Blindness resources
By Chelsey Zumpano
Well since tomorrow’s Thanksgiving we’re getting everything ready for the next day! Tonight me and my mom made two batches of keto biscuits. They tasted really yummy because you know I just had to have a taste test. Tomorrow I’m going to make mashed potatoes and we have chocolate pie to have. All the usual things we are having turkey, ham, and stuffing,.
I hope everyone has a safe and happy Thanksgiving and I’ll see you in tomorrow’s post!
By Chelsey Zumpano
(I’m really tired and don’t have the energy to go to edit this right now because my orbit reader 20 is still not working and I have a headache. I will edit this in the morning).

I like movies, but I don’t compare to books. I figured I just do a list of my favorite movies anyway. It’s odd because my taste in books is way different my taste in movies! Like I watch all of the Nicholas Sparks movie book adaptations, but I don’t really like reading the actual books. I have nothing against Nicholas sparks writing, but Romance books just don’t hold my interest as much as the movies do.
by Chelsey Zumpano
The mistakes with punctuation and lack of punctuation and words not making sense are intentional. I want to preface this post by saying I’m just extremelyfrustrated because my orbit reader 20 is still not working right! So this is a rant! Don’t get me wrong dictation is really good because it’s good to be to be independent when you don’t have a keyboard or braille device to type on!
• doesn’t get all my words
• sometimes replaces words with cuss words
• sometimes replaces words with make fucking sense
I’m fucking aware that it is super ironic that I’m writing this with dictation! Dictation is really good like I said, but I personally just don’t like it because I’d rather type out my words and say it aloud! When I’m typing long sentences or paragraphs I’m able to put the punctuation, but when I’m using dictation it doesn’t do it for me and I have to say it.  The really weird thing is that when I’m using dictation with voiceover or just reading it back with voiceover I mean it has numbers sometimes randomly at the end of the word, but the words aren’t actually there on the screen I mean the numbers aren’t actually there on the screen. I just feel like my words come across better when I’m physically typing them out on a Braille keyboard. 
Dictation is a great accessibility tool, but all tools have their flaws.. They can all be frustrating at times. Let me know your favorite accessibility tools or devices in the comments below!

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
By chelsey Zumpano
This is the fourth or fifth post this week that I am writing with dictation on my phone! It’s very frustrating because I’ve been having problems with my braille note, excuse me I mean orbit reader 20. I keep forgetting that braille note is a brand.
• it hasn’t been charging
• it deleted my entire journal
• it’s been disconnecting from my phone
So my to do list on tomorrow is to call the company and see if they can help me figure out what’s going on with it! Having my orbit reader has given me a lot of independence! I hate using dictation! With the orbit reader I am able to write this blog post! I love knowing how to spell things, being able to physically write stuff down makes me feel more accomplished, reading all my words on the screen helps me figure out how to correct my mistakes better. It’s a lot easier to navigate my iPhone. I like being able to physically read things a pop up on my screen, just when I’m reading a fellow bloggers post, or reading kindle books! I love being able to write and read with out having to look at my screen or strain my eyes!
I’m hoping tomorrow I can figure out what’s wrong with it! Wish me luck!

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
by Chelsey Zumpano
Self-care is important for everyone, but especially for people who have mental health struggles.
1 Reading my favorite books
2 drawing
3 cuddling with my animals
4 Reading
5 writing short stories 
by Chelsey Zumpano
I started taking a intro to dog training class on New Skills Academy. It’s a website to take courses and you get certificates. I saw an add on Facebook talking about the intro to dog training course and it was only $25! So I took my chance because all those other dog training courses are thousands of dollars. (you are not required to be certified). Taking a course for me makes me feel more productive than just reading a book because you can interpret books anyway and I like the idea of taking tests and quizzes because it shows me what I’ve learned.
The website is accessible, (for the most part), I was able to read all the articles for my classes and take notes. The one thing I had trouble with was finding the text box to take notes and the fact that sometimes it randomly go to the notes and start reading them to me. I was able to answer the quizzes and the test at the end. I wasn’t however able to fill out the worksheets because they were not accessible at all! (Thankfully the worksheets were not required).
Taking the class makes me realize I knew lots more about dog training than I thought. It makes me feel more confident in my dog training ability and has taught me some new things. I got a certificate for completing the course I’m going to frame it and put it on my wall! 
View this post on InstagramA post shared by VI Blind Resources (@viblind_) on
(Also I’m sorry if this post sounds a bit weird because I had to use the Tatian to write it, since my orbit reader 20 didn’t charge!).
If you also want to take a course here’s a link to the website:
https://newskillsacademy.com/
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
by Chelsey Zumpano
Rick Riordan is my all time favorite author! You might know this by now because of all the times I’ve talked about the Magnus Chase series. His books are for all ages and his characters are a diverse bunch! The thing I love most about his first series is that most of the characters have learning disabilities.
The characters live in the modern world, but where the Greek Gods exist and have children with mortals. Percy (the main character), is one of those kids! He (like most of his fellow Demigods), has A.D.H.D. and dyslexia. The cool thing is that the A.D.H.d. helps him to have faster reflexes in battle and the dyslexia is because his brain is hardwired to read ancient greek. Neither of the learning disabilities gose away and remain apart of the story!
The thing I love is the fact that “The Percy Jackson series,” started out as a bed time story for his son who has A.DH.D. and dyslexia. I think it’s an amazing thing that these books I love so much started out as just a story to give his son a hero just like him. This is why I aspire to be like him and to write characters to touch people’s heart, (like his have mine).
All his books are on Audible-
https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Lightning-Thief-Audiobook/B002V0JZOO
The books are also on BaRD:
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/bard-mobile/id705229586
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
by Chelsey Zumpano
I know it might sound weird that I’m 24 and just using a leaf blower for the first time, but I just haven’t had been interested until now! It’s very easy and I like it! All I do is move it back and ford, (just like my cane). I did my yard in sections, (just like with vacuuming). It reminded me of when I was little and we used to do yard work all together.
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
by Chelsey Zumpano
So I was at the pet store with my sister and the guy who was ringing us up didn’t talk much. I also want to note that the guy was not being rude, just shy, and I want to help others know what to say. So here’s my letter to customer service workers!
Dear people who work at stores,
Please talk to us when we come into the store! You could say, “hi, welcome in,” or “Hi, do you need any help'” or “Hi, is there anything your looking for today?” Then when you help us; you can ask us about our day, ask us if we like a certain brand, talk about the products, or suggest things you think we might like.
Then when we are checking out: you can ask us, “What kind of dog do you have?” Or you can make conversation about your own animals. Just make polite conversation.
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
by Chelsey Zumpano
Someone on Facebook asked me to explain more clearly how I use calming signals with my dogs and now I’m going to explain it to all of you!
First I started with Hazel by herself and the calming signal I used is yoning. It’s the easiest one to do for us humans.
So here’s what I did; when Hazel started to act anxious, I’d just yon at her and then she’d relax. I kept doing that all day and it worked! Hazel learned very fast! Calming signals are something puppies learn from their well socialized Mom and continue to learn from other well dogs.socialized That’s why socializing your dog is importain because they have to learn how to communicate with all different types of dogs. That’s why I worked with Hazel first and then Lucy. Also remember dogs can also use calming signals to calm their own self down and you can even use it to let your dog know you heard a noise, (like thunder), and that they are okay.
I wished I knew all this stuff when Ginger was a puppy, but the internet wasn’t as accessible to me as it is now and I was in fith grade. I didn’t really get into dog training books untel afew years ago. It would have been extreamly helpful! Lucy is learning slowly because she and Ginger wern’t as well socialized as they should have been. When I do the calming signals to Lucy and she’s barking or growl at Hazel; she’ll stop and do a soffter noise, then she’ll calm down.
I also use slow blinking, looking away and for this I move my head from side to side, licking my lips, and sighing, (which I realized Hazel does a lot). I will also include the link to the book, “On Talking Termswith Dogs,” and I will also have a link to my YouTube video on the first week of calming signals. (The video is not up as of 11/8/19 and one 50 PM. It’ll be up soon).
Let me know what things have helped your dogs have a better relationship in the comments!
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
