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Plain Explain: MRI

My new series, where I explain things without the benefit of studying, looking anything up on the internet, or asking anyone. What will this reveal? My ignorance mostly... There are so many things I don’t understand and now you’ll know what I know—and don't know. Feel free to submit any and all questions... I’m open to queries of any type and I’ll give each answer my best shot. Welcome to Plain Explain! How do MRIs work? The other day, I got my first brain MRI and the experience was not what I expected. After donning my little gown and taking out all the metal on my head—minus one earring that just can never come out—I was put into the MRI tube head first. For the next twenty minutes, I was bombarded with magnetic stuff and it was much louder and violent than I’d imagined. Despite the best efforts of the faux-sunny sky above me, it was not a relaxing experience. Of course, I did almost fall asleep but as proven many times, I can pretty much fall asleep under any circumstance. So ho...
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Books: Page Me

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Wherein I re-dedicate myself to reading and re-energize my long dormant Goodreads. Plus, presenting a new Bookstagram account! There’s a world where I didn’t read anything in 2021. Usually I keep very detailed records of books I’ve read—and bought—but ever since 2020, it’s been a little shoddy. Somehow, I have no records of reading a book in 2021. Not. A. Single. Book. Someone please surface evidence of me reading something in 2021, please. Remember back in 2019 when I said “After last year’s debacle of twenty-two books read, I think it’s safe to say that I am no longer a reader.” Well friends, I am now officially no longer a reader. In total, it seems like I only read ten books between 2020-2022. I don’t even know how that’s possible but my guess it was video game related. Or just a simple lack of record keeping. The latter is possible because all ten of the books I jotted down from those years are hits, which seems nigh impossible. Here’s the list: A Phoenix First Must Burn, Patric...
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Stuff I Consumed: 2024

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Going over my year in books, movies, television, and games. Plus a quit list!   Can you believe it? My first blog post in five years! I'm back baby! I know it's been dead around here since 2020 but I've never stopped blogging--in my head. I've got years of stacked up posts--okay ideas for posts--stacked up and ready to go. I'll lead off with the classic annual review of stuff consumed! My tracking for all consumption was in dire straits in 2022-2022, but I've got it all down from 2023 forward so maybe I'll move backwards. Nothing says "fresh" like years old recommendations! Let's gooooo! Books I’m almost too embarrassed by my lack of book reading to lead off with this subject. I technically logged about twenty books read but some of those were awfully short, some were semi-graphic novel, and some of them I’m just in the middle of them, but past the fifty percent mark. Of those reads, I can only cite four as semi-recommends: 17 Things I’m Not A...
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Introduction: Jace

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What is this and who is "Jace?" With 2025 starting up, I’ve decided it’s time to return to the world of online writing. At first I was exploring alternative options, such as Instagram or creating another newsletter. However, there are major downsides to both. Instagram is primarily a visual medium and text posts on there are limited to 2,200 characters, which is just around 400 words. That’s enough for some things but not nearly enough for longer pieces—which sometimes I’d like to do. So Instagram was out. Newsletters are fun and I even now have a separate email address specificially for subscribing to them—an idea I strongly encourage you to try—but I like being able to just link to a post in my archives if needed Plus I'm sure nobody wants me to flood their inboxes. Also, there’s some debate on whether using the industry standard, Substack, is moral or not. Additionally, with Mailchimp's Tiny Letter service now discontinued, I just didn’t have the heart to start ano...
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