Character Study III

This story was collaboratively written by Eric Montero and Jared Dube

Among the wave of new freshmen entering UCLA, two in particular stood out from the crowd. Their names were Jared Dube and Eric Montero. Jared was walking with Eric as they were looking for a chance at an internship with a local nuclear power plant. Eric didn’t enjoy to work hard and would rather be in his dorm bettering his rubik’s cube solving skills. Jared, however, was interested in biomechanical engineering due to his fascination in science, so he wanted to visit the powerplant and study the effects of radiation on the workers. They had a meeting on the 31st of october to meet with the plant supervisors. Although on their way there, they encountered a man in a white hockey mask notoriously known as Jason. He then threatens to disembowel them both if they don’t assist him in finding his trusty machete. Jared swiftly stepped out in front of Eric while he cowered in fear. Eric cried,”leave us alone!” Jason then glared at a nearby jogger and violently ripped out his jugular with his bare hands, and through clenched teeth, stated “You will find me my machete”. After the death of the innocent jogger, Jared boldly proclaims,“I guess we have no choice but to help you out, Jason, after witnessing that gruesome display.” Jared and Eric slowly came to the realization that not only was the real Jason standing in front of them, but they were also surrounded by unfazed trick-or-treaters who thought it was all a trick. The duo then unwillingly followed Jason in order to save their own lives by searching for Jason’s machete. They take off through the densely populated streets filled with costumed children in Eric’s ford focus with Jason riding shotgun towards the full moon.

3x3 Times 11

I felt like doing more than ten solves tonight, so I did twenty.

Here are tonight's times:

20:	00:22.28
19:	00:36.03
18:	00:30.32
17:	00:26.63
16:	00:31.32
15:	00:29.56
14:	00:26.45
13:	00:27.14
12:	00:35.56
11:	00:33.86
10:	00:30.34
9:	00:34.20
8:	00:26.90
7:	00:25.82
6:	00:30.44
5:	00:31.00
4:	00:28.04
3:	00:30.75
2:	00:30.14
1:	00:28.92

Avg: 29.78

Normal people do averages of five, but I think that it is easy to get lucky with only five solves.

3x3 Times #10 (Special)

As I had said earlier, I was going to make every ten sessions special. I decided to do 5 relays instead of 10 solves. (a relay is solving three cubes at once, a 2x2, a 3x3, and a 4x4) Ive never timed my relays so I was relieved when I saw that the times were not too bad.
Here are Today's Times:

5:	03:06.12
4:	02:59.99
3:	03:08.76
2:	03:14.54
1:	03:24.79

Avg: 03:10.84

I'm excited for session 20

Cubing around the world

     Being invented around 1974, the Rubik's cube has become one of the most recognizable toys around the world. Despite being so complicated, it still looks elegant and satisfying to the eye. Artists and Engineers around the world have always been fascinated by the design of the cube.

     Here is a video I found to be really fascinating, and touches on the fact that the cube is a countryless toy.

3x3 Times #9

Feeling a bit distracted tonight, not sure why. Not much else to say.
Here are tonight's times:

10:	00:23.77
9:	00:30.70
8:	00:28.66
7:	00:30.58
6:	00:28.79
5:	00:28.87
4:	00:35.60
3:	00:29.17
2:	00:29.61
1:	00:31.69

Avg: 29.74
Other than the occasional outlier, my times sit around 28-30 seconds, not bad.

3x3 Times #8

First off, Ive decided that Im going to do something special every ten cube posts and something extra special every 25 posts. Second of all, most of my times tonight were under 30 seconds! And finally, Third point, there is a cubing club that takes place every Wednesday in Sr. Brown's room (room 324 for those interested).
Here are tonight's times:

10:	00:30.29
9:	00:29.75
8:	00:30.82
7:	00:25.98
6:	00:27.91
5:	00:25.83
4:	00:26.53
3:	00:30.13
2:	00:29.29
1:	00:27.87

Avg: 28.44

I'm setting a goal for myself: I want to get sub-20 times by the end of December. I still consider myself a novice, I have plenty to learn before I consider myself an expert at this,

3x3 Times #7

I'm feeling a bit rusty, but my times show that I'm not, not even in the slightest. I took it slow with the solves tonight and found that the solves flowed smoother and that I had achieved greater times. I'm going to practice more with slower solves and see what I can achieve.

Here are tonight's times:

10:	00:28.06
9:	00:23.10
8:	00:28.85
7:	00:31.69
6:	00:24.77
5:	00:31.38
4:	00:32.50
3:	00:34.04
2:	00:23.60
1:	00:32.30

Avg: 29.03

The average was very good for my standards. Still, I need to work on getting more consistent with my times.

3x3 Times #6

Tonight I cleaned out a cube and re-lubricated it with new cube lube that came in today! My cube turns so much nicer and smoother now; It's maybe even too fast now.
Here are tonight's times:

10:	00:30.16
9:	00:30.76
8:	00:33.55
7:	00:35.12
6:	00:23.81
5:	00:27.76
4:	00:29.98
3:	00:26.22
2:	00:29.91
1:	00:34.75

Avg: 30:20

3x3 Times #5

I got a new cube today! its the Dayan mini Zanchi v5. At only a measly 42mm across (compared to the normal 57mm), this cube threw off my muscle memory, and made my main cube hard to solve!
Here are the times for tonight:

10:	00:26.61
9:	00:30.70
8:	00:35.31
7:	00:25.28
6:	00:19.52	(New PB! first sub-20)
5:	00:30.39
4:	00:34.12
3:	00:32.94
2:	00:30.31
1:	00:33.49

I wasnt able to get a video up tonight, but I will hopefully have one up tomorrow

3x3 Times #4

Tonight I think that I was doing pretty well. I got plenty of sub-30 times and i'm feeling pretty good for the future. Here are the times:

10:	00:30.01
9:	00:32.12
8:	00:28.88
7:	00:25.77
6:	00:31.39
5:	00:29.48
4:	00:27.53
3:	00:30.65
2:	00:34.78
1:	00:26.32

Avg: 29.69
I managed to fit two solves, one and two, in this next video. I had to teach myself to compress videos for this. If you're watching this, let me know if the camera was better in this video or the last one I did. I'm really not sure

3x3 Times #3

I haven't been cubing this weekend so my times are a bit higher than normal.

10:	00:26.13
9:	00:36.50
8:	00:36.89
7:	00:31.19
6:	00:29.61
5:	00:32.72
4:	00:35.91
3:	00:33.16
2:	00:34.37
1:	00:28.44

Avg: 32.49

I actually have video! It's only of solve 2 (stupid size limits on blogger) but it's still pretty cool

3x3 Times #2

Just like yesterday, I'm going to do an average of ten solves
here we go:
1) 37.46
2) 24.70 (new personal best!)
3) 35.13
4) 29.65
5) 32.98
6) 29.52
7) 27.53
8) 24.46 (wow, new personal best again!)
9) 30.89
10) 33.95
Avg: 30.63
I've noticed that I'm doing a lot of pauses during the second portion of the solve, i need to work on solving more fluently aswell

3x3 Times #1

Ive decided im going to do nightly speed solving sessions on my 3x3x3 cube. I will begin posting videos of the solves as soon as possible. Mozart is perfect for this kinda stuff
the times are as follows:
1) 34.40
2) 31.31
3) 29.58
4) 30.24
5) 32.80
6) 26.65
7) 30.91
8) 29.88
9) 29.59
10) 32.81
Avg: 30.81

Big Question

What is our incentive to impress others in our life?
    From what I've seen, most people enjoy the feeling of impressing others, some people even make careers out of it. But why? Is it because others enjoy being impressed? is it because these people are selfless? Is it because it is simply in our nature to try to be unique and stand out? these are the questions I want to know the answer to, and will spend the year trying to unravel.

Essay #1

Honestly, I wasn't really doing the best job of paying attention while reading The Poisonwood Bible, so I decided to write on a different book on the list you gave:



Ivan was truly torn from his family in a not so delightful way when he was taken to the gulag in fabulous Siberia. he was essentially exiled from his home and anyone he knew when he was taken. It’s strange that during his stay he was able to so quickly adapt, like many of the other prison mates, to the life of the prisoner. 
During his stay, Ivan had to adapt to survive after he was so rudely taken from his home in Russia. He knew, like the other prisoners, that there was really no chance that he was going to be leaving any earlier than the next ten years. so, after this realization, he knew that he had to change morals. There was always a dull, solemn feeling surrounding all the prisoners, and they all had the idea of helping only themselves and the rest of their “gang,” or work group. Ivan’s train of thought shifted to that of a loving husband and father missing his family to that of one looking out for his buddies and trying to cheat the guards. 
Ivan had always been a hard worker, much like his father. born and raised a carpenter, he knew that the quicker of work he did, the greater respect and pay he gained. even though he missed his family and hated the gulag, he still never betrayed his old work ethic. He worked hard, and when he realised that things were not as they should be, he tried to blame mistakes on others. even though each day is greuling, he still manages to survive.
Essentially, when one is taken from its home, He is lost, confused, and angry. Ivan probably felt all these emotions at first, but after those subsided, and true realization set in, Ivan must've been hit with an astounding level of sadness and regret that is never experienced by most.
Exile has always been used throughout history because of its effectiveness in killing the spirit. The concept of it is even used in small ways today, for example when one is banned from a certain store, city, state, country. the idea that someone is sent away and never allowed to return is very strong to think about, and I doubt that that will change anytime soon

Poetry #1

1. The Laughing Heart by Charles Bukowski
2. The poem is ironic because it is talking about the power of being free but it is being used in a marketing campaign
3. Bukowski is known to write poems dealing with an abandoned world and the absurdities of life and its relation to death
4. I listened to the poem and wrote down a couple verses, then I popped them into google and let it to what it was made to do. after making sure i had found the correct poem, I looked him up on a seemingly credible site that had plenty of information on him and skimmed most of it. i found that he dealt with some pretty vulgar topics and narrowed it down to what his poems were mostly about.