Episode 15

[Jeff Probst]

Well, how does it feel... Final 3!!!

Cmon celebrate. Tell us all that you learned in the game, any regrets you may have, if you would do it again, what you're not looking forward to in the final tribal council, who you're most afraid of, who you think will vote for you. What your gameplan is going into it... everything!

Also, I need you to do two things for me. First I want you to pre-write your opening speech to the jury for Final Tribal Council so all you have to do is copy and paste and everything moves quickly, since it usually runs long. Second, I need you to vote for which of the other members of the final 3 you want to win in the event that there is a tie.

Good luck and CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!

[Linda]

well like I said in the camp fire, this is legitimately surreal. I've been in two other ORGs. The first I got 18 out of 24, though its hard to judge that one when I was in a lake house where the wifi was complete shit at the best of times, and nonexistant frequently. The second I got 12 out of 17, voted out as a threat. But this journey...this is so much different. I honestly was not great at the challenge part of the game at all, which was new for me. I regret this. I feel I really did terrible and that isn't like me. However, I think I did pretty decent socially and strategically, but I don't think I will be seen as top of the line at either. That's why this F3 is perfect. None of the 3 of us stand out as GREAT at anything, imo, but we're all good at certain stuff.

But yeah..completely new experience. Making it past the halfway point of the game was shocking and exciting enough. Making the merge and seeing I wasn't going to be gone soon was awesome. And seeing the dominoes fall, even when they weren't my way, and still being able to wade through it all....this has been such an experience

Thank you guys so much for this <3

[Linda]

I will work on my Final Speech this weekend and hopefully have it done by Sunday morning, but it will be done. I don't have anything going on tomorrow at least.

Also, do I get to wait to see FTC before I cast my tie breaking vote? :P

[Jeff Probst]

Yes, but please prevote, it can always be changed.

[Linda]

and now the part where I worry I'm a goat and useless player comes back.

Given the hosts didn't answer my "what do you think of Linda" question, I'm pretty sure it's the case

[Holly Hoffman]

I try to stay impartial to players while they are still in the game

[Linda]

Ladies and Gentlemen of the Jury, it has been quite a long journey we have had these past 32 days, yet here it is coming to an end. Back on day 1, I honestly did not see myself as being here on day 32, presenting my case to all of you. This does not mean I don’t think my game was good, but more the shock and awe I still feel at making it all the way to the end. And for that, I thank all of you for being a part of this journey with me. It would not have been the same without even one of you. All of you contributed to making this quite honestly the most enjoyable part of my summer, and I do hope to connect with you guys even after the end of this game.

Anyways, you aren’t here to listen to me talk about how awesome this game was and how surreal making it to the end is, so let us get down to the meat and potatoes of why I am here, and why I think I deserve your vote to win Stranded: Venezuela. Let me first start off by saying it is not due to my knowledge of Venezuelan history or my counting skills . Quite honestly, my challenge ability was a weakness for me in this game, and I am not going to hide from that. However, I do not think it actually cost me in this game, as I was able to still make it through, and the rest of my game prevented me from receiving votes due to it: indeed, even after single-handedly losing the counting challenge for Tamanaco, there were still no votes cast against me that night.

This has to mean I was doing something right socially and strategically, and that is where my journey was focused on. Day 1, I got off to a great start right away by identifying Lindsey as someone who I enjoyed talking to and was on the same page with, and we made a pact that same day. A pact I had meant to be loyal to to the end, though the journey there was..interesting to say the least. More on that later! Within the first weekend, an alliance of five had formed between us 2, Kim P, Frank, and Kim J. We ruled Tamanaco from the beginning, yet we were not so obvious about it as to have the target planted on our backs. Diane and Tom were our first two targets, and they went one after another in unanimous votes. Things were going well. Then, of course, the tribal swap happened.

I believe this where the game truly started in earnest for me. On nuTamanaco, we had lost Lindsey, Kim P, and Clarence, while gaining Sean, Vecepia, and General. That first weekend, the four original Tamanacos stayed strong, even when Sean revealed he had “two idols” at the Tribal Council. While these ended up being false, it was not something we could risk. General went home, but Sean played neither of those idols, putting us in a bind. It was at this point that I began to see what Frank truly was and realized that was not what I wanted to work with. I became adaptable, and my close friendship with Lex allowed me to become a pair with him. I also didn’t make a move haphazardly, like Frank was trying to do with his master plan, but actually went to Sean and Vecepia late in the day with a very tangible, simple plan, which was to vote off Frank and form a new alliance.

This is where the merge began. Reuniting with Lindsey was one of the most exciting moments in the game for me, and when we created an eight person alliance that lasted for..well one vote, I felt in control of the game. I was actually feeling very high on myself, thinking I had multiple paths to the end in my fingertips, and that I was truly among the best.

This arrogance was torn away from me at a betrayal at final 11. Lindsey had at one point come to me asking if we should vote off Sean then due to idols, but I suggested waiting. I wanted to play a patient game. Keeping Clarence and Sarah longer was not one of the aforementioned paths. However, Lindsey did attempt that plan without informing me, and only stopped when I found out. However, the lies told to me woke me up to the fact this game would not be simple and that we were truly in a game to win it at all costs. I realized I had to always be aware of what was going on, always ready to make a move. So I have to thank Lindsey for that, because that changed the rest of my game.

My adaptability came in handy that next vote, when our four came together with Pat and Gabe to vote off Kim P, one of the betrayers of the previous vote. I had a feeling this could not last long, and even when the split vote plan was announced, I wanted us to go with a plan B of the four main alliance members to vote Gina, with Pat/Gabe still thinking the votes were split Sarah/Lindsey. However, that plan did not go through, and Vecepia paid the price, going home.

This next weekend something had to change again, and I started talking to Patty and Gabe, making them think I was comfortable with the 2 of them, while also talking everyone else a bit, though most people were on holiday that weekend. That turned into the double vote off of Monday. Sunday I began talking to Gina in earnest, and we came together on a plan to take out Patricia and Sarah as the biggest threat and the force no one wanted to risk lasting longer than necessary. Here was someone I had not worked with all game, yet that still came together, and Monday went as planned.

I also realized that I could not go to the end with my longest running alliance of the game. Sean and Lex were the biggest threats to win the game at that point, and therefore I made plans with Lindsey and Gina to take Sean out at the next vote, with Gabriel being part of it as well. Lex ended up on board later as well, and while Lindsey’s late panic could have ruined things by trying to get Gina to play her idol on Sean, it all turned out as planned.

At this point, I was in a perfect position. There were two perceived pairs in the game, Lindsey/Gina, and Lex/Gabe, with me in the middle. Now look who is here in the final 3: me, with a member of each pair. That is because at Final 8 I knew who I wanted to go to the end with(the two sitting here with me) and drove the votes that way until I could make it so the 3 of us formed a majority, and then that alliance was formed. While the original plan went backwards(Gina was supposed to go before Lex), we still were in control the entire endgame, and I took out two players who would have won had they made it.

So in conclusion, I want to point out the major points of my game. I was a very adaptable player, able to vote off who I needed to and make new alliances when necessary to further my own game. At the same time, it was not to the point of panicking and trying to make crazy moves, but very calculated, as seen by the Frank vote out, and the leadup to the Final 3. I also believe I had a good social game, as I had good relationship with a lot of people in this game(which I hope translates into friendships outside the game..or competitive Brawl games with Gina and Lex at the very least ), to the point where I was only a true target once, at the first nuTamanco tribal council. People trusted me as an ally, and I was loyal, yet not stupid. I developed very well through the game, and even allied with people who had betrayed me to further my own odds. I feel I have played a good game, and hope that all of you can see this as well. I am very happy to answer any questions, clarify anything, and do whatever the jurors need me to do. Hit me with your best stuff :)

[Linda]

told you I'd get in done on time Jeffrey

[Linda]

oh, and for your earlire questions

What I learned? I learned I cannot actually play this game like an emotionless robot. I'm no Brian or pre-day 37 Sophie :(. I learned that this game is never easy, no matter how hard you try to make it happen, trying to arrange "easy votes" and what not. And I learned I can persevere for 33 days. That is honestly shocking to me

Regrets? Not really speaking to Gina or Sarah until a little bit into the merge..AKA very late. Not always being the one to say something first, and not pushing for the Gina vote at F9. Otherwise, very few regrets

Would I do it again? HELL YES

And I'm not looking forward to hearing from those who don't like me on the jury :(

[Linda]

I'm so nervous

[Jeff Probst]

is there a tl;dr version of this? lol

[Linda]

Lindsey said hers was like 2000 words :P. This is only 1500. I just felt I might need to say a lot

The final paragraph can work as a standalone as long as you have knowledge of how the game went.

[Linda]

well thats depressing. Maybe I'll just disappear and not come back for the reunion then...

[Linda]

especially since I think you hosties hate me too :P

[Linda]

as someone who has legitimately had mental issues in the past, I beleive that was uncalled for on Kim P's part

[Linda]

Hmm. I'll give myself a 10% chance at winning. Higher then when I went in ^_^

[Brenda Lowe]

especially since I think you hosties hate me too :P

Welp, how so? You've had some support in the hostie area.

How did you find the Jury in general? Any questions catch you off guard? How does the Jury perception of the finalists match up with what you hoped for when you planned this F3?

Fancy calling each of the Jury's votes?

[Linda]

lol no @ calling jury votes. I think the perception is actually a bit better than what I hoped for in regards to Lindsey and Gabe, but worse in regards to me.

And I just have a feeling about hosts. That tis all. Not sure if I'm going to explore the board afterwards :P

[Linda]

[Holly Hoffman]

Good Luck Linda