There are heaps of sites on the internet giving step by step guides to solving it, there is also heaps of actual video tutorials about it. The best one I’ve found though seems to the the [one](http://www.rubiks.com/lvl3/index_lvl3.cfm?lan=eng&lvl1=commun&lvl2=cbegam&lvl3=compet) on the official [Rubik's site](http://www.rubiks.com/). It’s done by a guy who was the first to ever solve a Rubik’s Cude in under 2 mins while blind folded, I figure he knows what he is doing.

So yeah, I haven’t actually used a full tutorial or video yet to solve it. I kind of figured out the first two rows by myself but it gets hard after that.

The only major problem I’ve had so far is if I take longer then a few days to solve it, the “Rubiks Cube fairy” (Melanie) will use her online solving tutorial to solve it because it doesn’t look ‘pretty’ when unsolved. This of course is slowing my progress in learning to solve it but also helping me learn to solve the first parts as I need to keep redoing them.

I remember also having other Rubiks puzzles as a kid including the [clock](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubik%27s_Clock) and the [magic](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubik%27s_Magic). I also remember a silver colour magic that I think had 4 rings, although I could be wrong.

On a related note, the [Rubiks Revolution](http://www.rubiksrevolution.com/) looks interesting.

Anyway, apparently at the moment they have a deal going where you get a discount on the subscription and also get a free bag! Melanie, as thoughtful as she is, went ahead and subscribed me. It was a nice surprise to get an email telling me my New Scientist subscription had started and I could access all the ‘member only’ stuff on the website. I had no idea what was going on, I actually thought it was some kind of mistake except for the fact that the password was something I would have chosen

I have been reading the [RSS feeds](http://www.newscientist.com/feeds.ns;jsessionid=GBAGLLH) and also visiting the site regularly to read the huge amount of articles. My first printed copy came in the mail yesterday and apparently my bag is on the way.

My Melanie is so thoughtful!

It’s a lot of fun. The new controller makes the games really interactive. WiiSports is an awesome example of how gameplay > graphics, something SONY and Microsoft should really take notice of.

WiiSports is the most fun so far. It’s pretty amazing how well the controller responds. I find I’m better at tennis and bowling over golf, baseball and boxing.

Zelda seems like it should be pretty good as well.

She also gets to visit her aunty Doris and uncle Tim this trip, which is really cool. It was kind of weird that I got to see their place before her when i was over in the US doing my internship. I’m sure she will be excited to see her old car as well.

While she is away I get to eat pizza with sauce on it, and play music and the TV as loud as I want and maybe even have fish and chips with cheese on the chips! Watch out! haha

Yep, melanie is another year older today (american time) or yesterday (australia time).

I’ve no doubt she will have a good time.

Melanie and i have been ‘going out’ for around 3 years now. Neither of us know the ‘exact’ date we starting ‘going out’ (what determines that exactly?) but we decided to make our date we had 3 years ago on valentines day the day to count from. As melanies journal states, she was the one that suggested we go out. Im not known for my outgoingness (is that a word?) ya know, especially when it comes to girls.

But yeah, things turned out ok

She kind of restored my faith in girlfriends after my ordeal with the now infamous Tisha, the girl that put me through so much crap that i almost turned gay. But thats old news now, melanie is perfect in every way and i love her.

So yeah, i pick her to be my valentine, no one else, just her. easy.

Happy Birthday to my Melanie!

I think ive figured out Melanies dancing ‘style’. She seems to like counting the steps out loud while she does it. i.e. “1, 2, cha cha cha, 3, 4, cha cha cha” etc which at times gets a bit repetitive but i figured she needs to do it for timing or whatever. Anyhoo, last night i actually watched her feet while she was saying the things out loud, and it seemed kinda funny that her feet were not doing the same as what her voice was saying.

It then dawned on me that her saying the steps out load is actually a big smoke screen! People hear her saying the steps and assume she is doing it right, when actually all she is doing is saying the steps and stamping around! Its funny to see

Mouth says ’1, 2, cha cha cha, 3, 4, cha cha cha, twirly round, twirly round, 1, 2, cha cha cha, 3, 4, cha cha cha
Feet do “stomp, stomp, stomp stomp stomp, stomp stomp, stomp stomp stomp, stompy stompy stompy stompy, … …. ”

Its so funny to see

I think we are both getting better though, and as long as everyone else THINKS we know what we are doing – thats all that matters right?

After much ‘ooooing’ and ‘arrrring’ and ‘oh its so cute!’ (referring to little parts) she finally has it in about 100 pieces scattered over the desk.

Here comes the plastic bag to throw it all out.

Another fun filled sunday afternoon.