I’ve been doing well lately. I’ve had average-of-5 runs in the low 40s. Today, another generic 42-second solve and I thought to myself, “This is it…”
The cross was a lucky shot and my second layer just flowed perfectly. My last-layer solve was better-than-average but skipping my last step probably helped me achieve this mind-blowing 31.98 second solve!!! *ahem* HOLY SHIT! Oh Yeah! So psyched right now!!!
Wow. WOW! As I got to my last layer in under 4:50, I couldn’t believe my eyes. My record stood at over 6 minutes for almost a year. One solve last week bested it by 25 seconds; yesterday’s solve shaved another 6 seconds off. Did I just beat that record by 42 seconds?! OH YEAH! ShengShou 5×5 is a beast. My edge pairing must’ve been solid to do that much better! I wrote yesterday that a sub-5:30 solve was a lofty goal. Even that was destroyed! So psyched!
With the bright lights at my desk at work, the quiet hum of the heater (it was 28 yesterday when I left for work) and the first real solitude in almost a month, I went at my former 5×5 record and managed to top it by 6 seconds! My ShengShou is now an awesome cube now that it’s broken in and I’d have to say it’s even better than my ShengShou 4×4. In any event, it’s another record which shows I’m improving. Centers were solved in 1:20 and the edges were done by just over 4 minutes. As I finished my cross and started F2L, I realized one set of edges was incomplete. That delayed me, meaning my record could’ve been another 10 seconds faster. I guess my new goal is 5:30. Awesome!
I managed to finally get myself a new 5×5, a ShengShou (I love my 4×4). Initial inspection left me underwhelmed, however, as it wasn’t that much larger than my Mini-YJ and the turning was adequate at best. Several solves later, I managed my first sub-6 minute run! It actually broke my record by 25 seconds! Not bad!! Exciting times!
I tensioned my Zhanchi and it broke in rather quickly but it never felt as good as I had hoped. I’d seen reviews of this beast of a cube with outrageous corner cutting and sexy smooth turning. Mine was never quite as awesome as what I’d seen…and expected. Today, I grabbed some CRC silicon lubricant and took the thing apart.
What’s left behind is only the beastliest cube I’ve ever laid hands on. I tensioned it, as it needed some love there…but now it is a corner-cutting, slippery-smooth, soon-to-be record-breaking machine. And if that’s not enough hyphens for you, then know this…my record will be broken. Luck is partly involved…but a good run and my awesome Zhanchi together will make it happen. Just you wait!!!
So, I’ve completed at least 50 solves with my new Dayan Zhanchi and I quite like it. It’s clearly the best cube I own but it does need lubing. It’s time to do some research because the cube is spectacular. In the process of testing it all out, I managed to break my record…by a bit. It’s actually .03 seconds faster than my record…but I will never complain! I was pretty psyched! Here’s a snap of the counter. Awesome!
My story is simple…I always was fascinated by the Rubik’s Cube but never got around to actually solving it. That was until my 35th birthday in February 2011. After purchasing a standard Rubik’s brand cube, I went out and got myself a white Guo-Jia A1. It’s a lot better than my original cube (whose yellow corner is almost white from so much use) but it’s not the greatest. That purchase was a year and a half ago and while my cube collection has grown considerably, I haven’t purchased a new 3×3 since.
For $10 though, I couldn’t turn it down. I don’t practice as much as I used to, and my F2L never really got past the ‘decent’ stage, but I wonder if there’s a chance of breaking my 36.15 seconds mark. I should have the cube by early next week…we’ll see what I think of it when it arrives!!! So psyched!
It was a calm fourth of July night. The day was insane and I sat down to relax. No PS3, of course…what to do…what to do…I could read, play the 360, Vita, chill, anything! Ah…some 4×4 runs, why not? Seven runs later, my average was 3:13.92. Not too bad, really. Worst time was 3:41 (WTF?!) Best run? 2:41.40!!! Oh yeah! I broke my goal of 2:45 and beat my record by 7 seconds. Thank you no parity! Anyways…I’m happy. Now to clean the house. Urgh.
Incremental new best times, I realize, but hey, I’ve never solved it faster! There were a few sure-thing solves that fell into disgust. One had me taking about a minute to solve the last layer alone. Pathetic. However, today, it’s good news. A new record, a second faster than the last. 2:48.12. I won’t complain!
After my record-setting run of yesterday I noticed a dilemma…I don’t think it was my record! I found an older time that would’ve been the true record! Alas, there is no real problem, just break it again! I quite enjoy my 4×4 but after Aiden chewed on it, the stickers are a mess. I need to buy more. I also need to re-tension it. However, for now it’s still great, and was good enough to help me break my record! Not bad!!!