This update aims to fill you in on some of what is going on behind-the-scenes at the moment, as well as my plans for some posts I have been brewing in the meantime.
Academics
My school has been going well; I have dedicated a lot of time towards finishing projects as well as doing well on those projects. I expect to have a decent report card, so all is well there.
Aiming to Graduate in the Fall, so that means a heavy summer semester, which hopefully goes swimmingly.
Work
Work has been going well; besides the limited hours I can pour into it between class and the second job I picked up. With that second job I pretty much eliminated a decent chunk of my free time, but the extra cash was beautiful. Moving into the summer I will be reallocating time and retiring from the part-time extra job. Should also allow more time to work on my projects with McGravy.com
McGravy.com
My plans with the site include further refining or finding the perfect theme, writing more about AI Gen content versus AI as a utility, About the Author content for local authors I support, and getting into a more regular posting schedule.
My Purpose Statement
I feel that I would like to refine my ‘about the blog/author’ section to include a Purpose Statement or rather a quote to live by, but we shall see. Maybe a quote section? Motivational section?
Our Culture has started to lose its grasp on the weight of a Human Life, as well as the Pursuit of Happiness and the Will to Live on. For what Reasons: I am not entirely sure… but I hope my life can provide Insight or Guidance to Society and its People. So that we quit underestimating Our Value and Potential.
~ Andrew S. McGarvie, 2026.
If anyone can help refine that it would be appreciated, I enjoy the idea of having a nice statement to use and stuff like that.
I hope you all have a great rest of your April, see you in May!
This will serve as a short update to fill you in on some of what is going on behind-the-scenes at the moment, as well as my opinion/stance on generative AI used in writing.
Theme Update:
My theme has been updated from a classic white page, to a colorful, yet tasteful page layout and design.
I think this change will last until I get bored of it, but I am curious to hear your thoughts and what you would like to see.
Generative AI:
My stance on Generative AI since the start of my first post has been that I will not be using it to generate any of the words you see in my titles, paragraphs, and any writing on my page. I do not use AI because I am morally better than anyone, or because I have some super impressive writing ability, but because I learned I can only take pride in my work if it is truly mine. I can only convey my emotions through my words and phrasing, despite imperfections, it is my truth.
This might be written on in the future as a more developed topic, but I was curious if anyone wanted to hear about AI technology or if people were burnt out of it.
Posting Schedule:
My posting schedule is more of a… hope than it is an actual schedule. I am looking at getting some more content out as time moves forward, but we will see where life takes us as I finish up my semester.
I do plan on having a monthly update like this one if possible, but I have a lot on my plate right now so we will see how that goes.
A Hackathon is an event where people engage in rapid and collaborative engineering over a relatively short period of time, such as 24 or 48 hours in person.1 These people are split into groups with the intention of building the best project they can to earn awards after presenting their project to a panel of judges.
Hackathons typically take place at colleges/universities or technological establishments, hosted by local tech groups and academic clubs. These events typically run during the academic year (Fall->Spring) and typically fall on weekends due to the length of events being 1-3 days.
The target audience for attendees is high school and college students who have an interest primarily in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM), as well as other fields (such as Business or Art). Other people you can find at hackathons include: Sponsors, Presenters, Mentors, and Organizers. Sponsors an essential part of keeping events running, while many advertise positions and opportunities to the talented students that attend the event, some advertise products and services that could benefit project development in the tech industry. Presenters are those who host a workshop or learning session that hosts a tech related topic or skill that can benefit students in the event as well as in the workforce. Mentors are those who guide students and assist them while they learn and hone new and existing skills.
Why do they commit to such a challenge? To put it simply, people like learning and putting their skills to the test while under a time crunch… and they like winning prizes!
HackYSU:
HackYSU is a Hackathon that takes place at Youngstown State University and is hosted by the YSU Computer Club.2 Students from high schools and universities in the surrounding areas come to compete in the 36 hour event starting late Friday and wrapping up Sunday afternoon.
The theme of HackYSU 2026 is Wild Western!
The Logo for HackYSU 2026
As an organizer of HackYSU, my favorite part of HackYSU is the strong presence of creativity and determination while attendees develop a project from a notebook sketch to a real-world application. We have mentors constantly answering questions and helping students with any questions and technical difficulties that arise, showing that teamwork and collaboration is key to a successful project. Our presenters are sharing information on topics from AWS/Kubernetes to Angel Investments. As the cherry on top, we have sponsors bringing Ethernet cables and Japanese themed snacks and drinks for the attendees to enjoy.
While some students create to compete, others are just here for the vibes; students often come to the venue to enjoy refreshments while studying or working on private projects in a tech setting. As an organizer, when I am not setting up for our daily events and meals, I am catching up on homework and personal projects (such as this post). With that, I appreciate the time I have had here this weekend and look forward to seeing which projects win!
I would like to share a poll I gave to the community at HackYSU 2026:
It is beautiful to know that Linux is the winner 🙂
I look forward to hearing your thoughts in the comments!
We have all seen a Rubik’s Cube whether it was in the toy section at a retail store on their toy shelves, the office on someone’s desk, or even introduced by a friend. In my case, I had my first interactions with brain teasers when I was in my early teens, including the Rubik’s Cube, though I often disregarded it as ‘too difficult and time consuming’ after failing to solve. For a while, I was satisfied leaving the cube solving to the crazy nerds and people that had too much time on their hands. Until the day I stumbled upon a cube at work, decided I had some spare time on my hand, and I wanted something to do while I was taking phone calls.
Since then, I have solved a variety of cubes and related puzzles. It is a rabbit hole… You solve one, then you solve it again, and again, and again. There becomes a point where you yearn for that excitement of solving the cube for the first time, that is where you find the 2×2, 4×4, 5×5 cube. Whether it is borrowed, found, or bought, you will spend hours consumed by the new challenge, until you complete it yet again. What was once a daunting challenge, an impossible task even, is now one of my favorite pastimes.
I will be walking you through the History of the Rubik’s Cube, as well as the other puzzles I solve alongside it. After that I will focus on the impact it has had on myself as well as others, what it has taught me about problem-solving. I will then follow up with some tips to solve your first cube, with a video on how to solve a 3×3 cube. Afterwards, I have a reflection on this crazy rabbit hole I have fallen into.
In consideration of my viewers, the History of Rubik’s Cube and History of Other Related Puzzles sections will be collapsible that way you can skip over if you choose.
The History of the Rubik’s Cube is rather simple: Idea, Success, and More Success.
In 1975, Ernő Rubik applied for a patent (image included below) for the original 3×3 Magic Cube. You heard that right, Magic Cube, was the original name for Rubik’s Cube. From there the toy company Ideal helped spread Rubik’s toy across the world. In 1980, the toy was finally worldwide… and it won Toy of the Year Award, by 1982 over one hundred million cubes had sold.1
As of 2026, you can head to your local retail store, toy store, or mall to find plenty of Rubik’s branded products including the original 3×3, a statement that this puzzle will stand the test of time. What else is found in the same aisle? Other related puzzles? You can read about the history of their successes in the next section!
Following Rubik’s global success with his Magic Cube, later dubbed the Rubik’s Cube, toymakers proceeded to look into what they could do to catch on to the trend. As multiple shapes and sizes of solvable puzzles started to appear, they took off instantly. The Rubik’s Revenge 4×4 cube stood out among the rest, an obvious step up from 3×3, is to step up to 4×4. Interestingly enough, Ernő Rubik did not come up with the 4×4, but he allowed his name to be used in the product as a way to entice the worldwide Rubik’s Cube audience into a new puzzle.1
Another notable puzzle was the Pyraminx, which was created by Uwe Mèffert in the 1970’s, before Rubik’s Cube, was introduced to the world in 1980’s after Rubik’s success with his 3×3 toy. Mèffert went to a Japanese toymaker and got his toy circulating globally with 90 million sold Pyraminx puzzles in the first 3 years of its release.1
With the Rubik’s Revenge and Pyraminx succeeding in the toy industry, new puzzles kept emerging and bring us to where we are today, with plenty of choices when looking at these puzzles, and many more on the way!
Impact of Puzzles on The Brain:
Puzzles like the Rubik’s Cube are often viewed as ways to improve our brain health physically. Contrary to popular belief, these puzzles actually do not impact the overall decline in our brains as we age. In an interview, Dr. Toby Wise, Senior Research Fellow in Neuroimaging at King’s College London, mentions, “Solving these challenges does not improve your brain power in much other than the activity itself and almost certainly does not prevent age-related decline in brain function.” As depressing as this may sound to my friends and I that spend so much time solving cubes, as we wish that it could make us genius forever, it just emphasizes that life is something you can only prolong so long, we must make the best of the time we do have.2
I would like to mention that I am not saying that cube solving has a negative impact on brain health, but that the rumors we hear about these puzzles may not all be true. These cubes still have had a positive impact on me, but that is more in how it impacts our problem-solving skills, which is included in the next section!
The Psychology of Cube Solving:
The impact of Rubik’s Cubes as well as other brain teasers and puzzles impact how we think about problem solving in our lives, not just in puzzles, but in real life obstacles. If you look at solving a Rubik’s Cube (or similar puzzle) at its core, you are breaking down a problem into simpler, manageable steps. This is often something that could benefit us to take into real world problems we encounter. As obvious as it sounds, the more you practice breaking big problems into smaller problems, the easier things get. An example of this would be, I learned how to solve a 3×3 cube, but the 5×5 looks daunting and huge, but if I really start working with it, I realize it solves the same way, I just have to break it into smaller simpler pieces. When building a PC, one does not simply build it in one step, but many smaller steps that help bring all the components into one box that later runs videogames and lets me complete my homework. These puzzles are just another way to exercise these problem-solving skills.
Whether it is the original 3×3 Rubik’s Cube or Sudoku, puzzle solving can have a very positive impact on how you approach problem management and problem-solving. Now you may be wondering how you can get involved in cube solving, conveniently enough, I wrote about that in the next section!
How to Start Solving:
How do you start solving a cube puzzle, like the 3×3 Rubik’s cube? Simple, use the resources available to you, be patient, and learn from your mistakes. I embedded a YouTube video from the official Rubik’s account explaining how to solve a 3×3 cube. While this video is a whopping 24ish minutes in length, it is comprehensive and covers the steps needed to complete your first time solving!3
I will be the first to admit that I could not sit down and watch a video on how to solve something, I would have to give it a try and fail a multitude of times first, then look for ways other people have solved it online and go from there. For those who prefer written instructional guides, I am in the same category, and here is the guide I used to learn how to solve my first 3×3 cube: How to solve a Rubik’s cube | Step by Step Beginner Instructions + VID.4 I highly recommend you start with the 3×3, but of course, feel free to start with whichever cube or shape you would like. It is a good time, and well worth the investment of time and energy.
A Reflection on Cube Solving:
Overall, I am glad I am able to share with you all the positive impact that cube solving has had on my life, as well as the interesting history of the Rubik’s Cube and its related puzzles. The current challenge I recently overcame was the Axis Cube, which is similar to a regular 3×3, except it is put on a different axis, as the name foretells. That cube had me feeling nauseous so many times, due to my inability to understand how it functioned. After three long months, I solved the Axis Cube for good.
Axis Cube: Scrambled vs. Solved
For those of you wondering, I think my next challenge needs to be the 21×21 cube by MoYu, which unfortunately even split between me and my friends would be an improbable amount of cash to spend on this masterful display of modern engineering.5
Thanks for reading about something I found interesting this week, the idea about writing about Rubik’s Cube and similar puzzles was inspired by a friend of mine who saw me finally solve the Axis Cube while brainstorming/spit-balling ideas to write about. I added a suggestion box below, if there were something you would like to see me write about, please let me know below.
Thanks for reading my blog and I look forward to hearing back from you!
While that seems like a rather small list, I would like to mention that these are just those that came to mind at this moment. if you think you belong on this list, comment and we can debate it out there.
Why I Bring This up:
I bring attention to these entrepreneurs, business owners, hard workers, because… to be completely honest, I had to write about one for a business class! The one I ended up writing about was Brandon Cady, this is due to the fact that I have been able to be a part of the business since its early days, and I have watched it grow into a great statement to what you can do with some commitment and hard work.
Below is what I wrote for the prompt: “Share an example of an entrepreneur or intrapreneur you admire and explain how they embody key traits associated with entrepreneurs / intrapreneurs.“
Why I Didn’t Choose a ‘Big’ CEO:
I would like to mention that I didn’t want to do the classic “Jeff Bezos was working out of his garage” or “NIKE CEO makes shoes that fit x niche… that is why he is successful”. While those are great and truly do have some worth, I think it is vital to raise up and appreciate those in our communities that put in the effort to chase the American Dream, while helping and growing the community around them. At every point, those big CEO’s were in a similar spot where they had to leverage connections and opportunities to grow, but I wanted to dig deeper and find these Key Traits in some entrepreneurs I knew.
Big Time Entrepreneur Vs. My List
In all honesty, while writing this and the section for my class, I realized that my friends, family, and local business owners I know all share the same Key Traits that put the Big Dog CEO’s where they are now.
They all commit to their goal, take opportunities to grow and give back to their community.
While they all have different ways of giving back to the community, their impact has been measurable by the good they have done and the impact they have had on those they work with.
To Entrepreneurs Past and Present:
To the entrepreneur I knew in the past who is no longer with us, Jacob Rhoades: Thanks for always offering me a job if I was in a tight spot, thanks for your impact on our community and giving students hope for starting their own business by carrying on your long living legacy.
To the entrepreneurs I know now:Thanks for being a big part of your community, you do a lot for me and the people around you. Keep up the good work and continue to grow at a rate that shocks me!
In Conclusion:
Entrepreneurs are an important part of our everyday lives, as I have proceeded to word vomit about above to the point where I probably repeated myself several times. Anyways, I wanted to share a little bit about those I know who have taken the first step towards chasing The American Dream.
~Andrew McGarvie
If you have any questions about the businesses or owners mentioned above, I have their links below, as well as next to their names above.
Happy Holidays to you all, Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year!
The holidays are great for reuniting with friends and family after the lengthy fall season (whether it be long work hours, college, or whatever else life finds for us). What the holidays are not good for, is the cold front it brings in… and the sickness that follows.
If I had a nickel for every time I got super sick on Christmas and New Years with a virus of some sort, I would have at least two nickels. Not that two is a lot, just very interesting it has happened twice… (I hope my reference went over well… Nickel Meme Reference)
Anyways, enjoy the squirrel photo above because where I am headed is NOT FUN.
Fun Facts about the Flu!
Full name: Influenza1
Flu is not the same as the Common Cold, in fact, it is much worse and leads to worse symptoms like high fever, chills, and complications that can lead to hospitalization1
The current dominating strain, dubbed “super flu”, is actually called: A/H3N22
Flu typically fluctuates every year, so having a rise in cases isn’t new, what makes this one ‘super’ is that the strain isn’t covered by the most recent flu vaccine, leading to a very harsh flu season with a lot of cases.2
I personally did not think those facts were fun… they were super not fun. Anyways, I just wanted to share a little bit I learned about this ‘Super Flu’ variant as it has been dubbed. Make sure to stay warm, avoid people who cough, and remember if you do get sick you need to drink lots of fluids!
Have a Happy New Year and avoid the ‘Not-so-Super Flu’ as I would like to call it.
Just wanted to let everyone know that my page is now hosted by WordPress and will now have comments, newsletter, and other fun features that we did not have previously.
I am excited to get some new content out now that things have gotten a bit easier to manage. Please reach out if you have any questions or concerns, leave comments if you have any topics or features you would like to see.
Sally… Where are you ~~ Vanished, during the great snow Without you, no calls.
~ Andrew McGarvie
Before I look like I am mourning a great loss, I would like to preface that Sally has only been gone for a couple of days.
Welcome back to McGravy.com, Andy here!
Let me introduce Sally, my neighbor, friend, and local woodpecker:
Sally the Woodpecker
Sally has been my neighbor for a little while since I moved into my residence. But only recently did she become my friend, all it took was food… we quickly learned we had similar hobbies – talking too much and eating! (Suet > Seed?)
I know I started off the article with a rather… moving… haiku (it was really tragic); but I would like to reassure myself and inform you that she is most likely just hiding out during this winter storm we are experiencing this weekend.
Sally looking at me!
The great debate…. Downy or Hairy Woodpecker???
In my opinion, after looking at photos, journals, and a guide, I can deduce that this bird is a Younger Female Downy… I think. Anyways, did you know that the average height of a Downy Woodpecker is between 5.5->6.7in and can peck at wood at a rate of 20 times per second (Birds and Animals World, 2025)!? I found that really interesting, as I hope you do as well.
Anyways, as the snow falls and temperatures drop, I wanted to share an interesting bird I get to observe in my day-to-day.
~Andrew McGarvie
References: Birds and Animals World. (2025, August 25). Downy woodpecker – identification, behavior, habitat, and interesting facts. Birds and Animals World – Wildlife Facts, Pets, Species Guides & Nature Knowledge. https://birdsandanimalsworld.com/downy-woodpecker-bird/
I wanted to update you all on a major update to McGravy.com.
We are quickly approaching a new year, 2026, and my semester is winding down to an end. I know this site has been a project of mine for a little over two months, but I really haven’t gotten much done with it. That being said, my workload has vastly decreased as I finish up my final projects and exams, I am looking forward to uploading content more regularly over break. After break, I plan on continuing posting (for real this time), as my next semester looks like it will be that of an “easy one”, we can dream… we can dream.
With that out of the way, I would like to restructure my content (what little there may be) and set up some groundwork to support a more… welcoming environment for all kinds of topics and discussions. So the transition is here…. McGravy’s Tech Bytes…. is now…. McGravy.com. Yeah… that is all. I would like to take a step away from “tech blogs” and take a step towards “blogs”. I am making this transition to remove the “requirements” I held on myself to write tech only topics. I still plan on writing tech blogs, but now I would love to mix it in with Nature topics, my attempts on Cooking, Photography, Videogames, Pop-Culture, and other little things I enjoy sharing.
That is it for the update, I look forward to getting this project up and running again!
Welcome to McGravy’s Tech Bytes, where a variety of tech topics will be broken down into digestible, easy to understand posts. This will cover things like AI, the Internet, Cloud Storage, MFA, and more relevant topics in this digital world we live in, while giving a perspective from someone both learning and working in the industry.
My name is Andrew McGarvie, an Information Technology Student at Youngstown State University learning about Cybersecurity, Networking, and other subjects while working in the career field as an IT Intern at the National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining. I enjoy videogames, nature (reference the turtle photo above), Magic: The Gathering, and hanging out with family and friends.
Whether you are a student, parent, enthusiast, or someone interested in technology, I welcome you to this blog. This blog will aim to be understandable and entertaining to a broad audience, but that may change as time goes on to further adapt to what my viewers want to see. I aim to keep comments fully anonymous, requiring zero authentication to react to what I post. I ask that you comment with decency and respect, if I have a poor description or make a mistake in my writing, I will take constructive criticisms and apply it to the writing. I only ask for respect and kindness in the comments. I aim to keep zero moderation but that will also be depending on the audience and interaction moving forward. I think anonymity is vital to free speech and expression.
My goal is to post a couple times a week, but like everything else, this will adapt to the future’s audience, topics, length, and all that blog stuff. You can expect me to give an interesting perspective on topics that reflects myself and the experiences I have in the industry. I look forward to writing this blog to further solidify what I know in the field as well as to educate those who want to learn more and entertain or inform those who are already in the field/want to learn more.
Thanks for sticking along to the end, welcome to my page! I would love to hear from you in the comments, whether it is just a hello, suggestion for topics, or constructive criticism.
~ Andrew McGarvie
Bite-sized blogs explaining a variety of tech topics in an engaging and understandable way.
