I managed to actually finish a Rubik’s cube for the first time yesterday. I would have to say however, that is was mainly a fluke.

It comes with instructions that are actually fairly easy to follow… but I must admit that I don’t do most of the first steps because it’s easier just to do it my own way. However, the sequences of moves to get the last few steps are quite useful as they show you how to manipulate small parts of the cube at a time without disturbing the rest of the pieces. The process is supposed to only take 7 steps. Not bad really. I can get to the seventh step in a matter of minuets without any problem. However, the 7th step has you doing the same sequence of moves either 2, 4, or 8 times. Each time I would do that sequence it would just mess it up more and more. It never made any sense.

I have come to the conclusion that the directions are junk. They get you to where all you have is 4 corner pieces to solve and then they tell you to mess it all up again. So I just fiddled with the thing over and over and over agian. Then, out of nowhere, and by no clear motive or direction by me, it was solved. Don’t ask me how I did it. I have no clue. It just happened.

My wife is a little upset… the cube was a gift for her after all. She has still yet to solve the thing. That being said, I don’t think it really counts as my solving it. Firstly, I used the instructions for the majority of it. Secondly, I wasn’t really trying to solve it when it seemed to solve itself.

Still… if anyone asks if I have ever solved a Rubik’s cube, I’ll say yes. :P

On that note, these things are like crack! They are extremely addictive. I would certainly suggest that anyone and everyone have one. You just can’t resist them. If I see one, I have to pick it up. It’s like a siren’s call sings out to me and I can’t help but move towards it, pick it up, and attempt to solve it. The fact that I can get so close without acutally solving the puzzle is amazingly frustrating but at the same time, you can’t give up when you’re so close! They make great gift ideas, especially for kids. But really, they’re for everyone. They are a ton of fun. If you don’t have one, go get one. They’re not even that expensive. Amazon.com is selling them for around $10!

The coolest thing is that even though there are those who can solve these things super quick. There are also tons of different kinds of Cubes:
The Sudokube
The professor’s Cube, it’s a 5×5. I can’t even imagine how hard that is.
There’s even a cube that you can put your own personalized photos on.

With so many different ways to feed my addiction, I don’t know if I’ll ever kick the Rubik’s habit. I don’t think I want to either. It’s just too much fun.

This little known movie (at least in the circles I swim in) just happens to be one of my favorite movies. Legend features a very young Tom Cruise and Alice Playten. Also, I never would have guessed it but the antagonist is played by none other than Tim Curry! It’s hard to imagine the guy who played Dr. Frankfurter also plays one of the coolest bad guys as the Lord of Darkness… but there he is.

In any case, it’s a very old movie (1985, the year I was born), but it is awesome. It captured my imagination as a child and has held it every since. I would even go as far as to credit this movie with my interest in the fantasy world. It’s all just so romantic and cool. The costumes are awesome, the special effects are great for their time and the story line is both unique and interesting.. though I can tell that there is a TON of backstory that we’re just not getting.

If you’re into fantasy at all. Get this movie! I promise, you won’t be let down. We just recently got it on DVD. I didn’t even think it would ever come out on DVD. Before this, the only place I had ever seen it was on TV late at night. It’s a very under appreciated movie.