Does the Rubik's Cube help or hinder with your social life?

As I tend to ride public transit a lot, I usually have a cube with me to kill time between transfers and destinations. This leads to a lot of conversations and a lot of people who are interested in knowing more (although more often than not, they are completely dumbfounded and can't absorb anything I tell them).

I met a woman online who eventually became my girlfriend. She wanted to meet me because I sent her a cubing video. Go fig.

Later at a party, the host just happened to have a cube lying around there. It used the older colour scheme (white opposite blue) and was incredibly tight, so it took about five minutes to solve, although everyone was still impressed.

But yeah, I gotta say that I hear the words "I used to peel the stickers off" a lot.

Whatabout you guys?

Yes. I do pick up a ton of conversation when people see me solve it. EVERYONE says that they used to peel off the stickers. They also always ask how I do that and I can't explain it to them in the 3 minutes I have to talk to them. They think that by asking that they'll be able to solve it. I usually try to say I'm not sure, I just solve it.

Haha totally agree.
It's a tie betweem "I peel off the stickers" and "can you really solve that"
For the latter question, I answer no.

When asked how I do it, I usually say with Magic.

When asked how I got so good, I blame it on no social life.

Girlfriends hate it.

So true.

I usually get those two repsonses also, but one kid took it apart, and another bought a new one and told his dad that he had done it.

I don't really take it out of my house much or anything so only my really close friends know that I do it. They really don't care about it but are always willing to hear my latest accomplishments. Whenever I tell people I often also get the "I peel of the stickers."

The other funny thing is even after explaining to people that no matter how much you mix it up, after around 16-20 random turns, it really can't be much more of an advantage. People will mix and say "omg I mixed it so good this time! You're never going to get it."

I don't hide from people that fact that I only figured out some of it myself. But it's still kind of fun to act all mysterious about how it works. I also like teaching people how to solve it too because really, most of the common methods are quite cool and some algs are just so visually pleasing to perform.

I don't flaunt it or anything or make a big deal out of it and so usually people think it's pretty cool. After all, if someone was going to judge me because of the fact I speedcube, I probably wouldn't good friends with them anyways, so no loss. Plus they're probably just jealous

Same here, except that my cube solving skills haven't caught the attention of a lot of people... One time a woman asked me how long it took me to solve the cube, and she could not believe me when I told her that anyone, even her, could solve the cube if they knew the solution, like I did .

Another day a drunk guy sat next to me and asked me what the hell I was trying to do...

All in all, I don't feel solving the cube has improved my social life one bit.

Yes. So many people say that. They think if they mix it up for hours, it will take me hours. They also say "I'm not good at solving it, I am really good at mixing it up!". Wow! I'm impressed. That must be pretty hard making random twists and turns.

A lot of people say that it looks liek that i'm making random turns. Then I expalin to them that if i made a turn a second it would take me over a 100 million years to gothrough every possible different posistion

I would have to say it improved my social life. I do take my cube out sometimes, and it attracts alot of attention, although ive only taken it out 5 times since i started.

There is this kid in school that is like "You have no life do you." and then 10 seconds later hes like "Lemme see it" and im like. "No, if you think that then why do you wanna see it?"

First off I'm not a speedcuber yet. I have 1 friend along with his wife and 2 kids here in the real world and the rest are over the internet. Without this form I'd be very anti-social so yes this has helped me out more then you'll ever know. I read every topic and post in every form everyday so I guess you could say its also helping me to read a lot to which I don't like a lot but I do like reading here a lot.

With this forum, i have made at least two friends, and I have learned of people in my state I.E. Darren

I beg to differ.

It's how I got mine.

"Wow, you're great with your fingers" (After finishing a solve).

True, some girls seem to be *very* interested in guys who can solve puzzles!
Even solving in 3-4 minutes (like I do) can impress. And I have more than one personal experiences for this!



Pantazis

No no, I definitely know what you mean. I've gotten that reaction a few times myself.

The thing is, once you HAVE the girlfriend, and they notice how much time it takes up - THEN they begin to hate it. Or that has been my experience.

Mine too, she always says that I love my puzzles more than her. She does like playing with them, and she can work out bits of them.

I treat all girls as puzzles!
(quite complex ones, aren't they?)



Pantazis

That is quite funny. That also happens to me. Very true.

Dude! That's how my GF and I got together. While I won't delve into the intimate details (I'm not one to kiss and tell), it very much seems that the ladies love a guy who's good with his hands.

That's what I was going for.

I heard they were impossible to solve and I also read it on some puzzle website. I mean females. No offence to the ones on here.

There are females on here!? I never knew that. I did use to think pembo was one though...Sandy too.

I was getting depressed a few days ago that there are no female speedubers on my college campus. I started venting to my sister that in general, there should be more female speedcubers since you just do don't see that many. She then said "what about Jessica Fridrich?"

-_- how did I forget?

Shelley Chang? She owns at BLD

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LyqJhARPh4

Jasmine Lee also!

Don't forget about the 3 year old chinese girls!

Brittany Dzoan might arguably be fastest overall female speedcuber. Never seen Brittany, but there really aren't a lot of guys that go by that name. But I did see her brothers* Dan and Chris Dzoan at the Caltech Spring 2007 event over at the Discovery Center this past weekend. Their hands are unbelievably fast during one handed solves.

(*Making an assumption here that they are all siblings. I can't imagine that with an uncommon last name like Dzoan that this is merely coincidence. Of course I could be wrong about the "sibling" relationship too...)

Of course there are girl speedcubers. I want a hot one though.

According to the non-official list Casey Pernsteiner is the fastest woman but official it is Brittany. Will they get more competition soon? Let's hope