What I’m thankful for!

By Chelsey Zumpano

I hope everyone had a happy and safe thanksgiving if you don’t celebrate or if you didn’t have a good day: try to think of some things that you’re thankful for!



• my family are healthy

• Hazel did not try to steal the turkey

• we played Monopoly

• going on walks with Hazel and my family

• Lucy and Hazel will cuddle sometimes

• I made it to over 100 posts on this blog

•  I learned how to make green bean casserole

•  cuddles with Audrey

• texting my friends

• I have 169 subscribers on YouTube

• cuddles with Pixie

I had a nice Thanksgiving: we just relaxed and played Monopoly. We also had some yummy food. Let me know some things that you’re thankful for down in the comments. 

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Thankful My Dogs Have A Better Relationship!

by Chelsey Zumpano

So my little dog Lucy did not get along with my Husky Hazel. She growled, barked, and showed her teeth. Hazel just jumped around her and wanted to play. It wasnt that big of deal when my Ginger was still alive because Lucy had her Mom to hang out with, so we just kept them seperated. We did try to introduce the three of them, but Ginger would growl at her and all that stuff. I don’t blame her because if I was a Chihuahua, (who was old and not feeling well), then I wouldn’t want a puppy to be bugging me either.

Then when Ginger past away; Lucy didn’t, (and still doesn’t), want to be alone! She cries and won’t stop scratching at the door, if we put her outside to run around, (we can’t even let her out to go potty. I’m not going to lie, but it was extreamly stressful, (especially because Lucy only wanted/wants to only be with me or my Mom), so it meant that it was harder to split my time between the two dogs.

So how did I get them to get along? By using calming signals! You might be wondering what that is? Calming signals are how dogs communicate with each other and us humans can use some of them too. Dogs will use calming signals to to calm dogs down and to let them know, “Hey, it’s okay.” Dogs will also use calming signals at us if they are being yelled at and want us to calm down. Some examples are licking their lips, yawning , sighing, and slow blinking. You can learn more about calming signals by reading the book, “On Talking Terms with Dogs,” linked at the bottom of this post.

The other thing that helped was to be relaxed and not panic when the dogs were together because they can sense that and sometimes feed off it. Now Lucy and Hazel can be in the same room together. Lucy will still get agitated by Hazel, but it’s getting better. I think the reason why it worked for my dogs is because Hazel just wants to play and wasn’t trying to fight Lucy. So please talk to a trainer if your dogs are full on fighting. It’s one of thoughs things that will take time and won’t work for all dogs, but I’m extreamly thankful it has helped my dogs.

Let me know what things have helped your dogs have a better relationship in the comments!

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If you have any suggestions for what you’d like to see next for Nanowrimo, please let me know in the comments or send me an email to: viblindresources@gmail.com

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How my Dog Has Effected My mental Health!

by Chelsey Zumpano

A close-up picture of a black and white husky with blue eyes. The picture is taken from the side and her nose is pointed to the right and her ears are up.(Picture of Hazel and picture credit goes to Chelsey Zumpano).

If you’d been following me on YouTube; you’d know that I got a puppy back in December and I’m training her to hopefully be my service dog. She does take up a lot or all my time somedays. She gives me something to do and that keeps my mind busy. She’s helped me to realize that I want to be a dog trainer.

She can be really hyper and have to find ways to keep her busy. I let her run around in the back yard, play fetch, tug of war, I take her on walks, give her bones, and puzzle toys. It took me awhile to figure those were the things that helped her. But before then she was kind of overwhelming and now she’s better. Giving Hazel a job has helped.

Some ways Hazel has helped me with my anxiety!

1 She will lay on my legs at night and that helps if I’m having a bad anxiety day.

2 She’s helped me to learn more about dogs.

3 She gives me more of a reason to go on a walk.

4 She’s helped me to not be so anxious about going to the vet.

If you want to see some more of my new coping skills; please go watch the video below.

If you have a dog tell me a funny story about him/her in the coments. If you would like to be interviewed by me or otherwise contribute to my Blog and YouTube; please send me an email to the following address. viblindresources@gmail.com

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YouTube Can Be Overwhelming!

By Chelsey Zumpano

Image description: A black and white husky sleeping on her side and wearing a pink harness and gray leash.(picture creditgose to Chelsey Zumpano).

As you might know I started a new series on YouTube called “30 Days of Hazel,” about training my husky puppy. Well I don’t have the energy or time to edit a video each day! It’s hard to do that when you have a little puppy to take care of. Sometimes it’s over whelming to be on camera and sometimes Hazel doesn’t want to be on camera either.

I can write a blog post easier and edit it whereever. That’s why I was able to do Nanowrimo back in November. Part of why I’m feeling overwhelmed is because I’m recording and editing the videos all in one day, so I need to give myself a few days to catch up on recording. I originally was going to do 30 consecutive days, but I’m not sure if I can do that. I might just shoot for one day a week uploads and just record through out the week, (since I’m following a 30 day training book).

While you wait for me to upload: please go watch and vote by liking my video,Let’s shadow! #HolmanPrize2019,” so I can help increase employment opportunities for our community!

If you’d like to be interviewed or otherwise contribute to this Blog or YouTube send an email to:

viblindresources@gmail.com

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Feeling Accomplish!

by Chelsey Zumpano

I DID IT! I wrote a blog for every day in November! It’s a great feeling to set out to do something and actually accomplish it! I’m so proud of myself and I think it really helped me with writing. Now if you give me a writing prompt, I’ll be able to write a blog about it. I’m hoping this will help me write stories.

Now for the month of December: I’m going to do a quote and draw/paint/take a picture of something to go along with it. I’m also going to do some baking videos. You can find today’s picture on my instagram @VIBlindResources and if you like what you see there give me a follow. Thank you to everyone who has followed me this month and the months before! I’ll be going back to once a week Blogs and Vlogs/videos will be twice a week. (They’ll be some random posts throne in there).

If you would like to be interviewed or otherwise contribute to this blog or YouTube send an email to:

viblindresources@gmail.com

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What Is Normal?

by Chelsey Zumpano

I hate the word normal! It implies you have to be a certain way or there’s something wrong with you! I use average because it’s a spectrum. If I’m going to say somethings “normal,” I’ll usually say it’s “my normal” because that thing or situation is my experience. Another reason I don’t say “normal” is because it generalizes a situation or group of people.

Much like lables “being normal” puts pressure on us. My advice to anyone who’s struggling right now is to be yourself and be kind to others, try to understand what others are going through. Being kind to others is hard for some people to do and that’s not okay! The same going for understanding what people are going through! My personal opinion is that as long as no one is hurting anyone, then just let them live their life and give them some respect.

If you would like to be interviewed or otherwise contribute to this blog or YouTube send an email to:

viblindresources@gmail.com

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The Best Way To Spend A rainny Day

by Chelsey Zumpano

On rainny days I’m stuck inside, usually with a migraine because of the overcast sky. In this age of technology there’s lots to do inside on a rainny day;I could draw, write, or watch YouTube. But my favorite thing to do is listen to an audio book and cuddle with my dogs. The dogs don’t want to move on days like that and neither do I, so it works out good. We curl up under a blanket and get lost in a book. My dogs often listen to books with me and so I call them, “my book buddies.”

If you would like to be interviewed or otherwise contribute to this blog or YouTube send an email to:

viblindresources@gmail.com

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Happy Thanks Giving and What I’m Thankful For Part 3

by Chelsey Zumpano

I’m writing this while the delicious smell of turkey fills my house. Here’s another list of what I’m thankful for.

1 I’m surrounded by a loving family. My family is all healthy and happy.

2 My animals may drive us all crazy sometimes, but I love them anyway.

4 That I have a ruth over my head and food to eat.

5 I’m thankful for this Blog and YouTube and that I’m able to educate and help people with every new post.

6 I’m thankful for every new follower, like, subscriber, comment, and share.

7 I’m thankful for my vision and the fact that being legally blind means I get to help others in our community.

8 My cane helps me get around and for people to recognize me as blind.

9 My coping skills for my anxiety is something I’m extremely grateful for.

10 The fact I will be applying for a guide dog very soon.

Tell me what your thankful for in the comments.

If you would like to be interviewed or otherwise contribute to this blog or YouTube send an email to:

viblindresources@gmail.com

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A Clean Room: A Clear Mind

by Chelsey Zumpano

I just got through cleaning my room and it feels nice to have everything in it’s place and a place for everything. Having a clean room makes me feel less stressed. Knowing where all my art supplies is means I can make more art. It also means that my desk is less cluttered.

I feel like I can focus better on projects and now I have cool stuff displayed on my cabinet, which will look cool in videos. I just have to get a new curtain and it’ll look even greater.

Cleaning my room will help me sleep better, work on more videos, do art projects like I said, find my clothes better because my closet was getting unorganized, and just hanging out in my room. It’s like when my room was messy and unorganized: my brain was messy and unorganized too. My brain would jump from one thing to the next and now I’ll be able to focus.

Let me know what helps you focus in the comments.

If you have anymore ideas for me or want to share some of your own hobbies, tell me in the comments. If you would like to be interviewed or otherwise contribute to this blog or YouTube send an email to:

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