[Sarah Jones]

Welcome to the all men's Taraku tribe! Hopefully you're hitting it off with the rest of your tribe because for the next 30 some days these people will determine your fate in the game. Just a few questions to ponder as we head into the weekend.

1-How do you feel about the tribe split? do you think there are any advantages to being on an all male tribe? any disadvantages?
2-Who on the tribe are you meshing with? who could you do without?
3-what is your general strategy for the tribal portion of the game? are you looking for a tight alliance, or just going with the flow?
4-Jeff announced that the tribe will be rating each other from most important to least important. Where do you think you'll fall on the spectrum? Do you think there is a benefit to being near the top? near the bottom?

Best of luck! We're so excited to watch you play!

[Charlie]

Today is my first day in Kuril Islands and I am intimidated by the gameplay afoot. We've been here for a few hours and I definitely think the game is alive and kicking. I think being in a single gendered group does intensify things. I feel like there's something about being only with your gender that makes people cattier. I have my own particular issues with being only around other males and I think a lot of people have issues like that, whether they are conscious or subconscious.

Being separated by gender was my worst nightmare growing up. It meant be tormented through the whole gym class being called a "princess" and some other not so kosher names I don't want to repeat. It meant every time the teacher said anything in boy's health class it was turned into a joke about how loose my hole was or how much I loved dick and the teachers not even bothering to stop the comment. It meant dropping out college during my first go at it because I got assigned to the only all male floor on campus which featured the baseball and wrestling team and I was ostracized and felt horribly uncomfortable in the place I was living every day.

But when I saw that the tribes were divided by gender I was actually kind of excited. I'm a boy, I'm a girl, I'm neither, I'm both, I'm just me and this could be the perfect season to showcase that being just you is the most important thing.

Despite my fears and reservations, I don't feel any discomfort with this group of guys. I think the difference is of course that these guys are probably more mature than anyone I dealt with in my school and college days. And were chosen to be on this and almost surely have good hearts deep down and lots of redeeming qualities. But also I think I'm different. I'm not the kid who doesn't know who they are. I'm confident and being myself.

I mean I'm being myself as much as I can. I am also lying quite a bit. Spreading lots of misinformation about my impressions of others. Could bite me in the ass, could be the beginning of a great social game. I think I've got my hand in just about everyone's cookie jar right now but I have to assume that everyone has some body part in everyone's cookie jar. Guess that means I'll have to play that much harder.

I'll truly think about gameplay and delve deep when I have a moment to catch my breath. I think Wardog could totally stab me in the back but I am favoring him right now for true allegiance even over the Five Kings (formerly Four Kings). If you also love Kristen Bell I also love you so that runs deep for me. Of the Five Kings I don't trust Matty. We were kind of thrown into it together by both making connections with Randy and Marcus and tried to become friendly but didn't make a super meaningful connection yet. Ron is someone I would love to play with and be true to but I'm not sure I see him making it too long. He's raised a couple eyebrows. I love Chris, he will either be my downfall in this game or we will go far together, I just feel it. So much to ponder, so much more to play. Can't wait

[Danni Boatwright]

But when I saw that the tribes were divided by gender I was actually kind of excited. I'm a boy, I'm a girl, I'm neither, I'm both, I'm just me and this could be the perfect season to showcase that being just you is the most important thing.

Imagining the TV edit with soaring hero music leading into your fan favorite and Sia money win <3

[Ziggy Lichman]

I'll truly think about gameplay and delve deep when I have a moment to catch my breath. I think Wardog could totally stab me in the back but I am favoring him right now for true allegiance even over the Five Kings (formerly Four Kings). If you also love Kristen Bell I also love you so that runs deep for me. Of the Five Kings I don't trust Matty. We were kind of thrown into it together by both making connections with Randy and Marcus and tried to become friendly but didn't make a super meaningful connection yet. Ron is someone I would love to play with and be true to but I'm not sure I see him making it too long. He's raised a couple eyebrows. I love Chris, he will either be my downfall in this game or we will go far together, I just feel it. So much to ponder, so much more to play. Can't wait

Tell us more about this five kings alliance. Who made it? Who are its members? How early into the game was it made? Do you believe you have the majority with this alliance?

[Charlie]

Imagining the TV edit with soaring hero music leading into your fan favorite and Sia money win <3
[/quote]



My goal in life is to win not only the Sia money but the Randy money. To be so heroic and queer that Sia does not even mind that I absolutely murdered the chickens.

[Charlie]

Alright question number 2, tribe dynamics and telling more about the 5 Kings, thanks Ziggy.

I do feel like I've got a pretty strong position in our tribe right now. I have made tight allegiances to Wardog, Ron and Marcus. But I am also a member of the 4 Kings alliance started very quickly into the game and expanded to the 5 Kings with the addition of Chris, who I feel I have an unspoken tight alliance to.

I think Marcus was actually the driving force behind that alliance, but it could just as easily be Randy who I think are both playing similarly strong social games to mine and could both be threats down the line. Matty is the one who started the 4 Kings group chat and would seem to be the originator of the alliance but I'm assuming Marcus is pulling the strings and made the suggestion. What other reason would Matty have to include me in the group at all when we had yet to speak?

The 5 Kings Charlie, Chris, Marcus, Matty, and Randy, is not an alliance built to last. We are going to use it to survive the first vote and then we're going to cannibalize. I'm hoping it's me who can do the damage since I have some tight outside connections, but the other Kings could be doing the exact same thing.

Also it's hilarious that this is the name of the alliance and that I've been referred to as a king even by tribemates outside of the alliance as a joke because in real life anytime someone calls me a king I correct it to Queen. Honestly I think that's why I am going to come out on top after this alliance falls apart. These boys don't know they're actually playing with a Queen. The King moves one space at a time and the Queen is always a couple of steps ahead.

I also have to be careful to assume that there isn't anyone else like me on the tribe. I have been putting out some probing questions about sexuality here and there re: cuteness of avatars but haven't gotten much back. Chris and Ron could both be in the LGBT family but I ain't here to play for family, I'm here to play for me, so I'm not sure if finding that out will bond us closer or make me weary of a threat. We're a very scrappy people.

I am going to try my best to win the challenge, but I do secretly hope we lose. I am itching to find out what the hell is really going on in Taraku because everything can't be exactly what it seems.

[Charlie]

careful NOT to assume, sorry.

[Charlie]

Tribal strategy is going to have to adapt as I go. If the 5 Kings do stay tight I'll try to wait till we pick off the outsiders who I don't have a tight alliance with before flipping, but I also know that everyone is going to be ready to make a move and I have to be the one who strikes first. I just need to be the one on the tribe that everyone is coming to with information without making it obvious that I have any information. I think I have already made a few mistakes with information, like revealing that I was PM'd by Jeff to apply for the show. That was never something I should have disclosed because if I found that out from another player I think it would elevate their threat level in my eyes.

I also know that everyone else is being very careful with information and misinformation because every single person says they're totally new to a game like this and I don't buy that we're all total noobs for a second. The most critical part of my game right now is that I do not do well on the rankings. I should be actively going harder at it, but the fan in me who is genuinely curious about where I will rank is fighting with the player in me who knows I need to rank low. I do have Wardog (hopefully) putting me in at number 10 which will do some work in lowering my ranking and thus my overall profile.

I have to keep a low profile but also be totally in the know. Don't know how I'm going to maintain that but I think I'm doing alright so far.

[Charlie]

Dear Hosts, Susie waved at me across the bay and I blew a kiss back. She has sent me another message but I'm assuming I didn't hear her right? I don't plan to message back. If I have violated a rule and I will adjust accordingly!!

[Gary Hogeboom]

Thanks for not replying back. No crosstribe communication is allowed outside of challenge beach during live challenges

[Charlie]

I wanted to lose and go to tribal but now I'm terrified of it. I have to get the vote onto Ace, who I like, or hope Devens is expendable to the new alliance. Because I have personal connections already to people in both alliances. Chris is with me no matter what but I don't want Wardog/Eric or Marcus/Randy to be distrusting of me. And Ron is at risk tonight too I fear. I'm ready to give it my all. I can't believe I actually really like these guys.