Doing Time
Rubik’s Cubes are Magical
I don’t mean to brag, but my best time (to date) for solving a Rubik’s Cube is 28.77 seconds. My average is about 40 seconds (12 solves in a row). Like most folks my age, I bought the cube when it first came out in the 80’s. Sometime in the 80’s I figured it out. It was a combination of watching other people, figuring out stuff on my own and reading a book. Finally I was able to master the cube. Generally speaking it took me about 3 minutes to solve. Over time, I created some shortcuts and practiced and got down to an average of about one minute and 30 seconds.
It was there I stayed for many, many years. About a year ago, I was working on an effect that uses a Rubik’s Cube, but as part of the setup of the effect, I wanted to solve the cube in front of the audience. The problem is that asking the audience to stare at me for 90 seconds (or more sometimes) while I solve the cube is a lot to ask. I felt it was too long, and when I tested it, I was right . . . too long.
I wanted to get the solve time down to the 30 second range. I felt that was a short enough time to not bore the audience. So I started studying speed cubing. It’s a whole different way of thinking about the cube, and a whole different way to solve it. I basically had to relearn the cube from scratch. In my old method there were only three algorithms that you needed to learn. The rest was basically intuitively knowing where to put the pieces of the cube. It’s a very simple method, but takes a lot longer.
Well the speed cube method turns everything on its head, literally. You actually solve the cube from the bottom up, rather than the top down. Further, there are 78 algorithms to memorize, not 3. Currently I have 34 of the 78 memorized. With each new algorithm memorized, a teeny bit of time can be shaved off of my average. It won’t be long before I beat my 28.77 seconds and my average drops down into the 30’s.
I started this about a year ago. In that time, I’ve literally solved the cube over 15,000 times. On top of that, I’ve put in hundreds of hours studying the algorithms, practicing them, reading books, watching videos, etc. I’ve put in the time. All for one simple trick that has yet to be added to my show.
The trick that I’m doing starts with me solving the cube to “get them on my side.” It’s to establish some credibility that I’m not uncle Bob doing the 21 card trick. It shows them that I’m dedicated, that I work hard, that I’m smart, and the fact that I do it in under 40 seconds (soon to be under 30 seconds) is extremely impressive to them. I started off by saying “I don’t mean to brag,” and I don’t, but if I did, I’ve earned it. I’ve dedicated way too much time to this to not feel as though I’ve earned the right for people to think I’m a genius when they watch me solve the cube. All that work to connect with my audience.
Root:
Let’s Remember Our Roots. The Root: Put in the Time. Be dedicated to the art of magic. Once I solve the cube in the show, I follow it up with a very magical Rubik’s Cube effect. The scripting and timing and flow of the solve into the trick makes for a well rounded routine that really makes a connection to my audience. I’ve only shown it to a few people, and it’s not in my full close-up show yet. I want to wait until I get the speed down a little bit more.
The point, however, is that these real magical moments take time to perfect. Darwin Ortiz and Eugene Burger and so many others talk about this idea of spending the time and effort to make the trick right before it’s repertoire ready. I agree with them. It’s critical to put in the time if for no other reason than to let the audience know that you care enough about their time to be an expert (by putting in the time yourself).
Branch:
Let’s Build Our Branches. Your Challenge: Put in the time. Go through your wish list of effects that you’d like to learn and put in the time. Spend hours and hours and hours perfecting it, mastering it and knowing everything there is to know about it.
Now go study the classics and go discover your true magical self.
