Cheat Work Thursday

I finished reading the book last Tuesday, not before the year end. (Plot summary here .) But that doesn't really matter because, to be honest, I still have 63 when-will-I-even-start goals from 2001, and I'm nursing my depression right now. I knew that was what waiting for me at the end of the book, but I kept turning those brutal pages anyway. And after ripping my brain the entire book, we have the chapter after "limes", which is so, so cruel and lonely and of no escape *knocks head on desk*. There would be eye-rolling conversations about maths or law in the book, for example, and you are going to ask questions like "How did these people get so rich?" at some point. (I mean, it's pretty magic because there are middle income lawyers and actors and architects and artists in this world, right?) And most baffling of all: howTF does this guy swim two miles at 5.30 in the morning every day? But those, too, won't matter in the end because while this...

"I'M GOING FOR A MILLION BUCKS" Although I was kind of ready for it to happen, I did not cry during Adam's FTC. But I did use up the last two buckets of the tears quota that I had left for this year on this episode alone, which I could not watch without checking Wikipedia first. Players that I've rooted for have never won before, regardless of the point I start to root for them. I always have to move on to a new pick as the season goes because my pick will always get voted out -- because give me a good edit, especially an underdog one, I'll fall for it. No, give me airtime or funny confessionals, I'll fall for it. This person is my pick now. I thought Adam was annoooyying in the first episode, but he grew on me. And by the time we reached halfway of the game, while I was ok with a David or Jay win, I wanted Adam to win. That was the cue: there was no way he was going to win now. But he did. So, good job, both of us. The Pink Coconut and the Fina...

(Earlier post .) Not every detail on Westworld the show is meant to be revealed -- or revealed in one straightforward interpretation. (That's my disclaimer.) A lot of them are still up to be discussed, watched again, read from at least three different sources, discovered, speculated, or kept under wraps. I'm fine with that because most of the huge questions were answered and twists beautifully untangled by the time we reached the final episode. Or if I'm being honest, I'm fine with that because I went on Reddit since probably episode 3. When the show was sloooowly unfolding its twists, it was also basically in a loop of confirming those Reddit theories. So I didn't suffer much, waiting for the puzzles to be solved. Thank God for technology. That said, here's a list of thoughts, favourite moments and a few bones that I want to pick. That part in capitals is me yelling: 1 WHAT IS UP WITH THE TWO PARK CREATORS? DON'T THEY HAVE ANY OTHER WAY TO CORRE...

"SLAYED THE SURVIVOR DRAGON" So we are cutting people in ninja mode here because if this were season 1, we'd basically still have one whole tribe to get rid of with only five days left. Jay wins the first immunity, and Will brings up David's name, which Jay, Hannah, Sunday and Bret seem to agree on. Adam, on the other hand, tells Will and Jay that he's with them but says the opposite in confessional. He doesn't like Will calling the shots and thinks Will is the bigger threat now. Earlier, Adam shook hands with Bret and Sunday, agreeing that Jay, Will and David should be the next three to go. So now Adam goes to Bret, Sunday and Hannah and suggests they vote Will out. Hannah is a bit reluctant because Will just saved their side at the last vote. They would have been saved by Adam's idol anyway, but the point is, yes, Will is in their alliance trust freaking cluster now. But we're on the clock. So at tribal, after discussing the balance bet...

"ABOUT TO HAVE A RUMBLE" Oooh Ken... I knew it. You've never seen the show, have you? After David and friends receive a lifeline in the form of a new ally that is Will, Ken goes up to Will because he can't just hop in bed with somebody after a mere five-minute conversation. Granted the confessional is suspiciously choppy, but if Will's integrity and values do not satisfy his standard, Ken basically doesn't want Will in his alliance. Will, showing Ken his loyalty (Ken needs Will more than Will needs him), tells Ken that Ken is the other side's target. Armed with this valuable intel, Ken goes up to Jay and confronts him because how could they want to vote him out, one of the last two authentic persons on the island? It's jaw-dropping to watch, and suddenly the year 2000 flashes right before our eyes. Good lines: "We have this plan, and Ken tests Will, revealing Will's plan. That's not a test. That's a betrayal!" ~ Adam, ...

"MILLION DOLLAR GAMBLE" That second tribal council is going to give me PTSD for a very long time. Should Jessica flip, though? The opinions on the street are: YES - it's still a long way to go to draw rocks at final 10. NO - because you play to win, not just to move further in the game. NO - as a viewer, I love watching people fighting hard for their sides. We've seen people flip, then one side gets systematically eliminated, followed by a bitter jury (allegedly). So I don't want to see that again, at least not for a while. I want to see gutsy decisions from 10 people with spines. But the rock draw was not the only thing that's making me geek out right now. It was the whole story. From everyone knowing very well how equally divided the tribe was, to Adam and Hannah buying Sunday's simple deception, to the two sides nail-bitingly trying to come out of the battle alive, to ultimately a heartbreaking result. It's heartbreaking because we like...

"STILL THROWIN' PUNCHES" It pains my cynical heart a little to say this, but maybe Jay is not that bad at Survivor. (That's the best I can do today.) Look at him, all calm and high-fiving Hannah, asking to be included in the next vote, discussing with Sunday who they should vote for and the possibility of working together. True, they made connection at Ikabula, but I don't think it was something that Michelle was able to do with Chris. But this is the episode where Bret drinks all of Will's drinks because, you know, Will is 18. Just watching Bret in a happy place already makes me happy. Adam, on the other hand, is in the land of Shoot Yourself in the Foot Some More Because Good Spot Is Not a Nice Place to Have . After turning his back on the Millennials, he reminds Jay that Jay, Will and Taylor are on the bottom. At tribal, after his advantage that sounds more like a curse is exposed by Taylor, he urges everyone to vote him out if they think his advan...

"I'M THE KINGPIN" This is a pretty tough week to do anything creative. You know the week is rough when you don't even feel that angry with Negan. (If you are reading this in a distant future, this is the episode after the 2016 US election. Yeap.) _____ But let's talk about Survivor, and it's the merge week. The relationships: - Jay thinks he is the kingpin and has the old Ikabula, plus Michelle and Taylor, on his side. - Bret says that he still trusts Chris and Sunday, and although he's pretty nervous seeing the Millennials reuniting, he thinks he can still trust Jay from their time at Ikabula. - Chris feels like he's meshing well with Zeke and David, and he also wants to regroup with Bret and Sunday. - Zeke is delighted to see his old "nerdy pals" Adam and Hannah, and he worries that everyone else is going to fall under Jay's spell. - Jessica and Ken are pretty much just a backdrop this episode. This is the week that Ada...

Photo by Breather on Unsplash chal·lenge n . 4. A test of one's abilities or resources in a demanding but stimulating undertaking. ~ Thefreedictionary . The last time I read a book was in February. Yeah... it isn't really my favourite activity. Reading isn't that bad. I can read the internet and Twitter all day. Reading books -- unfortunately -- needs effort. According to some legit internet studies, at this rate, my brain is probably losing its rocket-making ability fast. Reading just means ticking a checklist to me, something that I have to do, like going for a run or eating healthy food. Do I enjoy them? Only if I'm out of my mind. But I can force myself not to skip them entirely. I mean, if I don't exercise my brain, how is it going to be fit enough to watch all my favourite TV? My only problem right now is my laziness finding a book that I really like ie I can finish. It has been a while since I last found a book that could hook me all day -...

"I WILL DESTROY YOU" This is an episode of good lines. We start at Takali's camp after Figgy's vote: " Of course, it does (affect you, Taylor). Yeah, I screwed you. I lied to you, and I screwed you. Hundred percent. I admit that. " ~ Adam, assuring Taylor that he did, in fact, just screw him, in case it was still not clear to Taylor. " You are now in a worse position than you were before, " he adds. " And that's my fault. I admit that. " OK WE GET IT ADAM. " I'll keep my cool for now, but when it comes the time -- I will destroy you *laughs* ." ~ Taylor, in confessional, with a glint in his now-not-blinking eyes. At the reward challenge, Taylor says the smartest thing he has said all season: " No comment. " ~ replying to Jeff, who asks if he's surprised by Michaela saying Figgy should have long gone. Back at Takali, Taylor and Ken discuss politics. For one second, it actually crosses my m...