for Tuesday:

Ellen, it's easy. Your thoughts become things. Don't fight it. Don't think there's anything else. Don't entertain the false premises of fate, luck, or a God who judges, withholds, or decides. You decide. You manifest. You rule. This is why you are here. This is what you came to discover. You were born to experience your absolute dominion over every flimsy, malleable illusion of time and space; to have, do, and be anything.

Truthfully, it couldn't be any easier. All you have to do is think of what you want and refuse to deviate from that thought. This will, invariably, set you into motion, stir up the magic, and unleash the full force, power, and majesty of a Universe conspiring on your behalf.

It's worth everything you've got, Ellen. Be strong, be vigilant, take action, and the Kingdom of Heaven shall appear at your very feet.

I've got your back,
The Universe

Consider this awesome opportunity!

Lots of new changes happening for me as we end 2008 and catapult into 2009. We have launched the new website for ZoomAlbum AND I will be releasing the new ZoomAlbum blog before the end of the day today. Zoom About Ellen will remain with a couple of changes I'll share as I make them. I'll still talk about ways to make the life of a multi-tasking mom easier as well as dreaming big and living authentically here, but most of the tips and tricks for sharing memories with digital photos will be on the new ZoomAlbum blog. The BIGGEST news of all (can you tell how excited I am) is our new Photo Book Coach opportunity!!! Please watch and think about the possibilities...

Read below for more information or go to www.zoomalbum.com
How you can make money
Simply show your finished ZoomAlbum photobook to someone - a family member, friend, colleague, or even the lady behind you at the grocery store. Explain what’s in a ZoomAlbum Kit and how to make a photobook. Then show them how to order online using your Coach ID. They will get a 15% discount, and when their order is processed, you will receive 30% in sales commission within 30 days. It’s really that easy! And you will receive Monthly Commission Check Payments! Your New Photobook Coach Kit includes valuable products & sales tools: • Permission to distribute and sell ZoomAlbum Photobook kits independently (there is no annual renewal fee) • (6) PhotoCover Kits (enough to make 18 Albums) • 5-Pack Refill Kit • (2) Photobook samples • (6) Software/Instruction DVD’s • 24/7 User Support/Training • Automated Customer Referrals from ZoomAlbum Website and Blog • Product Instruction Sheets & Order Forms • Monthly Online Newsletter with Photobook Software Updates and Selling tips • Opportunity to receive compensation for recruiting or referring new Photobook Coaches to the program Total retail value for the materials = $287.65 All yours with registration for only $119.95 (a savings of over 50%!) Canon Printer You will also have the option to buy a Canon IP3600 Inkjet Printer in addition to the above package for only $80. Perfect for printing your Photobook samples! Register as a Photobook Coach TODAY! Click here to download the form, fill out completely and fax to 408-521-0945 Call us for more information 1-888-SeeZoom (733-9666)

Can YOU tell how unhappy they are?

So finally there was a sunny day in the Pacific Northwest...perfect time to ride bike home from school with the kids and the Purple Pedal bike. I dropped the kids bikes off at school, drove home, hopped on the Purple Pedal bike and had a lovely ride to their school...so excited for fresh air and exercise with the kids. They greeted me with smiles and seemed excited...that is until they remembered that they would be riding home. My 7 year old son, who discovered that I did not bring his gameboy with me frowned but then begrudgingly put his bike helmet on. My 9 year old refused to acknowledge my presence and wouldn't even hold her helmet until all of the buses had left and there were no people around to see. You would have thought I was pulling their finger nails off...My son whimpered for the 1st half mile, saying his legs hurt and he couldn't possibly make it home. At one point, my daughter got off her bike, put the kick stand down and gingerly sprawled on the ground. The drama...I hope they can get enough tickets to accomodate our large family when they accept their Oscars in the future. Luckily...the camera mounted between the handlebars of the Purple Pedal bike caught none of the strife that I witnessed during the 2 1/2 hours it took us to ride 2 miles...Here is the flickr stream of the ride and a quick video I took along the way. Thank goodness for the sunshine and beautiful scenery! That was a week ago...since then, the bike has taken lots of pretty pictures of our front door (adorned with my BE NICE OR LEAVE sign) and of my lame attempt to catch up with the neighbors with lights on the house...Maybe the cold rain with take a break long enough for me to ride into Seattle next week...or maybe I'll just go in the other direction and ride it up at the pass so it can take pictures of the beautiful snow that has finally started falling in the mountains...we'll see what I decide.

Seattle Marathon...on the Purple Pedal Bike!

So much fun...Today I got to ride Shoot n' Roll in the Seattle 1/2 Marathon. Yes, I was signed up to run it but had to grab the opportunity to ride the bike and take pics of it every step of the way (and flip video, of course). The Seattle Marathon people were nice enough to grant permission (knowing of course that I COULD run it if I wanted to, lol) to let me "cover" the marathon by riding my Purple Pedal bike. Here are some highlights...(for more videos of the ride, check out my YouTube page) AND here are the pics the bike took along the way! I made a big sticker for ZoomAlbum and Smilebox for the side of the bike...stay tuned for the ZoomAlbum photobooks and Smilebox slideshows I'm gonna make of this and future rides! For more info on Yahoo's Purple Pedals and to see what the other bikes are up to, go to www.purplepedals.com or www.flickr.com/groups/5purplepedals. Btw, looks like they're going to let me keep it for longer. Comment and let me know if there's something here in Washington you'd like to see and I'll ride to it for you! :)