Hi!

phases

phases

Regular
Joined
Aug 6, 2009
Messages
160
Location
Nashville
...again.

I don't remember the last time I was here or who I may have known but.. it occurred to me the other night that I can no longer solve the last layer with ease, as I forgot nearly all algs!

My 32s NL record, sub-minute routine is GONE. It takes me several minutes now while I constantly just muck up OLL and PLL till I get to a combo I remember.

I feel this is not a skill I should let go the way of the dodo. So.. here we go again!

/grabs his.... uhh.. Ghost cube? Cube4You speedcube? I don't remember..
 
Well, quit isn't the word. Life got a little crazy. Our neighborhood got severely flooded (Nashville floods, anyone remember?).. my inlaws moved in for five or so months while they spent 100 grand repairing their house (floods stopped 3 houses down from me, nearly to the roof, they had to be rescued by boat!)

Wife got pregnant, had a baby four months ago.. my 14 year old moved in 3 months ago... both my jobs got crazy busy with large scale projects I've been managing.

.......and then some.

Yeah, ghost hand sounds right :) I also have a c4u, a 2x2x2, ...um... a mirror funky-cubes-cube.. umm... and I guess a few other regular 3x3x3s..
 
Whoa...that's some devastation!
omfg.gif


Congratulations on the baby, though. Start him cubing early! ;)
 
Thank ya :) I remember teaching my wife beginners LBL (a method which I too have forgot) in one day. She was solving around 3 minutes shortly after. She doesn't remember any either but - hopefully he'll pick up just as quick :)
 
So it turns out this is NOT like riding a bike. I've still got at least 6 of the 4LLLs to re-learn. :\ However, when I DO land on familiar stuff, eh, it goes good. :)

PIus I now have an Android App called "Algorithms", which helps. Anyone else use it? Got a timer too but I don't wanna time myself even once until I re-memorize them all and am comfortable solving scramble after scramble. The only bad thing is I feel like a couple of these don't feel natural and I seem to vaguely remember trying out other algs and I wonder if I ended up using something else for some. Going to go though my post history and see if I can find any clues.

Ah, I forgot the joys of carrying a cube with me everywhere I go. :P
 
Well this is taking forever, seeings how I don't have the free time I used to, but I'm getting there! I can't wait to get these back down cold. I'm still need 3, and a couple others I'm good with till I stop awhile and try again, then I have to refresh, but I'm getting there. :D

The worst is when I stop to second guess myself and think about the algs. That's when I mess up. If I just.... go.. I do better.
 
FINALLY relearned all the 4LLL algs after year and a half or two hiatus. Got comfortable with them all, downloaded CCT (is that even still the preferred timer (linux)?) - and did my first RA of 12 just now.

RA 12: 54.72
Best RA 5: 52.20
Best: 44.95

This is with my ghost hand cube. I think I was preferring my cube4you speed cube before but.. it's really tight right now and haven't felt like fooling with it yet.

Considering my goal period, when picking the cube back up and realising I'd forgot nearly all the LL, was to relearn them all and get back under a minute average - I'm really happy. It's fun to be able to say "Hey I can solve that thing in less than a minute :)" when you see one laying around some where.

However with that said - I don't think I'm going to stop here. I want to improve. I know where all I need to and I think I know where enough resources are, if I need any to glance at, to do it. I realise I'm an old fogie compared to the crazy kids doin' this these days and have no hope of comparing, but it's still fun!

- I need work on my cross. I seem to remember working on that before I stopped cubing. Trying to do it in X number of moves, etc. Or at one glance, or something. Maybe both.
- Look ahead. I've barely even thought it about at this point. I realise getting back on that horse will help. Go slow, look ahead....
- Last Layer. I'd love to learn 2LLL, but not going to yet. For now there are a few algs that don't feel natural to me, I need to work on my technique with those before branching out. I also think I'd looked at a couple alternate algs that I stuck with, before.
- Other methods are fun. I believe I started some Roux before. Don't remember it now but I do remember thinking it was cool.
- Keep messing around. I've been messing around and having fun. For example just solving the first 2 layers going around clockwise, not cross first. Solve one corner (FL2 pieces). Then the cross piece next to it. Then the next corner, next cross piece, next corner.. etc. Fun
- I also used to let people scramble a cube then make another match, maybe I'll try that again soon.

Also. I've reinvigorated some people around me, and have been teaching them. Yesterday my wife and two of my three kids got (back.. for 2) into it. Last time I did this I taught my wife in a day. She'll be back to solving it soon I'm sure. My two 13 year olds have all but the last two steps of the beginners method memorised, but are doing them with notes.

:)
 
One of the kids learned the beginner solve. Shes solving left and right now. The other is one alg away. :)
 
You'll be happy to know both kids have learned it and are solving around 2 minutes each. You're welcome, cubing community!
 
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