Monday 29 October 2012

My Rubik's Cube


This is just a fun little story I like to tell people. See, I've always had a bit of a fascination with puzzles and logic, and one day I decided I was going to solve a Rubik's cube. But I also have this thing with tutorials. I've never used a tutorial to accomplish anything in my life. I will use them to expand on a pre-existing accomplishment though. Like, in a video game I'll get past the main storyline on my own, and then do the side quests with some help, or I'll solve a Rubik's cube on my own, and then learn to do it faster with some help.

Anyway, I had this Rubik's cube, and I promised myself I was going to solve it without any help. So I started working on it, days turned to weeks and weeks turned to months. I took it one step at a time, memorising each algorithm as I discovered them. Slowly but surely I made progress on this one Rubik's cube that I began to take with me everywhere. It occupied so much of my time it became an obsession.

One day I did it. I worked out the last algorithm and the last piece of the puzzle fell into place. I had solved the cube well and truly, without any help from anyone.

I ran home in excitement. I couldn't wait to show my parents and my family what I had done. It had taken me at least nine months to do this, I was ecstatic.

On my way home I have to walk down a very steep hill, and in my excitement on this particular day, I slipped and fell down. The cube sprang free from my hand and I watched in desperation as it flew away from me in slow motion and hit the ground. It began to roll down the hill. Faster and faster, I chased after it, but it kept rolling, until it reached the bottom, smashed into a telephone pole, and shattered into all the little bits that make it up.

I tried to put it back together but to no avail. It was beyond repair.

I didn't get another one until the following Christmas. I knew I was going to get one, and I couldn't wait to show my family what I could do. When Christmas morning came, I got up at about five in the morning to open my presents. I grabbed the cube, ignoring the other presents, and rushed back to my room to make sure I could still do it before anyone else woke up.

I spent at least two hours working on that cube that morning. Until at last I remembered the last algorithm and finally solved it for all to see.

That cube went everywhere with me that Christmas. Everyone in my family saw me solve it. I solved it over and over and over that day, until I had cemented the procedure in my memory.

I have solved it in my school, at my church, my choir, overseas, and just about every other major part of my life. It earned me the nickname Rubik. I have taught people how to do it and they have taught people how to do it in turn. Maybe one day I'll write a tutorial for my readers to learn as well.

2 comments:

  1. This is a fun little story Josiah. How tragic to lose your first cube - but great you got a new one and able to show off your amzing skills!

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  2. Hay que aprender a armar el cubo de rubik 4x4, porque es uno de los mejores y más interesantes para nuestro cerebro.

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