I've got some time before the busy day starts, and just want to post my thoughts on a frivolous pursuit of mine: Survivor: The Amazon. :)

After months of drama and speculation, the 6th installment came to a close Sunday night in the U.S., with its final episode airing locally yesterday. So yes, I knew the result before I watched the finale, and was shocked beyond belief. Jenna?!?! Is there no justice in the world anymore?!

I don't know about other fans of the show, but I rooted for only 2 people to win -- Dave Johnson the rocket scientist ( who proved too big a threat and was voted off early ) and Rob Cesternino , a computer projects co-ordinator ( or something like that ), who is the best Survivor player I have ever seen in this long-running series, which is saying a lot.

So how did Jenna the lazy bum snatch the crown from devious Rob? Simple -- by winning the last 2 all-important immunity challenges, and smartly picking Matthew the psycho to go with her to the final 2, leaving Rob ( the obvious pick to win ) out in the cold.

Though it wasn't the outcome I'd hoped for, Surivor: The Amazon was a great rollercoaster ride for me, and I suppose, in that aspect, the result shouldn't be that surprising after all. My other favourite moments include (1) the much-talked-about reward challenge, where Jenna and Heidi stripped naked for some peanut butter and chocolate, (2) the first reward challenge, which pitted the guys against the gals, and which the men lost, because young beefcakes Ryan and Dan couldn't make it across a wooden pole, and (3) Shawna's amazing turnaround from depressed whiner to perky flirt when the tribe members were switched midway through the competition, and 3 of the men moved over to the women's camp. Never thought testosterone was such an effective mood-lifter. :)

But seriously, this game would be nothing without the scheming Rob, who made so many false alliances and backstabbed so many unsuspecting "friends" he made my head spin. He was the main reason I enjoyed the show, and would definitely have won if he'd made it to the final two. His coup de grace would have to be the time he double-crossed Alex, Heidi and Jenna by ganging up against Alex with the other tribe members, then actually managing to win back the girls' trust, form a new alliance, and vote Christy out. Wow, I bow down to you, Rob. You are my guru. :)

Call it what you want: a twist of fate, just plain fantastic luck, or maybe, just maybe, Jenna's been acting useless all along, only to show her true strength when it mattered most. Whatever the reason, she's the youngest winner of Survivor at the tender age of 21, with US 1 million moolahs in her pocket. And with her mom undergoing cancer treatment, she could really use the money. Congratulations to her for overcoming tremendous odds.


I stayed up to watch the reunion special last night, and it was actually pretty exciting! I got to see all the contestants in their cleanshaven, dressed-up and made-up forms, and let me tell you, Matthew, Rob and Alex are way cuter than Ryan and Dave. Rob, in particular, even made my mother sit up -- after looking grungy for 1 1/2 months out in the wild, he transformed into a pretty good-looking fellow once his horrible beard was removed. And although he was the least lucky with the ladies in the jungle, he told host Jeff Probst that after finishing his stint on Survivor, he now has a girlfriend, but the bad news is, she doesn't believe anything he says (in reference to his lying tendencies on the show, no doubt ). What a comedian. :)

And speaking of Jeff Probst, he looked fabulous in his denim shirt and white pants, with a great tan and toned muscles. Sorry, I'm only human. ;) And I totally agree with his comment that Rob is "the best Survivor player to never win." I think he'd be perfect for any job that requires deal-making and corporate takeovers, but after something as high-profile as Survivor, people would never be able to trust him, so his talents would be wasted in that area. Sigh.

Up next, Survivor: Pearl Islands, off the coast of Panama. I can't wait!