Ellie Potts's Blog, page 15

The art of Gratitude

How do you express your gratitude?

In a world that often moves at lightning speed, it’s easy to overlook the subtle gifts around us. But when we pause, just for a moment, to recognize the people, moments, and the little moments that shape our lives we invite JOY.

Gratitude is not just a polite gesture. It’s a mindset. A way to see the world through different lenses. Whether it’s a smile or unwavering support of a loved one.

I find certain acts of gratitude uncomfortable when it’s turned to me. I am trying to fix that. Baby steps. But I love making people feel happy. Even if it’s just words or encouragement or small thoughtful gifts to cheer someone up. It’s the small things that have lasting effects.

Today I want to say thank you if you read this.

Thank you to those who have created something I’ve enjoyed reading or watching or looking at

Thank you to the setbacks, the teachers I didn’t know I needed.

Thank you to kindness, in whatever form it comes in.

Gratitude rewires how we experience life. It softens the edges, strengthens our relationships, and brings peace of mind in the midst of chaos.

What are you grateful for today?

Worry, why?

What are you most worried about for the future?

Tea Break!

Maybe I should be worried for the future, but I’m not. Why worry when things are in constant flux. I want to tackle the here and now and worry about that. Worry about my goals as I work on them. But I have no time to worry about what can happen. We’ve made it through plagues and crazy weather and wars. Who knows what’s going to happen tomorrow. Focus on today.  I’ll worry like  how I live paycheck to paycheck.

Audiobook Review: Wasteland Warlords by James A Hunter and Eden Hudson

This post apocalyptic LitRPG is on Audible plus. I had originally got it for the hubby, who loved it and took out the series pretty quickly. I’m having a Dungeon Crawler Carl withdrawal so thought I would give it a shot. It’s pretty funny. I find it funny it takes place in Bakersfield. The Narrator does a good job with the characters, but pronouncing Visalia, where I live, was a little off. lol. Gotta love Lumberjack Joe, his Bertha, and now he has a mech raccoon pet.

“You keep what you kill. That’s one law everybody out here respects.”

Twenty years ago, the Merge brought armies of monsters flooding into the West Coast. Dungeons popped up in shopping malls, airports, and Starbucks. Walls were built to contain the spread, but the promise of priceless loot dropped by the creatures inspired a new type of gold rush. Magical weapons, powerful gear, potions to cure every ill… If you survive long enough to kill the mob, whatever they drop belongs to you.

Clay Jaeger has nothing left outside the walls. Civilization took everything he worked for, chewed it up, and spat it out. Now Clay, his wife Alex, and his beer-loving, chainsaw-toting brother Joe are going west to try their hand at monster killing. The loot from the low-level mobs is enticing, but it isn’t the real reason they risked the Infested Zone. They need to kill a Dungeon Lord. Only one in ten thousand hunters pull it off. The rest become fertilizer for the wasteland. But the few who beat the odds gain riches, glory, and most importantly, the Dungeon Lord’s magical powers.

They have nothing left to lose, and everything to gain. If they survive.

Want more epic adventures inside the Rogue Dungeon universe? Check out the Wasteland Warlords Series, narrated by Travis Baldree, and unlock a whole new world of awesome monsters, killer dungeons, and unforgettable characters. See what life is like after The Merge!

This coming week…

This week is the fourth. I do have a three day weekend yay. Because of the fireworks I will be inside dealing with my spazzy dog.

Bookwise-I should be finishing up Spark of the Everflame by Penn Cole on Tuesday. Book 2 is on Kindle Unlimited so I have it primed and ready. I finished Fate of the Sun King last night. This one took me a while, and the emotional damage I thought I’d have at the end just didn’t hit. I will get back to Lor and finish up the series soon. Right now I’m reading Snowed in with Mr. Heartbreaker (Copper Valley Bro Code, #5) by Pippa Grant. It’s a short one so it should be fast. I seem to always be a book behind to keep up with my Goodreads yearly challenge.

TVwise-We are waiting impatiently for the next episodes of Murderbot Thursday Resident Alien on Friday. We are slowly making our way through Black Mirror, and thinking about rewatching King of the Hill to be ready for the reboot in August. Sandman season 2 comes out Thursday.

Moviewise-I’m excited for Monster Summer on Paramount July 1st. The hubby is excited for The Old Guard 2 which comes out Wednesday on Netflix and so Does Heads of State with John Cena Idris Elba on Prime.

Writingwise-I am finishing formatting on Write Well which I posted her last month and my Cannabis Grimoire. I plan on getting those out as soon as I’m done. And I need to get into the edits of Black Star. I have a slight medical setback that has gotten in the way of all these. So I’ll be seeing the Dr on Thursday [image error]

Snooze…

What are your daily habits?

If it’s a work day I hit the snooze button. If it’s a weekend I am the queen of Hurkle Durkle. I love to wake up and lounge around in bed playing on my phone or reading until I’m ready to get up.

I am also not a coffee drinker. So I start my day off with 2 tea bags of Harney & Sons Cinnamon tea. I like 2 bags with my sweetener makes it taste like a cinnamon bear. It makes it a sweet breakfast treat.

Part of my self-care is trying to set up evening habits. What are yours?

Summer Audio TBR list

I just started Spark of the Everflame by Penn Cole. I should have a review for you by Tuesday

Here is my Summer Audio TBR

Savage Lands by Stacey Marie BrownThe Witch Collector by Charissa TweaksThe Ever King by LJ AndrewsShift by Hugh HowieThe Maze Cutter by James DashnerThe Wren and the Holly Library by K.A. Linden

Have you read any of these? Let me know what you thought. I am also taking recommendations.

Trying…

Are there things you try to practice daily to live a more sustainable lifestyle?

I am trying to be more conscious of living more sustainably. Using my water jug instead of using water bottles. I cut out swifters to reusable dusters. Being more mindful of the items I use are more eco friendly. What tips do you recommend?

Audiobook Review: One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig

I loved The Knight and the Moth so I went on to One Dark Window. Each book is different in giving you a different world and interesting magic. The side characters are fun. The story moves well with the action and build up romance. The sex scene is artistic but doesn’t get in the way of the story. Will I listen to book 2? Yes, but I have to wait for my Spotify credit to roll back over or when I can get a free book on Amazon music. The next audible credit goes to my hubby.

Elspeth needs a monster. The monster might be her.

Elspeth Spindle needs more than luck to stay safe in the eerie, mist-locked kingdom of Blunder—she needs a monster. She calls him the Nightmare, an ancient, mercurial spirit trapped in her head. He protects her. He keeps her secrets.

But nothing comes for free, especially magic.

When Elspeth meets a mysterious highwayman on the forest road, her life takes a drastic turn. Thrust into a world of shadow and deception, she joins a dangerous quest to cure Blunder from the dark magic infecting it. And the highwayman? He just so happens to be the King’s nephew, Captain of the most dangerous men in Blunder…and guilty of high treason.

Together they must gather twelve Providence Cards—the keys to the cure. But as the stakes heighten and their undeniable attraction intensifies, Elspeth is forced to face her darkest secret yet: the Nightmare is slowly taking over her mind. And she might not be able to stop him.

Simple

If you were forced to wear one outfit over and over again, what would it be?

I’m simple. I like comfy pants and a T-shirt. And usually when I’m not working that is usually what I’m wearing. What you wear should make you feel good, and I like being comfy.

Now it’s your turn to recommend…

I’ve posted a lot of audiobooks I’ve enjoyed and recommended. But now I want ones you would recommend and a little about what you loved about it. Was it the narrators, the action, the twists, amazing world building, or just great characters? Let me know so I can add them to my audiobook TBR list. Extra points if it’s dystopian or post apocalyptic with trial and games with a bit of spice.