My Perspective of the Game

[Kyle]

Episode 12: Annette Lance-ed

R.I.P. ANNETTE

At this point of the game, I felt safe. I felt like my alliance with Taylor/Jenne/Gracie was rock solid and in the clear cut majority. Seven of us left, four of us reigning. I had no idea that Lucas was a lifelong bud of the three, and even if I had caught completely on there was nothing I could've done because those 4 had an alternate majority. Besides....Ellie had just confirmed in her previous vote for me what her intentions were for my future.

ELLIE:
Tonight, I'm voting for KYLE. I've voted for you before and I'll continue to vote for you if we both stay. I just trust you the least and I think you're a threat to me and my position in this game. Good luck to you though and nothing personal.

So I doubt very seriously I could've rounded up support from her at this point. My number one rule for this game is to get to know someone first and THEN strategize. I think that a human being is so much more important than a game pawn, and I would've had a difficult to time trying to strategize with Ellie when we had had only a few conversations before then.

So I had nothing left to do but go with the crowd for this vote and the barrels had been aimed at Annette because of her challenge skills and nothing more. Annette was one of my favorite people to meet and chat with during this game, and we were all the time showing off pictures of her daughter Shanley and my neice Emmy.

Basically there's nothing new to report here. Just the monotony of the powers that be picking off outsiders one at a time for an ultimate predictable finish.

BUT....stay tuned.

Things do get mixed up a little bit!

[Kyle]

Episode 12 part 2: Ellie Checks In

R.I.P. KYLE & ELLIE

At last it's come.
It's come at last!
The day we knew would come at last, has come at last!

Before I go into my swan song or land on that one last mine that takes my ass out, I have to make mention to the fact that at the immunity challenge NUMBER 12 and thereafter, Ellie decides to bring her cute little button nose to the game and start playing. When I sat down to do that fateful little Celebrity Lovers challenge I almost asked who the cute blonde girl was. "That's Shii Ann......er, I mean Ellie."

First off.......wow! I knew maybe 75% of the answers to those questions and I swear I couldn't have taken more than 2 seconds to send those answers to Karen. But Ellie....sheeeeez! Always just ahead of us. Talk about your highspeed internet! We may as well all have just sat there while she took us all out. Were we surprised that I was the first taken out? HA! Well....at the time I wasn't too terribly concerned because ONCE AGAIN Lucas was supposed to have his torch snuffed the following tribal council. How many times have we heard that before?

I'm gonna have to say that during the game, that kind of irked me a bit. I wanted Lucas gone badly after Jamie's TC and I waited patiently. But when Jenne and Gracie were pissed off at Lucas THEN it was time to cut him off.

Divas.

Then after that challenge, everyone disappeared. I remember that vividly. Taylor and Jenne went out of town, Lucas went into hiding, Ellie went back to where she had been the whole game, and all that was left was Gracie and I and the crickets. Gracie played this whole "I'm so nervous, I don't know what's going on" the entire span between Monday night and Thursday night that I got suspicious. If the vote was set for Lucas, then why was she so nervous? I mean, we obviously had the power right? I still to this day don't even know what that was all about. But still, for the most part, those quiet three days were fairly care free for me. Lucas was it. That was all I needed to know. The night before tribal council I knew Jenne was having long heated discussions with both Lucas and Ellie, and before I signed off for the night I encouraged her to not let Ellie and Lucas break her.

"I'm not breakable," is exactly what she assured me. She was set, unmoveable, true to her word. Just what both she and Gracie promised me the whole game. Gracie assured me more than once that I would not be the odd man out of this big 5 alliance. "I won't let that happen," I believe was some of her exact words.

This didn't appear in the episode:

JenneUCSC: ellie knows about our alliance
JenneUCSC: i'm upset
JenneUCSC: she's crying
JenneUCSC: i'm crying
JenneUCSC: i';m sad
Kdadams76: well how could she not know by now?
Kdadams76: you're not going to cave into her are you?
JenneUCSC: what do you mean?
JenneUCSC: what is there to cave to?
Kdadams76: i know its sad...but don't you think it would've been worse when she's voted out?
Kdadams76: everything ok?
JenneUCSC: i guess so
JenneUCSC: i suck butt
Kdadams76: no you don't.....but i'm sorry you feel bad
Kdadams76: i can empathize...i really can
JenneUCSC: i really care about her. like how i care about you. if this was happening withyou, you know iw ould be balling
JenneUCSC: this game is hard
Kdadams76: I know it
Kdadams76: I really cared about Ryan
Kdadams76: is this changing our plans?
JenneUCSC: no its not
JenneUCSC: of course it isnt
JenneUCSC: i'm upset thats all

So yes....it was a shock to me when I signed on just a little bit before TC and Jenne tells me I'm out. At the time I could not understand why in the world they would choose Lucas over me, but that was quickly explained in the next TC that I got to attend as juror...I'll get to that in a minute...

Kyle: do you have a Teen Beat in front of you?
Taylor: we all suck
Karen: whom are you shooting?
Ellie: Heh, no I don't read that.
Ellie: I'll go with Kyle
Kyle: i should have just shot it myself
Taylor: who has what left now Karen
Karen: ok...
Jenne: with the teen beat crack? What you expect

I just have to say quickly that no where in that challenge was I "needling" or "demeaning" Ellie. I was quiet for most of the challenge anyway, and clearly not shocked that she was taking me out first. The Teen Beat comment....yes I was sparring in fun because Ellie was kicking our butts. But it hardly was the game shifting attack that it was made out to be....well more so in the actual game than what was aired here. So that was what my final words to Ellie were all about. But seeing how she made no mention of it anywhere else, in her vote reason or final words, I'm beginning to believe others were more concerned about it than she was. So that was that.

And that was that for my game. Ellie pulled a Shii Ann, and Lucas was saved for a 3rd time. He was the target up until the night before. Taylor had even left his vote for Lucas. The 2 year connections strike again!

I'll have to admit...it stung....a lot. When you've played in this game for such a long time remaining close to the same people, you bond. And even though it is a game, you get wrapped up in the intensity of it so I don't care what anyone says, but it hurts. What hurt the most is that neither Jenne or Gracie would tell me why. So I wasn't mad or bitter, just disappointed...

UNTIL the results from the next TC came back. Then I was livid.

Gracie: *hugs Taylor*
Jenne: *hugs mikey*
Jenne: *hugs beth*
Taylor: Way to Go Mikey Beth and Jenne
Jenne: *hugs taylor*
Jenne: we can say our names!!!!

When this was revealed, I about hit the roof because everything was unfolded in a matter of seconds. Immediately I remembered St. Patrick's Day and realized these people had been friends for a long time. Immediately I remembered the names that Taylor had dropped to me throughout the game. I had already known Jenne and Taylor had been friends for years, and now I understood how Lucas fit into all that. I automatically decided that the 4 of them had come into this game together with a pre-formed alliance. So maybe Taylor didn't know of Beth and Tenzil, but Jenne knew all 3 of Taylor, Beth, and Tenzil playing even though she didn't know "who" Beth would be.

I realize now that I've played a few games that the online gaming world is small and going into a game where you know no one is almost unheard of. But you have to admit it IS an advantage. And it is very difficult for newbies to understand. You just have to adapt and overcome it. My game strategy has changed greatly since this game, so we'll let Valentine's Day be my teething ring.

But anyways...chasing rabbits....when those names were revealed at Ellie's TC, the jury about hit the roof. Everyone of them...even Kelley and Ellie were online during that time ranting and raving on the jury board. Steve came online and told me that Taylor had played in Independence Day and gave me Taylor's alternate screen name. So yes...I felt VERY betrayed by all of them. Good times.

But I do have to sit back and be proud of the fact that I came into this game and wedged myself unwittingly into a clique and almost even broke through them.....and Ellie should be proud as well. I sometimes wonder what I would've done had I found out about their connections before hand. I'd like to say that I would've gone behind them and worked against them, but honestly I think I would've confronted them about it and A) Got myself voted out even sooner or B)Continued to trust them to the very same position.

Who knows? One of those how many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop questions.

So I'm out....Ellie's out....is anyone surprised?

Kyle reports to jury duty in seat number 4!

[Kyle]

PS

Is there anyone out there besides Beth and I reading and posting?

[Lucas]

I'm still reading!


I love being the object of scorn and hate!

[Kyle]

Ever the reveler in villainy! ;D


I need to try it some day!

[gracie]

meh .. I thought I got to the villian! I'm pouting.

*hugs Kyle* this was the first game I've ever played as an alias in ... and I had no clue how I would do with it. There were 3 people in this game I hated not telling who I was .. you were one of them.

Tho come to find out .. the jury had known all along who I really was, which is why I'm still a little confused why it came as a shock .. and why you say everyone was ranting and raving ... especially Kelley .. who knew the longest.

[Jake]

I'm still reading! Looking forward to see how this all turns out...

[Kyle]

gracie said:

Tho come to find out .. the jury had known all along who I really was, which is why I'm still a little confused why it came as a shock .. and why you say everyone was ranting and raving ... especially Kelley .. who knew the longest.

I think Kelley and Annette knew you were an alias, but no one knew that the 4 of you were long time friends. That's why the jury hit the roof.

[Kyle]

Episode 13: Saving Lucas #4

R.I.P. TAYLOR & JENNE


I didn't know if I was going to actually finish my perspectives, the number one reason being because I wasn't actually "in" the episodes. Another reason is that I felt like I had dumped on Tenzil quite enough already. But....Beth tells me she was waiting on it and Tenzil assured me he doesn't take anything I say to heart....so I shall finish. Even though only Beth, Tenzil, and Jake are still around to read. At least this is good for me because I never like to leave anything unfinished.

So here we are at a predictable finish. I'm sure the readers saw this coming, and The Band of Brothers had planned this from the moment they solidified their group. So there they are. Taylor, Gracie, Lucas, and Jenne....my Fab 5, er 4. Pardon me. *coughs*

So I was pretty riled during this phase of the game, because it had been revealed to me that they all knew each other, and when Steve gave me Taylor's alternate screen name and told me had played in Independence Day, I knew that Taylor had been a part of the whole scheme. So I was pretty....floored, I guess. That was the whole purpose for my t-shirt and tossing Taylor his buff. I knew Taylor had lied to me when I asked him about it but I just really didn't think it was that big of a deal. Nothing I couldn't move on from anyway. I will say that watching Taylor get his torch snuffed brought a mixture of emotions for me. It kind of cooled me down a bit....not that I was happy to see him out of the game, because I wasn't. I guess I just felt, not as outside of the 5 once he was there. But it did bring about some guilt. I felt like I had ruined his game because I never hid the fact from Jenne and Gracie that he and I were close and probably final 2 partners. I felt they took that as a threat and ousted him because of it. But then again, I was not there, so what does it matter.

I remember, Taylor came into the jury board very apprehensive because there was a lot of hate going on in there and he really caught it from Steve as soon as he walked through the door. I felt I had to defend him at least.

I told the jury to save their hate for Jenne and Gracie...*snicker*

Another thing that wasn't great for me to see in the loser loung when i first entered was a message from Jamie wanting to know the latest boot.

Kyle huh? Well welcome, it took my boyfriend a sweet long time to take revenge he promised me when I'd been voted out. > -Jamie

Not a great thing for me to see when I was already feeling pretty blah. But what I couldn't understand was...why did vengence need to be exacted upon me? If I remember correctly the votes were 7-3. I WAS NOT the only vote for Jamie. And I wasn't even the spearhead for that vote! I thought all day until I signed on for tribal council that the vote was for Kelley, and I was cool with that. Anyway, that's just what was happening then will the final Fab 4 were duking it out amongst themselves.

Nothing much else happened between Taylor's boot and Jenne's...probably because it was only a day's difference. But I was completely shocked when I saw that Lucas had taken Jenne out at final 3. Shocked! Everything from Mitch to Ryan to Jamie to ME seemed like had all been in vain as far as Jenne was concerned.

Then you know what is weird? I was MAD! LOL...no way, not Kyle! I don't over react to anything!

This is why I was mad. Lucas wouldn't still be there if it hadn't been for Jenne over and over again, so I was like....what in the world? How? Why? How? Not that I didn't think Gracie should be there, mind you, I just thought it was kind of a low blow to Jenne for as much as she defended and saved him.

Lucas said it best himself:

I still can't believe I voted her out. I'm horrified I voted her out.

Well, what's done is done, and now I was going to have a difficult time voting for a winner. Not that Jenne being there would've made it any easier, but at the time I didn't want to vote either one of them to win this game. That was until the final TC actually started.

That was interesting to say the least. First of all, it took Lucas 10 hours to answer one question. I have since learned that he pecks the keyboard with two fingers but I didnt know that at the time. So if you noticed this:

Kyle: *looks at watch

I wasn't trying to be an ass. It was taking FOREVER and I really had to leave.

So, I didn't get to stay and experience the entire TC live. I had the pleasure of reading it later so I could vote. I decided before going into that vote, that I was going to listen to their responses and choose with an open mind of who was most honest, and who had played a better game. That was the reason for my question to Lucas....to see if he would fess up to playing me the hardest and enjoying my boot the most, and I felt he was fairly honest about it. My question to Gracie was more a personal thing. I just wanted to confirm that I always had been the outside of the Fab 5, and she said, yes. So...they both had answered me honestly. What actually pushed my vote toward Gracie was that throughout everyone's questions, Lucas seemed to be patting himself on the back for sitting in the final 2 seat. At the time, I was like, really? Seriously? There was a purpose for some of my persepectives being entitled "Saving Lucas 1 through whatever."

That's why my vote went to Gracie...well also she played a superb game. And because Lucas said that I wore my feelings on my sleeve.

Me? Yeah right! *snicker*

So basically....that's it in a nutshell. You traveled with me through just about every emotion I felt in this game from the highs and the lows to the in-betweens. It was a ride I thoroughly enjoyed and wouldn't change a thing.

Well.....I might change some things.... ;D

But all in all I think I did a pretty good job for my second game. Especially with the odds against me as they were. And the friendships....unbelievable. Everything I had hoped for coming into these games, yet nothing I expected.

Lessons learned:

*You can't take everything at face value
*You can't play for a group...unless you KNOW you can trust them
*You can't take the game too seriously
*You can't take the game too lightly
*Jenne loves to write confessionals
*You can turn a game rivalry into an ultimate mutual respect
*You CAN play this game to make friends and still fair well

Those I will take with me, if I so choose to play again elsewhere.

So people, that is what I walk away with. It's been real, and I'm gald I got to share this with you. So that's it for me. Kyle is signing off!

[gracie]

Kyle ... I'm so glad you did finish these .. You rock.

And, I'm exceedingly glad I got to meet you and play the game with you.


Beth

[Angie]

Kyle, I'm a little late reading these due to moving and going on vacation and all that, but I have completely enjoyed your commentaries and hope you check the board at least one more time to know that I did. Thanks for writing them!!