Thought Wheel

Ann Chiappetta

The New Year, and Pandemic Stress

| Filed under nonfiction Relationships writing

Annie Shares News Issue 1 January 2022

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🍾 Happy New Year! 🎇

 

Well now, friends and followers, 2021 has been complicated, hasn’t it? I don’t know about you but I feel wrung-out and all kinds of weird – hm, could it be the wacky weather or maybe the long-term effects of a two-year long pandemic. One blogger I know stated the continual loss and grieving   may contribute to   feeling wrung-out and disheartened.  – whatever is contributing to   it, it’s sure been a rollercoaster ride of strained emotions. If you think you’ve been alone in feeling this way, rest assured you are one of many and you are not alone.

As written by Plato: “Strange times are these in which we live when old and young are taught falsehoods in school. And the person that dares to tell the truth is called at once a lunatic and fool”

He might have been talking about himself yet his words are prophetic and powerful. I never thought we would be living through a pandemic and yet here we are.

 

I will move onto less troubling topics,.  Most of the early part of 2021 was recording my two most recently published books as audio books. It’s a goal to strive for my material to be offered in alternative formats for the blind and people with print disabilities like dyslexia.   All my books are available from audible.com and as digital books from the National Library of Congress talking book catalog.  The specific links and everything Annie is on my website, www.annchiappetta.com .

I would not have been able to do it myself, and huge thanks goes out to voice actor and the best narrator, Lillian Yves for being there to help.

 

Taking part in interviews and podcasts is fun and exciting, especially when being an international guest. Check out this one with Princess Diva: https://anchor.fm/diva-williams/episodes/Inspirational-moments-with-Ann-Chiappetta–Author-e19j36i

and this one with Karina KKantas: https://www.artistfirst.com/kantas.htm

 

Here’s a haiku for you to ponder:

Hands cup grains of sand

Delicate and Rough to touch

Stars pulsing through time

Dreya the book dragon sends wing beats of creativity and kindness your way, 🐲

photo description of Ann's personal logo of green dragon floating amid books and musical notes.

A whimsical red and green dragon floats among flying musical notes and books. Text to the right reads Ann Chiappetta making meaningful connections with others through writing.Ann’s personal logo

 

We Remember Them

| Filed under Relationships

The past two weeks have been  difficult beyond the ongoing vicissitude’s of life for Jerry and me. He watched his sister pass from cancer. She was fifty. I got an email from my former director telling of a veteran’s passing. I counseled his wife for five years and  though our therapeutic relationship ended, I often thought of her and her family. We were able to attend the veteran’s services.

 

Today I received the sorrowful news  a friend and Westchester  Council of the Blind member succumbed and died of a heart-related illness.

 

This poem is for them.

We Remember Them…

In the rising of the sun and in its going down,
We remember them;

In the blowing of the wind and in the chill of winter,
We remember them;

In the opening of buds and in the warmth of summer,
We remember them;


In the rustling of leaves and the beauty of autumn,
We remember them;

In the beginning of the year and when it ends,
We remember them;

When we are weary and in need of strength,
We remember them;

When we are lost and sick at heart,
We remember them;

When we have joys we yearn to share,
We remember them;

So long as we live, they too shall live
For they are now a part of us as
We remember them.

from Gates of Prayer,
Judaism Prayerbook

 

Smashing prices, not Pumpkins

| Filed under blindness Fiction Guide dogs nonfiction paranormal Poem writing

📚 You won’t want to miss out on these discounts

All my titles are on sale until January 1, 2022. Save 50% at the Smashwords year-end sale.

Or visit my author’s page to find out more and read a preview:

https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/AnnChiappetta

 

Why Smashwords? Electronic choices, of course. Simple and get the book delivered to your inbox.  Transfer it to your favorite book reading app. It’s great, kindle isn’t the only eBook reading app in town. 😉

The Holiday Spirit

| Filed under Guide dogs Poem writing

🌲 🎄

2022 greetings and blessings to all of you from our family.

Irish Christmas blessing

The light of the Christmas star to you

The warmth of a home and hearth to you

The cheer and good will of friends to you

The hope of a childlike heart to you

The joy of a thousand angels to you

The love of the Son and

God’s peace to you

 

Photo description: Annie and Jerry stand together wearing festive burgundy  shirts. Yellow lab Bailey sits in front of Annie wearing a leather guide dog harness and leash.

 This image requires alt text, but the alt text is currently blank. Either add alt text or mark the image as decorative.

 

 

The numbers Are In

| Filed under blindness nonfiction Relationships

The numbers Are In

As it happened, this year my first article for Outlook Enrichment posted:

https://www.outlooken.org/news/article/the-way-i-see-it-ann-chiappetta

 

What does the article have to do with numbers? Mom was born on November 17. She’s been gone six years and I miss her even though the harsh pang of grief has softened. I am grateful for my sisters and our extended family, who help keep Mom’s spirit going.

The universe supports keeping Mom’s spirit upfront and in a cherished place for us.  Special things keep falling on the date of her birth and every time it happens, I get the feeling she’s    delighted. We love you and miss you, Mom; keep sending reminders that you’re out there and the universe is caring for you.

 

As for my new gig, I think it’s the best omen it was scheduled on this special date.

 

 

 

by Ann Chiappetta | tags : | 0

A Round Trip From New York to Greece in an Hour✈

| Filed under blindness Fiction nonfiction Poem writing

 

Yes, folks, I spent time with Karina Kantas, the host of the author’s assist podcast and the Artist First Radio Network ,   talking all things creativity and writing.  Karina lives in the Greek Isles and it was a great show. To visit  with us and enjoy  the conversation, click here.

 

Not sure where Dreya and I will fly to next but it’s sure to be interesting. I’ve got our virtual bags packed and ready to go.

photo description of Ann's personal logo of green dragon floating amid books and musical notes.

Ann’s personal logo

 

 

What’s Annie Been Up To?

| Filed under Relationships

From  the Annie Shares News Issue 11 November 2021 email newsletter

www.annchiappetta.com

Subscribe: anniesharesnews+subscribe@groups.io

 

🦃 🏔 ❄

 

Hello readers, welcome to the November newsletter. Here in New York the lower Hudson is cooling off and we will once again experience      winter’s cold breaths. I find winter to be a time of renewal and creatively rewarding.

🌴 🥥

Even though it’s getting colder, why not warm yourselves by listening to a guest podcast with host Princess Diva   from Trinidad and Tobago. I read two of my newest poems and one from my first collection, Upwelling.  Thanks goes out to author, Amy Bovaird for the connection. Inspirational moments with Ann Chiappetta author:

https://tinyurl.com/5ec8a5vc

👩‍💼  🙌

On behalf of disability awareness month, I also want to share two business and social related blog resources with articles posted by my talented colleagues:

Outlook Business Solutions and Outlook Enrichment

And to bring it home to how we celebrated White Cane Safety/Blind Americans Equality Day, recognized on October 15, check out this video:

https://westchester.news12.com/visually-impaired-people-celebrate-white-cane-day-in-white-plains-today

 

 

Until next month, Dreya the book dragon and I send you and your loved ones thoughts of kindness and creativity.

Annie and April standing in our lobby prior to mother daughter date night. We are both smiling into the camera.

Annie andApril standing for selfi before mother and daughter date night.

 

 

 

Felines on the Mind

| Filed under nonfiction Poem writing

This poem was written for a weekly writing prompt generated by https://writingworkswonders.com/Writing Works Wonders.  It’s fun and keeps the creative muscle in top shape.

In the Sun

 

By Ann Chiappetta

 

Bandana the cat dozes

 

A ginger tabby

lazes in the pumpkin patch

Hooded candy corn yellow eyes

the sphinx

basking in the warm praise of Ra.

 

2021

 

Sunday’s Kitten a Poem

| Filed under Poem

Sunday’s Kitten

By Ann Chiappetta

 

Not yet

A prim princess

rescued from  Kittenish

misadventures, undaunted

black fur

 

feather

duster tail, lithe

ferrets  in and out of

indoor playground until she finds

the sun.

2021

This image requires alt text, but the alt text is currently blank. Either add alt text or mark the image as decorative. black kitten Luna with new pink and white collar sitting on her cat tree. The charm hangs from the collar and is a crescent moon with a cat on it.