AJ's Statements and Questions

[AJ Burman]

Hey there, ladies. First off, I should congratulate you two on making it this far, each of us wishes we could be there instead though. Buckle in though, because this'll be long.

Here's the thing though. I came into this Final 2 and this whole question and answer session expecting everything to be cleared up and expecting a lot of truths to be spilled out and brought to the surface here. Unfortunately, that hasn't been the case as much as I'd have liked to so far. This vote should be feeling a lot easier for me to decide on than it is, but considering how things have gone, and having some alliance that I was supposedly part of but never agreed to or planned to follow be talked about as fact, it's kinda becoming more difficult. I understand the need to try and turn things to make yourselves look better, and I understand trying to appease to other jurors with the "gain 3 votes to possibly lose 1" mindset, but you also have to understand how that comes across as pretty fake and dishonest. At this point in the game, that can rub people the wrong way.

As long as you respond to things honestly, then I don't see there being any problems, but know that if I feel either of you are being dishonest in your answers or are just trying to twist and fabricate things for the sake of making yourselves look better, that you'd lose my vote as a result. Like I said before, I understand trying to appease the others via shortchanging me, but that far from means I have to like it.



Dixie:


We've both happened to be on the same side of things randomly from time to time, but we also went about the way we made ourselves available and the social game involved. While I had a fairly good social game due to availability, some people might be questioning yours due to the nature of playing a "PM-only" social game, as the "respond and wait" mail-like system of it does tend to make conversations more difficult and might cause some to feel they had to approach you in order to talk to them. Now, you've come across as sounding like you were somewhat aware of this, but it still leaves holes and question marks for people.

So, tell us some stuff you haven't about your strategy to help us understand more why you'd choose something like it. Was it something you came into the game deciding to do? Something that you decided to do after it got going despite knowing the risks involved? Or was it something you just fell into? Were there times that you doubted it and considered switching up how you played, or were you confident in it the whole way through. Hell, knowing how the game's gone so far and everything that happened, if you could change how you played, would you? Just give us some insight into your mindset with it that we don't know yet to help us understand why we should vote for you.



Estelle:


Ah Estelle, Esty, Stella, Fire, and whatever other things you've been called over these past couple of months. I'm not really surprised in the least to find you here since I know how good you are, and that we've played pretty similar games, just with you having a bit more luck in he way of actually having some of your "just by a hair" Competition situations become challenge wins. Obviously I was a little surprised that you evicted me, but considering how long it took you to post an eviction that was supposed to be incredibly obvious and easy vote, I became just more and more suspicious and even remember mentioning something to you. Like, you could've always just told me then, instead of being all "surprise! I dumped you for Andrew a few rounds back!". As I told you when you evicted me, I don't blame you for aligning with him for his challenge strength as I see wanting to align with the person winning all the HOHs as opposed to the person who keeps coming second to him in them.

That being said though, what's bugged me about how you've conducted yourself here is that I've witnessed a lot of overexaggerations, or taking credit for things that weren't entirely you, sometimes at the expense of those on the Jury. Now, if we'd been made to vote without any questions immediately following Andrew's eviction, I would've voted for you, and it would've been an easy decision. You're a smart girl, so I have to guess that you would figure you'd have a good shot against Dixie. Yet, you tried to take credit for things, talked about how there was this supposed foursome alliance with us, Andrew, and Talla that I never like the idea of, never agreed to the idea of, didn't wish to be a thing, and didn't ever say in my Diary Rooms "yeah, this alliance is a good idea, I think I'll join this", and shortchanged me. Like, not only did you shortchange me, but you shortchanged us.

I don't really know how to put it other than that you tried to make it seem like something that was agreed on, and worked towards on not just Round 1, but essentially Day Two was never a thing that even entered either of our minds, did anything, was talked about, made, enforced, or any of that, just for the sake of trying to appease 1 or 2 other people. I mean, clearly you must have just felt you could say whatever and compare me to some awful old guy player that got dragged to where he was, or slide things off that we did together as things you did on account of feeling that you would still have my vote. It's irritating when you do that though, and act as if your F2 with Andrew at Round 5 was the first one you made when Fire & Ice was a thing weeks before Andrelle was a gleam in someone's eye.

So pretty much, what were we, like actually? What was I to you through all this? What was the point you decided you would rather sort of leave me out on the side of the road and go with Andrew, and what were your reasons? I'm admittedly curious of those as normally when somebody is contemplating going after your close ally, you don't typically then in turn decide to join that person. I'm also curious, on what things I said to you in confidence that you actually kept in confidence and didn't go and tell Andrew. Actually, I'm kind of curious on some of the things Andrew and I said to you shared with the other, and what some things are that you didn't for each of us.



Both:


Lastly, I'm going to keep this part short, so pick one of the following for me: Flowers, Hill, Pyke, Rivers, Sand, Snow, Stone, Storm, or Waters.



Congratulations again, and good luck to you both.

[Estelle Landy]

Hey AJ! Thanks for your comments and I'll address each of your questions and concerns individually.

Regarding your eviction, it was very difficult because I was literally having a meltdown in my head. I didn't even want to be the deciding vote, but I felt forced into it to save Andrew, because I had committed to that mentally and basically just went along with it because I knew it had to be done. That didn't mean I was ready to send you out, nor ready to cast that vote. Like immediately after I saw Dixie had saved me with the Veto, I went invisible on AIM, so I don't remember the comments we had during that timeframe? And I'm sorry if I misled you at that point, because there really was no reason to, and that was not mature of me. However, the reason I did prior to the Veto results, is because I wanted to keep my bases covered just in case you did win the Veto, OR just in case Dixie did not decide to use it, I wanted to be sure that I would be safe into the FInal 3. I knew you'd likely keep me, but I didn't want to reveal my intentions, and I'm sorry for playing the game that way, but I wanted to be sure I was covered from every angle.

I'm unsure of which over exaggerations you're referring to specifically, but the only one I can think of off the top of my head is the alliance Talla "created" when she was HOH at the final 7. I didn't intend to make it sound like I created this alliance, because I didn't, but I wanted to emphasize the fact that despite the week before, when I actively campaigned against Rory and Talla, I was still able to become incorporated into the formation of an alliance Talla created (mostly due to Andrew's urging, but still...) I feel that's a token to my social game that even after being shady to Talla the week before, I was able to get in good with her. Never did I say this alliance had either of our loyalty, because obviously I targeted Talla and Ryan next, so this alliance was by no means an end-game plan for either one of us, nor was it for Andrew, and I assume not for Talla either, but it was simply an alliance that was spoken of and protected both of us during Talla's HOH reign. I'm sorry if it seems like I was trying to say this alliance dominated the game, because it literally only "existed" for a week, and I don't think any of us had real intentions to stay loyal to it to the end since we all turned on each other lol.

Furthermore, I think I've stated that I was initially closer to you, since you were the main person who kept me informed on the Canadian side, like you told me about the Talla/Suzette debacle, and you told me about the replacement nominee being Andrew due to rock/paper/scissors, and you would keep me informed mostly on the Canadian side. However, at the time of the duo round, I think is when I first began to feel closer to Andrew. I'm trying to remember the exact circumstances, because I remember there being a distinct reason for which I bonded with Andrew more... I remember there was a situation, I think the Ryan vote? You were strongly opposed to me wanting to keep Ryan because I was "friends" with him, but Andrew went above and beyond to make me feel comfortable and understood why I wanted to keep Ryan. This is when Andrew and I clicked a lot, actually. Then the next couple of rounds was when Andrew and I became Andrelle, and when he made his move against you and Liza, no-- I wasn't "for" that move, whatsoever. If anything, I urged Andrew NOT to make it, but I still supported his decision, because I understood his circumstances and he was my ally, so I made the most of it, and I tried to protect you (over Liza).

AJ, you were basically my closest ally. I would say you WERE 100% my closest ally, but I'd be lying since everyone knows Andrew was my closest ally, but the thing is Andrew and I made so many separate moves and played so very independently from one another, that I bonded with you because everything we did seemed to be in-sync and it worked out for us. You were closest to me in the sense that we worked together and made similar moves and had similar ideas, but Andrew was just closer to me because we identified and understood each other so well that we didn't need to make these same moves and have the same ideas to be on the same wavelength as one another. I don't know, it's confusing, but you were more to me than just a number and I hope you know that I never threw you under the bus to Andrew, and I always tried to appease the both of you, especially when you guys wound up on opposite sides of one another- it was never due to anything I said or anything I did to turn you on one another. If anything, I wanted you both to work together, and I know it was difficult from both sides with such trust issues, but I tried my best and it worked to the final 4 and I ultimately had to choose, and I'm really sorry it wound up not being in your favor. You're still my ice!

Finally, your last question; I'm going to go with Flowers because of the following image. The pants Estelle is wearing in this image are flower-coordinated, and they are the pants Estelle wore every time she was nominated on eviction day, which wound up being almost every week. I feel it is a token for not only me since I'm Estelle, but for you as well, because you were a fighter in this game and you survived eviction so many times, just as Estelle did. You deserve these pants, and that is why I'm picking Flower.



Thank you for your questions, and I hope I was able to clear some misconceptions up, and answer all of your questions. If there's anything further you'd like for me to clarify, feel free to point that out and I'll do my best to answer everything honestly and to the best of my ability. Good luck with your decision, AJ!

[AJ Burman]

Well damn girl, that pretty much covers everything and then some. And I understand, don't worry, though I didn't think you would/was planning to make you feel like you had to apologize that much.



Those pants and that mullet are making me wish I was around to experience the 70s and early 80s. 

[Dixie Kong]

Dixie:


We've both happened to be on the same side of things randomly from time to time, but we also went about the way we made ourselves available and the social game involved. While I had a fairly good social game due to availability, some people might be questioning yours due to the nature of playing a "PM-only" social game, as the "respond and wait" mail-like system of it does tend to make conversations more difficult and might cause some to feel they had to approach you in order to talk to them. Now, you've come across as sounding like you were somewhat aware of this, but it still leaves holes and question marks for people.

So, tell us some stuff you haven't about your strategy to help us understand more why you'd choose something like it. Was it something you came into the game deciding to do? Something that you decided to do after it got going despite knowing the risks involved? Or was it something you just fell into? Were there times that you doubted it and considered switching up how you played, or were you confident in it the whole way through. Hell, knowing how the game's gone so far and everything that happened, if you could change how you played, would you? Just give us some insight into your mindset with it that we don't know yet to help us understand why we should vote for you.

Yes, it was something I came into the game deciding to do. Whenever I play a game and use AIM I can not help but be in the limelight all game long. It makes it impossible for me to play under the radar due to my "AIM" social game. I knew the risks involved obviously because I was well aware the danger of being perceived inactive was a risk, but it was a challenge for myself and I succeeded. Usually when an inactive makes it to the end (because of being busy) they claim it was because they were under the radar. This does not apply to me because I definitely was not inactive or busy to the point I didn't pay attention. I was very much active and despite mostly using PM - my inventory is very large with plenty of conversations. Secondly, I feel I emerged from being under the radar as the game progressed. The way I was playing did make me question whether I would win the game. As I admitted in my opening, I knew the way I was perceived and that I am not the favored finalist. To me, I observed a lot and I feel In had a good perception of other's games as well as my own. I would not change the way I played as mentioned in another question. The way I played made it very fun for me, was a challenge at the start, but I found myself never stressing because my strategy was working and for some reason this "so called non social person" was never ever on the block post veto. So if you and other Jurors can understand my strategy and my execution of said strategy, then one may find my game more favorable as I feel it is unique and surprising.

Lastly, I'm going to keep this part short, so pick one of the following for me: Flowers, Hill, Pyke, Rivers, Sand, Snow, Stone, Storm, or Waters.

Dixie does not understand! Dixie want to pick Flowers but she'll pick different from Stella. I pick Storm. You faced a nomination storm all the time on the block!!


Thanks AJ!
Dixie out