There are 481 blog posts for you to enjoy.
The Cognitive Benefits of Daydreaming
July 31, 2026
You get ideas from daydreaming. You get ideas from being bored. You get ideas all the time. The only difference between writers and other people is we notice when we do it.
--Neil Gaiman
From "Where do you get your ideas?" 1997
Daydreaming activates the brain's default mode network (DMN), which is associated with introspection
and self-referential thought. Engaging in positive constructive daydreaming (PCD) can lead to increased creativity and
better problem - solving skills. Studies have shown that individuals who allow their minds to wander during undemanding
tasks often experience a boost in creative thinking upon returning to focused activities.
Reference: Psychology Today
Reference: PMC
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Villarrica, PY - still a pleasant small city to visit
July 28, 2026
Villarrica, Paraguay - population around 75,000, sits at 200 meters (660 feet) elevation, and is located in the center of the souther part of Paraguay. The small city was founded in 1570, in what is now Brazil. But in the first 100 years the town was forced to relocate seven times, finally finding the current location in the center-south region of Paraguay. I wrote a blog on May 8, 2023, it can be found here.
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Areguá, Paraguay - home of the Strawberry Expo
July 24, 2026
Areguá, Paraguay - population of around 83,000, was founded in 1538. It sits at only 70 meters (230 ft) elevation. For whatever reason, in the wikipedia page it says "Areguá is thought to come from Classical Guarani (the language) ariguâ·r, meaning "person/people from above, from up there", refererring to the area's high altitude and its first inhabitants from the Mbya Guarani tribes. But, the English translation of the Spanish wikipedia page is not well done. Areguá's elevation is in relation to the lake, not elevated in the sense that anyone needs to acclimatize or bring an oxygen bottle. Lake Ypacaraí is roughly 64 meters above sea level, while my hostel is around 94 metres. The church and surrounding center of town are a bit higher, and a few neighborhoods are higher still. In Guaraní, ári refers to being above or on top, while -gua indicates origin or association with a place. The early Mbya inhabitants occupied the raised ground or loma alta west of the low-lying lake basin. Historical descriptions of the area actually use terms such as “loma de arriba” and “loma alta.” So they were “from above” relative to the lakeshore, wetlands, and surrounding basin, not relative to sea level.
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Two neighboring towns that are completely different
July 20, 2026
Residencia, AR
Residencia, Argentina, is a small city near the corner of Argentina and Paraguay. The population is probably around 300,000. The city was founded in 1878 which means there's no really interesting old architecture. But, what the city does have is a lot of parks and greenspace. It has a long pedestrian-only avenue. Also, throughout the city, especially the city center, you'll find sculptures along the sidewalks. According to the wiki page there are around 500 sculptures throughout the city. I don't doubt that, at all. There are also a lot of murals done in releaf throughout the city, and I have pics in the photo album of many of them. Since 1988, the city has held the Biennial International Sculptures Contest, which is a big enough deal that it is sponsored by UNESCO. When the contest finishes, the sculptures remain in the city along the sidewalks, which explains why there are so many of them.
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3 Towns between Salta and Corrientes, AR
July 17, 2026
Joaquín Víctor González
Joaquín V. González, Argentina, is located in north-central AR. It's a small town of about 21,000 people. This is an agricultural town. The local economy is based strongly on soy production, forestry exploitation, and cattle ranching. The town has a couple of banks and a half-dozen or so ATMs, but when I was here over a weekend, at least four of them were out of cash. There's also a casino, a modern supermarket, and a bus terminal. There are a few hotels and other accommadations. There are a couple of plazas and a couple of other parks. The town is flat as a pancake and can be easily walked, as in pretty much all of it, in a couple of hours.
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