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Brandi Easterling Collins, independent author

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General Thoughts, Pop Culture

My 30 Favorite Male Singer-Songwriters

Let’s hear it for the boys (male singer-songwriters, that is) I recently wrote about my favorite female singer-songwriters, so now I’m writing about the male ones. My initial list was…

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November 19, 2023
Essays, General Thoughts

That for which I am thankful

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes If someone had told me a year ago the changes I would face in 2021, I’m not sure I would have believed them. This time last year, I was…

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November 25, 2021
General Thoughts

Ways I Save Money in our Household Budget

Where to start with a budget Budget doesn’t have to be a dirty word. I budget our household expenses to make sure we have enough money to pay our bills…

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March 13, 2023
  • Man looking at goals checklist
    Essays,  General Thoughts

    Can High Goals Get in the Way of Contentment?

    April 18, 2025 /

    Having hopes and dreams for ourselves is healthy. But at what point can high goals get in the way of happiness? Dreams vs. goals It’s natural for humans to have dreams. They start when we’re little kids, dreaming of being a ballerina, a pro athlete, or just like Mom or Dad. It’s good to have dreams because they’re one of the things that set us apart as a species. Later in my childhood and early teen years, I dreamed of someday being a writer—an author of published novels. Goals are a bit different and less easily forgotten. As a child, I wanted to be all sorts of different things, but…

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    A scary topic: suicide

    April 11, 2017
    Young family watching television.

    The importance of traditions

    March 27, 2023
    Illustration of family photos on a wall

    Weddings and Funerals: Changing Relationships with Family and Friends

    October 27, 2024
  • Illustrated race track scene with children driving cars at a starting line
    Essays,  General Thoughts

    How Many Times Can You Start Over?

    February 16, 2025 /

    Several times in my life, I’ve had to hit the reset button and start from scratch. It can get exhausting, but it’s also a chance to change or improve the outcome by making different choices. Starting over can be difficult On January 18, 2025, I started over on a better health journey. I had planned my “start over” to coincide with the first of the year, but life and some health issues got in the way. So, that Saturday morning, I stepped on the scale. And I cried. I didn’t like the number staring back at me and knew I had to change my habits to be healthier. Since that…

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    Quitting: Is it failure?

    October 20, 2017
    Illustration of family photos on a wall

    Weddings and Funerals: Changing Relationships with Family and Friends

    October 27, 2024

    Taking Back the “Nerd” Label

    June 23, 2019
  • General Thoughts,  Pop Culture

    2024 in Book Reviews

    December 31, 2024 /

    I read 75 books in 2024 and wrote half of my sixth novel, which is tentatively titled Four Hearts. While I originally planned to set a goal of 100 books, I changed my goal to 75 books early in the year due to unforeseen circumstances. Here are my top reads for the year. Top 10 best reads for 2024 (traditionally published) These are in order, starting with my favorite read of the year. All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr This Used to Be Us by Renée Carlino This Impossible Brightness by Jessica Bryant Klagmann Spirit Crossing (Cork O’Connor, #20) by William Kent Krueger Camino Ghosts (Camino Island,…

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    You May Also Like

    All I know about my dad

    January 1, 2017

    Nine months in: Writing Updates and Jordan’s Sister info

    April 29, 2017

    2020 in Books and Other Worldly Things

    January 9, 2021
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