Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Survivor: San Juan del Sur - LEGO - Spa Day

The Final 6 return to camp after voting Alec out.  Everyone is confused, and Natalie pretends to have mixed up her vote.

The Reward Challenge involves teams belted together, racing through hay bales & posts, & carrying a bucket of water over a giant see-saw.  When there's enough water on the other side, a gate will be released, & the teams will complete a puzzle.  This challenge was designed by a 13 year old via the Make a Wish Foundation, & it's pretty great.  Winning team gets a



Missy hurts her ankle on the see-saw, but she, Keith, & Jon still win the reward.  Jon gives up his spot to Baylor so she can share this experience with her Mom, & also because 


Keith says


Natalie volunteers for Exile while Keith, Missy & Baylor head for their spa day, & Jon & Jacyln go back to camp by themselves.

At the spa, Keith examines Missy's ankle.


Keith eats spa food, showers, then gets rubbed.


Back at camp, Jon & Jaclyn discuss having to break up the alliance of 5 if Keith wins Immunity. Natalie is having a hard time at Exile, & she shares how much she's missing her sister Nadiya, who was voted out first.  She is greeted with a rice bowl when she rejoins Huyopa at the Immunity Challenge.  

Missy's hobbling in & Probst calls in medical.  Dr. Ben shows up & after an examination, recommends an X-Ray, which means pulling Missy from the game.


I took that LEGO pic during a commercial break, when I was still thinking about Dr. Ramona.  (Not Roberta, thank you to those who corrected me on twitter.  You would think being that close to the Survivor Drs name would be good enough but NO.)  I thought about remaking it with Dr. Ben, but discovered that the only doctor outfits I have in LEGO are women's, which made me happy, so Dr. Ramona is back, you guys!

Missy cries.  A lot.  Maybe more than my beloved Dawn.


Missy declines the X-Ray & says she's staying in the game but won't compete for Immunity.  The Immunity Challenge involves holding onto ropes & balancing themselves & a vase on a see-saw. Probst keeps calling them teeter-totters, but I'm sorry - when you're an adult, you say see-saw.  Natalie wins Immunity after a strong gust of wind knocks Jon's vase down.  But don't worry, he's still optimistic.


Aw, puddin'.  What a nice young man.  Jon & Jacyln are confident that Keith will be voted out, but Natalie is finally going to get her revenge for the Jeremy vote.  She, Keith, Missy, & Baylor will split the votes between Jon & Jaclyn in case an idol is played.  But Missy is hard to convince because she has a deal with Jon that she feels she can't break.

Time for Tribal Council & the jury & the face that inspired a million tweets.




Time to vote & votes are read & it's a three-way tie between Keith & Jon & Jaclyn.  Revote gets Jon voted out, because despite Missy's reluctance, only Natalie & Baylor's votes are needed.

Tonight is the finale, & I've been convinced to let Kai live-tweet it, so follow @SonofMomofKai for a 10 year old's perspective, & spelling errors.  He's really into emojis.

Share your thoughts below in the comments, on twitter (@MomofKai) or on this blog's Facebook page!

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

Survivor: San Juan del Sur - LEGO - Immunity Deals

Huyopa returns to camp for a double episode after the departure of Wes.  Reed & Alec are all WTF, KEITH?  "When you said 'Stick with the plan' I was like 'Oh my god, Keith, you're killing me right now...so [Jon} panicked & he played the idol."


Jon is upset that Jaclyn thanked Natalie for telling him to play his idol.  Jon wants to claim it was his idea for the jury.


Jaclyn is pissed that Jon...actually, I don't really know why she's pissed, but I had to remind Kai that they're engaged right now because he was getting upset that they were fighting.

"'Screw him'?!?  But she loves him!"

The Reward Challenge will be questions about the Survivors who have been voted out.  A question answered correctly earns a chop at a rope holding up an effigy of a fellow Survivor.  Three chops and that Survivor is out, by way of a rock that falls, crushing a skull that's filled with blood.

"I like that."

These kinds of challenges never skimp on the horror.  I mostly think of One World's version.



Or as @melgotserved pointed out in her blog...


The winner gets a horseback ride, a BBQ, brownies, & a night at a resort.


Reed's is the first skull to be smashed, and Alec's & Keith's quickly follow.  The alliance of 5 then stands there discussing what to do next - who should win, who should go to Exile.


Probst calls off the challenge & asks who they want to give the win to.  Missy "wins", Jon volunteers to go to Exile.  Missy gets to/has to choose 2 people with whom to share her reward, & she chooses Baylor & Natalie, leaving Jaclyn out.  Reed calls Baylor a brat & Missy gets her back up.  "That's my kid."  But I mean with those bedroom eyes & that baby beard, how could anyone be mad at that face? <3


Someone who can't seem to grow a beard, Jon, wanted to go to Exile to find one of the idols that are back in play.  Guess what?  He finds it, just as easily as he found his first.  And just like his previous stint on Exile, back at camp a Christy brother is hitting on Jaclyn.  Alec says "It's not gonna hurt anybody.  It's just kinda like cream cheese."


Kai finds this hi.lar.ious & starts listing off things he would never put cream cheese on.

"Steak.  Chicken fingers.  Rice Krispie Squares.  Pizza."

Alec takes the sweetening to another level.


The Immunity Challenge involves rolling balls down paddles & landing them in holes.  Basically:


Keith wins, prompting this from Jon:


Jon & Jaclyn fight & it takes up a lot of the rest of the episode until Tribal Council, when they talk about fighting some more, and Reed is voted out & I am sad.

Kai basically checks out at this point as 2 hours of Survivor, 1 of which is relationship drama, 1 of which is now running past his bedtime, has bored him into reaching to play on his iPad.

The next Reward Challenge involves standing on a small block while keeping a ball against wood using a fat rolling pin.  The last person standing wins a bed at camp, which, as the winner of an air mattress in the Final Reward Challenge of my theatre group's Survivor weekend, I can tell you will be greatly appreciated. (I won mine on our Day 3 out of 4 & almost cried from happiness).  They also win carbs in the form of pasta so it's a reward made for me.

Natalie wins this amazingness, sends Alec to Exile, & chooses Jon & Jaclyn to share the reward.  Natalie is still intent on getting rid of Jon.


Natalie approaches Baylor & asks her to vote out Jon, but without telling Missy, because Missy's "blinded by Jon".


The Immunity Challenge is one from the first Blood vs Water, involving leveling a table upon which tiles need to be lined up.  Let's have a look back at how Monica did with it.


Jon wins Immunity, throwing a wrench into Natalie's plan.  The 5 decide to split votes between Keith & Alec, with the majority of votes going to Keith.

At Tribal Council, voting out Challenge Threats is brought up.  Keith admits:


Keith ends up being saved, & Alec is voted out, leaving behind a bewildered Missy & Jon & a smirking Natalie.

Share your thoughts below in the comments, on twitter (@MomofKai) or on this blog's Facebook page!





Monday, December 01, 2014

Survivor: San Juan del Sur - LEGO - Oh Snap

I'm back after my run of Cabaret, and a much-needed break.  Since I've been gone, we've lost Kelley, Dale, Julie, Josh, & Jeremy, the latter two becoming the first 2 members of the jury.  Keith and Jon both have idols.

This episode begins with the tribe returning to camp after voting Jeremy out.  We're shown an adorable sloth, & are led to believe that said sloth is just hanging &/or creeping around in the dark camp, eavesdropping.


What is with this trend of vilifying sloths?  How are we not all loving sloths the way Kristin Bell does?  Or, at the very least, the way Chunk does?

Much like sub-alliances, a vote not turning out the way he expected it to was something Keith didn't know was a thing that sometimes happens on Survivor.  Keith is now wary of Reed because



Natalie is now without her ally Jeremy, and is intent on voting Jon out and finding the idol she knows is at camp.

The Reward Challenge is a Team Challenge that involves swimming, climbing, unlocking puzzle pieces, and building a statue.  First team to finish wins a trip to deliver baseball equipment to local children - baseball food included.  Jon, Jaclyn, Reed, & Alec win the Reward, but Reed gives up his spot for Missy after Baylor cries that her Mom hasn't won a reward yet.  The winning team sends Wes to Exile.

Everyone was all smiles at the Reward, because only Spencer doesn't like underprivileged children.


Back at camp, Reed explains voting to Keith, & Natalie & Baylor look for the idol even though Baylor doesn't know what's going on.


The Immunity Challenge is an Endurance Challenge, where Survivors stand on a small perch, and hold onto handles above their hands.


Side note: I am in love with Natalie's braids & even though my hair is super long & healthy, hers is about 3" longer & I fear I will never be happy with my hair again until it is at her length.

Probst tempts with chocolate & candy & Jon steps down as he says he felt like he wasn't going to last anyway.  Keith, still up there, is not impressed.  "Heck, I'm 53."

Kai isn't impressed either.
"'I'm 53'...says the guy wearing the backwards camouflage hat."

After 30 minutes, Probst taunts with "There's no way this doesn't hurt".  Alec says


"Does he know how that ended?"

Missy bails, & minutes later Baylor & Jaclyn jump down for cookies & milk.  Somewhere, Angie is saying I TOLD YOU, MOTHERFUCKERS.

Wes jumps down for chicken wings & 2 beers.  The man loves his tacos & wings...and something else, too.


The challenge goes on so long that Jon & Jaclyn fall asleep on the sidelines, & a Wes that just had 2 beers turns into Chris Farley.


Natalie is struggling to stay up, can't even spit past her own t-shirt, and her only competition left is Reed, who's flexing & smiling & winking.  She jumps down for a killer meal she orders from Probst, & Reed wins Immunity.  Almost immobile, Reed slowly lowers himself down off of his perch until he stretches out Broadway style.


Inspired by his own flexibility perhaps, Reed plans with Alec to get a split vote going between Keith & Wes, but to actually vote with Keith & Wes & get Jon out.  While walking around with fish in his hands, Alec convinces Jon & Jaclyn to just trust him & believe him & maybe he's taking the Jesus thing a little too far now.


Tribal Council is amazing.  Nobody is sure of anything, everyone is paranoid & they all start talking over everyone else.  Reed flat out tells Keith to stick to the plan, Jon & Jaclyn openly discuss and argue about what they're doing, & Missy compares everyone to popcorn because she has nothing useful to add.  Baylor compares it to a Fun House, & says that she basically feels like:


but at the same time, kind of like:


& also like:


When it's finally time to vote, Natalie tells Jon he should play his idol.  He plays it.  Keith sees this & tells Wes to get theirs out.  There are gasps.  Keith tells Wes to play it, & Wes declines because it isn't an eating contest.  Keith plays the idol - which he never even unwrapped - for himself.

Probst reads the votes & Kai is giggling & shaking with excitement.

"Jon - does not count.  Jon - does not count.  Keith - does not count.  Keith - does not count.  Jon -  does not count.  Keith - nobody with any votes.  Wes."  Wes is voted out, but at least he participated in some great eating contests while in Nicaragua.

Jeremy, who had insisted that Keith had found the Exile Idol all along, was hilarious watching all of this unfold from the jury.




There has been a lot of talk about how bad this season is - but after 2 exciting Tribal Councils in a row, I think I disagree.  Share your thoughts below in the comments, on twitter (@MomofKai) or on this blog's Facebook page!


Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Survivor: San Juan del Sur - LEGO - Bro Down. WE HAVE A BRO DOWN.

Coyopa returns to camp after writing John Rocker's name down.  Paper really does cover rock.

Dale is concerned that he didn't see this coming, & vows to amp up his social game.  Otherwise,


Over at Hunahpu, Natalie finds the flint that Jon lost.  Drew is aggravated that they traded fishing gear for a new flint at the last Reward Challenge.


Drew decides he's going to try to trade the flint for fishing gear from Probst.  Basically, he decides:


At the Reward Challenge/Exile Banishment, Drew is *not* ready to get to their next Reward Challenge.  He suggests a trade with Probst.


The Reward Challenge involves a grappling hook, 3 bags of balls, & a catapult to launch the balls into 5 baskets.  First person to land all 5 balls wins a choice of comfort items or campfire food.  Jon competes against Jaclyn, & beats her.  He chooses Drew to go to Exile Island with her, & Hunahpu chooses comfort as their reward.

At Exile, Drew can appreciate that Jaclyn is attractive, but Jon need not worry.


Drew's really out there to strategize and manipulate minds.  Yes.  He tells Jaclyn that he's going to throw the Immunity Challenge because there are snakes on his tribe that have to go.

Back at Hunahpu, alongside A LOT OF SNAKE FOOTAGE, Keith looksssss for the idol that hisssss Exsssssile Island clue wassss for.  He can't find it & assssssumesssss that Jeremy mussssst have it.  He tellsssss everyone elsssssse to keep that in mind.  Reed tellssss Jeremy what Keith ssssssaid.


Keith goes back for one more look, finds the idol, & decides he'll keep it to himself.

Over at Coyopa, Baylor takes the Tree Mail to read it & Alec accuses her of snatching it.


Ugh, not a woman.  They're the worst type of human.

Drew projects his feelings of inadequacy onto Baylor & they have a twisted Boone/Shannon relationship & it's kind of weird.

Time for the Immunity Challenge & Kai's mind is blown.

"Jeff is wearing a black shirt!  We have to change the minifigure!"



The Immunity Challenge is a race through water & obstacles to retrieve 3 rings, which must then be hooked onto a post.  Drew throws the challenge, & Coyopa wins their first Immunity.  Probst asks "Who wants it?" & nobody does because it's fucking creepy.

Over the weekend, Kai & I went to a really terrible wax museum in Niagara Falls with Haley Strong.  We went strictly because it looked horrible.  Boy, were we right.  Anyway, while we were there, we saw the Immunity Idol.


Drew says, "If I don't want to win, we're not going to win. And that's what makes me the Kingpin of my tribe."



Back at camp, Drew apologizes to his tribe.  Usually I'm the best thrower.  Uh, of rings, of course.  And balls, yes, also balls.  Not challenges, that's crazy why would you even say that is that a Howler monkey come here buddy hey guys watch this I bet I can get him to sit on my shoulder what were we talking about again?



Drew decides that Kelley is the biggest threat on Hunahpu because "she has not missed one episode of Survivor."  Imagine that?  Someone watching the show they're competing on? AND she's a woman?  Gross, get her out.  Drew continues his asinine behaviour all the way up to Tribal Council.

At Tribal, Jeremy confronts Keith about his lie.  Keith doesn't seem to understand that they could have been a tight alliance of 2 within their larger alliance.


Everyone is confused, & 4 different names are written down.  Drew is voted out.

"If Jeff ever says 'The tribe has spoken' to me, I'll say: 'Yes they have, Jeff.  Yes they have.'"

Drew can't blame his tribe, really, what with him being a physical powerhouse, strategic mastermind, AND he's kind of known in some parts of Europe for his modeling?  I mean, yeah, get that threat out of there.

You probably noticed that Kai didn't have a lot to say this episode.  Honestly, he mostly just sat beside me, shaking his head.

I will try to live-tweet as much as possible, but I won't be recapping the next few episodes of Survivor, as I'll be on a work trip this weekend, & after that I'll be in Hell Week & the 2-week run of a production of Cabaret, in which I'm playing prostitute Fräulein Kost.  If you're in the Toronto area, come see (a lot of) me!  Tickets at curtaincallplayers.com.


Share your thoughts below in the comments, on twitter (@MomofKai) or on this blog's Facebook page!







Tuesday, October 14, 2014

Survivor: San Juan del Sur - LEGO - Grow Some Balls

Coyopa returns to camp from Tribal Council, where Val has just been voted out.  Baylor is shaken from an almost-blindside, & Rocker is wondering who flipped.


Rocker reinforces that he's good with the Five Guys Alliance.  Dude, you don't have to have a Five Guys Alliance just because they had a Five Guys Alliance in the first Blood vs Water season.  Brad Culpepper pops by quickly to remind Rocker what their Five Guy Alliances actually are:


At Hunahpu, Drew is remembering that he was warned about tropical storms.  Has our conscience shown?  Has the sweet breeze blown?  They haven't experienced one yet, so Drew calls his tribe to action, preparing the shelter for a storm.  The only thing is, weaving palm fronds can be tedious work, bro.


Keith is appalled at Drew's laziness & let's us know exactly what he would do to this grown man if he were his own son.


Natalie annoys Drew while he's sleeping & snoring & calls him out on it, & I really, really like Natalie.  Jeremy tells her Drew's moronic behaviour is good for their game, but doesn't know if he'll last as long as he needs to for Jeremy to drag him to the end.

At the Reward Challenge/Exile Banishing, Jeremy sees that Val has been voted out.  Rocker publicly apologizes to Jeremy, & now both tribes know that they had struck a deal on Exile Island to look out for each other's loved one.

The Reward Challenge involves balancing on a wobbly beam, using giant spatulas to transfer tiles from one end to the other.  First to stack six wins a choice of a tarp, pillows, blankets, etc... or fishing gear.

Julie & Jaclyn do the Rock Paper Scissors, & again, playing against someone connected to Rocker, the challenger plays Rock.  Rocker never shared this info with Julie, & instead of playing Paper, she plays Scissors & loses.  Both Julie & Jaclyn just stand there for a minute trying to figure out who won because doesn't rock sharpen scissors?




Wes decides to compete as he says his Dad wouldn't be good at this at all & it sounds like he's angling for a whoopin'.  Probst keeps calling Wes "West" as if he's the Dread Pirate Roberts & not a Fireman from Louisiana.  Wes wins the first challenge for Coyopa, & Keith gets emotional instead of corporal punishment-al.

Wes chooses Josh to go to Exile with his Dad, & Coyopa chooses the fishing gear over the comfort.
Rocker leaves with one last "I did everything I could, I swear to you" to Jeremy, but Jeremy is now out to get Rocker.  Looks like this bromance was short-lived.



Intent on stirring up hate for John Rocker, Jeremy tells all of Hunahpu who he is.  "He said a bunch of racist and homosexual stuff".  Where is that article, because that one I'd like to read.  Julie isn't around for any of this, as she is crying in the woods because...I actually don't know.  She thinks Jeremy will vote her out next in retaliation?  She enjoys a good bromance & just really thought those two would hit it off?   She's upset.

On Exile Island, Keith & Josh are bonding.  If Keith wouldn't know how to act in Massachusetts, how is he going to know how to act on Broadway & 42nd?  He shares the Urn's clue with Josh, & they deduce that Rocker & Jeremy may have the idols.  They eat snails & figure out sleeping arrangements.  Keith declares "There won't be no spoonin'".  Yeah, I don't know if Keith has paid attention to what Josh is used to spooning with.  How ever will he resist the temptation of Keith?

LEGO just wouldn't do this body justice, & you know it, too.

At Coyopa, Baylor's trying to convince the boys to work with her & Jaclyn instead of Rocker.  Alec says She asks many questions, like children often do.

The Immunity Challenge involves an obstacle course for pairs, searching for balls to be shot into a basket.  First tribe to sink 3 wins Immunity.  Hunahpu wins, & Natalie starts yelling at Coyopa, urging them to vote out Rocker.




"I was hoping for a real fight."

Back at camp, Rocker says "Natalie called me a homophobe today.  Really?  My closest ally & closest friend on this tribe is a gay man."  And then my Twitter feed looked like:



Rocker attempts to get everyone on board for Dale while really getting them on board to vote for Baylor, but everyone seems to still want Rocker gone.  At Tribal Council, Jacyln has one piece of advice for the men on Coyopa:



Rocker does not play his Immunity Idol, & is voted out.

"Do you get to keep your Idol if you don't play it?  You do?  Then I would never play my Idol.  I would keep it as a souvenir."


Share your thoughts below in the comments, on twitter (@MomofKai) or on this blog's Facebook page!