Were about halfway through the latest season of Survivor and while I am enjoying this season as always, I have some mixed feelings about Extinction Island.   While I like the concept of putting players in a really tough position to see how they react, I don’t think it should be used as a second or third chance for players to use.   It takes away from the true essence of the game where once you are voted off  by your fellow contestants, you are truly out of the game.   In the past where players were knowingly sent to Exile Island, or Redemption Island, with everybody knowing they were there and would be returning, this could be used as a strategy.   No so in the current season.   The players were not expecting to players again once they were voted off, so they didn’t plan out their game with this in mind.   There are some things that go beyond Outwit, Outlast and Outplay, that make it unfair and can change true essence of the game.

In the current season, the possibility that Reem still has a chance to win , while spending all but 3 days on Extinction Island, or that Aubry still has a chance to win despite being totally blindsided, and losing a second chance challenge to get back in to the game, kind of removes some of the powerful moments that in the past would be major talking points among fans.

Here is a good article by Dalton Ross who covers Survivor for Entertainment Magazine, where he asked the current contestants what they would change if given the opportunity

Dalton Ross – Survivor-Edge-of-Extinction-cast-pitch-new-twists

And here is article about past contestants and how they handled health issues after their season.   I actually was listing to a podcast about what motivates people and one of the stories was about mountain climbers and how once they conquer a climb, they want to go right back up again despite all the pain and suffering they went through to reach the summit.

Survivor-cast-members-real-health-stories

Seems to be a similarity between mountain climbers and Survivor contestants.   Despite all the physical and mental anguish they have gone through, they all say they would do it again in a heart beat.

Hopefully someday soon I will have the opportunity to experience Survivor for the 1st time and will then write back on how I would want to do it again and again.

As far as this week, its been a rough start in trying to find a new job since my last job ended last week.    Seems that the world has moved to all IT jobs entailing programming of some sort, and that puts me behind all the young college (and high school) kids who have been learning and programming since they learned to read and write.   While I have a lot of experience in Operations (Excellent in troubleshooting and resolving issues), these are easily outsourced jobs and also lower paying.   And most service oriented jobs (while seeming much more engaging and satisfying), are also low paying jobs that are really not designed for IT Professionals

I will push on and hopefully something that matches my passion and skills will come along and give me the opportunity to show that my deep knowledge and years of experience are valuable to any company willing to give me an opportunity.

And finally, after starting the 2019 season 5 -1 on the road, the New York Mets have their home opener today at Citi Field.   I am really looking forward to this season as the team and fans seems optimistic that they will have better season than last year where despite starting the season 11 – 1,  were  26 – 26 by May, and where pretty much an afterthought most of the season

Andy