[Dean Kowalski]

The first Tribal Council of merge, it is never an easy one. Jaime was evicted and is the first member of our jury. Always keep in mind, Jurors are people who can potentially be that one extra vote you need in order to win the game!

Most of you are great with your confessionals. But for some of you, try to update the viewers with what your true thoughts are as new situations develop and arise throughout the day. You don't need questions to post in your confessional! Anytime something comes up, just write in here like a personal diary so the lurkers can keep up with you. We can see your chats, but we can't gather what your true thoughts are about some things going on since you're all having your game faces on when talking with other castaways, and the lurkers are always wanting to know if your words to someone may be true or not, before a challenge or tribal happen! Now, let's get into the questions.

1. As said above, we are also in the jury phase now. Congrats on making jury! Let's ask the big question everyone in this phase gets asked: How important do you think jury management is for you?
2. What would you say has been the most difficult thing about merging into one tribe?
3. For some of you, that was your first tribal. For others, this was like any other round. How did you feel about this particular tribal council? Was Jaime leaving the right call for your game, or would you have wanted someone else first as the merge boot? Were you nervous or excited with all the many whispers going around at Tribal?
4. Are you having fun with your Stranded experience? What are some of your favourite highlights so far?
5. Could we get an updated trust rankings with all of your new tribemates included? Top to bottom

[Deshawn]

That title though.

As said above, we are also in the jury phase now. Congrats on making jury! Let's ask the big question everyone in this phase gets asked: How important do you think jury management is for you?

Jury management is VERY important. I've tried to have a solid social game from the start for that particular reason. There is absolutely no way around good jury management if you get to the end of the game. You could win a bunch of challenges but if you've been a horrible person or if you haven't bothered to show any sort of social skills in building relationships, what does that get you?

At the end of the day, jury management will make or break your game and if you haven't started thinking about your relationships, I think you're playing for 2nd or 3rd.

What would you say has been the most difficult thing about merging into one tribe?

I think that meeting Kallpa a day early put me in a weird position where, I did enjoy the advantage of talking to them before the mess that was the merge because it allowed for more normal conversations and we had more time to get to know each other. So in that aspect, I think that was an advantage for me going into the merge. 

On the flip side of that, it also kinda made me Kallpa's "go to" person to figure out what was going on and that was a weird position to be in. I didn't want to lose everything I built with Ancha for 12 days by just opening the whole  playbook to Kallpa, but they're also not stupid so there's only so many times & ways we can delay telling them. Like, people ignoring them for a whole day at a time or pretending we have "no idea" who we're voting for when the 7 of us are in a chat room together at the same time is ridiculous. Its one thing that they're outnumbered but there's no reason to make them feel like idiots. 

For some of you, that was your first tribal. For others, this was like any other round. How did you feel about this particular tribal council? Was Jaime leaving the right call for your game, or would you have wanted someone else first as the merge boot? Were you nervous or excited with all the many whispers going around at Tribal?

I didn't know what to expect going in and I stupidly (stupidly) thought there wouldn't be a lot of whispering going on. Once that started, I was freaking the fuck out. I got very very worried that we were losing control of what was happening. 

Jaime going was ABSOLUTELY not the right call. I did what I could for it not to happen but it obviously wasn't enough. I found it ridiculous that no one seemed set on Jaime actually leaving, everyone was "ok" doing someone else but no one wanted to commit to it. Not a fan of that and not a fan of the pack mentality of just icing people out and ignoring them. 

So that's why the Leslie vote happened. I was worried the Jaime vote might be unanimous and I didn't want it to be so I threw my vote somewhere else. Well, that and to create a little chaos of my own. I kinda hinted at Kallpa that things were weird "because of JR" so I didn't want to vote for him because they would know it was me.

Are you having fun with your Stranded experience? What are some of your favourite highlights so far?

I'm having a LOT of fun. I didn't exactly know what to expect coming in but it's a lot more intense than whatever I imagined it would be. And yeah, I know people told us before we started playing but being told and actually doing it is 2 different things. It's fucking intense. I love how active and social everyone is as I'm sure the whole game would have been way different if the people weren't who they are. I've also been really impressed by the challenges so far. It's been varied and engaging. Now I just gotta win one (or 5).

Could we get an updated trust rankings with all of your new tribemates included? Top to bottom

That's a loaded question 2 days after the merge.

Abraham
Xander
Evvie
Shan
Leslie
Sara
JR
Erik
Heather

But that's probably not right. I'll get back on that last question and give it some more thought.