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Brandi Easterling Collins, independent author

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General Thoughts

For the love of travel (for work): Seattle

One of the perks of my job at the university is the privilege to travel for professional development. During spring break (for the college students and my elementary school children),…

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April 7, 2018
Essays, General Thoughts

Rejection

We’ve all experienced rejection. Relationships and jobs seem to be the ones most people experience on a regular basis. I’ve been rejected more often than I’ve been the rejector when…

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November 4, 2017
General Thoughts, Pop Culture

Day 8: Countdown of my favorite love songs (stories)

Welcome to day eight of my ten-day series of Valentine’s Day-inspired blog posts. Yesterday, I wrote about my favorite songs featuring messages to new lovers. Today, I will focus on…

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February 12, 2018
  • A woman looks into a mirror while measuring her waist
    Essays,  General Thoughts

    Believe It or Not, Getting Fat Isn’t the Worst Thing That’s Ever Happened to Me

    May 27, 2026 /

    Body image has been a hot topic for as long as I’ve been alive in one way or another. As the old saying goes, sometimes, the more things change, the more they remain the same. Eras of Women’s Body Image During My Lifetime and How I Related I was born during the 1980s aerobics craze where the ideal female body was toned and athletic like fitness model Jane Fonda. I remember accompanying my mom to aerobics classes when I was a young child or trying to follow along with home workout videos on VHS. The 1990s came along with “thin-is-in” models like Kate Moss. Seventeen and Cosmopolitan magazines had diet…

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    4 Comments

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    Green piggy bank

    Finances and Frugality in a World Where Everything Costs a Freakin’ Fortune

    January 30, 2024

    Quitting: Is it failure?

    October 20, 2017

    Rejection

    November 4, 2017
  • Sketch of movie tickets, popcorn and film
    General Thoughts,  Pop Culture

    Movies I Will Watch Again and Again

    April 6, 2026 /

    I love movies almost as much as I love books. Over the years, there have been multiple movies that I’ve watched multiple times. They’re not all what critics would call cinematic masterpieces, but these films have meant a lot to me and still do. My first movie at the theater I still remember the first movie I saw in a movie theater: Ernest Goes to Camp. My aunt Diana took me to see it with my three cousins. It was a wonderful experience that spurred my love for movies and spending time with my aunt. She often took my siblings and me to the movies over the summer when she…

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    Overweight in a Size 8: Thoughts on Obesity and Body Image

    February 25, 2023

    Dreams and things

    October 29, 2017

    Day 9: Countdown of my favorite love songs (sweet declarations)

    February 13, 2018
  • Author read 75 books in 2025
    General Thoughts,  Pop Culture

    2025 in Book Reviews

    January 4, 2026 /

    I met my goal of reading 75 books in 2025 while I also finished writing and editing my sixth novel, Four Hearts, which was released on December 16. Here are my best reads: Top 10 best reads for 2025 (traditionally published) Apostle’s Cove (Cork O’Connor, #20) by William Kent Krueger Flight Patterns by Karen White If Tomorrow Never Comes by Allison Ashley All Our Beautiful Goodbyes by Julianne MacLean Misery by Stephen King The Nature of Disappearing by Kimi Cunningham Grant One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune Not Quite Dead Yet by Holly Jackson Sunrise on the Reaping (The Hunger Games, #0.5) Broiler by Eli Cranor Best nonfiction reads for 2025…

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    You May Also Like

    Two Years of Updates: Reading, Writing, and other creative outlets

    July 22, 2018

    Day 2: Countdown of my favorite love songs (bittersweet breakup songs)

    February 6, 2018

    September 11, 2001

    September 11, 2016
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Recent Posts

  • Believe It or Not, Getting Fat Isn’t the Worst Thing That’s Ever Happened to Me
  • Movies I Will Watch Again and Again
  • 2025 in Book Reviews
  • Embracing the Holidays
  • Four Hearts: Coming soon

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