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Brandi Easterling Collins, independent author

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  • Family in front of NASA jets.
    General Thoughts

    A Family Road Trip: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

    July 22, 2025 /

    Road trips are supposed to be fun, right? But often, they turn into a mixture of family togetherness and a series of disasters akin to National Lampoon’s Vacation. Here’s a recap of our recent family road trip—the good, the bad, and the ugly. Griswold Family GIFfrom Griswold GIFs Why we choose a road trip Initially, it was my husband’s idea. And, having just written a road trip games article for work, I was on board. Of course, Jonathan and I had different ideas of what a road trip was. My definition is driving to multiple places with a different route home to maximize stops at cool attractions. His idea was…

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    Bag of money

    Ways I Save Money in our Household Budget

    March 13, 2023

    Love me more (Taylor’s Song)

    November 18, 2016

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

    April 29, 2017
  • Illustration of family photos on a wall
    Essays,  General Thoughts

    Weddings and Funerals: Changing Relationships with Family and Friends

    October 27, 2024 /

    Most people will say they love their family and closest friends. I’m no different. I love them all dearly. But, like many people, I don’t see them often since we live in different towns, and the COVID-19 Pandemic didn’t help matters. But hasn’t it always been that way? In the olden days, people either stayed in one town their whole lives or ventured off to the wild frontier, only communicating in letters. Back then, moving away might mean never seeing family and friends again. At least in more modern times, we have phones and other electronic ways to communicate—if and when we make time to reach out. Family trees My…

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    Dreams and things

    October 29, 2017
    Be thankful graphic with leaves

    That for which I am thankful

    November 25, 2021

    Taking Back the “Nerd” Label

    June 23, 2019
  • "Collins Family 23" drawn in the sand.
    General Thoughts

    First summer beach vacation

    July 1, 2023 /

    Childhood vacations I remember the first time I went to the beach with my family when I was a teenager. We didn’t stay right on the beach, nor did we swim in the ocean, but it was an experience all the same. I remember getting to go out on the beach at night, and I saw a shooting star. I made a wish on that star to meet the man I was supposed to spend my life with by the time I was 23, and it came true. I met Jonathan right before my 23rd birthday. Road trips were always our thing because the expense of flying was out of…

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    The loss of my stepfather

    March 10, 2017

    Childhood Lost

    July 25, 2016
    Snoopy thinking he has a pretty good life.

    A Lesson in Gratitude

    February 25, 2024
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Recent Posts

  • A Family Road Trip: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
  • Summer 2025 Writing Update and Sixth Novel First Chapter Teaser
  • Can High Goals Get in the Way of Contentment?
  • How Many Times Can You Start Over?
  • 2024 in Book Reviews

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