Cheat Work Thursday

"LIE, CHEAT AND STEAL" So, Spencer's strange edit is finally explained. The stories about growth and "feelings" that felt forced were there to explain the zero votes he received at final tribal. I'm happy for Jeremy, what a likeable winner and man. But I'm also bummed that Spencer lost -- with no votes at all. It took me a day to process this because to feel disappointed immediately after the winner was announced felt like a knock on Jeremy's win, and how could you do that? Jeremy played a good game and did well at the final tribal. Then it felt like we were missing something. Ok, clearly, we are missing votes here. But in a season of all-returnees and many alleged superfans who have declared time and time again of their love for game strategy, not a single juror appreciates Spencer's gameplay? It's hard for me to say this about this jury because I love, love most of the people on it, and I still enjoy watching those that I ...

"VILLAINS HAVE MORE FUN" I'm at a point where I can no longer understand Spencer's confessionals or why there are so many of them. On the other hand, OMG, next week is the finale! I haven't had enough of this season yet. So, it's the morning of day 33. On their usual Starbucks run, Jeremy and Spencer share their worries about their previous night's move getting rid of Joe. Then it's the reward challenge time: an obstacle course that includes untangling rope, creating bridge and tossing sandbags to knock off wooden blocks, and Keith wins it again. He won the same challenge the first time they had it on the show in SJDS. Ok, we know Keith doesn't do yoga, so now I want to know, what does he do in his daily life that makes him good at challenges at 55. Because when I'm 55, I want to be fit enough to run, swim and climb too. (You know, I don't need to run, swim and climb now .) In a very awkward reward pick yet, Keith picks Kelley ...

"TINY LITTLE SHANKS TO THE HEART" Great episode, so many good lines. The episode starts with Spencer and Jeremy having an awkward conversation while having coffee and walking by the beach, checking in with each other to see if they are still good. Meanwhile, Kimmi is suggesting an all-woman alliance to Kelley and Tasha, which means Joe has to go next. Tasha nods her head, and Kelley -- don't worry, she agrees to anything. Then it's time for another reward challenge, and it's the loved ones visit. Ugh. Immediately you knew it, in about two minutes, Spencer was going to confess his love for the first time to his girlfriend. Ok, if you want me to melt my cold heart a little bit, I do like some of the reunions: – Tasha-Cousin Christina, because the second Christina's on screen, it's hard to resist joy with her infectious happiness. – Joe-Dad, because Joe has been talking about his goal to get to the family visit since his first season. I believe...

Wild I cried by the end of Wild. Me crying over movies and TV shows is no longer news. It would be  several years ago, and several years was a long time ago. Good thing it only happens when I'm watching these movies and shows alone. Wild, co-produced by and starring Reese Witherspoon, is based on Cheryl Strayed's memoir of her three-month journey hiking 1,800km of the Pacific Crest Trail. I'm just being old news here as usual. This movie has already received tons of nominations this year, and Reese Witherspoon has probably made 14 movies since. I loove the idea of hiking. I hate running, but I don't mind walking. So as long as I can walk at my own pace, I'd love to go on, well, this long hike. I'll ask a friend -- we'll set up a camp, have lunch under the tree, and enjoy the views and sounds of nature. I just can't... pee (+more) outside! And if this involves camping, I'd need showers. So that's my T&C. Or if we want to be thoroug...

"MY WHEELS ARE SPINNING" The episode starts with Stephen realizing how out of the loop he is. Then we get to the reward challenge. The memory challenge and the fact that it's held at night are ok, I guess, but a number of fun things happen during the challenge: – Abi walking while others are running like mad. (I would have walked, too, by the second question.) – Kelley getting the idol clue. – Stephen deceiving Abi of an answer. In short, Stephen wins again against Spencer in just a mere second. He brings Tasha and Jeremy to the reward, which is a spa trip that they are flown to by a chopper -- Tasha because he wants to mend his relationship with her, and Jeremy because he owes his life in the game to him. Apparently, this decision snaps another button in Spencer's brain as he feels left out. Well, he's already been plotting Stephen's ouster since the previous vote. While Stephen is telling Tasha and Jeremy about his advantage, people are gossipi...

"LIKE SELLING YOUR SOUL TO THE DEVIL" The episode starts at camp after Kelly's vote. Jeremy goes on a damage control tour with Tasha, and Joe tries to keep his cool losing his strong ally. The next day, day 25, it rains bad at Orkun. So let me repeat one of my Survivor pet peeves here: the breathtakingly piss-poor shelter! Why did you build one crappy roof on day one, then stop? Even if 10 people collectively weave one palm branch a day, you should have one huge bungalow with four walls by the third week. (But don't ask me why I don't have $1m in my bank account right now...) After a good amount of time suffering under the rain, they get to the reward challenge, a basketball in the water challenge, also held under the rain. Joe, Spencer, Tasha, Ciera and Abi win a huge lunch that they enjoy while watching acrobatic, fire-dancing, juggling and more performances by the locals. It feels like Ciera's on every reward to date. This stands out because going ...

"WITCHES COVEN" We start the episode with Stephen talking about boil, toil and trouble. I have zero idea what those are. Apparently they are from Macbeth, Shakespeare -- double, double toil and trouble . Pardon me, I don't know those either. Tom Sawyer, Swiss Family Robinson and Breaking Bad -- I'm in. Shakespeare, Mona Lisa and poems -- probably not. The next morning, Jeremy wants another idol, and he and his winner's edit find it! This is unacceptable, Stephen. At the reward challenge, the players are divided into two teams: Purple and Green. Green, which consists of Jeremy, Keith, Kelley, Kelly and Kimmi, is pretty sad. The poles are not necessarily to be lined up by length, and they couldn't figure this out soon enough. So they lose. Also, because they didn't have Joe on their team. Side notes: – Abi was not picked to participate. – During the challenge, Jeff yelled at reminded Stephen to pick it up because this is why he's out there. G...

"YOU CALL, WE'LL HAUL" Before we start, here's what's happening with this recap(ish): My grammar and I still have no idea if this should be written in past or present tense. What I got from my research (ie going to a total of two grammar sites), plot of a story should be written in present tense. After having used past tense for a while, I then tried 'telling a story' in present tense. But it didn't feel right with some sentences. What if this is a report? Should it be written in past tense then? Consciously trying to decide between two tenses is like running through a maze and still coming out confused. So I'm going to stick to whatever feels right for now. (Advice is welcome. Clearly, I need help with analogies too.) Nevertheless, OMG what a great episode! More people should watch today's Survivor. Borneo finale was watched by 50 million people. Most who have left don't know what they are missing now. (By number of viewers, * T...

"PLAY TO WIN" We start the episode on the morning after Woo's vote with a good line -- from Savage! "These folks are professional,"  he says, annoyed that he gets blindsided. Then he ends the confessional with plenty of profanity. LOL. He also says something about " wimpy little non-leader". Because being a non-leader is the worst thing that could happen to anybody. Spencer, in that weird Spencer-way, asks for a guarantee from Savage to not write his name again, which is, of course, blood-bound useful. No one goes back on their word after giving such guarantee. No one. Nevertheless, these people make up and proceed to make a solid six-person alliance. I've lost count of how many five/six-person alliances Kass and Ciera are now in. Then they are told to merge. Savage, under the rain with arms wide to the sky, tells Survivor Gods that he can't wait to reunite with his Bayon brothers. While enjoying their merge feast, they discu...

"BUNKING WITH THE DEVIL" It was a tough four minutes watching Terry receive the news of his sick kid as a viewer. And Terry had to process that for the following 20+ hours on his journey home and even till today. Thankfully, a good enough development for now, his son has since received a heart transplant and is recovering well. _____ We start the following day at the reward challenge, and the tribes get switched again. This time from three to two. Part of me enjoys this Spencer and Kass digging at each other thing, now that they are switched into the same tribe ie the new Ta Keo. The other part knows these two are so undercover BFFs, especially that now, you know, they both finally are able to recognize feelings. So the challenge is slip and slide and ring toss. The best thing that happened in the challenge is Stephen running. I want to elaborate, but – I realize this guy writes in probably perfect grammar. – that scene of him breaking down in confessional mak...

"A SNAKE IN THE GRASS" It was a long wait for the season, and now we are already at episode 5. Post tribal, back at camp, Savage comforts everyone by telling them that Varner is in a better place. The next day, Abi, from thousands of miles away in Cambodia, continues to threaten us, the viewers, that Woo's life is in her hands. At Bayon, Monica wants to save the clams because she needs the supply to last for another 27 days, while Kimmi does not. Oh, Monica. If only you knew. Good line: "No, no pumpkin, no." ~ Kimmi in confessional, both hands on face, trying to calm herself. Spencer's storyline -- him living the island life, complete with music and helicopter shot -- again, is confusing. Where is this going? Speaking of, when I grow up, I want to be Kelly Wiglesworth. I think. Or maybe part of her. The part that is calm and mature and has great body. Huge part, I still want to be smart enough to be rich like Shirin. At the reward challen...

"WHAT'S THE BEEF" Sigh. Varner, the best thing to come out of this season yet, is out. Let's go back a few days. It's not fun to be Woo. He's probably the most drama-free person on the island, but he's also constantly being reminded by Abi that he wrote her name down. Twice. [Insert Woo rolling his eyes GIF.] Abi doesn't even approve of Tasha talking to Woo, "I have a problem when you take someone who just voted for me aside and having conversation with him in private." I imagine Tasha and Woo would rather shave their heads than talk to Abi. It's like managing Joffrey Baratheon. At Bayon, Stephen's storyline is still about the idol that he'll now never find. Back at Angkor, everyone's hungry and miserable, and I feel like giving each of them a hug, even Savage. At the first reward challenge of the season, for the first time, I want Savage to win. I really want them to eat and finally have some energy to weave ...

"WE GOT A RAT" So, Shirin was voted out last episode. I'm more interested in how she made her (by now, I assume) millions in real life actually. She probably made most of them from Google and Yahoo, but how? Help me do the same, Shirin. What do I need to do? Create calendar? Go to work? Surprisingly, I still haven't hated Terry yet. I keep waiting for him to act like a tribe dad, but he hasn't done that yet. Terry's a version of a robot. But the fact that he realizes he's one and he's just trying to get out of his comfort zone sounds acceptable to me. Extra point for that cauldron stirring. Moving on, Mean Probst gathers everyone and splits the two tribes into three. While Savage isn't too excited to start from scratch at the new Angkor, Spencer and connection move on to another level: Survivor God contacts him and tells him that he deserves a new lease of life. He's now at Bayon with Jeremy, Stephen, Kelly, Kimmi and Monica. Quick sum...

"SURVIVOR MACGYVER" So, Varner flipped on his old schools and Vytas was out last episode. The next morning, Varner tells his old school friends that he's back with them, two minutes after he attended a board meeting on who to vote next with the new schools Kelley, Shirin and Spencer. At Bayon, Joe takes the huge target off his back by directing more attention to himself and being more amazing: building hammocks and going fishing for his tribemates. And just by existing, it looks like even the universe is rewarding him with a better, more beautiful white sandy beach than the one at Ta Keo. Alright, the 30-second is up. I'm not watching any more Bayon unless they are showing Keith. So, we're back at Ta Keo. How nervous is Spencer -- while trying to learn about the exciting thing that is chimney from Peih-Gee -- when Abi interrupts and, in a murderous tone, asks Peih-Gee: Abi: So, what's going on, Peih-Gee? Spencer: Wh... what? Peih-Gee: We are bu...

"SECOND CHANCE" I was out of town for almost a week and could not wait until I got back to find out what happened, so I read the recaps first. This is an addiction, I'll take whatever I can get. With Cambodia format, we the fans are bursting with excitement even more. We (some of us?) voted, read and listened to tons of interviews, checked the calendar for filming dates, speculated alliances and gameplay, and maybe have hunted for spoilers and failed. But most importantly, we now know what #crotchframing is. So, the much awaited season starts with the shots of players making the journey to the starting line through the colourful Cambodian village and temples. While I've forgotten a lot of details from past seasons, Cambodia's stunning visual -- from the local shots to the intro montage (dancers in traditional costume, monks in beautiful bright orange), to the intro of the challenge -- has to be one of the best. After a few minutes of reminding everyone tha...

Late night fruit snack: orange and apple Each time I'm five minutes into my exercise, I'd make a vow to never touch those evil chocolate cookies and fries again. I promise that I'll only have lettuce for breakfast for the rest of my life, or for a week first. This TA leg workout is too much. F this exercise thing. I'm going the watch-what-you-eat route. It's how much calories you take and the type of food that matters. Then comes next meal, I know that I'm not going to live on veggies alone. I know that I'll have those pisang goreng, those Tim Tams, those fries, delicious, delicious fries eventually. I swear to God I'll run 5km the next day instead. Which is clearly easier. Just an hour of pain inconvenience but with a long list of benefits: calories burned, metabolism rate increased, energy level increased, cardiovascular health improved, toxins reduced or something, etc. The cycle continues. It's a series of emotional abuse. _____ T...

Photo by Joanna Kosinska on Unsplash Men are lucky. They usually look better without makeup. I took the train the other day. My four main requests to God every time I take the train are simple: - Please make it a safe journey. - Please make it pleasant. - Please don't give me a ticket for parking my car by the roadside. - Please don't let me bump into someone that I know when I'm wearing selipar and no makeup. So I bumped into someone that I know, worse, a client the other day. I'm glad he didn't scream in horror when he saw me and my unwashed hair because I almost did. I hope he'll still believe whatever I say the next time we have a work meeting. I'm embarrassing, but I'm also vain. Speaking of hair washing, it's quite a scary experience for me these days. Only because it's important, I'm reporting this to you: I'm growing my hair back. It's chin-length now. It's in its least friendly phase, so I got it rela...

It's probably harder for me to relate to Becky now that shopping is no longer my main motivation to keep breathing, but this is a friendship of 15 years. I'm catching up. (Will update as I go along.) WEDDING NIGHT A standard Sophie Kinsella book will usually have one neurotic protagonist -- a female, clearly -- and one very-sure-of-self male: a knight in shining armour . The feminist in me cringes at the constant need for the females to be rescued. But fortunately, Kinsella's leading male characters are usually not that annoying, and often the female characters will save their own day in the end. However, in Wedding Night, we have three neurotic protagonists! Two females and one male . Not only is it good to finally have one neurotic male, but also we women are winning yet again; there are more of us in everything! Still, there is another male in this book, shocker, who is the typical very-sure-of-self-successful type. But, of course, we are ok with that. It's...