Uodate

This is AP Test season, and in the next 2 weeks I have 3 AP Tests. I won't have much time to practice my cubing, but I've been trying to work it in whenever possible.

I'm working not on solve times now but algorithm times, as I feel being sub-4 seconds on every PLL will help me a lot.

Bottom line: I won't have time to cube.

Sorry!!!

I've been having technical difficulties. In fact, I'm writing this from a library computer. Needless to say, the PLL guide is not out yet. However, it is nearly complete and should be operational when my computer gets working again.

Sorry for those who were expecting something this weekend.

PLL Guide Nearing Completion

Alright, my paper is done and I'm set for school for a little. Expect my 1st version of the great PLL guide to be available this weekend. I'm working on a printable page, and I want to get out as much info as possible. After this, I'll probably make a COLL guide, just as soon as I finish learning them.

Baseball is taking its toll. No longer are long nights such an appealing option, as my body is far too tired to take the load. Hopefully I won't have a game tomorrow so I can work on my guide.

Update

Sorry for not posting in a while, but really nothing new has happened. My homework load has been outstanding, and my baseball schedule has hit its peak (where it will remain for another 2 months). So, in short, I have had no time to practice my cubing. I try to do it on the bus, but I always get people asking questions about it. I'm hovering at just under 50 seconds for my recent averages. This is using vanilla Fridrich, with a 2-look OLL.

I'm hoping to finish my PLL guide soon. It covers your 2-look as well as straight PLL, and gives you a choice of algorithms. I'll try to finish in the next month (I have an 8 page paper due in a week so I'll be a little crunched at first).

As for COLLs, I fail at them. I get my top edges oriented, then I find the case reasonably quickly, and look up the alg. Yeah, bad. I remember very few cases, and often not accurately. I basically know my standard algs for the 2-look OLL and 2 T orientation COLLs consistently.

Well, sorry if this post hasn't helped, but I'm really busy and just can't find time to practice.

Still Working

My COLL recognition is still terrible, so I make my top cross and then look up the algorithm. Once I find the case I can usually remember at least part of the algorithm. I've basically been doing algorithm learning the whole time, and my F2L has suffered a little. However, I dropped my average by 10 whole seconds from the last time I posted - 49.43! That is without any timing or real solves for about 2 weeks.

At this pace there is no way I will make my 2 year goal. However, I feel I will truly have a mastery of the ZB method by the time I am done.

Also, baseball season just started up today (it has been raining). I will now have very little time on my hands.

Still Working...

You'll see these types of posts a lot.

I've decided that improving my F2L and OLL/PLL/COLL recognition should take priority over algorithm learning. I still want to improve my times, you see, not just learn a new method. Remember, Rome wasn't built in a day.

My times have gotten pretty bad. I slowed down by 15 seconds (!) from 2-and-a-half weeks ago (when I got pneumonia). My PB average of 12 is 46.90, yesterday my best average of 12 was 59.38! I figured it's because my recognition is bad and I forgot what colors mean what. My execution time was minimally slower, but it took me about 40 seconds on average to do my F2L (I have this nasty habit of checking the timer when my F2L is done) versus about 30 seconds before.

I'm still working...

I'm Sorta Back

Ugh! Pneumonia sucks. I'm pretty much healthy now, but the school work has piled on. I tried a few solves yesterday but found I've forgotten about half of the PLLs (embarrassing, yeah) all of the COLLs. Not the best 2 weeks of my life, but I think I'll make it through. Another problem is that baseball has started up, so I'll get less and less practice time. I'll try to get my memory back by next week, but I'm feeling my goal of 2 years should become 3, or even not try to push myself at all and focus on remembering the algorithms perfectly instead of just learning them.

On a side note, I'm starting to learn html so I can make my own cubing website and have the best resource for the ZB method out there.

Oh, and don't use the algorithms on Zborowski's site. They suck nuts for speedsolving and are unclear at times, as they were made optimal. I guess I'll have to create my own algs for most of them.