Toys for boys and girls

I haven't read, blogged, written or e-mailed this past week because I've been too busy with a new toy. I've been playing with my Rubik's cube. Last Saturday I bought one at Toys 'R Us because of my third New Year's Resolution, which is the only one that's likely attainable: "Learn to solve the Rubik's Cube."
When I was 11 I couldn't do it. I remember who could - Jon, Wesley, Darren Okada, lots of other boys - and only boys. I could do the top layer, but that was all. They spent hours working on it, but I know they got hints, too. Somebody bought a booklet from somewhere that explained how to solve it. I'm not sure where they got the booklet, but I have the feeling that it was the same mysterious place where they they got Mad magazines and fake dog poop. In my mind it was all connected somehow with the Dr. Demento show as well.
So on Sunday, I went to 2008 equivalent of the comic book/joke shop at the mall: YouTube. My boy (who's the age Jon and Wesley were) and I spent hours watching the YouTube video, pausing, trying and taking notes. And by Sunday night, not long after he went to sleep, with help of notes, I solved it! I couldn't do it consistently, and had to look at the notes over and over again, but now after hours and hours of practice, it only takes me ten minutes or so. I've spent nights with my wrists twitching and dreaming of algorithms - R U Ri U R U U Ri is my favourite. Just thinking of it makes me want to do it again. The solving is so satisfying.
I have to say that I'd always felt superior when I'd seen adults playing Nintendo DS or their Sony PSPs on the subway. It's not unusual at all to see grown people take them out of their pockets, though usually not from their briefcases. The briefcase set has different toys: Blackberries and Iphones that they use ostensibly for work or for checking Facebook. I guess I can't look down on all the grown-ups with their toys now. And I'm not sure why I thought I ever could because I never leave home without my toys in my pocket or purse: my Nano, phone, camera, sometimes laptop and now my Rubik's Cube.
Try it! We're all much smarter than we were in 1980.
Here's the link to the YouTube video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsQIoPyfQzM&feature=related