Hello all! Shane Powers here, ready to kick some Survivor ass. Well, hopefully.

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't already nervous. Just from pre-game activity and looking around the boards, I would guess that my tribe is the most active. I have gotten the chance to speak with most of them. The only people I haven't talked to are Angelia and Sandra, both of whom also seem active on the boards.

I had to go to bed early last night, and I didn't want to start making alliances on the first night. Unfortunately, I feel that the other girls may have made one already. Hopefully they're smart and will wait until the first challenge is ongoing, because it's much easier to make alliances based on activity than anything else - at least for the beginning.

I am going to be busy for the next few weeks, but I think everything will be calming down around the 20th. Hopefully I can make it through until then. I still think I can give most of what's necessary in challenges, but my AIM time may be limited. I still plan on logging some good AIM hours today and tomorrow. For these days before the first challenge, it's imperative that one is social. There's nothing more important than laying the groundwork for long-lasting relationships and alliances.

I have to get ready for work, but I just wanted to make a quick entry to start. I plan on answering the pre-game questions later today!

1. Describe your personality! Do you take things personally? Are you extroverted or or introverted? Are you confrontational or do you try to avoid drama? Include anything else about your personality you think is cool and how your personality helps or hurts your gameplay!

My personality tends to be outgoing in games. I realize this is a social game so I like to come across as approachable. I don't like to hold grudges or take things too personally, but I can be confrontational. I don't like to let things bottle up, but sometimes I am too forward. Hopefully my approachable nature will help me make alliances and become well-integrated in my tribe!

2. Describe your strategy! What is your approach to the game. Are you a Hero or a Villain? Are you willing to betray a close friend to better your chances at winning the game or is loyalty most important to you? Do you prefer to take out the biggest threats to you early or keep them around as targets for others? Include anything else about your strategy you think is cool!

My strategy is to be loyal, but at the same time be smart and play for myself. If I see an opportunity that has greener grasses, I will fully analyze the pros and cons to flipping. I don't want to make any hasty decisions, and I can't see myself making too big of moves before the merge. For now, I just want to get into a solid alliance and stay there. Also, I am going to try and win as many challenges as possible, because who likes tribal council?!

3. How are you at challenges? What kind of challenges do you suck at and what kinds do you excel at? What kinds of challenges do you like?

I am pretty decent at all challenges. I don't think I have any huge weaknesses or any big strengths either. I'm decent at puzzles endurance, but I'm really bad at putting together images on boards in order to make a larger image. I know that's a specific kind of challenge, but it happens!


4. Anything else interesting you'd like to share?

You'll see in the game!

My first ally! The Powers alliance!

So I think the challenge is going well thus far. I've contributed this bitstrip idea, which I think will help personalize our camp well. Hopefully the other ideas that people have talked about will be put into effect as well. Everyone needs to contribute, and the point is to decorate the igloo so we can't focus too much on the avatars.

If we do lose, I have an alliance! I got into a 4some with Kim, Kelly and Erinn. I think we will stick together if we lose since we have proven to be productive so far. I'm just hoping for a win though!

Winning was awesome! I'm glad not to be one of the first two people voted out. I don't think I would be anyway, but this way is much safer. So far I feel good about my spot in the game and my tribe. Not really doing much right now, because there's no reason to shake anything up. I am just fortifying my relationships with my alliance members.

If i had known Kelly wasn't going to do her puzzle, I definitely would have done that one and gotten the free clue! What the hell!?

Pissed. The other tribes definitely have a leg up on us now in terms of the idol. Not exactly optimistic we'll win immunity, either!

Closer than I expected! I still think we should vote out Sandra since it seems like Kelly is around, but man that sucks. If kelly had just gotten under 19 minutes on the puzzle (which wouldn't have been too bad after a few tries) then we would have won! It's really annoying but I am glad that I scored the most points I could. I do think Sandra will be leaving the game tomorrow, but in the meantime it just sucks. Qinoq needs to lose!

The vote went as planned. Wasn't expecting much else, really.

The tribe swap is most certainly interesting. I actually feel pretty good about it, all things considered. I have 4 of my original tribe mates all with me, so at the very worst we could just force a tie. I know that Shonty is a bit of a spectacle, but all the more reason to keep her in, right? I'd rather have her be targeted later. Anyway, jay seems pretty weak so he'll probably be my target to begin with. Can't know for sure until the challenge though!

Definitely going to try and win immunity. Sending Qinoq to TC would be best for me, since no original Aput are there.

That's all for now! Just going to try and keep the 4 together and be social with the other 4.

I know that I've been terrible at confessionals but there's really been nothing to talk about. After fran supposedly leaves this round, old Aput is going to have majority on this tribe so it will be a cakewalk from here. Hopefully we don't lose too many more times though. Anthony should be back to help out, and we won't have the useless Fran either. Hoping to win again soon!

Allies

Erinn
Kim
Shontayla
Angie
David
Ryan
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I don't feel like I really have any enemies at this point. I have a solid alliance with people from my old tribe, and I've gotten along well with Ryan and David. Not many other convos have really gone as smoothly. I got lucky with this tribe swap, but the next one might not go as well. I just plan on strategizing when it happens, but I hope we stay in these tribes for a while. I have a comfortable majority right now.

Well I feel like I've finally stepped it up in this game a bit by winning this challenge. I was an idiot a few challenges back; this could have been my second idol clue. I should have just taken the Amanda puzzle. Anyway, what's done is done and I need to pray that I can find an idol. I know that I'm late to the search party so we'll see how that goes.

My goal for this round is to vote out Jay. With a swap looming at any time, I can't risk the pregame rumors surrounding Jay being true. He's not exactly dependable or strong, so I think it'd just be better to get rid of him now. I'd hate to send out Angie, someone I can see myself possibly working with down the road, only to get screwed by some pregame.

Overall, I'm feeling pretty good about the game right now. I think I'm playing a solid UTR game and I'd like to stay there and build relationships with people as I get onto tribes with them, for the most part.

Well I guess all that winning was really unnecessary, but I guess it's nice to have a start on the idol. I'm sure someone will find it before me, but that's okay!

I'm more upset than anything that I didn't get to get rid of Jay. I feel like I'm going to be very vulnerable on any kind of new tribe. I definitely plan on being social once we swap. Things are going to be tough going forward without Shontayla. She was a good meat shield.