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

ReCaptivation ~ Can You Help Me?

2009-11-05T16:57:06-08:00

I have been creating recycled bottlecap art for the past couple of years and recently started experimenting with plastic bottlecaps. After seeing Chris Jordan's presentation at Poptech on the dying baby albatross chicks on Midway Island, I am even more motivated than ever to build awareness of our plastic consumption and give people the opportunity to donate caps to ReCaptivation so they can be turned into art! I have a plan for cool belts, pendants and ornaments. Please let me know if you are interested in sending me your saved caps or other scraps that can go into bottlecap art and I'll send you my mailing address. For each package of recycled materials I receive, I'll send you a ReCaptivation creation! Please watch both videos and start saving caps! I'll be waiting to hear from you...

Sweet Gus

2009-11-03T22:01:58-08:00

IMG_2409.JPG, originally uploaded by zaellen.

I'm absolutely embarassed about what I've become with this new puppy. I need to profusely apologize to all those around me who have to witness the disgusting displays of adoration that overcome me about my new puppy. He even poses for pictures for me. I mean, REALLY, can you stand it?!?

Gus

2009-10-28T10:02:44-07:00

IMG_2262.JPG, originally uploaded by zaellen.

Here is what is completely distracting and delighting me this week. Gus arrived on Sunday night and after a long drive and a little shock, perked up and showed his spirit. The kids are in HEAVEN. He is so loving, playful and responsive. Whew...Aside from some new baby sleep deprivation, all is great here at the Alpenhaus :)

Pop!Tech 2009 - Camden, ME

2009-10-24T09:50:40-07:00

Pop!Tech 2009 - Camden, ME, originally uploaded by kk+.

This is a photo my friend Kris Krug took of me the day before Pop!tech officially started. Can you see how excited I was? I have to say that Pop!tech has completely exceded my expectations again and left me thinking and anxious to act! Talk about dreaming big and living authentically...WOW! Check out the videos and info on www.poptech.org for more on this incredible conference in Camden, Maine.

My BlogWorld 2009

2009-10-19T00:00:02-07:00

I don't know what was up with me this year when it came to recording my amazing experiences and interactions. Last year, I took a million photos and video interviewed a whole bunch of amazing peeps. I'd like to think it was because I was so focused on the human interaction, that I completely forgot about my camera and flip. Yeah, I think that's it! I loved catching up with great friends and meeting new super interesting, dynamic folks. As usual, I gathered so many tips and my mind is spinning with ideas and tasks. I'm looking forward to apply all of this asap! Here is my flickr set from BlogWorld 2009... I can't wait to check in again with everyone I saw. :)

Great results of following your intuition!

2009-10-17T16:00:22-07:00

Once again, BlogWorld Expo is amazing, inspiring and exhausting. My brain is full! I love reconnecting with old friends and making new ones. Helps me remember the importance of face to face interactions with my amazing online peeps. Keeping with the theme of dreaming big and following your intuition, here's a fantastic testament to the positive results that can be achieved when you trust yourself and dive in... I'll be posting again shortly with highlights and links to some of the amazing peeps I was lucky enough to hang with during the last few days. :)

Life is beautiful!

2009-10-14T21:59:10-07:00

Here is a conversation I had tonight with my 8 year old son before bed:

Peter: Mommy...If you hadn't been born, does that mean I wouldn't be born?

Me: What?

Peter: I mean, if you had never been born does that mean I wouldn't be here?

Me: I guess it does...If I hadn't been born, you wouldn't have been born. just like I wouldn't have been born if my Mom hadn't been born.

Peter: Thank you Mommy.

Me: For what?

Peter: For being born...

SERIOUSLY! How am I not crying right now? Moments like that pull me way out of any funk I could possibly be in and remind me that life is beautiful!

How I learned to mind my own business!

2009-10-05T22:27:34-07:00

A friend of mine emailed this to me today. Too funny not to share! I searched the internet for the author and got like 17,400,000 hits but no one taking credit for writing it. If you are the author and for some miracle find this, please let me know so I can give you credit.

How I learned to mind my own business

I was walking past the mental hospital the other day,

And all the patients were shouting, '13....13....13.'

The fence was too high to see over, but I saw a

Little gap in the planks, so I looked through to see

What was going on.....

Somebody poked me in the eye with a stick!

Then they all started shouting '14....14....14'...

What have I been up to?

2009-09-15T22:12:31-07:00

I know I have been TOTALLY lame about posting here lately and know that there are a plethora of peeps out there who don't sleep enough. The thing is that not sleeping enough used to work fine for me until recently. Is mercury in retrograde or something? I'll have to consult with my new age friends or at least schedule my annual tarot card reading. Wish I had a crystal ball so I could predict when I'll feel right again. I'm sure it has nothing to do with the tail end of my divorce or adjusting to the school, soccer, music lesson schedule. Hmmmm...looking forward to not enough sleep being enough again!

Top 10 reasons why working from home in the summer is nearly impossible!

2009-08-20T15:26:48-07:00

10. Hard to be inside when it's sunny in Seattle.
9. Too many weeds outside my office window.
8. Lots more unexpected visitors showing up.
7. Kid interruptions.
6. Kids social schedule MUCH more impactful in the summer
5. Trampoline with sprinkler (see video below)
4. Ice cream van.
3. Newly found interest in creating henna tattoos
.

2. Summer festivals.

1. Wine in the gazebo by the river.