[Susie Smith]

Congratulations Delos Tribe!

You really came to play!

You started one game, and then another. As we enter the home stretch (for real this time), please share your thoughts with us.

1. The game has reached the real merge! You made it to the top 14. Who are you thrilled to see? Who do you wish hadn't made it this far?

2. Were you surprised at the results of the challenge tonight? Did anyone throw it? Are there any challenge beasts emerging to worry about?

3. How did the vote decision go from your perspective, are you happy with how it went down? Who was calling the shots on your last tribe? Will that continue?

4. As we move into the final stage of the game, please give us a quick trust ranking of the new Delos tribe.

5. So now what?

[Tyler]

 

I want to start this confessional by saying I had the "Tribal Council Track" that plays when you read the votes at council in my head when I woke up this morning. Like playing in my head in the shower.

I'm like, is this a sign? Am I going to council tonight? Am I blindsiding Jess tonight? Or are they blindsiding ME tonight?!? It was suspiciously quiet today on the chat which only increased today's paranoia. 


1. The game has reached the real merge! You made it to the top 14. Who are you thrilled to see? Who do you wish hadn't made it this far?

As for all of the people joining from Mausolus 3:

THRILLED:
Genie -- I've said it before, I *believe* that my alliance with Genie is going to be what truly gets me to the end of this game (if I do of course) so I am just without words grateful to be reunited with Genie in this game. The information share has already begun
Will -- #TeamRudy4Lyfe! I <3 Will and there were so many times in this game that I thought Will was getting voted out that I simply cannot believe he is still in this game. But I AM GRATEFUL because I believe Will is loyal to me *and* Shirin and might be the glue to keep Lindsey in line... 
Ricard -- The last time I saw Ricard we had just formed an alliance with Genie and Shirin so I am definitely thrilled to see Ricard in this game still! I hope he feels the same way. It would be so lovely if that alliance we formed oh so long ago really came back to help us out now.
Rachel -- what can I say about Rachel? It's remarkable she is here still since she has not made a big impression in this game yet, imo. I mean good for her. Like I said, I see her in the F4 easily - keep doing what you're doing, girl.
MEH
Jay -- Just meeting Jay for the first time tonight! He is the only person in this game I had not met yet. It is now official. I am still neutral to Jay  
Lindsey -- I'm sorry i don't trust Lindsey and she didn't even try to fake it tonight! Kinda shocking but yeah she kinda gave me the cold shoulder tonight. Maybe she was bombarded by messages IDK, but Lindsey is someone that is going to take time for me to trust, if I ever do.
Jacob -- I don't trust Jacob either. He talks to me. But it always feels like he wishes he wasn't.


2. Were you surprised at the results of the challenge tonight? Did anyone throw it? Are there any challenge beasts emerging to worry about?

Ok so let me start by saying that my heart was beating so fast and my stomach had such an awful pit in it while I was anticipating and actually competing in this challenge. Shirin and Wendell convinced the tribe that they should sit out of this one, and frankly I was a little surprised at Shirin. On the one hand, she *has* been taking finals all week and I can't imagine what that has been like while trying to play this game, buuut I was kinda like--don't you want to have some kind of say in whether or not you stay in this game or not? I mean, have you *not* had the most practice taking tests this week?? But she sat out. k.

Did Lindsey throw it? -- this is the biggest question mark right now since she clearly did the worst in the challenge. I am wondering if her strategy was to listen to the video once, answer what she could, and then hit send? I definitely had to listen to the story more than once and for some of the questions (like the river question) I had to listen to it multiple times...

Did Jessica throw it? -- when Jessica so readily volunteered to participate in the challenge I truly had a gut reaction. I don't think she's helped much for anything up to this point so I had no idea what to make of her challenge performance ability. And while the minutes were ticking, waiting for the challenge to be over, I started contemplating whether or not Jessica would try to throw the challenge. Like Erika told me she wants me out so I know where I stand with Jessica. I'm not going to call her out publicly or make a big deal. I'm just going to try to get her out ASAP

Am I surprised I was best? -- at this point I probably shouldn't be. I mean, again, *I* am surprised that I am standing out this much as a challenge threat. This was not really part of the strategy. I want to win too badly to not try to do anything but my best on the challenges--especially the tribal challenges. But even the tribal competitions have had individual contributions. Interestingly, Taylor is almost my exact equal at challenges. He has come so close to the win twice now that he has earned two immunity idol clues from me. And the other one he got on his own. I already know that Wendell is trying to spread rumors about *me* having the idol already. It kinda makes me think that he knows that Taylor already has it. Like divert the attention away from him and put it on me. Wendell is crafty like that and I honestly don't like this preemptive first move of his. Especially since minutes before the merge we were talking again about the "Secret 4" alliance idea...
 

3. How did the vote decision go from your perspective, are you happy with how it went down? Who was calling the shots on your last tribe? Will that continue?

Bradley - never met him. Honestly when the merge came and I still saw all of the faces I recognized I had to do a double-take to figure out who was eliminated. Besides Jay, Bradley was the only other person in this game I had yet to meet so him going home tonight meant one less stranger. Now Jay is the only stranger.

Who was calling the shots? -- Wendell and Taylor were calling the shots at the last tribe. They had the numbers and the power, but the whole time they swore that some day we could all be together. There was some talk again from both Taylor and Wendell today about the Secret 4 alliance so it's hard to know exactly where that is at atm...

Will that continue? Who has the votes?


4. As we move into the final stage of the game, please give us a quick trust ranking of the new Delos tribe.

Shirin - its like Shirin and Genie are in a horse race to be my best friend in this game. And I will gladly take them both. I don't think Shirin has any idea how close I am to Genie. 
Genie - and Genie may have no idea how close I am to Shirin. I mean, both *are* aligned with me and each other with Ricard. At least we were at one point. But all 4 of us are still here sooo
Will - #TeamRudy4Lyfe
Erika - What a jump Erika has made in my trust rankings. I mean, she still has to *prove* it for me to *really* trust her. But I think she is as sincerely targeting Jessica as I am, if not moreso.
Ricard - Again, we had *just* formed an alliance before the whole SECRET GAME fiasco so I am hopeful that this is still a positive relationship that I can rely on.
Taylor - half of #TeamTylor, I'm putting Taylor above Wendell because we have a name. TYLOR!
Wendell - but really trust with Wendell and Taylor is pretty even at this point. They have both been receptive to the Secret 4 idea as well. A lot more than Erika. Not sure if this is their way of trying to continue to play me or if they are actually legit.
Bret - Probably my most superficial relationship in the game at the moment. We both *like* each other. But no trust has been established yet. We've never voted together. He has lied about the votes like the others.
Rachel - Rachel is just a question mark at the moment. I *want* to like and trust Rachel much higher on this list but we only had a couple days to meet before.
Lindsey - don't trust her. Supposedly she could be an ally before long, but at the moment, I just don't.
Jacob - don't trust him either.
Jay - just meeting Jay but he has an oddly similar vibe to Brad. Could just be the Australian thing;
Jessica - public enemy #1


5. So now what?

Haha great question!

I'm sure I will have more to update in the coming days but from first glances at the merge I think it's possible to get Me-Genie-Shirin-Ricard-Will-Lindsey into a group but that's only 6 people out of 14. Wendell's group is Him-Jacob-Jay-Taylor-Bret-Jessica -- another 6. Erika is likely to join our side I think. Especially if it is for Jessica.

Rachel's allegiance is a bit unclear atm. But I think if I can somehow win over Rachel, that would be a real helpful extra person to have right now. Operation: Make Rachel Love Tyler is now in effect. 

It *seems* there is something of a half and half split in possible allegiance happening here and it really appears from my perspective that the lines are drawn Rhodes vs Crete--STILL. We'll see if anything comes of the secret 4 alliance...


Ok, I know this is on the shorter side for me, but I am going to *try* to get some actual sleep tonight. Wish me luck!

*So* fucking happy right now :P