A thread for new collectors to ask basic questions of the community.
Frequently Asked Questions below!
A longer version of the subreddit rules is here.
For questions specifically concerning bootlegs or vendor legitimacy, please ask in the Bootleg Megathread.
NSFW & Spoiler Guidelines

• For Self Posts: include a bolded NSFW note next to links in that post.
• For Links to sites/images: If the figure is NSFW, or the website has any NSFW content (including ads) be sure to tag your post NSFW and use the appropriate link flair.

Bootlegs
Any collection posts containing bootlegs, comments advocating buying bootlegs, or links to sites selling bootlegs, recasts, or unlicensed merchandise will be removed.
People often ask about the legitimacy and/or safety of a number of websites which sell large resin statues. The more commonly-asked of those deal primarily in resins from studios which do not have a license from the Japanese IP holders to produce merchandise. Therefore links to those sites are not permitted here. Another sign is if MyFigureCollection doesn't list the either the statue, its manufacturer, or the shop it's being sold on.
MyFigureCollection
My Figure Collection is like MyAnimeList... but for figures! Their database includes thousands of items which been produced during the last couple of decades, along with reviews of shops and other helpful articles. One can also list their own collection and post gallery photos.
Shops

Retailers:
AmiAmi HobbySearch Mandarake (sells rare figures) Good Smile Company Online Shop (often has exclusives) Good Smile Company US shop Crunchyroll Store Hobby Link Japan (aka HLJ) Solaris Japan (MFC partner) BigBadToyStore (MFC partner, US retailer) Big in Japan (also has proxy service) Tokyo Otaku Mode FigureHaven Archonia (EU) Yorokonde (EU) Figuya (EU) Gamersheek (UK) Jungle
List of retailers on MFC
/AnimeFigures' List of Retailers
Community Guide to Shopping in Japan

Blogs/News:

Nekomagic (News/Previews) NyaaFigurines (Reviews/Releases) Kahotan's Blog (News/Reviews) Figma Blog (JP)

Buying & Shipping

1. What’s the best place to buy my anime figures from?
That’s going to depend a lot on what works for you, but most people around here buy them from Amiami, Big in Japan, Hobby Search, HobbyLink Japan, or Tokyo Otaku Mode. If none of those work for you for whatever reason, there’s a list of reputable retailers in the sidebar that you can check out at any time. Be extra careful when ordering figures from websites like Amazon or ebay, as there are a lot of bootlegs on those sites. Don’t be afraid to ask in our Bootleg Megathread if you’re unsure.
2. What differences are there between the shipping options I get from most Japanese shops?
Below is a rundown of the main shipping choices you’ll get at most retailers. Keep in mind that if an order is large enough you will be forced to use one of the more expensive options, as SAL shipments have lower size and weight restrictions.

• Unregistered SAL: Sometimes referred to as uSAL, is usually the cheapest method. It does not come with any tracking or insurance. Usually takes up 2-4 weeks for delivery.
• Registered SAL: Sometimes referred to as rSAL, is insured for the declared value up to 6,000 yen. It comes with a tracking number and usually takes 2-4 weeks for delivery.
• EMS: This method of shipping is much faster than either SAL options, usually arriving within a week of shipment. EMS shipments are insured for the declared value up to 2,000,000 yen.
• Airmail
• E-packet
• Surface: Shops don't offer this very often. It's an actual cargo ship and slow as a result.
  
• DHL: Becoming more available as an alternative to EMS on AmiAmi and other sites. Can be less expensive than EMS and of comparable speed, but may be more reliant on the specific geographical area being shipped to. The price is also determined by the size of the box. Offers their own tracking.
  

3. I placed two+ orders for figures at different times. Will my items be shipped together, or will I have to pay shipping twice?
Most shops will ask you to pay shipping on a per-order basis, but here are some that will allow combined shipping:

• Amiami: You can combine orders here, as long as the orders ship in the same month. It doesn’t matter if the item is new or preowned. Any preorders that are set for that month can also be combined with other orders for that month. However, be aware that if the preorder gets delayed, Amiami will remove that item from that month’s shipment and place it on a new order. To combine orders on Amiami, use the “Combine Orders” feature under “My Account”.
  
• Hobby Search: Hobby Search will let you combine orders that release in the same month, but you cannot combine in stock items with preorders. If you want to combine multiple preorders, or multiple in stock items, you can do so using the “Order Recombination” feature on your account page.
  
• HobbyLink Japan: At HLJ, you have the option to send paid orders to their “Private Warehouse”, where you can store them for up to 2 months. When you’re ready to ship the items, you simply select which items to ship and HLJ will combine them into one shipment for you. To use this, just select the “Private Warehouse” option as shipping when you order.
  

If you’re unsure about whether or not a shop we haven’t listed will combine your orders, please refer to their individual FAQs.
4. When will I get charged for my preorder?
Most Japanese shops charge you once the item is in stock and ready for shipment. When that happens, they will send you an email asking for payment. Some shops (mostly overseas ones), will allow you to pay for the item up front though, if you’d like. A few with that option are:

• Big in Japan (Japanese store)
• Tokyo Otaku Mode
• Anime Island
• Crunchyroll

Keep in mind that overseas stores will likely get the figure a few months after Japanese ones, so pay attention to the release date stated on the website you are buying from so as to avoid that confusion.
5. Should I expect to pay customs fees when importing figures?
That depends on where you live. Here’s a quick rundown:

• Australia: 10% GST is now assessed up front.
• Canada: Minimum declared value for charges is around CAD$20 for regular shipments, and CAD$60 for gifts (gifting something only seems to lower the declared value by about CAD$40, not deplete it completely). When using Amiami, try their Small Air Packet option. It comes with tracking, gets there in about the same time as EMS, and is better at avoiding customs.
• European Union: As of 1st July 2021, VAT has to be paid on all goods imported from outside of the EU. Retailers are supposed charge VAT for purchases under €150, however many Japanese retailers currently do not, so VAT will be charged when your order arrives in the EU. Orders that are >€150, VAT and duty will be charged by your local customs.
• UK: As of 1st January 2021, VAT is to be charged by retailers for orders <£135. However, customs isn't currently charging VAT on parcels valued at <£135, even if the VAT hasn't been paid. Goods >£135 will have their VAT and duty calculated and charged by customs.
• Mexico: Minimum declared value for customs fees is USD$300 for shipments by post, and USD$50 for shipments by courier.
• United States: A shipment has to have a declared value of USD$2,000 before customs starts hitting you with fees, so you most likely won’t have to worry about them at all.

6. The figure I want is an exclusive, how do I go about ordering one outside of Japan?
You have three options for this:
A. Big in Japan is known to stock exclusive figures and ship to other countries. Usually the price is higher because they build in their proxy fees, but it’s easier than worrying about using a forwarder or proxy service. If you live in the US, Crunchyroll, Right Stuf, and Tokyo Otaku Mode also get exclusives sometimes, but out of the states the shipping can get expensive.
B. Forwarding Services: A forwarder is someone who you ship an exclusive item to so that they can forward the package on to you, usually for a flat fee + shipping. When using a forwarder you still make the purchase yourself, and enter their address into the shipping field. When the box arrives at the forwarder they will then stick your address onto the package and send it on its way.
Some popular forwarders are:

• Big in Japan
• Tenso

Be sure to read each sites instructions on forwarding carefully!
C. Proxy Services: With a proxy, you tell them what the item you’re looking for is and they will purchase it in your stead. This is handy for when a company doesn’t accept foreign credit cards, or you’re having trouble navigating a Japanese website.
Some popular proxies are:

• Big in Japan (Won’t proxy for Yahoo Auctions)
• From Japan

Again, be sure you thoroughly read through each sites proxy instructions.
7. I see a bunch of really cheap figures that ship from China on ebay. Are those okay to buy?
Generally, no. They’re most likely bootlegs. If you want a second opinion on that, feel free to ask in the Bootleg Megathread that’s always stickied at the top of the sub.
8. What’s a bootleg, and how can I avoid buying them?
A bootleg is a counterfeit figure often made using rejected molds of the official product. They are usually priced significantly lower than the genuine article, and in order to make their profit, bootleggers use lower quality materials and have less attention to detail- resulting in a substandard figure.
The Bootleg Megathread that I mentioned in question 7 is a great tool to avoid buying any bootlegs. It has a few tips and tricks to avoiding them to begin with, and a few more on how to spot them if you’re worried you might already own one.
9. Does anyone know when figure X is going to be released? How do I know if it was delayed?
My Figure Collection (sometimes referred to as MFC) does an excellent job of staying on top of information like release dates and delays. If you’re curious about an upcoming figures release date, check there first. This information can be found directly under the “Releases” section on a figure’s entry. If you only see a month and a year in that section, it means the release date has not yet been announced by the manufacturer, and there is still a chance the figure could be delayed.
If you make an account on MFC you can also subscribe to comments, changes, and pictures via a checkbox on the right hand side of a figure’s listing. Subscribing to any of these things will allow MFC to send you an email anytime the subscription in question updates. Subscribing to “changes” is a great way to keep up with release dates and delays, among other things.
10. The figure I want is long sold out at normal retailers! What’s the best place to pick it up in the aftermarket?
A list of reputable retailers can be found under the “Shops” section of the /AnimeFigures sidebar. They all sell legitimate products, and many of them also sell figures second hand. However, the most frequently suggested second hand sites are Mandarake and Amiami- who has a preowned section that they update every night save Sundays and Japanese holidays around 1PM JST and again around 6PM JST.
AmiAmi grades their pre-owned items on a letter scale. The general consensus from buyers is that their ratings are conservative, so unless the item and/or packaging is specifically indicated as having significant flaws, pre-owned items from them are usually in at least as good a condition as their rating suggests.
Note: When you search Mandarake, you’ll get the best results by using the Japanese characters for whatever you are searching. If you don’t know them, you can find them on MFC by clicking on any of the “details” in that figure’s listing.
11. Amiami has a figure I’m interested in labeled as “For sale in Japan only”. Does this mean I can’t order it without a proxy or forwarder?
No, you can still order it. Amiami’s English site has that warning on many items, and it’s mostly meant to inform you that this product was made for a Japanese market, and as such, will have Japanese speaking/writing in it- so don’t expect any instructions to be in English. If Amiami doesn’t want foreigners buying a certain product, they won’t even list it on their English site.

Displaying Your Figures

12. What display cases do you recommend?
If you live near an Ikea try out one of these:

• Klingsbo
• Billy (Often used with Morliden doors (now the HÖGBO and glass shelves.)
• Detolf: Formerly the go-to choice for inexpensive display cabinetry, the Detolf was first made flimsier around 2020 and then essentially phased out of the name, to become the BLÅLIDEN. Knockoff versions of widely-varying quality are commonly found on other shopping sites these days, though.

*If you decided on a Detolf, you might find that there is a lot of wasted space. Here are a few tutorials on raising the shelves or and adding extra ones in.

• Using metal clips
• Using acrylic supports and PVC pipe

If you don’t live near an Ikea, Amazon has a few display options, though they are more expensive. Also keep an eye on your local Craigslist (or your country’s equivalent) and stores near you that are closing up.
13. What lighting do you guys recommend?
Ikea’s Dioder LED strips were discontinued after a long run. A current version is the Vattensten, if you're inclined to buy your case and lights at the same time.
LED strips have become very commonly available in recent years; most hardware and home furnishing stores carry a selection now. Just make sure that the lights don’t get too hot!
14. What are those clear plastic boxes that I see under everyone’s figures in their collection posts, and where can I get them?
Those are called risers. Most of us use standard acrylic risers like these. Some other, easy to find things that have been suggested are:

• Plastic picture cubes
• Card Deck Boxes
• If you’re feeling adventurous, try making your own!

Check your local hobby store for the first 2 options, or your local hardware store if you want to make your own.
Another common suggestion is to visit The Container Store if you have one near you. They have a lot of things to choose from that can suit a variety of needs. Be sure to check out their standard acrylic risers, their Amac boxes, and the various display cases they sell (baseball cases, mini car cases. hockey puck cases, etc).
15. Should I keep my figures sealed?
That is, of course, up to you really, but here are a few things to keep in mind when debating this question:

• Keeping it sealed can actually damage your figure. PVC figures usually have something called plasticizer in them, and that plasticizer needs to be able to breath. If a PVC figure isn’t exposed to oxygen, after a period of time the plasticizer starts to break down and form a sticky substance on the surface of the figure. Simply opening your figures and taking them out of the box prevents this from happening. If you happen to find plasticizer goo on one of your figures, Kahotan has a handy guide for dealing with it.
• Unlike some other figure markets, keeping an anime figure sealed won’t raise its value by a whole lot. In fact, because of the plasticizer problem mentioned above, your figure could actually be in better condition if you open it versus keeping it sealed.

Finding the Right Figure(s) for You

16. What are "scales" and "prizes"? What is the difference between them?
Those are classifications for figures based on a few factors.

• "Prizes" are generally more simply produced figures which are intended to be given as prizes for playing arcade games. They are inexpensive and lack the detail of scale figures, though some prize figure lines have standouts which may approach lower-end scales in quality. That is uncommon and often depends on the individual figure.
• "Scales" are called such because they are nominally designed to be proportional to the dimensions of the character which they are based on. They are generally of much better manufacture and materials than prize figures, allowing for more detail in painting, accessories, or complex poses.
• "Trading" figures appear in gashapon machines or as blind boxes on shop counters, often as sets which include multiple characters. As suggested by the class name, the randomness encourages trading. They are usually very inexpensively-produced, though as with prizes, some series are better than others.
• "Non-scale" encompasses a variety of other categories. It is often used to describe poseable figure lines such as figma and Nendoroids.

In recent years producers such as Good Smile Company attempted to further bridge the gap between prize quality and scales by introducing figure lines which are intended to be moderately-priced while retaining a higher level of detail than the typical prize figure, to varying levels of success.
17. There are so many figure companies! Who makes good figures?!
Obviously this is a very subjective question, but as a general starting point, here are a few well renowned figure companies:

• Alter
• Max Factory
• Good Smile Company
• Kotobukiya (usually hit or miss for people. Use your best judgement based off of the prototype)
• Flare
• Stronger

18. I really love “series X / character X”- how can I check if any figures were ever made for it?
My Figure Collection can be your best friend here. Simply do a search on the name of the series or character using the search bar located at the top right of the screen, and all associated figures pop up!
Alternatively, if you’re looking at a figure’s MFC entry, most of the text under the “Details” section can be clicked on and used to run a search.
19. How can I commission a custom figure?
None of the major figure companies (Alter, Kotobukiya, Good Smile Company, etc.) will take a commission for a single figure. This thread has a few websites in it that you can check out, or you can look into garage kits. Some kit painters would be willing to resculpt, frankenstein together, or otherwise modify kits for the right price.
If you're looking for help completing a garage kit, /brushforhire may be useful.

Keeping Up with New Announcements

20. How can I keep up with figure news (announcements, updates, etc.)?
Most people use a MFC combined with any or all of the following news sites:

• Neko Magic
• Alter’s Blog (In Japanese)
• Kahotan’s Blog (Only GSC and their sister companies)

Many figure companies are active on Twitter, so following them there is recommended for quicker news.
To use MFC for this I’ll quote question #9.

If you make an account on MFC you can also subscribe to comments, changes, and pictures via a checkbox on the right hand side of a figure’s listing. Subscribing to any of these things will allow MFC to send you an email anytime the subscription in question updates. Subscribing to “changes” is a great way to keep up with release dates and delays, among other things.

Most companies have one or more Twitter accounts. Some examples: Good Smile Company sales, Good Smile's USA branch, Max Factory, AmiAmi Hobby News.
21. Everyone’s excited about something called Wonfes….. what the heck is that?!
WonFes (short for Wonder Festival) is a biannual figure expo where many figure producers (both large and small) show off new sculpts and updates to figures already under way. Most companies save their most exciting announcements for WonFes, so we all look forward to the expo whenever it rolls around! Winter Wonder Festival is usually held in February, while Summer Wonder Festival is usually in July. The event has also spread to Shanghai, in the late spring.
22. One or two (or 15) figures were announced at WonFes that I’m really excited about! How can I keep track of their progress once the event is over?
MFC is always really quick about getting new WonFes announcements (or any others throughout the year, for that matter) listed in their database, so we suggest using that. To find a figure from the event you can search any number of things, including the name of the character or the name of the show. You can also use the tag search to search “WonderFestival 20xx_[season]” to see all items announced at that event.

INT. KACL RADIO STATION - DAY
Frasier is in his booth, preparing for his show. Bulldog enters, holding a basket of hot peppers.
BULLDOG: (grinning) Hey Frasier, ever heard of the hot pepper challenge?
FRASIER: (skeptical) Bulldog, I'm not sure that's a wise use of my time.
BULLDOG: (persistent) Come on, Frasier. Live a little. You're a man, aren't you?
After some persuasion, Frasier agrees to try the challenge. He takes a bite of a pepper and immediately starts to sneeze.
FRASIER: (sneezing) Ah-choo!
Chunks of mucusy pepper fly into Bulldog's eyes, causing him to scream in pain.
BULLDOG: (yelling) My eyes! I can't see!
Bulldog stumbles around the room, blindly crashing through an office window and falling 35 stories to the street below.
CUT TO:
EXT. STREET IN FRONT OF KACL - DAY
Bulldog's body lies crumpled on top of Frasier's BMW, which is now a mangled wreck.
CUT TO:
INT. FRASIER'S APARTMENT - DAY
Frasier is sitting in front of an empty bottle of Hennessy XO with a pained expression on his face.
FRASIER: That jerk had the audacity to destroy my BMW with his last breath. If only people knew what kind of a repulsive slug bulldog really was.
Frasier's frown turns up into a sly smile. He stands and charges to his desk, pulling out his legal pad.
FRASIER: (muttering to himself) I'll make sure Bulldog will be remembered not only for his contributions to sports broadcasting, but also for his insatiable appetite for lewd behavior and his secret life as a deviant. I'm going to write his obituary!
Frasier writes with furious speed as we hear his voice narrate his writing.
FRASIER VO: Bob 'Bulldog' Briscoe, also known as the boorish and uncouth purveyor of sports broadcasting at KACL radio, has met his untimely end at the age of 55. While some may remember Bulldog for his love of all things athletic, let's not overlook his many personal flaws.
Bulldog was a man of depraved tastes, with a particular fondness for combining snuff with snuff films and a collection of bondage paraphernalia that would make even the most seasoned deviant blush, including a latex snuggie autographed by R. Kelly. And let us not forget his prized possession: a collection of sweaters once belonging to none other than Jeffrey Epstein.
Despite his many shortcomings, Bulldog managed to maintain a career at KACL for over two decades. His distinctive voice and brash style may have endeared him to some, but to coworkers he was nothing more than a constant source of annoyance and frustration. And on the note of shortcomings, Bulldog was less than averagely endowed even for a man of his miniature stature.
In the end, Bulldog's reckless behavior sealed his fate. He met his demise after falling from a great height, leaving behind a trail of destruction that included the destruction of Frasier Crane's beloved BMW.
Let Bulldog's passing serve as a cautionary tale for those who choose to live their lives with such disregard for decency and propriety. He may be gone, but the memory of his insufferable presence will linger on. And he was an alcoholic.
Frasier kisses the finished obituary.
FRASIER: I'm going to personally deliver this myself!
He pats his pockets for his car keys. His jaw drops as he remembers his car is gone.
FRASIER (crying): On foot!
FADE TO BLACK

Hey guys, my current DD is a 2014 Ford Focus Hatch. It's getting to a point where my partner and I are questioning how much longer it will be in our life. It's had a lot of recall issues and even left me stranded on my way to work once.
Both of us hate the idea of a big SUV or crossover, but we like having the flexibility of sleeping in our car when we go on long road trips or spur of the moment adventures (which happens often). The Focus is fine, but I'm 6 feet tall and often my knees are a bit bent so something with slightly more horizontal space would be nice.
She needs an auto but beyond that we are really open to suggestions. Ideally I'd like to be able to do a lot of the work myself. For context I do my own maintenance on a 2000 Porsche Boxster S and have done most of my own maintenance on the Focus. In light of DIY maintenance, older cars are fine especially if they have an enthusiast community around them so when things do need doing I can find the resources pretty easily.
We live in Colorado so AWD would be nice for ski season, but I run dedicated winter tires so AWD isn't an absolute must have, just more of a nice-to-have.
I've looked at a F31 BMW 330ix wagon and it was great, but it was also $22k which is a bit outside our ideal budget.
Any thoughts on what cars I should consider?

Hello folks,
36 yo male here, based in London, UK
I've been feeling extermely disillusioned with my life/career as of late. My background is in project management, I've spent the last 7 years as a project manager in live events — running up to 6-figure jobs, managain up to 100+ staff/contractors on-site, working in prestigous venues in London. It involves many odd hours/late night/early mornings, irregular sleep patterns, physical work, stress and juggling multiple clients/events at once from the initial sales/quote through to planning the event and execution.
Current salary is £41k plus approx. £9k from a side hustle I set up in COVID so I take around £50k a year. The company I work for is very small for what we're acheiving and I feel I "got in at the bottom" so to speak so based on a current trajectory, a 6-figure salary could be feasible later on down the road.
However, I'm burned out. I've been working flat-out for 3 years and I think it's taken its toll. I take a couple of weeks off and don't have any more energy/desire to do my job — I think I'm just over it all and given I'm not exactly young, if I'm going to change careers I need to do it ASAP.
Looking through reddit/online forums, tech/IT comes up all the time as a viable career path to earn good money. I don't mind working long days, but the current mix of being onsite at events/in the office/driving between events and the warehouse is killing me (nearly crashed my car a few times after a 20 hour day and driving home)
Based on my experience, would anyone reccomend a particular path/subset of IT that would be wise to get into at my age? Cybersecurity seems oversaturated, although I've considered joining the Police as a direct detective, serve for some years and try to move into cyber crime, do that for a while then enter the private sector as a contractor. Software engineering seems fruitful but I'd have to go back to school and I can't afford that now.
Is my only route into the industry taking a massive pay cut to work on a level 1 help desk?
Any advice at all would be much appreciated.

Hello folks,
36 yo male here, based in London, UK
I've been feeling extermely disillusioned with my life/career as of late. My background is in project management, I've spent the last 7 years as a project manager in live events — running up to 6-figure jobs, managain up to 100+ staff/contractors on-site, working in prestigous venues in London. It involves many odd hours/late night/early mornings, irregular sleep patterns, physical work, stress and juggling multiple clients/events at once from the initial sales/quote through to planning the event and execution.
Current salary is £41k plus approx. £9k from a side hustle I set up in COVID so I take around £50k a year. The company I work for is very small for what we're acheiving and I feel I "got in at the bottom" so to speak so based on a current trajectory, a 6-figure salary could be feasible later on down the road.
However, I'm burned out. I've been working flat-out for 3 years and I think it's taken its toll. I take a couple of weeks off and don't have any more energy/desire to do my job — I think I'm just over it all and given I'm not exactly young, if I'm going to change careers I need to do it ASAP.
Looking through reddit/online forums, tech/IT comes up all the time as a viable career path to earn good money. I don't mind working long days, but the current mix of being onsite at events/in the office/driving between events and the warehouse is killing me (nearly crashed my car a few times after a 20 hour day and driving home)
Based on my experience, would anyone reccomend a particular path/subset of IT that would be wise to get into at my age? Cybersecurity seems oversaturated, although I've considered joining the Police as a direct detective, serve for some years and try to move into cyber crime, do that for a while then enter the private sector as a contractor. Software engineering seems fruitful but I'd have to go back to school and I can't afford that now.
Essentially I feel trapped in my current job. I earn too much to leave as my only option is to do a similar job in the same industry (with the same unsociable long hours and physical work), but I'm starting to know deep down that I can't do this long term. I feel like the last 7 years of my life have been wasted and I've borderline killed myself at times to help a young company succeed that I'll be walking away from.
Any advice at all would be much appreciated.

Hello folks,
36 yo male here, based in London, UK
I've been feeling extermely disillusioned with my life/career as of late. My background is in project management, I've spent the last 7 years as a project manager in live events — running up to 6-figure jobs, managain up to 100+ staff/contractors on-site, working in prestigous venues in London. It involves many odd hours/late night/early mornings, irregular sleep patterns, physical work, stress and juggling multiple clients/events at once from the initial sales/quote through to planning the event and execution.
Current salary is £41k plus approx. £9k from a side hustle I set up in COVID so I take around £50k a year. The company I work for is very small for what we're acheiving and I feel I "got in at the bottom" so to speak so based on a current trajectory, a 6-figure salary could be feasible later on down the road.
However, I'm burned out. I've been working flat-out for 3 years and I think it's taken its toll. I take a couple of weeks off and don't have any more energy/desire to do my job — I think I'm just over it all and given I'm not exactly young, if I'm going to change careers I need to do it ASAP.
Looking through reddit/online forums, tech/IT comes up all the time as a viable career path to earn good money. I don't mind working long days, but the current mix of being onsite at events/in the office/driving between events and the warehouse is killing me (nearly crashed my car a few times after a 20 hour day and driving home)
Based on my experience, would anyone reccomend a particular path/subset of IT that would be wise to get into at my age? Cybersecurity seems oversaturated, although I've considered joining the Police as a direct detective, serve for some years and try to move into cyber crime, do that for a while then enter the private sector as a contractor. Software engineering seems fruitful but I'd have to go back to school and I can't afford that now.
Is my only route into the industry taking a massive pay cut to work on a level 1 help desk?
Any advice at all would be much appreciated.

Hello folks,
36 yo male here, based in London, UK
I've been feeling extermely disillusioned with my life/career as of late. My background is in project management, I've spent the last 7 years as a project manager in live events — running up to 6-figure jobs, managain up to 100+ staff/contractors on-site, working in prestigous venues in London. It involves many odd hours/late night/early mornings, irregular sleep patterns, physical work, stress and juggling multiple clients/events at once from the initial sales/quote through to planning the event and execution.
Current salary is £41k plus approx. £9k from a side hustle I set up in COVID so I take around £50k a year. The company I work for is very small for what we're acheiving and I feel I "got in at the bottom" so to speak so based on a current trajectory, a 6-figure salary could be feasible later on down the road.
However, I'm burned out. I've been working flat-out for 3 years and I think it's taken its toll. I take a couple of weeks off and don't have any more energy/desire to do my job — I think I'm just over it all and given I'm not exactly young, if I'm going to change careers I need to do it ASAP.
Looking through reddit/online forums, tech/IT comes up all the time as a viable career path to earn good money. I don't mind working long days, but the current mix of being onsite at events/in the office/driving between events and the warehouse is killing me (nearly crashed my car a few times after a 20 hour day and driving home)
Based on my experience, would anyone reccomend a particular path/subset of IT that would be wise to get into at my age? Cybersecurity seems oversaturated, although I've considered joining the Police as a direct detective, serve for some years and try to move into cyber crime, do that for a while then enter the private sector as a contractor. Software engineering seems fruitful but I'd have to go back to school and I can't afford that now.
Is my only route into the industry taking a massive pay cut to work on a level 1 help desk?
Any advice at all would be much appreciated.

Okay so…. Not proud of my jealousy here but tell me if I’m the asshole.
So I have ALWAYS been a BMW car lover. I bought my first bmw at 18 with working two jobs, I’ve always said how much I love them. Well after my first car got really old and I needed something bigger and less expensive, I got a nice Acura. This made sense to me financially. My current partner has always been a Mercedes lover and leases really nice cars- so he gets to choose new ones every 3 years or something like that. Well, I’ve been talking about how I cannot wait to be able to get a BMW x6. I have expressed how this is my DREAM car and my goal is to have that soon (my Acura is paid off and after work promotions, I should be able to get my dream car in about 2 years)- he decided that his next lease on a car would be THIS CAR…. TO THE EXACT SPEC I WANT.
He owns his own business and can financially afford this very easily and even a nicer car like a Porsche (which was his other option) but I think because I’ve been talking this car up so much the last year, he really got interested in it as well. He’s getting it on Friday and I expressed that I’m a little “bitter” about this and he said “well you can drive it when I have too much to drink at dinner”. This made me so annoyed and I said, “no. I don’t really want to be in this car because it has been my dream car for a while and I don’t want to experience it like that”. Now…. It’s awkward and we’re just feeling weird about it but the papers are signed and it’s a done deal. He will have this car for 3 years and I just have to see my dream car on the daily basis without it being mine. AITA????????

Asking because i was looking at an x3 m40i.. but recently on a vacation we rented a volvo xc60 recharge (phev). The car has alot of options that just aren't available on the X3 like air suspension, bowers and wilkins stereo, massage seats.. and going into EV mode around town is nice. the 0-60 is about the same. I'll have to do more research as i've heard volvo's aren't very reliable. .
but just curious why you picked bmw over lexus, volvo, mb, porsche, etc.

After owning a few extremely boring NPC cars, I'm looking for my next car to be something special. I've spent all my life so far having to painfully drive boring cars whilst I fund training for a new job and now I've finally acquired it, I have a good salary, and as a petrolhead it's time to buy something I can actually enjoy.
To give a quick brief, I'm looking for a car that's a proper drivers car, ideally manual, that I can enjoy on the average UK B-road but also be able to load it up with overnight bags and do long road trips to Scotland and deep into the European continent. I'm okay with having a car that's less than reliable, so long as when it goes wrong it's not going to bankrupt me. My budget is around £30k and I can, if needed, run a second, more boring yet versatile daily.
So far this is my current shortlist with thoughts:

• Hyundai I20N- Love this car. A small, fun, affordable yet economical hatchback that does everything I want it to do and more. They're about £25k barely new and have all the mod-cons of a new car, however unsure if it will feel truly special and maybe underwhelming on long road trips.
  
• BMW M2 - I'd ideally want a Comp, and very undecided on whether I'd get a manual or DCT car as both have their positives. It's my favourite modern M car as it's the successor to the 1M, a car I adore. Smaller, more suited to bashing narrower roads yet practical enough to do daily tasks whilst maintaining a somewhat affordable running cost.
  
• Jaguar F-Type - Let's kick it off with a controversial statement. I prefer the V6. Don't get me wrong, I adore the V8 but I like the smoothness, relatively low running cost, more affordable yet still great sounding V6 (plus I've heard the V8 is a bit droning on long journeys). I love the look of the coupe and they're practical enough to be a single garage car.
  
• Honda S2000 - Always wanted one, they look great, go like stink, are light and great to drive plus VTEC POWER. That being said, they're becoming collectors items, which is great for minimising depreciation, but I'd always be slightly uncomfortable in putting tens of thousands of miles on a low mileage one.
  
• BMW E92 M3 - Much like the M2, I'd really want the comp package, but those are at the top end of my budget (£35k+ for a decent example). I love the V8 of that generation M3 and think they still look amazing compared to modern machinery, however I know they have major issues with Rod Bearings. Is this something to actually fear as it's common or is it one of those things that can happen, but generally don't if you look after your machinery?
  
• 996 Carrera/997 Carrera S - Manual obvs because ew tiptronic. I'd much prefer the 997 because I think it looks better and is built better, but there's a part of me that would like a 996 so that I could say I've owned it and can get one step closer to owning every generation of 911. They aren't exactly cheap to run and 996/early 997 do get some common, major issues. How bad are these issues and is it worth avoiding high mileage cars?
  
• V8 Vantage - As per above, manual because the automated manual on those cars are shocking. I'd prefer a 4.7 but am quite price limited on those so would likely settle for a 4.3. They're a poor purchasing choice in every way, unreliable, cost a lot to run and have relatively poor performance, but I just love them. I love the look, the sound, and the fact I can tell people I'm an Aston owner with a smug face which makes people hate me.
  

So there we have it, I'm open to all suggestions and welcome any tips/tricks with the cars above, anything to avoid or look out for. I've also contemplated buying things like Lotus Exiges, G Body Porsches and other less practical cars, but for now I think I want something that's a bit safer.
If you got this far, thanks for reading, and pop any advice/thoughts below!!!

Context: 22 years old. Currently in school for HVAC. Off for the summer but will graduate this coming Winter.
I’ve only ever done retail sales related jobs since high school. Started off at Best Buy as a sales associate in the computer department. Moved to Apple as a store sales associate, although I did more “selling” at Best Buy if you know what I mean.
Currently, I work at a mattress store in a shopping mall. It’s a commission only based job. Been here 5 months but I’m already a top performer here. I don’t want to be here anymore since it gets so dead during the week that you won’t even get a solid opportunity to sell a mattress. Corporate screws us over by not having stock on certain items, causing us to lose sales both large and small. My coworker doesn’t give a fuck about the job and his inabilty to sell prevents us from hitting our monthly goals which give us bonus pay.
I’ve always been passionate about cars, dream job would to be a BMW/Porsche salesman, although I probably won’t be able to start there, considering they’d want some automotive sales experience beforehand, and I know that dealerships look for salesman, not car enthusiasts. The ability to explain technology terms for the consumer and close sales, something I’ve done quite often in my current job and ones prior.
My initial plan was to finish school, try the trades, then do car sales as a backup plan. However, the more I work at this mattress store, the more I want to leave.
Am I fit for car sales?

Currently I have a 2008 BMW 525i M Sport (LCI, with the N53 engine, but not the CIC iDrive). It's a fine car, and I've had it since around 2016/2017 - but it's getting on a bit, the rear wheel arches are getting a bit rusty (all bubbled up), and I'm concerned that a big repair bill will be forthcoming - for what, I don't know yet, just I know my luck... I just had to change out parts of the cooling system due to age and wear, and while that wasn't expensive, it could have been catastrophic if the hose had burst and dumped all the coolant while I was on the motorway.
I've spotted a 2018 BMW 530e sedan (G30) for sale at just under £4k (I'm in the UK, it's a RHD car, nobody else wants to import them from the UK, so they don't hold their value), with around 50k miles on the clock. That's just about affordable, but I've never owned a hybrid, or any other kind of electric vehicle. I don't have a driveway or a garage at my house, so I'm limited to parking on the street, and I can't run a cable out from my house to charge it.
Given the restrictions of my property (i.e. I can't charge it at home), is it still worth getting a 530e only charging up via the 2.0 litre I4 turbo petrol engine? Any other things I need to be wary of with this hybrid drive system?
Any other caveats of the G30 that I need to worry about?
Am I likely to enjoy driving it as much as I do my E60 525i, or would I be better off trying to hunt down a non-hybrid example, or another model of BMW entirely? I love how practical, comfortable, and *fun* the E60 is, especially with the M Sport suspension.
EDIT: the FB Marketplace listing for the G30 530e was, as you all said, 100% a scam. I messaged the seller and they (eventually) replied saying this:
"Hello, is still for sale and the price is accurate. In order to reach for more info and pictures about it you have to contact at : transportsales@.com You need to include the sale price, and REG number and picture of the vehicle otherwise you will not receive a response back. Thank you!"
So yeah, 100% a scam, no way I'm pursuing that one any further; I only went that far to satisfy my own curiosity.
I'm still thinking about a G30, just not from THEM.

I’ve owned a 2010 corolla -> 2012 infiniti g37 -> 2018 Mustang GT -> 2002 BMW 325Ci -> 2018 Mustang GT. I’ve lowered every single one of them and put aftermarket wheels on them. Dream car is a porsche 911 gt3rs but can’t afford it yet.
Done modifying so I’m looking for a car that is good looking, doesn’t have much wheel gap (looks low stock), has some feel and not so comfortable it is numb, and has apple carplay. It can be gas or electric, no hybrids please. Budget would be around $70-80k and that’s including me selling or trading in my current 2018 mustang gt. Thanks!

Note:

• All keys are primarily from US/NA region
• My list maybe slightly outdated so I apologize in advance if some of the games mentioned are already traded/Sold.
• I accept XBOX keys as well.
• I accept paypal only via goods and services so all transactions will include fees.
• My Wishlist, I am just interested in these games and mentioned in wants below.

HAVE

• .hack//G.U. Last Recode
• 10 Second Ninja X
• 112 operator
• 198X x 2
• 8 doors
• 9 Years of Shadows
• 911 Operator x 2
• A Fisherman's Tale
• A Juggler's Tale
• A Little Golf Journey
• A Sceptic's Guide to Magic
• A Tale of Paper: Refolded Edition
• A.I.M. Clan Wars
• Aces and Adventures x 1
• Aegis Defenders x 3
• Ageless x 3
• Alekhine's Gun
• Alien Spidy
• Alwa's Awakening
• Amanda the Adventurer
• American Fugitive x 3
• Amnesia: The Dark Descent + Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs
• Amnesia: Rebirth x 2
• Anna's Quest x 2
• Anuchard
• Arcade Paradise
• Arcade Paradise - Arcade Paradise EP x 2
• Arcade Spirits
• Arto
• As Far As The Eye
• Astalon: Tears of the Earth
• AtmaSphere
• Attack of the Earthlings
• Automachef x 3
• Automobilista
• Autonauts vs Piratebots x 3
• Axiom Verge
• Axiom Verge 2
• Back 4 Blood - STRICT NA REGION LOCK x 2
• Ballpoint Universe - Infinite
• Bartlow's Dread Machine
• Batman: Arkham Asylum GOTY Edition
• Batman: Arkham City GOTY
• Batman: Arkham Knight Premium Edition
• Batman: Arkham Origins
• Battlestar Galactica Deadlock
• Bayonetta
• Beacon Pines x 2
• Before We leave
• Behind the Frame: The Finest Scenery
• Beholder 2
• Bendy and the Dark Revival x 2
• Between the stars x 4
• Beyond the wire x 2
• Big Crown Showdown
• Bionic Commando x 2
• Blade Assault
• Blasphemous
• Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night x 3
• Book of Demons x 3
• Boomerang Fu
• Borderlands 2 Game of the Year x 2
• Boreal Blade x 3
• Boundless
• Bravery and Greed
• Broken Age
• Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons
• Builder Simulator x 1
• Bunker Punks
• Butcher
• CAPITALISM 2
• CHESS ULTRA
• CODE VEIN
• CROSSBOW: Bloodnight x 2
• Call of Juarez Gunslinger
• Canyon Capers
• Capitalism 2
• Car Mechanic Simulator 2018
• Car Mechanic Simulator VR
• Cardaclysm
• Carnival Games VR
• Caveman World: Mountains of Unga Boonga
• Celeste
• Charlie's Adventure
• Chicken Assassin Reloaded
• Children of Silentown x 2
• Chivalry 2 x 2
• Chivalry: Medieval Warfare x 2
• Citizen Sleeper
• CivCity: Rome x 3
• Civilization III x 2
• Clutch
• Cobra Kai: The Karate Kid Saga Continues
• Conan Exiles
• Convoy
• Cook, Serve, Delicious! 3
• Cook, Serve, Delicious! 3?!
• Cook-Out
• Cookie Cutter
• Cosmic Star Heroine
• Crash Drive 3
• Crazy Machines 3
• Crown Trick
• Cultures - 8th Wonder of the world
• Cursed Castilla (Maldita Castilla Ex)
• Cyber Hook x 2
• DISTRAINT 2 x 2
• DOOM Eternal DELUXE EDITION
• DUCATI - 90th Anniversary
• Dagon: by H. P. Lovecraft - The Eldritch Box DLC x 2
• Danger Scavenger
• Dangerous Worlds x 2
• Dark Future: Blood Red States
• Darksburg x 2
• Darkwood
• Dead Age
• Dead In Vinland x 2
• Death's Gambit: Afterlife
• Deleveled x 2
• Demon Pit
• Deponia: The Complete Journey x 2
• Derange
• Desert Child
• Desolate x 2
• Destroy All Humans! 2 - Reprobed x 2
• Deus Ex: Mankind Divided - Digital Deluxe Edition
• DiRT Rally
• DiRT Rally 2.0 - H2 RWD Double Pack
• DiRT Rally 2.0 - Opel Manta 400
• Dirt Rally 2.0 - Porsche 911 RGT Rally Spec
• Dirt Rally x 2
• Disco Elysium - The Final Cut
• Disjunction - gog
• Do Not Feed the Monkeys
• Dracula: Love Kills
• Drake Hollow x 2
• Draw Slasher x 2
• Drawful 2 x 2
• Dreams in the Witch House x 2
• Dreamscaper x 2
• Driftland: The Magic Revival x 5
• Ducati - 90th Anniversary
• Due Process x 3
• Duke Nukem Forever collection x 4
• Dust to the End
• Dying Light Definitive Edition
• ELEX II x 4
• ETHERBORN
• Eador. Imperium
• Earth 2140
• Earth Defence Force 4.1 + all dlc
• Earth Defence Force: Iron Rain
• EarthX
• Edge Of Eternity x 3
• El Matador
• Elderand
• Eldest Souls
• Ember
• Enclave (Gold) x 2
• Encodya - GOG x 2
• Endless Space 2 x 2
• Endzone - A World apart
• Enslaved™: Odyssey To The West™ Premium Edition
• Eternal Threads x 4
• Eternity: The Last Unicorn
• Evergarden x 2
• Evoland Legendary Edition x 2
• Exiled Kingdoms x 2
• Expeditions: Rome x 2
• Expeditions: Viking
• F1 2017 1988 McLAREN MP4/4 Classic Car DLC
• FAR: Lone Sails x 2
• Family Man x 3
• Fantasy Blacksmith
• Fantasy Versus
• Farmer's dynasty x 2
• Fated Souls 3
• Fear Effect Sedna
• Fictorum
• Field of Glory II x 2
• Field of Glory: Empires
• Figement
• Final Fantasy III (3D Remake)
• Five Dates x 2
• Fling to the Finish
• Fobia - St. Dinfna Hotel x 2
• For The King
• Foretales x 1
• Four Sided Fantasy
• Friends vs Friends x 4
• Frog Detective 2: The Case Of The Invisible Wizard x 3
• Frogun
• From Space x 3
• Fun With Ragdolls: The Game x 2
• Fun with Ragdolls: The Game
• Fury Unleashed x 5
• GOD EATER 3 x 2
• GRID Autosport - Premium Garage Pack DLC
• GRID Autosport - Road & Track Car Pack DLC
• GRIP: Combat Racing Artifex DLC x 3
• GameGuru x 2
• GameMaker Studio 2 Creator 12 Months x 2
• Garage: bad trip
• Garfield Kart
• Garfield Kart - Furious Racing
• Gauntlet
• GemCraft - Chasing Shadows
• Genesis Alpha One Deluxe Edition x 3
• Ghost Of A Tale
• Ghost Song
• Gift of Parthax
• Glitch Busters x 2
• Gloria Victis x 2
• Gnog
• Go Home Dinosaurs x 2
• Gold Rush! Classic
• Golden Light x 3
• Golf Club Wasteland
• Gotham Knights
• Gothic 3
• Grand Mountain Adventure
• Green Hell (Region locked)
• Guts and Glory
• Guts and glory
• Hardspace: Shipbreaker x 3
• Have a nice Death
• Headsnatchers x 2
• Heal
• Heavy Burger
• Heli Heroes
• Helion
• Hell Pie
• Hell let loose
• Hellpoint x 2
• Hero's Hour (NA Region) x 3
• Hexologic
• Hi-Fi RUSH
• Hidden & Dangerous 2: Courage Under Fire x 3
• Hidden & Dangerous: Action Pack x 2
• Hiveswap Friendsim x 2
• Hiveswap: Act 1
• Homefront
• Homestead Arcana x 2
• Honey, I Joined a Cult x 2
• Horizon Chase Turbo x 2
• Hot Brass x 2
• Hot Wheels Unleashed
• Hotshot Racing x 3
• Hue x 2
• Hyperdrive Massacre
• I Expect You To Die
• Ice Age: Scrat's Nutty Adventure
• Ikenfell x 3
• Imperator: Rome Deluxe Edition x 2
• In sound mind x 2
• Indivisible x 5
• Injustice 2 Legendary Edition
• Insurmountable
• Interplanetary: Enhanced Edition
• Interstellar Space: Genesis
• Introvert Quest
• Iratus: Lord of the Dead
• Iris And The Giant
• Iron Danger
• Iron Sky Invasion
• Jack Move
• Jack Orlando: Director's Cut
• Journey of Greed
• Journey of a Roach x 2
• JumpJet Rex
• Jurassic Park Classic Games Collection
• Just Cause 4 Complete Edition
• Karma City Police
• Kerbal Space Program
• King Of The Castle
• King's Bounty: Warriors of the North
• Kingdom: Classic
• Kingdom: New Lands x 2
• Kings of Kung Fu
• Kitaria Fables
• Knights and Merchants
• Koa and the Five Pirates of Mara
• Kraken Academy!!
• Kyle is Famous: Complete Edition
• LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham
• LEGO Marvel Super Heroes
• LEGO® MARVEL's Avengers
• Last Inua
• Lawn Mowing Simulator x 2
• Layers of Fear + Soundtrack
• Leisure Suit Larry - Wet Dreams Don't Dry
• Leisure Suit Larry - Wet Dreams Dry Twice
• Levelhead
• Liberated
• Liberated GOG x 2
• Liberte
• Lichdom: Battlemage
• Life is Strange 2 Complete Season (incl. Mascot Bundle DLC)
• Life is Strange: True Colors x 2
• Little Orpheus
• Loddlenaut
• Lords and Villeins x 3
• Lostwinds
• Lovecraft's Untold Stories x 3
• Lust for Darkness
• MO:Astray
• Mad Max
• Magrunner: Dark Pulse
• Main Assembly
• Majesty 2 Collection x 2
• Making History: The Calm and the Storm Gold Edition
• Marvel's Midnight Suns Digital+ Edition + Doctor Strange Defenders Skin
• Mass Effect 2 Origin key
• Medieval Kingdom Wars
• Mediterranea Inferno
• Meeple Station x 2
• Mega Man Legacy Collection
• Memoria + Soundtrack
• Men of War
• Merchant of the Skies x 2
• Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor Game of the Year Edition x 2
• Middle-earth: Shadow of War Definitive Edition x 2
• Midnight Fight Express
• Midnight Ghost Hunt
• Midnight protocol x 2
• Milky Way Prince - The Vampire Star x 2
• Monaco
• Monorail Stories
• Monster Crown x 3
• Monster Prom 2: Monster Camp x 2
• Monster Slayers
• Monster Slayers - Advanced Classes Unlocker
• Monster Slayers - Fire & Steel Expansion
• Morbid: The Seven Acolytes x 2
• Morkredd x 3
• Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate Edition x 2
• Mortal Kombat XL x 2
• Moving Out
• Mr. Prepper x 2
• Munin
• Murder by Numbers
• My Big Sister x 2
• My Time At Portia
• Mystery Castle: The Mirror's Secret
• Mytheon
• Mythforce
• Narita Boy
• Nebuchadnezzar
• NecroVisioN: Lost Company
• NecroWorm x 2
• Neoverse x 3
• Neverout x 2
• Neversong
• Nickelodeon all-star brawl x 2
• Niffelheim x 2
• Nigate Tale
• Nioh 2
• Nobody Saves the World
• Noosphere
• Northend Tower Defense
• Nowhere Prophet
• Nuclear DAWN
• OTXO
• Oaken x 2
• Oddworld: Soulstorm Enhanced Edition x 2
• Of Orcs and Men
• Oh My Gore! x 3
• Omensight Definitve Edition x 2
• Operation Tango x 2
• Orbital Racer x 2
• Othercide
• Out Of Space
• Out of Reach: Treasure Royale x 2
• Overcooked
• Overlord: Ultimate Evil Collection
• Ozymandias - NA region x 2
• PAC-MAN 256
• PAC-MAN MUSEUM+ x 2
• PC Building Simulator x 2
• PGA Tour 2K21 x 2
• PULSAR: Lost Colony x 2
• Partisans 1941 x 2
• Patch Quest x 3
• Path Of Giants
• Pathfinder: Kingmaker - Royal Ascension
• Pathfinder: Kingmaker - Wild Cards
• Pathfinder: Kingmaker Enhanced Plus Edition
• Paw paw paw x 4
• Peaky Blinders: Mastermind x 2
• Perfect x 2
• Pesterquest x 4
• Phantom Doctrine x 2
• Pikuniku
• Pine
• Pitiri 1977
• Pixel Puzzles: UndeadZ
• Pixplode x 2
• Planet Alcatraz
• Plants vs. Zombies: Battle for Neighborville (ORIGIN KEY)
• PlataGO!
• Police stories
• Popup Dungeon
• Port Royale 3
• Prison Architect + Aficionado (Dlc)
• Prodeus
• Propnight
• Purrfect Date
• Quern: Undying thoughts
• RAD x 2
• REPLIKATOR
• RICO: London
• RIOT - Civil Unrest
• RPG Maker VX
• Rage in Peace
• Railroad Tycoon 2: Platinum x 3
• Railroad Tycoon 3 x 3
• Railway Empire
• Rainbow Billy: The Curse of the Leviathan x 2
• Re-Legion
• Rebel Galaxy Outlaw
• Rebel Inc: Escalation x 3
• Red Wings: Aces of the Sky
• Redeemer: Enhanced Edition x 2
• Relicta x 3
• Remnants of Naezith x 2
• Remothered: Broken Porcelain
• Renfield: Bring Your Own Blood x 2
• Rescue Party: Live! x 2
• Resident Evil HD REMASTER
• Resident Evil Revelations 2 - Episode 1: Penal Colony x 2
• Resident Evil Revelations x 2
• Retimed x 3
• Reventure
• Revita
• Rig n Roll
• Ring of pain x 4
• Rise Of Industry x 3
• Rise of the Slime x 2
• Roadwarden
• Roarr! Jurassic Edition x 2
• Roboquest
• Rogue Lords x 2
• Roguebook
• RollerCoaster Tycoon Classic
• Rollerdrome NA region
• Romancing SaGa -Minstrel Song- Remastered
• Rover Mechanic Simulator x 3
• Rustler x 4
• SCP : Secret Files x 3
• SPACECOM
• SPRAWL x 2
• STONE x 2
• SUPERHOT VR
• SYSTEM SHOCK: ENHANCED EDITION
• Sairento VR
• Satellite Reign
• Saturday Morning RPG
• Save Room - Organization Puzzle
• Say No! More
• Scheming Through The Zombie Apocalypse: The Beginning x 2
• Scorn x 2
• ScourgeBringer
• Seed Hunter x 2
• Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun - Aiko's Choice
• Shadowhand: RPG Card Game
• Shady Part of Me x 2
• Shantae and the Pirate's Curse
• Shark Attack Deathmatch 2
• Shing! x 2
• Shining Resonance Refrain x 2
• Ship Simulator Extremes x 2
• Shooting Stars! x 2
• Shooty Fruity
• Shoppe Keep 2
• Shotgun King: The Final Checkmate - NA region x 2
• Sid Meier's Railroads! x 3
• Sifu Deluxe Edition Upgrade Bundle x 2
• Silver Chains
• Simple Rockets 2
• Simplerockets 2 x 2
• Simulacra + Simulacra 2
• Sin Slayers
• Size Matters x 3
• Skullgirls 2nd Encore
• Slain: Back from Hell
• Slinger VR x 2
• Snake Pass
• Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts x 2
• Snowtopia x 2
• Songbird Symphony
• Songbringer
• Sonic Adventure 2: Battle Mode DLC x 2
• Sonic Adventure™ 2 x 2
• Sorry, James
• Soul Axiom Rebooted x 2
• Soulblight x 2
• Souldiers
• Space Cows
• Space Hulk Ascension
• Sparklite
• Speed Brawl x 2
• Spirit Of The Island x 3
• Splasher
• Star Wolves
• Star Wolves 3: Civil War
• Stars End
• Starsand x 2
• Staxel
• Stealth 2: A Game Of Clones
• Steel Rats x 2
• Steelrising
• Still There x 3
• Strange Brigade x 2
• Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection
• Street Fighter V
• Strider x 2
• Struggling x 2
• Stubbs The Zombie In Rebel Without A Pulse
• Sunblaze
• Super Magbot
• Super Meat Boy x 2
• Super Panda Adventures
• Super Trench Attack!
• Supraland x 2
• Supreme Ruler 1936
• Supreme Ruler: Cold War
• SurrounDead x 2
• TEKKEN 7 x 2
• THE HEX
• THEM'S FIGHTIN' HERDS
• Tabletop Playground x 3
• Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition
• Tango Fiesta
• Tannenberg
• Telefrag VR x 2
• Tesla vs Lovecraft
• The Amazing American Circus x 2
• The Ambassador: Fractured Timelines
• The Ascent
• The Assembly
• The Bard's Tale IV: Director's Cut x 3
• The Beast Inside x 3
• The Big Con x 2
• The Blackout Club
• The Coma 2: Vicious Sisters x 2
• The Curious Tale of the Stolen Pets
• The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes
• The Darkness II x 2
• The Deed Dynasty
• The Deed II
• The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind x 2
• The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion x 2
• The Elder Scrolls Online
• The Excavation of Hob's Barrow
• The Golf Club 2019 Featuring PGA TOUR x 3
• The Gunk x 2
• The Haunted Island, A Frog Detective Game x 3
• The Henry Stickmin Collection x 2
• The Hong Kong Massacre
• The Invisible Hand x 2
• The Knight Witch
• The LEGO Movie - Videogame
• The LEGO NINJAGO Movie Video Game
• The Legend of Tianding x 2
• The Life and Suffering of Sir Brante
• The Long Reach
• The Mummy Demastered
• The Pale Beyond
• The Quarry - Deluxe Edition x 2
• The Red Lantern
• The Red Solstice x 2
• The Shapeshifting Detective
• The Surge
• The Survivalists
• The Swords Of Ditto: Mormo's Curse x 2
• The Textorcist: The story of Ray Bibbia x 3
• The Town of Light
• The USB Stick Found in the Grass x 2
• The Uncertain - The Last Quiet Day
• The Walking Dead
• The Walking Dead: 400 Days
• The Walking Dead: A New Frontier x 2
• The Walking Dead: Michonne x 2
• The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners - Chapter 2: Retribution
• The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners x 4
• The Walking Dead: Season Two
• The Walking Dead: The Final Season x 2
• The Wild Eight
• The Wizards - Dark Times
• Them and Us
• Them's Fightin' Herds
• There Is No Light
• Thief of Thieves: Season One x 2
• This Strange Realm Of Mine
• This War of Mine: Stories - Season Pass DLC
• Throne Of Lies® The Online Game Of Deceit
• Through The Darkest Of Times x 3
• Tilt Brush x 2
• Timelie
• Tin Can x 2
• Toejam & Earl: Back in the Groove x 2
• Tohu x 3
• Tools Up!
• Tools up x 2
• Tooth and Tail
• Torchlight
• Torchlight III
• Total Tank Simulator x 2
• Townscaper
• Townsmen - A Kingdom Rebuilt x 2
• Toy tinker Simulator
• Toybox Turbos x 2
• Train Station Renovation x 2
• Treasure Hunter Simulator x 3
• Trek to Yomi
• Tropico 4
• Truberbrook / Trüberbrook
• Truck Racer
• Tumblestone
• Turbo Golf Racing x 4
• Two Point Campus
• Tyrant's Blessing
• UNDETECTED
• UnMetal
• Undungeon
• Unexplored
• Unto The End
• V-Rally 4
• Vagante
• Vagrant Hearts 2
• Valfaris: Mecha Therion
• Vampire: The Masquerade - Shadows Of New York x 3
• Vane x 3
• Verdun
• Victoria 3
• Vikings - Wolves of Midgard
• WARSAW x 5
• WWE 2K BATTLEGROUNDS + Ultimate Brawlers Pass x 4
• WWE 2K23 x 5
• WWE 2k Battlegrounds
• Wanderlust: Travel Stories - GOG key x 2
• Wandersong x 2
• Wargroove x 2
• Warhammer 40,000: Chaos Gate - Daemonhunters x 2
• Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus
• Warhammer 40,000: Sanctus Reach
• Warhammer: Chaosbane x 2
• Wayward Souls
• We Are Alright x 2
• Werewolf: The Apocalypse Heart Of The Forest
• West of Dead
• Where the Water Tastes Like Wine
• Whispering Willows
• White Day: A Labyrinth Named School x 2
• Who Pressed Mute on Uncle Marcus? x 3
• Wick
• Windjammers 2
• Windscape
• Wordle 1-5 Quintology Pack
• World's Dawn x 2
• Worms Clan Wars
• Worms rumble + legends pack dlc x 3
• WrestleQuest
• X-COM: Complete Pack x 3
• X-Morph: Defense + European Assault, Survival of the Fittest, and Last Bastion DLC x 2
• X-Morph Defense x 3
• Xcom® 2: Resistance Warrior Pack
• Yakuza: Like a Dragon
• Yet Another Zombie Defense HD x 2
• Yoku's Island Express
• Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair
• Youtubers Life 2
• Zanzarah: The Hidden Portal
• Zombie Army 4: Dead War
• Zombotron

WANT

• Trepang2
• The Pedestrian
• OPUS: Echo of Starsong - Full Bloom Edition

Mainly looking for PayPal (accepting most of the currencies, fees may slightly differ)
MY REP Wishlist
Gems
TF2 keys/ CS2 Cases

Note:

• All keys are primarily from US/NA region
• My list maybe slightly outdated so I apologize in advance if some of the games mentioned are already traded/Sold.
• I accept XBOX keys as well.
• I accept paypal only via goods and services so all transactions will include fees.
• My Wishlist, I am just interested in these games and mentioned in wants below.

HAVE

• .hack//G.U. Last Recode
• 10 Second Ninja X
• 112 operator
• 198X x 2
• 8 doors
• 9 Years of Shadows
• 911 Operator x 2
• A Fisherman's Tale
• A Juggler's Tale
• A Little Golf Journey
• A Sceptic's Guide to Magic
• A Tale of Paper: Refolded Edition
• A.I.M. Clan Wars
• Aces and Adventures x 1
• Aegis Defenders x 3
• Ageless x 3
• Alekhine's Gun
• Alien Spidy
• Alwa's Awakening
• Amanda the Adventurer
• American Fugitive x 3
• Amnesia: The Dark Descent + Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs
• Amnesia: Rebirth x 2
• Anna's Quest x 2
• Anuchard
• Arcade Paradise
• Arcade Paradise - Arcade Paradise EP x 2
• Arcade Spirits
• Arto
• As Far As The Eye
• Astalon: Tears of the Earth
• AtmaSphere
• Attack of the Earthlings
• Automachef x 3
• Automobilista
• Autonauts vs Piratebots x 3
• Axiom Verge
• Axiom Verge 2
• Back 4 Blood - STRICT NA REGION LOCK x 2
• Ballpoint Universe - Infinite
• Bartlow's Dread Machine
• Batman: Arkham Asylum GOTY Edition
• Batman: Arkham City GOTY
• Batman: Arkham Knight Premium Edition
• Batman: Arkham Origins
• Battlestar Galactica Deadlock
• Bayonetta
• Beacon Pines x 2
• Before We leave
• Behind the Frame: The Finest Scenery
• Beholder 2
• Bendy and the Dark Revival x 2
• Between the stars x 4
• Beyond the wire x 2
• Big Crown Showdown
• Bionic Commando x 2
• Blade Assault
• Blasphemous
• Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night x 3
• Book of Demons x 3
• Boomerang Fu
• Borderlands 2 Game of the Year x 2
• Boreal Blade x 3
• Boundless
• Bravery and Greed
• Broken Age
• Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons
• Builder Simulator x 1
• Bunker Punks
• Butcher
• CAPITALISM 2
• CHESS ULTRA
• CODE VEIN
• CROSSBOW: Bloodnight x 2
• Call of Juarez Gunslinger
• Canyon Capers
• Capitalism 2
• Car Mechanic Simulator 2018
• Car Mechanic Simulator VR
• Cardaclysm
• Carnival Games VR
• Caveman World: Mountains of Unga Boonga
• Celeste
• Charlie's Adventure
• Chicken Assassin Reloaded
• Children of Silentown x 2
• Chivalry 2 x 2
• Chivalry: Medieval Warfare x 2
• Citizen Sleeper
• CivCity: Rome x 3
• Civilization III x 2
• Clutch
• Cobra Kai: The Karate Kid Saga Continues
• Conan Exiles
• Convoy
• Cook, Serve, Delicious! 3
• Cook, Serve, Delicious! 3?!
• Cook-Out
• Cookie Cutter
• Cosmic Star Heroine
• Crash Drive 3
• Crazy Machines 3
• Crown Trick
• Cultures - 8th Wonder of the world
• Cursed Castilla (Maldita Castilla Ex)
• Cyber Hook x 2
• DISTRAINT 2 x 2
• DOOM Eternal DELUXE EDITION
• DUCATI - 90th Anniversary
• Dagon: by H. P. Lovecraft - The Eldritch Box DLC x 2
• Danger Scavenger
• Dangerous Worlds x 2
• Dark Future: Blood Red States
• Darksburg x 2
• Darkwood
• Dead Age
• Dead In Vinland x 2
• Death's Gambit: Afterlife
• Deleveled x 2
• Demon Pit
• Deponia: The Complete Journey x 2
• Derange
• Desert Child
• Desolate x 2
• Destroy All Humans! 2 - Reprobed x 2
• Deus Ex: Mankind Divided - Digital Deluxe Edition
• DiRT Rally
• DiRT Rally 2.0 - H2 RWD Double Pack
• DiRT Rally 2.0 - Opel Manta 400
• Dirt Rally 2.0 - Porsche 911 RGT Rally Spec
• Dirt Rally x 2
• Disco Elysium - The Final Cut
• Disjunction - gog
• Do Not Feed the Monkeys
• Dracula: Love Kills
• Drake Hollow x 2
• Draw Slasher x 2
• Drawful 2 x 2
• Dreams in the Witch House x 2
• Dreamscaper x 2
• Driftland: The Magic Revival x 5
• Ducati - 90th Anniversary
• Due Process x 3
• Duke Nukem Forever collection x 4
• Dust to the End
• Dying Light Definitive Edition
• ELEX II x 4
• ETHERBORN
• Eador. Imperium
• Earth 2140
• Earth Defence Force 4.1 + all dlc
• Earth Defence Force: Iron Rain
• EarthX
• Edge Of Eternity x 3
• El Matador
• Elderand
• Eldest Souls
• Ember
• Enclave (Gold) x 2
• Encodya - GOG x 2
• Endless Space 2 x 2
• Endzone - A World apart
• Enslaved™: Odyssey To The West™ Premium Edition
• Eternal Threads x 4
• Eternity: The Last Unicorn
• Evergarden x 2
• Evoland Legendary Edition x 2
• Exiled Kingdoms x 2
• Expeditions: Rome x 2
• Expeditions: Viking
• F1 2017 1988 McLAREN MP4/4 Classic Car DLC
• FAR: Lone Sails x 2
• Family Man x 3
• Fantasy Blacksmith
• Fantasy Versus
• Farmer's dynasty x 2
• Fated Souls 3
• Fear Effect Sedna
• Fictorum
• Field of Glory II x 2
• Field of Glory: Empires
• Figement
• Final Fantasy III (3D Remake)
• Five Dates x 2
• Fling to the Finish
• Fobia - St. Dinfna Hotel x 2
• For The King
• Foretales x 1
• Four Sided Fantasy
• Friends vs Friends x 4
• Frog Detective 2: The Case Of The Invisible Wizard x 3
• Frogun
• From Space x 3
• Fun With Ragdolls: The Game x 2
• Fun with Ragdolls: The Game
• Fury Unleashed x 5
• GOD EATER 3 x 2
• GRID Autosport - Premium Garage Pack DLC
• GRID Autosport - Road & Track Car Pack DLC
• GRIP: Combat Racing Artifex DLC x 3
• GameGuru x 2
• GameMaker Studio 2 Creator 12 Months x 2
• Garage: bad trip
• Garfield Kart
• Garfield Kart - Furious Racing
• Gauntlet
• GemCraft - Chasing Shadows
• Genesis Alpha One Deluxe Edition x 3
• Ghost Of A Tale
• Ghost Song
• Gift of Parthax
• Glitch Busters x 2
• Gloria Victis x 2
• Gnog
• Go Home Dinosaurs x 2
• Gold Rush! Classic
• Golden Light x 3
• Golf Club Wasteland
• Gotham Knights
• Gothic 3
• Grand Mountain Adventure
• Green Hell (Region locked)
• Guts and Glory
• Guts and glory
• Hardspace: Shipbreaker x 3
• Have a nice Death
• Headsnatchers x 2
• Heal
• Heavy Burger
• Heli Heroes
• Helion
• Hell Pie
• Hell let loose
• Hellpoint x 2
• Hero's Hour (NA Region) x 3
• Hexologic
• Hi-Fi RUSH
• Hidden & Dangerous 2: Courage Under Fire x 3
• Hidden & Dangerous: Action Pack x 2
• Hiveswap Friendsim x 2
• Hiveswap: Act 1
• Homefront
• Homestead Arcana x 2
• Honey, I Joined a Cult x 2
• Horizon Chase Turbo x 2
• Hot Brass x 2
• Hot Wheels Unleashed
• Hotshot Racing x 3
• Hue x 2
• Hyperdrive Massacre
• I Expect You To Die
• Ice Age: Scrat's Nutty Adventure
• Ikenfell x 3
• Imperator: Rome Deluxe Edition x 2
• In sound mind x 2
• Indivisible x 5
• Injustice 2 Legendary Edition
• Insurmountable
• Interplanetary: Enhanced Edition
• Interstellar Space: Genesis
• Introvert Quest
• Iratus: Lord of the Dead
• Iris And The Giant
• Iron Danger
• Iron Sky Invasion
• Jack Move
• Jack Orlando: Director's Cut
• Journey of Greed
• Journey of a Roach x 2
• JumpJet Rex
• Jurassic Park Classic Games Collection
• Just Cause 4 Complete Edition
• Karma City Police
• Kerbal Space Program
• King Of The Castle
• King's Bounty: Warriors of the North
• Kingdom: Classic
• Kingdom: New Lands x 2
• Kings of Kung Fu
• Kitaria Fables
• Knights and Merchants
• Koa and the Five Pirates of Mara
• Kraken Academy!!
• Kyle is Famous: Complete Edition
• LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham
• LEGO Marvel Super Heroes
• LEGO® MARVEL's Avengers
• Last Inua
• Lawn Mowing Simulator x 2
• Layers of Fear + Soundtrack
• Leisure Suit Larry - Wet Dreams Don't Dry
• Leisure Suit Larry - Wet Dreams Dry Twice
• Levelhead
• Liberated
• Liberated GOG x 2
• Liberte
• Lichdom: Battlemage
• Life is Strange 2 Complete Season (incl. Mascot Bundle DLC)
• Life is Strange: True Colors x 2
• Little Orpheus
• Loddlenaut
• Lords and Villeins x 3
• Lostwinds
• Lovecraft's Untold Stories x 3
• Lust for Darkness
• MO:Astray
• Mad Max
• Magrunner: Dark Pulse
• Main Assembly
• Majesty 2 Collection x 2
• Making History: The Calm and the Storm Gold Edition
• Marvel's Midnight Suns Digital+ Edition + Doctor Strange Defenders Skin
• Mass Effect 2 Origin key
• Medieval Kingdom Wars
• Mediterranea Inferno
• Meeple Station x 2
• Mega Man Legacy Collection
• Memoria + Soundtrack
• Men of War
• Merchant of the Skies x 2
• Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor Game of the Year Edition x 2
• Middle-earth: Shadow of War Definitive Edition x 2
• Midnight Fight Express
• Midnight Ghost Hunt
• Midnight protocol x 2
• Milky Way Prince - The Vampire Star x 2
• Monaco
• Monorail Stories
• Monster Crown x 3
• Monster Prom 2: Monster Camp x 2
• Monster Slayers
• Monster Slayers - Advanced Classes Unlocker
• Monster Slayers - Fire & Steel Expansion
• Morbid: The Seven Acolytes x 2
• Morkredd x 3
• Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate Edition x 2
• Mortal Kombat XL x 2
• Moving Out
• Mr. Prepper x 2
• Munin
• Murder by Numbers
• My Big Sister x 2
• My Time At Portia
• Mystery Castle: The Mirror's Secret
• Mytheon
• Mythforce
• Narita Boy
• Nebuchadnezzar
• NecroVisioN: Lost Company
• NecroWorm x 2
• Neoverse x 3
• Neverout x 2
• Neversong
• Nickelodeon all-star brawl x 2
• Niffelheim x 2
• Nigate Tale
• Nioh 2
• Nobody Saves the World
• Noosphere
• Northend Tower Defense
• Nowhere Prophet
• Nuclear DAWN
• OTXO
• Oaken x 2
• Oddworld: Soulstorm Enhanced Edition x 2
• Of Orcs and Men
• Oh My Gore! x 3
• Omensight Definitve Edition x 2
• Operation Tango x 2
• Orbital Racer x 2
• Othercide
• Out Of Space
• Out of Reach: Treasure Royale x 2
• Overcooked
• Overlord: Ultimate Evil Collection
• Ozymandias - NA region x 2
• PAC-MAN 256
• PAC-MAN MUSEUM+ x 2
• PC Building Simulator x 2
• PGA Tour 2K21 x 2
• PULSAR: Lost Colony x 2
• Partisans 1941 x 2
• Patch Quest x 3
• Path Of Giants
• Pathfinder: Kingmaker - Royal Ascension
• Pathfinder: Kingmaker - Wild Cards
• Pathfinder: Kingmaker Enhanced Plus Edition
• Paw paw paw x 4
• Peaky Blinders: Mastermind x 2
• Perfect x 2
• Pesterquest x 4
• Phantom Doctrine x 2
• Pikuniku
• Pine
• Pitiri 1977
• Pixel Puzzles: UndeadZ
• Pixplode x 2
• Planet Alcatraz
• Plants vs. Zombies: Battle for Neighborville (ORIGIN KEY)
• PlataGO!
• Police stories
• Popup Dungeon
• Port Royale 3
• Prison Architect + Aficionado (Dlc)
• Prodeus
• Propnight
• Purrfect Date
• Quern: Undying thoughts
• RAD x 2
• REPLIKATOR
• RICO: London
• RIOT - Civil Unrest
• RPG Maker VX
• Rage in Peace
• Railroad Tycoon 2: Platinum x 3
• Railroad Tycoon 3 x 3
• Railway Empire
• Rainbow Billy: The Curse of the Leviathan x 2
• Re-Legion
• Rebel Galaxy Outlaw
• Rebel Inc: Escalation x 3
• Red Wings: Aces of the Sky
• Redeemer: Enhanced Edition x 2
• Relicta x 3
• Remnants of Naezith x 2
• Remothered: Broken Porcelain
• Renfield: Bring Your Own Blood x 2
• Rescue Party: Live! x 2
• Resident Evil HD REMASTER
• Resident Evil Revelations 2 - Episode 1: Penal Colony x 2
• Resident Evil Revelations x 2
• Retimed x 3
• Reventure
• Revita
• Rig n Roll
• Ring of pain x 4
• Rise Of Industry x 3
• Rise of the Slime x 2
• Roadwarden
• Roarr! Jurassic Edition x 2
• Roboquest
• Rogue Lords x 2
• Roguebook
• RollerCoaster Tycoon Classic
• Rollerdrome NA region
• Romancing SaGa -Minstrel Song- Remastered
• Rover Mechanic Simulator x 3
• Rustler x 4
• SCP : Secret Files x 3
• SPACECOM
• SPRAWL x 2
• STONE x 2
• SUPERHOT VR
• SYSTEM SHOCK: ENHANCED EDITION
• Sairento VR
• Satellite Reign
• Saturday Morning RPG
• Save Room - Organization Puzzle
• Say No! More
• Scheming Through The Zombie Apocalypse: The Beginning x 2
• Scorn x 2
• ScourgeBringer
• Seed Hunter x 2
• Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun - Aiko's Choice
• Shadowhand: RPG Card Game
• Shady Part of Me x 2
• Shantae and the Pirate's Curse
• Shark Attack Deathmatch 2
• Shing! x 2
• Shining Resonance Refrain x 2
• Ship Simulator Extremes x 2
• Shooting Stars! x 2
• Shooty Fruity
• Shoppe Keep 2
• Shotgun King: The Final Checkmate - NA region x 2
• Sid Meier's Railroads! x 3
• Sifu Deluxe Edition Upgrade Bundle x 2
• Silver Chains
• Simple Rockets 2
• Simplerockets 2 x 2
• Simulacra + Simulacra 2
• Sin Slayers
• Size Matters x 3
• Skullgirls 2nd Encore
• Slain: Back from Hell
• Slinger VR x 2
• Snake Pass
• Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts x 2
• Snowtopia x 2
• Songbird Symphony
• Songbringer
• Sonic Adventure 2: Battle Mode DLC x 2
• Sonic Adventure™ 2 x 2
• Sorry, James
• Soul Axiom Rebooted x 2
• Soulblight x 2
• Souldiers
• Space Cows
• Space Hulk Ascension
• Sparklite
• Speed Brawl x 2
• Spirit Of The Island x 3
• Splasher
• Star Wolves
• Star Wolves 3: Civil War
• Stars End
• Starsand x 2
• Staxel
• Stealth 2: A Game Of Clones
• Steel Rats x 2
• Steelrising
• Still There x 3
• Strange Brigade x 2
• Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection
• Street Fighter V
• Strider x 2
• Struggling x 2
• Stubbs The Zombie In Rebel Without A Pulse
• Sunblaze
• Super Magbot
• Super Meat Boy x 2
• Super Panda Adventures
• Super Trench Attack!
• Supraland x 2
• Supreme Ruler 1936
• Supreme Ruler: Cold War
• SurrounDead x 2
• TEKKEN 7 x 2
• THE HEX
• THEM'S FIGHTIN' HERDS
• Tabletop Playground x 3
• Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition
• Tango Fiesta
• Tannenberg
• Telefrag VR x 2
• Tesla vs Lovecraft
• The Amazing American Circus x 2
• The Ambassador: Fractured Timelines
• The Ascent
• The Assembly
• The Bard's Tale IV: Director's Cut x 3
• The Beast Inside x 3
• The Big Con x 2
• The Blackout Club
• The Coma 2: Vicious Sisters x 2
• The Curious Tale of the Stolen Pets
• The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes
• The Darkness II x 2
• The Deed Dynasty
• The Deed II
• The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind x 2
• The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion x 2
• The Elder Scrolls Online
• The Excavation of Hob's Barrow
• The Golf Club 2019 Featuring PGA TOUR x 3
• The Gunk x 2
• The Haunted Island, A Frog Detective Game x 3
• The Henry Stickmin Collection x 2
• The Hong Kong Massacre
• The Invisible Hand x 2
• The Knight Witch
• The LEGO Movie - Videogame
• The LEGO NINJAGO Movie Video Game
• The Legend of Tianding x 2
• The Life and Suffering of Sir Brante
• The Long Reach
• The Mummy Demastered
• The Pale Beyond
• The Quarry - Deluxe Edition x 2
• The Red Lantern
• The Red Solstice x 2
• The Shapeshifting Detective
• The Surge
• The Survivalists
• The Swords Of Ditto: Mormo's Curse x 2
• The Textorcist: The story of Ray Bibbia x 3
• The Town of Light
• The USB Stick Found in the Grass x 2
• The Uncertain - The Last Quiet Day
• The Walking Dead
• The Walking Dead: 400 Days
• The Walking Dead: A New Frontier x 2
• The Walking Dead: Michonne x 2
• The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners - Chapter 2: Retribution
• The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners x 4
• The Walking Dead: Season Two
• The Walking Dead: The Final Season x 2
• The Wild Eight
• The Wizards - Dark Times
• Them and Us
• Them's Fightin' Herds
• There Is No Light
• Thief of Thieves: Season One x 2
• This Strange Realm Of Mine
• This War of Mine: Stories - Season Pass DLC
• Throne Of Lies® The Online Game Of Deceit
• Through The Darkest Of Times x 3
• Tilt Brush x 2
• Timelie
• Tin Can x 2
• Toejam & Earl: Back in the Groove x 2
• Tohu x 3
• Tools Up!
• Tools up x 2
• Tooth and Tail
• Torchlight
• Torchlight III
• Total Tank Simulator x 2
• Townscaper
• Townsmen - A Kingdom Rebuilt x 2
• Toy tinker Simulator
• Toybox Turbos x 2
• Train Station Renovation x 2
• Treasure Hunter Simulator x 3
• Trek to Yomi
• Tropico 4
• Truberbrook / Trüberbrook
• Truck Racer
• Tumblestone
• Turbo Golf Racing x 4
• Two Point Campus
• Tyrant's Blessing
• UNDETECTED
• UnMetal
• Undungeon
• Unexplored
• Unto The End
• V-Rally 4
• Vagante
• Vagrant Hearts 2
• Valfaris: Mecha Therion
• Vampire: The Masquerade - Shadows Of New York x 3
• Vane x 3
• Verdun
• Victoria 3
• Vikings - Wolves of Midgard
• WARSAW x 5
• WWE 2K BATTLEGROUNDS + Ultimate Brawlers Pass x 4
• WWE 2K23 x 5
• WWE 2k Battlegrounds
• Wanderlust: Travel Stories - GOG key x 2
• Wandersong x 2
• Wargroove x 2
• Warhammer 40,000: Chaos Gate - Daemonhunters x 2
• Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus
• Warhammer 40,000: Sanctus Reach
• Warhammer: Chaosbane x 2
• Wayward Souls
• We Are Alright x 2
• Werewolf: The Apocalypse Heart Of The Forest
• West of Dead
• Where the Water Tastes Like Wine
• Whispering Willows
• White Day: A Labyrinth Named School x 2
• Who Pressed Mute on Uncle Marcus? x 3
• Wick
• Windjammers 2
• Windscape
• Wordle 1-5 Quintology Pack
• World's Dawn x 2
• Worms Clan Wars
• Worms rumble + legends pack dlc x 3
• WrestleQuest
• X-COM: Complete Pack x 3
• X-Morph: Defense + European Assault, Survival of the Fittest, and Last Bastion DLC x 2
• X-Morph Defense x 3
• Xcom® 2: Resistance Warrior Pack
• Yakuza: Like a Dragon
• Yet Another Zombie Defense HD x 2
• Yoku's Island Express
• Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair
• Youtubers Life 2
• Zanzarah: The Hidden Portal
• Zombie Army 4: Dead War
• Zombotron

WANT

• Trepang2
• The Pedestrian
• OPUS: Echo of Starsong - Full Bloom Edition

Mainly looking for PayPal (accepting most of the currencies, fees may slightly differ)
MY REP Wishlist MY IGS REP
Gems
TF2 keys/ CS2 Cases

What started as a panicked attempt to get her over-intoxicated friend to a hospital ended up in a disastrous car crash that claimed the lives of her friends... and a careless God crossing the street. But Sammi's adventure wasn't about to end there. In her dying breath, the God curses Sammi to take up her mantel. Now with her three friends resurrected as ghosts, Sammi has to navigate the tricky world of godhood.
Previous Chapter Next chapter coming soon!
Start here! Patreon (up to chapter 9)
I love houses. House flipping, house hunting, crazy properties in town, gorgeous exotic vacation destinations. I think in a past life I was a real estate agent. Or a carpenter. Interior designer, actually, probably. Maybe just rich?
Doesn’t matter. I love houses, and I was gonna get myself the best digs in town.
“Best digs in town might be a liiiiittle suspicious?” Joni said as I began adjusting the filters of my favorite search: Lottery houses.
“So do you… we’re looking for a house?” Cara was leaning over my shoulder, watching as I pushed the Rooms, Cost, Square Footage, and Bathrooms options as high as I could. “Cause if you don’t even own a place, I feel like saying you’d answer my questions when we got to New Olympia is kinda a blow off.”
“Not a blow off,” I said. “This probably won’t take too too long. I just don’t want to kick anyone out of their house that, like, is a regular person living their life.”
“Kick them out?”
I paused and looked up at Cara, eyes serious. “Please. The parroting. It’s making me nervous.” Then I looked back down and began sifting through various mansions, penthouses, lake houses, villas. “For sale or for rent?”
“For rent,” Blair said immediately. She propped her head up on her chin as she watched me scroll. “Then you don’t gotta kick anyone out.”
“She’s got a point,” Christopher said. “Both from a, like, humanitarian point of view but also from a logistical point of view. Whoever’s moving needs the money pronto to buy a new house and they’re gonna constantly be dealing with banks and shit. You’d need a new lie a day just to keep them off you. But with rentals and all, first off, landlords renting out ten grand a month properties are already making bank off other units. Yeah you’re screwing them over, but not as bad. They got a buncha others. Second, you pay monthly, so you really only gotta fend them off once a month.”
My thumb jammed the “For Rent/For Sale” switch, and I cranked up the rental price. “What else are we thinking for criteria?”
“Middle of town’s a bad idea,” Joni said. “Too easy to find us.”
“We don’t have to, like, hide though,” Christopher said. “Just say you’re both out on bail. I mean, the point is to find Miller and bring him to justice, right? That’s gonna take time. There’s no place far enough out of town that we could hide in for long.”
I squinted at him, tearing my eyes away from a sexy seven bedroom manor with two pools. “What?”
He sighed, as if convinced that I was in the wrong for not understanding what fuck he just said. “Like, think about it Sammi. We’re not actually gonna be able to hide. Or if we are, it’s gonna be in an alley or some shit.” He wrinkled his nose at the same time I did. “They’re cops with detectives and shit, and they think we shot someone and broke someone else out of jail. They’re gonna find us. We’ll have to lie, not hide, to avoid being put back. So may as well be local to all the action.” With this, he pointed directly at a lofty unit in the center of town.
Hmm. He brought up a valid point, so I checked it out.
A five bedroom penthouse with three terraces giving outdoor views of the entire city. Bathrooms that put the hotel to shame. Closets the size of my old bedroom. A pool deck. Appliances with fancy brand names I only ever heard on episodes of “Dream House” and hadn’t actually realized existed in the real world. Enough bedrooms for me, Cara, and the ghosts to each sleep separately.
For a moment, the enormity of it washed over me. Not just the enormity of the house, though it was enormous, but the reality of what I could accomplish. This apartment was twenty five thousand dollars a month. I’m not entirely sure I’ve made that much money in my life. Or, okay, probably around that, but that’s my point. This was the kind of unit rich people showed off in out-of-touch blogs or escapist shows about the lifestyles of famous people. And it could literally be mine if I could play my cards right. Or not even right. Just not catastrophically wrong.
Cause I was a God. And for the first time since becoming a God, I was using my abilities, my status, my familiars and shit to do something cool. Not rob a TechShack of some earpods or break in or out of a hospital.
This was a big yield.
As I had my little epiphany, Cara had taken over scrolling my phone, much to the relief of my ghosts, who’d started grumbling about the static screen while I zoned out.
“Okay.” Cara looked at me. “I’m not gonna ask any of the questions you know I want to ask, cause that’ll just piss you off.” Thank God she was learning. “So we’ll skip that for now and ask the really important question. How are you gonna get your hands on this place?”
–
Step 1 was to get to the place, which kinda sucked, given we were still at Pizza Dogs. It just wasn’t a very cool start to the coolest scheme I’d ever pulled off. Luckily Pizza Dogs closed at 9, so a solid number of people were leaving the restaurant. I was able to wave down a waitress who’d just checked off of her shift and convince her she was a taxi driver.
“You’re really loving this whole taxiing thing, huh?” Christopher said.
“At least she’s not talking like a robot trying to use slang.” I grit my teeth at the memory of Cops Cop and Taxi Service.
“No, you just told her she was mute.” Blair stuck her lip out. “That’s mean, Sammi.”
“I told her she couldn’t talk. That’s different.” I gave Cara a weak smile, but she hadn’t even commented on my ghost talking. She just buried her face in her hands. See? Learning.
Step 2 was gonna be actually getting in the unit. The listing on HouzeHunting didn’t exactly have the name of the landlord on it, so I was gonna have to get creative getting in touch with them. What it did have was ‘24 hour doorman service,’ which meant getting in would be easy peasy.
Finally we pulled up to the address I’d given our driver. 1732 East Windham Street. She leaned out the window, looking up the seventy story building.
“It’s totally appropriate for you to talk now,” I said as I scrambled out, towing Cara with me. No sense in actually making her mute for life.
The woman nodded. “You, uh, live here or visiting? If you don’t mind me asking.”
I flipped my wad of black hair over my shoulder, wincing at how singularly it moved. I shoulda combed it after my bath yesterday.
“Live here, obviously.” I gave a rich person kinda snort, nose in the air and all.
“Huh.” She looked back at me, rubbing the back of her neck as if it was sore from craning up so high. “But you needed a taxi to get here?”
“Uh.” Rich people used taxis, right? On the ladder from Sammi to Bill Gates, someone had to use them, and if I couldn’t afford a taxi normally, then the typical passenger must exist somewhere above me. “My fancy personal car got towed cause I was parking it in a fire lane.”
The woman didn’t look convinced. Not that she thought I was lying, but she still looked at me like I was dumb as dirt. “You don’t have, like, a personal driver?”
I cocked my head at her, trying to mirror Joni’s sassy tilt but probably just looking confused. “Are you offering?”
Her lips parted, and I could see her brain chewing on this question. “What do you… wait, are you being serious?”
Was I? Suddenly I wasn’t sure. Having a personal chauffeur could be kinda great. Someone always available to text or call when I needed a ride so I wouldn’t have to keep remembering where I left my car. Besides, driving made me nervous. I’d never been a particularly bad driver, no prior accidents, never really hit anything in the past, unless we’re counting bumper cars. Which we’re not, cause I’m a menace in bumper cars. But that’s like the point.
Or, no, the point was, I wanted to minimize driving, and this woman could be key. Of course, I knew nothing about her. What if she had a family at home and I told a too strong lie and she never saw them again?
But then, she wouldn’t be offering if she wasn’t serious, right? Sure I’d lied and told her she was a taxi driver, but the average every day taxi driver didn’t just ditch their families to be rich people’s chauffeur’s.
“Uh. Yeah.” I looked at the ghosts. Two thumbs up from Christopher, one from Blair, and two thumbs down from Joni. That was a total of one thumbs up, if my math was right. “Yeah, I pay ten thousand a month.” We could figure that out later.
The woman’s eyes shot open. “Okay, you’re actually fucking with me. You’re actually offering to hire me for ten thousand a month.”
I nodded. “Yeah. And you can… I mean, if you got your own place, you can stay there obviously but you could also stay in one of my bedrooms. I got some extra ones I was gonna give to the gho–uh, dogs. But I don’t have dogs, so you were next on the list. Well, a chauffeur was next on the list. But also if you’ve got–do you have a family?”
Each of my statements plunked out of my mouth like gumballs out of a broken candy machine. But she just kept nodding like this was a normal proposal.
“I mean, I had a boyfriend.” Her face flushed crimson. “Kinda embarrassing to say at my age. Thought we were–” She took a deep breath. “Thought he was the one. I’m not gonna say I was looking to have kids or anything, so I suppose age doesn’t matter, but that doesn’t mean I really want to start over. Five years wasted is all, and at my age, the well starts to dry up a bit. People look at you a bit…” She blinked. “I’m sorry, that’s not really what you asked, was it.”
It wasn’t entirely, but I was kinda hooked on the story now. “Yeah it was,” I said. “It was the first question in the interview, and you’re nailing it. Uh, you actually already passed the first round. Let’s take the rest inside.”
The woman let out a shaky breath and smoothed her frizzled hair. “Right, of course. Thank you so much!”
Cara had, thank God, kept her mouth shut this whole interview process, so I just towed my newly formed posse towards the doorman.
“My key got lost,” I said confidently and too quickly, noticing way late that there weren’t any visible keyholes anywhere on the door. “Uh…” I looked nervously at the ghosts.
“Just tell him someone said he should let you in,” Joni said.
“Yeah.” Blair smiled. “Carl from management.”
“No–”
“Carl from management said you should let me in,” I said, bowling over Joni’s protests. “I own that top penthouse suite. Suite 72. The one for rent. Or, not for rent cause I’m renting it now. And I called earlier because my key is broken and Carl your manager said–”
I stopped finally because the doorman had long since stopped frowning perplexedly at me and had just tapped his card against the door.
“Haha,” I said, verbalizing the laugh a little too hard. “Look at me, talking too much as always.”
He frowned again, but nodded nonetheless, before holding the door open for me. “Here you are.”
“Thank you so much,” I said, stepping in like a real fancy lady. “I’ve got it from here.”
And, because I was stupid and always spoke without thinking, he nodded and shut the door behind me.
So technically Step 2 ‘get in’ was done, but it was like, barely done. Like when your mom says ‘go to your room’ so you sit in the doorway. Cause I wasn’t really close to my new apartment yet, which meant a new step on the list. Step 3? Get into New Olympia.
Somehow a little sneaky ‘Step 3b, interview your new chauffeur’ had snuck on the list too, but that would be easy to finish once I got to the actual unit.
It was literally impossible to keep my jaw in its socket as we walked through the lobby. I was actually straight up speechless at how fancy it all was. There was a bar in the lobby, like this was some hotel! Given my experience with rich people things, it was either totally free or thirty bucks a glass. Still, it was pricey enough that I should probably have been charged just for looking at it. Even Cara and the driver had their mouths gaping open as they looked around, taking in the mirror shiny marbely floors and columns.
I closed my eyes, taking in a deep breath, and really tried to capture this moment of peace and quiet inside the lobby of my new home.
“Blair stop humming, they’ll be able to hear you.”
“I’m using my regular humming, not my banshee humming.”
“My bad, shoulda clarified. I’m able to hear you, and you’re annoying me.”
“Joni, why are you always so mean.”
“She’s, like, kinda got a point. You need to get that stick out of your ass.”
“I’ll get the stick out of my ass when Blair stops humming.”
“Bro, it’s totally more than the humming, and you know it.”
“Is singing okay?”
“No.”
“What about–”
“Why don’t you just whistle, Blair?”
“That’s not nice. You know I can’t whistle.”
“Kinda my point.”
“Hey, be nice to Blair, Joni.”
Peace and quiet were overrated anyway. We were here for schemes.
My eyelids snapped open. In front of me was a big old reddish wood desk. The sign on it said “Main desk, open 7AM to 9 PM.” Next to it was another, more temporary sign, “Partial Service After Hours. Ring Bell For Assisance.”
My eyes drifted hungrily to the shiny golden bell. It was the kind you see in movies and shows, you press down a few times to summon the waiter or whoever sits behind the desk.
“Just once, Sammi,” Joni said, already reading my mind. “You ring it once.”
“But Joni,” I whispered, hand hovering over it, “I’m a God.”
DING DING DING DING DING DING DING
Seven was overkill. The man was there after the first two rings. But I couldn’t stop. It was too satisfying.
He regarded me with pained eyes. “Ma’am, you didn’t have to ring it that many times.”
“I didn’t,” I said confidently. And just like that, the pained look vanished. He didn’t look comfortable though, probably because I didn’t look like I should be there. Time to fix that.
I jutted my chin out. “Is there, like, a master key to all the elevators and units you can give me.”
The guy blinked rapidly. “I’m… sorry, you want what?”
“Lies, Sammi. That was a request!”
This is why we needed Joni and the stick up her ass.
“Uh.”
“Tell him that… I don’t know, someone from management said you could borrow a skeleton key.”
I smiled. “Carl from management told me I could have a skeleton key. A, you know, a key that opens all the doors.” I gave Joni a panicked glance.
She motioned her finger in a repeating loop and mouthed ‘go on.’
“And.” I swallowed. “You said you would give us one.”
The concierge sighed. “I know. I know. I just.” He ran a hand through his hair. “Carl doesn’t manage my department, so if this isn’t the right call, Sandy’s gonna have my head.”
I eyed the ghosts nervously. The lie had worked but it didn’t seem to fully convince him. “Sandy said…”
“Keep it simple,” Joni hissed.
“...that you would give me a key to let me in?”
“Right, please hold a moment, it’s almost done transferring.” The concierge paused and looked at a key card on his desk. He squinted before picking it up and beeping it against a little card pad. It flashed red. “I’m sorry,” he said. “The transfer didn’t go through right. One moment please.” Then he typed on his computer for a few very long minutes while Cara, the driver, and I all stood frozen by the elevator. After several breath-holding moments of silence (yeah, now the ghosts decide to shut up) he tapped the card again and it flashed green. “There we go.”
I let out a long breath before scuttling over to pick up my card. “Thank you!” I said, a cheery forced grin on my face. “Thank you so much! Remember, this came from, uh, Sandy’s boss, and she told you not to tell Sandy, so keep it zipped!”
He mimed zipping his lips as I waved again before rushing to the elevator.
Soon we were zooming up dozens and dozens of levels as my breathing came more and more naturally. Even the elevator was fancy. All golden mirrors, which Blair was staring at, disappointed that she couldn’t see her reflection in them.
There was no one on the seventy second story and ther was only one door, at the end of a gleaming hardwood hallway. My black boots clomped awkwardly as I escorted the driver–still in a bright orange shirt with a barking dog and a slice of pizza on it–and Cara–still in an orange jumpsuit–towards the door at the end.
Once I got there, I tapped my card, and we were in.
I don’t really have good words to describe the place. Huge, for one. Empty for another. Those were the two big ones. I could have gawked at it all, but I was a little tired of gawking, so I filed away ‘tour my house and get it fitted out’ for later. Besides, I had all my gear and shit still in my car… somewhere. I’d get it up here eventually and then the real decorating could start.
But there was a first step. Well two first steps. Okay, technically only one could be the first step, so we’ll do that first.
I waved Cara to join me in one of the bedrooms.
“I’ll finish your interview in like, fifteen minutes,” I said to the driver. She nodded.
“Okay,” I said, closing the door behind me and plopping down on the ground.
Cara stood awkwardly, eyeing the big ass empty room with a big ass empty bathroom off to the side. “Okay,” she said, still standing. “Do I need to–”
“No no, I said I would…” I trailed off, lips pursed and confused. “You wanted… Or… I was gonna tell you–”
“Oh shit yeah.” Now suddenly Cara was on the floor across from me, leaning in. “You’re telling me what the fuck is going on.”
My breath rushed out in a long woosh as I contemplated how to start this. Joni had made a snarky comment at one point like ‘pushing this off won’t make it easier’ and I’d responded with a ‘I’ll come up with a plan while I delay’ which of course I hadn’t, and now I was angry cause Joni was right.
“So the problem is,” I said, starting slowly. “Everything I tell you, you’ll believe.”
“Obviously,” Cara said, believing me instantly.
“But no one else but me knows what’s going on. So I can’t help but…” I trailed off again, noticing Cara nodding animatedly. This wasn’t working. I wanted her to believe me cause she fully understood and accepted my story, not cause of magic. But to get that, I couldn’t be the one to tell her, and the only other people who knew about my godliness were the ghosts and–
I smacked myself on the face. Sammi, you’re a genius. An actual, mensa accredited whiz kid.
“Blair,” I said, smiling. “I think I’ll offload this to you.”
Blair frowned, scrunching her nose up for a moment, before pointing at herself. “Me?”
I nodded confidently. Blair knew everything but lacked the Verity Tongue. This would be a sinch.
“Cara, how do you feel about a little ghost story?” I shivered a bit, getting goosebumps at my own words. Now that lead-in was brilliant. ‘A little ghost story’, who came up with that? I was getting smarter by the minute.
“Oooooooooooooh.” Blair zoomed around the room, and Cara leapt to her feet.
“What the fuck?”
“Bewaaaaare moooooortal,” Blair droned, pitching her voice low. “For the story you’re about to hear is both dreadful and awwwwwful. Fear for your soul for those who hear this story are cursed and will find themselves in an early–”
“Blair!” I shouted. “Stop that. What the fuck? Literally not like that. Like literally anything but that. You need to start with–”
“Yo, Sammi, dawg, chill.” Christopher patted my back. “We’ll help her out.”
“Yeah, you don’t want to taint the story with your god powers,” Joni said. “We’ll sort Blair. You interview the pizza waitress.”
Suddenly my genius felt like the opposite of genius. Yeah, delegation was important, but I did want to hear what the ghosts were telling Cara. Didn’t I need to know? What if they told her something totally wrong and stupid? Or what if they said something mean? Like what if they really played up the part about my reckless speeding? What if they lied about something? Made me look incompetent.
I opened my mouth to protest, but Christopher just gave me an icy pat again.
“Look, you’re gonna jump in to correct something we say, and it’s just gonna fuck up Cara.” He gave me a serious look, one of the most serious looks he’d given me since this whole ordeal. Which was honestly kinda stupid cause of all the times to pull out there ‘seriously, Sammi’ face, he was picking now? Was this really the right time for this? “Seriously, Sammi. We got this.”
I didn’t believe him at all, but they were absolutely right about me likely fucking this up with my motor mouth. No way was I sitting still while Joni made snarky comments about me, like, eating gross bagels or telling cops to steal poop.
“All right,” I said. “Come out when you’re done. Or if you need hands at all. Like if she passes out and you need to check for a pulse.”
“Are you talking to me?” Cara said.
“No. I’m talking to the ghosts.” And with that I closed the door.
Looks like Sammi's got a house! And maybe a minion or two on top of her familiars. Let's see how Cara takes all of this...

The mobile payment market is rapidly expanding, driven by increasing smartphone penetration and a shift towards digital transactions. This market enables users to make payments using mobile devices, often through apps or mobile banking. It encompasses various methods, including NFC (Near Field Communication), QR codes, and SMS-based payments. Key growth factors include convenience, improved security features, and the rise of e-commerce. Major players include tech giants like Apple, Google, and Paytm. The market is also seeing significant innovations in fintech and regulatory support for cashless transactions, catering to a tech-savvy, convenience-seeking global consumer base.
Mobile Payment Market Size and Growth
The mobile payment market has exhibited significant growth, with the global market size valued at nearly USD 2,986.00 billion in 2023. This surge is propelled by the widespread adoption of smartphones and the increasing acceptance of digital transactions across various sectors. Consumers and businesses alike are leveraging mobile payment technologies for their convenience, speed, and enhanced security features. This market includes a range of payment methods such as NFC, QR codes, and mobile wallets, which have become integral to the daily financial interactions of millions globally.
Looking ahead, the market is poised for continued expansion. It is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 18.8% from 2024 to 2032. By the end of this period, the market size is expected to reach approximately USD 14,422.00 billion. This growth trajectory is supported by technological advancements, increasing financial inclusivity, and evolving consumer behaviors that favor contactless and cashless payment options. Additionally, regulatory changes and the introduction of more sophisticated payment solutions are set to further boost market growth, reflecting an increasing dependency on digital payment platforms in the global economy.
Mobile Payment Market Trends
The mobile payment market is characterized by several key trends that are shaping its evolution and growth:
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1. Increased Adoption of Contactless Payments: The trend towards contactless payments has accelerated, particularly due to health concerns raised by the COVID-19 pandemic. Consumers prefer tapping their phones or smartwatches over traditional cash or card transactions, driving the widespread adoption of NFC (Near Field Communication) technology.
   
2. Growth in E-commerce: As online shopping continues to grow, so does the use of mobile payments for digital transactions. Consumers find it convenient to pay directly through mobile apps or websites, which has fostered tighter integration of payment systems into e-commerce platforms.
   
3. Rise of Mobile Wallets: Mobile wallets like Apple Pay, Google Wallet, and Samsung Pay are becoming increasingly popular. These platforms not only allow users to store multiple payment methods securely but also offer rewards and the ability to manage financial transactions from a single interface.
   
4. Financial Inclusion: Mobile payments are playing a crucial role in enhancing financial inclusion, especially in developing countries where traditional banking infrastructure is limited. Mobile money solutions provide a gateway for unbanked and underbanked populations to participate in the financial system.
   
5. Regulatory and Security Enhancements: As the volume of mobile payments increases, so does the focus on security. Advanced authentication technologies, including biometrics and blockchain, are being implemented to ensure transaction security. Additionally, regulations are being updated to protect consumers and ensure fair practices within the mobile payments ecosystem.
   
6. Integration with IoT: The Internet of Things (IoT) is increasingly intersecting with mobile payments, enabling transactions through connected devices. Examples include smart appliances that can reorder supplies automatically and cars that can pay for fuel or tolls.
   

Market Opportunities and Challenges
The mobile payment market presents a range of opportunities and challenges that influence its development and scalability:
Opportunities

1. Expansion into New Markets: With mobile penetration increasing globally, there's significant opportunity for mobile payment solutions to expand into emerging markets, particularly in regions like Africa, Asia, and Latin America, where traditional banking infrastructure is less developed.
   
2. Technological Innovation: Innovations such as blockchain and cryptocurrencies offer new ways to conduct secure, transparent transactions. These technologies can reduce fraud and enhance the efficiency of payments, presenting a substantial growth opportunity for the industry.
   
3. Partnerships with Financial Institutions: By partnering with banks and other financial institutions, mobile payment providers can tap into existing customer bases while offering enhanced services, such as improved security features and loyalty programs.
   
4. Integration with Other Services: Mobile payments can be integrated with other services like public transport systems, healthcare, and retail, providing seamless payment experiences and increasing user engagement and satisfaction.
   

Challenges

1. Security Concerns: Despite advancements, security remains a significant concern. The risk of data breaches and fraud can deter users from adopting mobile payment solutions, necessitating continuous improvements in security measures.
   
2. Regulatory Compliance: The mobile payment sector faces complex and varied regulations across different regions, which can complicate expansion efforts and increase operational costs. Compliance with these regulations is crucial but challenging, especially for new entrants.
   
3. Fragmentation and Interoperability: The market is fragmented with numerous platforms and standards, making interoperability a significant challenge. Consumers and merchants may find it difficult to navigate these varied systems, which can hinder the adoption and scalability of mobile payment solutions.
   
4. Consumer Trust and Adoption: Building consumer trust is essential, especially in regions where cash has been the predominant mode of transaction. Changing consumer habits and convincing them of the benefits and reliability of mobile payments is a gradual and ongoing challenge.
   

Market Dynamics
The mobile payment market is driven by a complex interplay of dynamics that include technological advancements, consumer behavior, regulatory frameworks, and economic factors. Here are some of the key dynamics shaping this market:

1. Technological Advancements: Technology is at the core of the mobile payment market's expansion. Innovations such as near-field communication (NFC), blockchain, and biometric authentication are enhancing the security and efficiency of mobile payments. These advancements not only improve user experience but also expand the scope of mobile payments in terms of capabilities and reach.
   
2. Consumer Adoption and Behavior: Consumer preferences are shifting towards convenience and speed in transactions, which mobile payments can offer. The widespread use of smartphones has facilitated this shift, making mobile payments more accessible to a broader audience. However, consumer behavior can vary significantly across different regions and demographics, influencing the pace and pattern of adoption.
   
3. Regulatory Environment: The regulatory landscape for mobile payments is evolving as governments worldwide recognize the importance of regulating digital transactions to ensure security and prevent fraud. Regulations affect how companies operate, the level of security required, and the introduction of new features or services. Compliance with these regulations can be both a challenge and a driving force for innovation within the market.
   
4. Economic Impact: Economic factors, including disposable income levels and the overall economic environment, play a crucial role in the adoption of mobile payments. In thriving economies, consumers are more likely to engage with new technologies, including mobile payments. Conversely, in regions with less economic stability, the adoption might be driven by necessity, such as for financial inclusion of the unbanked.
   
5. Competitive Landscape: The mobile payment market is highly competitive, with major tech companies, traditional banks, and fintech startups vying for market share. This competition fosters innovation and drives improvements in service offerings, but it also creates a fragmented market landscape that can confuse consumers and complicate interoperability between different payment systems.
   
6. Integration with Other Industries: Mobile payments are increasingly integrated with other sectors such as retail, transportation, and healthcare, which opens new avenues for growth but also requires complex collaborations and partnerships. These integrations often lead to improved customer service and operational efficiencies.
   

Competitive Landscape
The key players in the industry includes:

• American Express Company
• Apple, Inc.
• Google LLC
• JPMorgan Chase & Co.
• Mastercard Incorporated
• Paytm (One 97 Communications Limited)
• Paypal Holdings, Inc.
• Others

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TW: Alcoholism, drug addiction, violence, suicidal ideation, sex abuse
This is going to be a LLLLLOOONNNNGGGGG one. This story goes back quite a way, but yesterday was the tenth anniversary of the ending to this story and I'm feeling it, still got some guilt about everything that happened, wondering what I could have done differently and I just want to vent it out and hope to get some closure from it.
This story started in 2010.
Characters in this story (names are fake, duh!):

• Me, Guy, 32M at the time, 45 now.
• My BFF Stephanie, 33F at the time.
• Stephen, 40M at the time, Stephanie's boyfriend.
• Maryse, 27F at the time.

Background and intro
I had known Stephanie for many years and we had the kind of friendship that made her BFs and my GFs uncomfortable to put it lightly. We had never crossed that boundary and I wouldn't consider us in the friendzone, we were just friend, but the kind of friend where she would sit on my lap with her arms around my neck or her head on my shoulder.
At the start of 2010, Stephanie met her then boyfriend, Stephen. He tolerated me and my friendship with Stephanie because I also had a gf back then. She liked Stephanie, wasn't at all jealous of my friendship with her, so he didn't deem me too suspicious. Then my gf and I broke up for reasons unimportant and all hell broke loose for Stephen. He became convinced that I would try and steal Stephanie from him. He insisted that Stephanie introduce me to her female friends or female friends of his. Thus began what I called the year of the 50 blind dates. It was probably closer to 20, but still I like saying the year of 50 blind dates. Most of them were unremarkable and never went beyond the first date. There are some fun stories in there if anyone wants to hear them eventually!
In July of that year, I had to switch gears because I had to focus up and study for a professional exam for a certification important to my career. This exam required close to 600-800 hours of study over a 3-4 month period. So I hunkered down, told Stephanie to stop the blind dates for now because I had to focus on that. She respected my wishes and, other a text here or there, we went low contact for the last two months before the exam.
Except for one fateful night in September. Her birthday was in September and she always threw these big bashes at her house. She would throw a big pool party that started around noon and would go on to the wee hours of the morning. I knew she would harass me to go to her party, so I made some quick math and figured I would lose more energy and time trying to dodge her calls, texts and most likely visits at my place than by just going to the party itself. So when she called me to ask, I just said: "Okay I'll go to your damn party, now git." I texted her I would get there in the evening probably around 8. She texted back "Great, can't wait. Now study, bitch!"
So I ultimately get there around 8PM. Basically everybody is already drunk off their gourd. Stephanie sees me, squeals in excitement and runs to me in her bikini and just jumps in the air and slams into me, wraps her arms around my neck and her legs around my waist and gives me a big hug. I hug her back and just keep walking back to the pool where she had started, carrying her with me. I just duck my head around hers and say hi to Stephen, who just glares at me.
She drops back down and I give her her gift. We chat for a few seconds and says "There's beer in the fridge and food in the dining room." I told her I'd be right back.
I go inside and grab a beer from the fridge. I head to the dining room and the table is against the wall with a buffet of sandwiches, tomato pizza, salads, etc. I grab a plate and start putting food on it. I was focused on the task because I was starving. I barely noticed, sitting at the end of the table one of the most stunning woman I have ever seen. I just see her in my peripheral vision and I do a quick double take, quick glance at her and back to the food. I do that a second time. And finally a third time. At that point she is just straight up staring at me and I can't help but chuckle and whisper under my breath "Subtle Guy, sub-tle".
Thankfully she starts laughing too, saving me some embarassment. I look at her and greet her. She says "Hi, I'm Maryse and I'm guessing you're Guy?" I just nod and we start talking. At that point, I just thought I have no shot with her, she's so far out of my league that I'm just gonna talk to her until she sees one of the "models" hanging out by the pool and ditches me for him.
So I'm not feeling like I'm playing for anything, so I'm just myself and not nervous, just talking to her as I would any friend. We chat and she laughs at all my jokes, she gets all my cultural references. She never gets up or ditches me. The plate of food I had made and the beer I had gotten are sitting on the table next to me untouched, I was too busy with the convo to think about food or beer anymore.
After what felt like only 20-30 minutes, Stephanie comes in and tells me, fake grumpy: "So that's where you disappeared to. I invite my best friend to a party and he spends the whole night talking to someone else." I laugh and go: "What do you mean the whole night? I haven't been here that long." She says "Dude, it's 2AM. You've been here for 6 hours..." My jaw dropped and I just said: "Wow, time flies when you're having fun." Maryse chimes in, with a big smile: "It sure does!" That made me happy as you can imagine.
Now I was a little stuck because where Stephanie lived, there's no night service for the bus and the subway had been closed for an hour or so. I figured I would cab it. So I turn to Maryse and tell her: "It was absolutely lovely to meet you and I enjoyed our conversation very much." She says that she did too. I continued with "At the moment, my schedule is incredibly hectic. I'm basically working full-time, studying full-time and sleeping part-time. So I don't have a lot of free time, but if she was interested, whatever little free time I had, I would love to call her or text her to keep on getting to know her."
I see Stephanie in the backgroudnd, looking like a proud mama at how smooth that came out, knowing I was always anything but smooth with women, as proven by the string of blind dates! Maryse has a big smile and we exchange numbers. I go to Stephanie to wish her a happy birthday again. While I'm talking to her, my phone buzzes with a text from Maryse: "Just checking!"
I asked Stephanie "What's the best cab company to call in this area?" Maryse chimes in: "Where do you live?" I tell her where I lived and she goes "It's on the way to where I live, I can give you a ride if you want." Stephanie raised an eyebrow in surprise. I learned later, she did it because it absolutely was not on the way to her place, like, at all. I say that I would love that as it would give us a chance to keep talking.
We get in her car, driving to my place. We talk, she asks me what I'm studying as I hadn't mentioned it earlier. I tell her all about the boring maths I had to study. Much too quickly, we get to my place. She parks in front of my building and we keep talking. At some point, I tell her: "Normally, this is where I would try to "trick" you into coming up to my place..." She interrupts me: "You wouldn't need to trick me. I'm willing and able!"
I tell her that "As tempting as that sounds, I know who I am and I know that if you come up and things proceed to where they're going, I'm not going to be able to study for the rest of the month. I have a kind of obsessive mind and when I find someone or something I like, I can push everything else to the side in favor of that. So to make sure I can still focus on my studying, I have to go up by myself."
She looks at me, a little disappointed but then says, half-jokingly: "We don't have to go up, there's a backseat right there!" We laugh and I give her a kiss and wish her a good night. I managed to stay strong and go back to my condo. Damn it, why did I have to stay strong!!!
My exam was at the beginning of november. During the month of october, we texted a bunch of times and talked on the phone. We went for coffee a couple of times and dinner once. She respected my boundaries and never pushed for more, which I appreciated but also hated at the same time, if that makes sense. The exam came and it was a monster of a Friday. I slept for basically 18 hours after the exam as the adrenalin dropped and my system crashed.
I texted her when I woke up at around 1PM. She was working at the clothing store Stephanie owned. She said "I'm off at 5PM, wanna meet me." I said: "Duh! Why do you think I'm texting? ;)" So I met her at the store downtown. I asked if she wanted to grab a drink, go for dinner, or what. She proposed going to her place and getting some take out. Stephanie who was closing the store at that moment, came up to us and said: "Hey, so what are we doing?" I said: "WE, that is Maryse and I, are going to her place and getting some takeout. Bye!" I'm sure you'll understand when I tell you that no food was ever ordered that night!
Thus followed a whirlwind month of November where any free time we had was spent together, and I wasn't going to complain!
The troubles
By the start of december, things were still going great with us. One saturday night, we were having dinner at a restaurant and I mention that this coming Friday is my office Christmas party, that it's employees only, so we wouln't see each other that night. She tells me: "Oh sure, that's fine! It'll give me a chance to go see some girlfriends I've been neglecting lately." I said "Great! BTW I also got us a reservation at [this great restaurant she had mentioned a few times] for next Saturday, so we could go there and I'll tell you all about my party and you can tell me all about her night with the girls!"
That was settled, I thought. I was wrong. On Thursday, we had spent the evening together at her place and I was about to leave to go back to my place. She tells me: "So are you coming to meet me at the store tomorrow or do I go to your place?" I reminded her: "Neither, tomorrow is my office Christmas party and we won't see each other tomorrow." She said: "Oh right, I forgot." I asked her if she had made plans with her friends like she had mentioned last saturday. She said that they were all busy tomorrow and weren't available.
She suggested "If your party is boring, maybe you could come meet me." I retorted that it wasn't going to be, knowing who was going to be there.
"Yeah but what if?"
"But it won't"
"But what IFFFFFF?" she kept insisting and I kept saying no. After what felt like 30 minutes of that (probably only 2-3 minutes in reality), I had enough and just said to end the argument: "Okay, if it's boring, I'll come. but it won't be." She said: "Cool" with a big smile on her face. I came to learn that that smile meant "Challenge accepted".
The following night, my colleague and I were pregaming in a conference room before leaving for the party proper and my phone buzzes. Maryse was wishing me a good party. I replied. She texted me again. I replied. She texted again, but I was in a conversation with a colleague so I didn't reply or even look at the phone. My phone buzzes again. Still talking, and didn't want to be rude to my colleague. Another buzz. I just kept talking. Phone buzzes differently, she was now calling because I hadn't answered her texts.
"Why aren't you replying to my texts?"
"Hey, sorry, was talking to my colleague Patrick."
"What? you don't want to talk to me?"
"I am talking to you now."
"Why didn't you reply to my texts?"
"Because it would have been rude to my colleague to pull my phone out while talking to him."
"But you're talking to me now."
"Because I thought something was wrong, maybe it was an emergency."
"I wanted to talk to you, that's all."
"Well, gotta go back to the party. Talk to you later."
She kept texting and if I didn't reply right away, she would call after two or three missed texts. After about 2 hours of this, I stopped answering the texts. When she called back, I asked her: "Aren't you supposed to be working?" which started another round of guilt-tripping of "why are you asking me this? you don't want to talk to me?" At that point I had had enough and wanted to enjoy my party. I remembered that the Blackberry (no shaming old tech!) I had had an annoying feature, but I was hoping to put it to good use at that moment.
Whenever the battery would get really low, like less than 1%, it would let out an ear-piercing BEEP for about 3 seconds, reminiding you to charge it and giving you a heart attack all at the same time. It would do that even when you were in silent mode. It had happened a few days earlier when I was with Maryse. I figured, if I press a button on the Blackberry, it would make a beep too that could be heard through the phone. So while I was talking to Maryse, I pressed my thumb on the space bar for a good 3 seconds and sputtered; "what... the .... what?" trying to put on a somewhat believable performance.
She asked what that noise was and I tell her that it was my blackberry letting me know I was low battery and it might shut off any second. I told her "Listen I'm gonna wish you a good night, I'm having a good time at my party so I'll see you tomorrow at 5PM to go spend our evening together. I hope you have a good....." and hung up mid-sentence. I promptly shut my phone off and went back to the party. I concede that I may be a bit of an AH for that move.
The party was great, I got drunk much quicker than I expected owing to the fact that I hadn't had a drink in over two months because Maryse didn't drink so I didn't either when we were together, and we were always together. At 1AM, I went home and passed out on my bed.
This is another place where I may have been an AH. I didn't turn my cell phone back on and I unplugged my home line too, because I wanted to sleep the deep sleep of the drunkard. I woke up at around 1:30 PM, not knowing it was already too late. In my mind, I was meeting Maryse at 5PM to go out on the town that night. Maryse had other ideas as you'll see.
So like I said, I woke up at 1:30PM and was sticky with alcohol sweat, so I went straight for the shower to get clean again. While in the shower, my stomach grumbled with hunger and I started daydreaming of bacon and eggs. That pushed me out of the shower right quick. I dried myself off quickly, tied the towel around my waist and went to the fridge. No bacon.... booo. Looked at the egg compartment... no eggs... booo again. Okay then, how about a cream cheese bagel. No cream cheese, damn it. Look in the pantry, no bagels.... god. I was starting to get angry. Okay, cereals then. I pick up the cereal box, that mofo was empty and I get mad: "who's the idiot who puts the empty box back in the pantry?" I remembered I live alone.
I close the fridge dejected and see the grocery list stuck on the fridge, taunting me with everything I wanted to eat for breakfast written on it. But I felt like if I went to the grocery store hungry as I Was, I'm just gonna pay 600$ and not get one single healthy thing to eat. I then remembered there's a restaurant next to the grocery store that serves breakfast until 3PM. I get excited! I get dressed quickly, grab my wallet and keys, put my boots on, my coat on, wrap my scarf, my tuque and my gloves and go to the restaurant. If you notice, I didn't mention my phone in there.
I get to the restaurant and confirm that they still have breakfast and get even more excited when she confirms it. I order the "heart attack", at least that's how I nicknamed it: 3 eggs, 3 servings of bacon, 2 sausages, and, I guess to give one peace of mind, fruit (or to be precise, one single solitary slice of orange). Now that the food is ordered and coming I figured I would check if I have any messages. I pat the pocket where my phone always is. No phone. uh-oh. I start clutching evert pocket, no luck.
I wonder if I should go back home after the meal before going to the grocery store and decide against it, it would be too long a detour. So I scarf my breakfast down, rush through the grocery store. I get home and set my bags down in front of the fridge. I go pick up my blackberry. I turn it back on. The little tape icon tells me there are messages on my voicemail, at that time there were no red dots with a number in it to tell you how many.
I connect to the voicemail while starting to put the groceries away. The little automated voice tells me "You have 25 new messages." I pull the phone away from my ear, look at it in disbelief as if saying: "are you f'ing kidding me?" So I press 1 to start playing the messages.
Remember: Maryse knew I was at a party with a dead phone, no chargers and I probably wouldn't get home until 1AM. From 6:30PM, when my phone died, to 11:34 PM, when she went to sleep she left me 9 messages. BTW I know she went to sleep at 11:34PM because she left me a message saying "it's 11:34PM and I'm going to bed. Thinking of you." The 9 messages were in the same vein. These are the salient details, but the messages were all much longer.
She woke up at 7:15 the following day, I'll let you guess how I know that tidbit of information! She left me 5 more messages like those from the day before: 7:15 woke up. 7:35 going to take a shower. 7:55 out of the shower. 8:25 getting ready to leave for work 8:50 walking out of the subway to go to the store.
She leaves me another message at 9 that was different. She sounded very excited as if she had had the best idea in the world: "Hey it's 9AM, I'm about to start my shift. I know we're only supposed to meet after my shift, but what if you came and met me for lunch so you could tell me all about your party." I just did my best Scooby-Doo "Ruh-Roh" and chuckled that I blew that, not thinking the calamity that was awaiting me.
Another couple of messages to talk logistics: "I could take my lunch at 12 or 12:30, let me know which you prefer." "I'm taking my lunch at 12:30"
A slightly worried message: "It's 11:15 and you stil have not said if you were coming or not, are you okay?"
The first bomb goes off and I knew I was in trouble then: "Where are you? We're supposed to meet for lunch and you still haven't given me any sign of life, you're not answering your home phone either, what happened?" Reminder: we were not supposed to meet for lunch, she suggested doing so a couple of hours earlier and I never agreed to anything. I guess she told her colleagues I would meet her for lunch and it was now fact and could perhaps make her look bad in front of her colleagues.
The second bomb drops: "It's almost noon now, WHERE ARE YOU? Stephanie says you're probably sleeping off your drunk, but I don't believe her. I'm sure you got yourself a slut and cheated on me. Didn't you? didn't you, you asshole." Stephanie knows me very well, but that wasn't enough for Maryse it seems.
Ensued four more messages from 12:30 to 1:15, where she starts sounding more and more drunk and accusatory, spewing more attacks like in the message above. At that point I already knew it was over, there was no coming back from that. I can understand having trust issues, but that was nuclear. I don't tolerate jealousy because of horrible experiences with a couple of jealous toxic exes.
A final message comes in, and it's a different voice, that of my best friend being more than a little angry: "Hey Guy, listen, Maryse tells me you had a Christmas party yesterday, so I'm guessing you're sleeping off your drunk, still. But call me when you get this. I put Maryse, who's f'ing drunk, in the backstore so she can dry off and "do inventory". She can't be on the sales floor obviously and I just don't feel safe sending her home in the state she's in. Call me to tell me how you want to handle this."
At that point I had finished putting away my groceries and had put my boots and my coat on and was making my way to the subway to go to the store. I call Stephanie and tell her I got the messages and I was coming. She was right, I was sleeping off my drunk and had just woke up (didn't feel the need to mention the breakfast and grocery store). I ask her if she knows what I'm gonna do when I get there. She says that she knows and understands. She knows my bad history.
When I get out of the subway, I call her again before getting to the store. I ask her how she wants me to do this. It's her store and I don't want to create drama in front of her customers. Does she want me to wait outside and she tells Maryse to meet me in the street or do I go in the store and she takes me to the backstore and I do it there? She says to come to the store.
I walk in the store and every saleswomen on the floor looks at me and gives me the biggest case of the stink-eye. They only have Maryse's side of the story, so they think I did all these horrible things. I see Stephanie in the middle of the store and I walk towards her. She shakes her head and points me towards the cash register. I look over there and see Julia, a salesperson that I've known for a couple of years and really like, who also happens to be the biggest gossip in the store. I understand what Stephanie is trying to do. She's gonna make me tell her my story in front of Julia so Julia can spread the "good news" to the other employees and rehabilitate my name possibly.
So I get to the register and say Hi to Julia. She barely acknoledges me. Steph joins me. She asks me:
"How are you?"
"I was better an hour ago, before I listened to those voicemails. I had gone to our office party last night, had a great night, got drunk off my ass, got home at around 2 and woke up around 2."
Julia asks "Maryse told us you were supposed to meet her for lunch."
"No we weren't. I have a reservation for tonight at XYZ restaurant. I was supposed to take the day to do errands, stuff around the condo and meet her here at closing time. She suggested that it could be fun if I came at lunchtime to meet her, but that was never the plan."
Julia asks again "But why didn't you answer your phone?"
"It ran out of battery last night during the party and when I got home, I was so drunk that I forgot to plug it back in. I only plugged it when I woke up at 2. That's when the messages came in."
Julia asks "She says she tried calling your home line and you didn't answer and your machine didn't kick in."
"Yeah, that one's my fault, I knew I wanted to sleep and telemarketers have a habit of calling me early saturday mornings so I didn't want to be awoken by a call for a rug cleaning service, so I unplugged it yesterday morning, knowing I would be drunk when I got home and forget and be angry if I was awakened by a telemarketer."
Julia gave me a hint of a smile, showing me she was starting to believe me. She asked me a few more questions and then she asked what I was gonna do. I told her that whatever I'll do, I would tell Maryse first.
I looked at Stephanie and said: "Can you open the back store so I can go see her?" So we went to the backstore. As we reached the door, it swung opened and out popped Maryse, looking absolutely terrifying, I actually jumped back when I saw her. Her usual perfect makeup was completely smeared, her mascara streaking down her cheeks from the crying. Her hair was disheveled. She was a mess. Apparently, she had had enough of waiting back there and was planning on leaving the store to go home and had put her coat and boots on.
When she saw me, she went into an unhinged rant about me being an asshole for cheating on her, me not being great in bed, me not treating her right, etc. I let her vent everything she had to say, I looked at Stephanie and apologized for creating such a scene in her store. I tell Maryse we should go outside and talk in private. She keeps on yelling, but when I grab her hand to lead her outside, she follows.
When we get outside, her anger had started to wane a little, or maybe just her energy. I was able to talk to her to explain everything, how I had gotten drunk, had overslept (alone) and woke up at 2PM. I reminded her that we were only supposed to meet at 5PM not for lunch. The anger was leaving her and a smile almost appeared on her face. Through all of this I was being very calm and patient with her, which she interpreted as me not being mad at her. I then said in a firmer tone: "However..." and let it hang for a second.
The beginning smile vanished. I continued: "When you accused me of cheating on you, that broke me. That triggered memories of toxic exes who would always accuse me of cheating, not trusting me when I would tell them where I was, snooping on me, stalking me. Because of those experiences, I have a zero tolerance policy for jealousy. I told her that if she was behaving like after only two months of dating, it didn't bode well for the future and I have to protect myself."
At that, the tears started again and she just turned and ran/waddled away. I told her to wait, but she didn't hear me. I turned towards the entrance of the store to see basically all the employees and customers milling around the door trying to catch the drama. I went back inside to talk to my best friend. The mood had definitely changed and no one was giving me the stink eye anymore, but I didn't really care. I was just sad that it had ended, but proud of myself for having stood up for myself.
So AITA for getting drunk and keeping my phone turned off?
There is a lot more to this story and if you want to learn what happened afterwards, then read on.
The immediate aftermath
So I went back inside the store and talked to Stephanie. I told her that I had a reserrvation for XX restaurant and if she wanted to go with Stephen, she could take it, I wasn't in the mood for a dinner. She said "I already have plans for tonight, but thanks for offering." Julia said she would go with me if I wanted, but I just said that I wasn't in the mood to go out. I just wanted to crash and eat a pizza and get into a food coma.
Stephanie said she didn't feel comfortable leaving me by myself and I should join them at her house. They were having friends over to play board games and it could at least distract me a little. I said why not. So brimming with enthusiasm, I went to play bored games. I left early as I wasn't in the mood. I was feeling a little better, but still a bit down. I thanked Stephanie for the invite and left. I got home and just passed out on the bed.
I woke up at around 7AM the next morning and I saw along the corners of the window the tell-tale signs of a snow-drift and got excited as it was the first snow of the season. I pushed the curtains aside and looked on to see a beautiful white carpet outside. It was early enough that very few cars had marred the whiteness. I was admiring it when I noticed that, against the red bricks of the building across the street, there was a pink blotch. As I focused, the blotch became human shaped and I cleared my eyes enough to realize that it was Maryse and she was raising her cell phone to her ear.
On cue, my phone rings. I pick it up. Still sounding drunk, she asks me if we can speak. I ask her to give me five minutes to get dressed and I'll meet her down there. She asks why she can't come up. I say that I'm not sure I want her in my apartment. She says that it's cold out. I say: "Good, then this will be quick."
I get dressed and meet her outside. I'm still bleary-eyed from having woken up 5 minutes ago, but I try to get my wits together. I tell her that we're going to walk to the subway. It 's a 10-minute walk normally, but with her drunkenness, it might take 15-20 minutes. That's how long she has to tell me what she wants to tell me.
She wants to apologize for accusing me of cheating on her. She says she knows I'm a great guy and... I may be the A-hole at this point too, but I start to drift off in my little bubble and start daydreaming about, if I go back to bed, would there still be some residual heat or would it be cold? I could take a hot shower and warm the bed that way. I could still hear her in the background making excuses, saying how she had been cheated on, but I wasn't really listening.
During the daydreaming I notice it got quite quiet. I look on my left and she's not there, I turn around she's a good 5-6 steps behind me looking angry and she says: "you're not listening" I just say: "when you're right, you're right." I tell her that I understand she's been hurt too in the past, and I hope she can work to resolve her issues, but I was done and I'm going back to bed. I was a bit harsh there, but I was tired and still down.
I walk past her and get maybe 10 paces past her when I hear a scream coming from her. I turn around and I see her messing with something inside her coat. She pulls out a chef's knife with like an 8-inch blade. That wakes me the fuck up. Byebye bleary eyes, hello wakefulness. better than a cup of coffee or a red bull I tell you!
So she's got the knife, she's screaming something that I can't quite understand. She gets quiet and then she charges at me with the knife. If I'm being honest I could have stayed where I was and she probably would have missed me anyways, but someone charges at me with a knife, I'm gonna nope out of there. I take a massive side step and once she gets to where I was and realizes that I'm no longer there, she turns her head towards me and says heyyyyy.
At that point, I have a moment of clarity and see what's gonna happen. She's drunk running one way and looking another, I know she's gonna trip. As I predicted, she stumbled over her feet and starts falling to the ground. I start praying to god and anybody who would listen: "Please don't let her cut herself. I don't want to have to explain this to the doctors, EMTs and nurses. I don't want her drunk ass deciding to take revenge on me by saying I did it."
Thankfully, she winds up in a sitting position on the sidewalk holding the knife up and it was clean. Thank god for small miracles. She starts crying and, other moment of clarity, I know she's gonna turn the knife on herself now. I jump towards her and I realize I was right, the knife starts moving towards her left wrist. I tackle her, grab her right wrist and twist it so she drops the knife. I pick the knife back up and put it in my pocket. She looks at me crying and says: "Why did you stop me?"
I pick her up and take her back to my building. In my building there was a couch in the lobby, so I take her there and I sit her down and plop myself next to her. I look at her and wonder out loud: "What am I gonna do with you? What can I do?"
She goes: "Just let me go, I'll be good." I tell her that's not going to happen. I realize I have three options and I give her the three options.
"So here's the choice I give you.
1- I pull out my phone, call 911 and tell them about the attempted murder back there and they send the police to arrest you. I don't want to do that because that could derail your life and not get you the help you need. Besides, they might not do anything anyway as it's your word against mine.
2= I pull out my phone, call 911 and tell them about the attempted suicide back there and that you need to be placed on a 72 hour hold. I could do that, but at the same time, again it's my word against yours, so maybe they don't believe me.
3- I'm gonna hazard a guess here. From what I've seen, you have alcohol problems. So I'm gonna guess you were in AA, had been sober for a while, I want to say 6 months, maybe less, when we met."
She confirms my guess.
"alright so option 3, I'm guessing you had a sponsor in AA." she nods "we call them up and tell them about your relapse and what happened this morning. Can they come get you and take care of you?"
She takes her phone out and picks a contact and calls. She hands me the phone. Someone answers and I explain the situation. They said they were coming right away. I give them my address, they get here 15 minutes later. Maryse had fallen asleep in the meantime, so I wake her up gently and help her to the car. Off she went.
I went back to my apartment and just crashed back to sleep.
A month later
Mid-january, my phone rings and I see Maryse's number on there. I send her to voice mail. Another call. Voicemail again. 5 minutes later, Private number calling. "Gee I wonder who that could be." Voicemail once more.
Afterwards, I didn't get any unidentified callers for a little over a week. One afternoon, I was at work and my phone rings and it's a number I do not recognize. I pick up.
"Hello."
"Hi, is this Guy?"
"Yes, to whom am I speaking?"
"This is Hannah, Maryse's sponsor. we spoke last month." I started fearing the worst.
"Yes, I remember. How can I help you?"
"Maryse tried to reach you last week and you rejected the calls. I think it could help Maryse if you listened to what she had to say. You're obviously not obligated to entertain her, but I think despite everything that happened, you still care about her or you would not have called me that morning."
"You are right, I do still care about Maryse. I'm just not sure how good it would be for her to meet me this soon after everything that happened. I understand wanting to work through the 9th step and making amends, but..." She interrupts me.
"So you know about the steps."
"Yes I have friends in the program. which is how I could guess that she was in the program too that morning."
"You know it's important."
"I know. I know. How about this: we meet in public at a cafe, you would have to be there. Not necessarily at the table with us, but nearby in case she needs help, in case meeting me causes her pain. Tell her I promise to be in a more receptive mood than I was that morning."
So we make an appointment for that saturday afternoon.
I get to the coffee shop. She's already there, and so is her sponsor. I realize happily that she's not wearing makeup. I say happily because that means she understands that this is not a date, but something serious. She's still stunningly beautiful, and I feel sad almost right away.
I grab a coffee and go join her at the table.
"Hey" I say,
"Hey. So this is gonna be uncomfortable, but thank you for agreeing to meet me and for coming, I appreciate it more than you know. I'm sure you heard I quit the store."
"I have, I'm sorry about that, I hope you didn't do it just because of me."
"No, I needed time to focus on myself for now."
She proceeds to tell me about how I wasn't far off with my guess. She had been sober 4 months when we met. Now she had 39 days. She tells me that in AA, if you are single, they recommend not dating anyone new for at least the first year of your sobriety as it can cause issues, similar to what happened with us. I was like her "drug" and as long as I was available, she could get her fix. But the moment I wasn't available all hell broke loose, and that is what led her back to drinking that day.
I told her I'm glad to see her back sober again this quickly and I hope she can get all the help she needs from it. I ask her if she wants to talk to me about her drinking.
She starts to share a story about how she started drinking at around 11 years old. When puberty hit her, she got into a deep depression because the sexual feelings she was starting to feel were triggering responses. As a child she had been abused by two of her uncles repeatedly and her parents never believed her. They accused her of trying to make herself interesting. That was until they caught one of those uncles red-handed.
They finally believed and took the necessary steps to protect their daughter. But they were poor and they couldn't afford therapy. So she never really got help for it. At 11, she started self medicating the depression with alcohol. When alcohol wasn't enough, she added drugs.
At that point, I was full on crying. She asked me if I wanted her to stop. I told her that she doesn't have to stop. That the tears are there because that was one more thing we had in common. I was also a survivor of sexual assault as a child. In my case, it wasn't a family member, it was only a stranger, so it only happened once. But I also self-medicated with alcohol at the onset of puberty, switching to drugs later on too. I was lucky to avoid the pitfalls of addiction, but I was still dealing with my demons, slowly making peace with them.
So there we were, sitting at a coffee shop, both crying and holding each other. I tell her that I think it's great she's getting help for her alcoholism and addicion, but was she doing anything to help with the underlying issue, the original trauma? She said no, she couldn't afford therapy. I tell her that I am a member of a survivors group and if she is interested, I could get her into a meeting and perhaps learn to heal that part of herself too.
She said that she could give it a try. I tell her I have to talk to the other members to know if I can bring someone new and I would let her know. If they said yes, we would go to her first meeting together, I would introduce her and then we would coordinate so that I never went to meetings where she was. I wanted to do that because I wanted her first few meetings to be about healing and I didn't want our own history to be intertwined or mixed in with that.
After that, we left both feeling content and, while not necesarily happy, at peace if you will. Later on, I contacted Stephanie who was one of the "pillars" of the support group (that's how we met) to ask her if it was okay for me to bring in a new member to the group. She said sure. She asked if it was anyone she knew. I told her she would have to meet her at the meeting if she decides to come.
We were having a meeting the following day. I called Maryse, told her the time and place, and she said she would be there. She came to the group meeting and was shocked to see Stephanie there but Stephanie kinda guessed that it was Maryse I was referring to.
I introduce her, we start sharing stories, talking about how we're feeling, etc. The meeting was good and Maryse liked the vibe. So for the first six months after that, I never saw Maryse and we planned which meeting we would be attending to ensure we didn't cross paths. She started feeling much better.
After maybe 2 and a half years, she finally felt ready and she started dating again. She met someone and she fell for him. They were together for about six months, she looked happy. Unfortunately after about six months, she caught him cheating on her. We tried supporting her, being good friends, cursing his name, doing all the things we could to make sure she didn't relapse. But on April 5th 2014, she ODed on heroin. She was hospitalized for 2 weeks after that.
Hannah took her in and she set up a room for Maryse. She was still in a fragile state, so a group of her friends and I started taking turns watching over Maryse, making sure there was always at least one person there with her to keep her company.
Despite our vigilance, on May 14th 2014, when Hannah was out running a quick errand, she was gone maybe 15 minutes tops, Maryse found a way to cut her wrists and she died. We found a note saying that "the OD was not an accident, and neither was that. Thanks for everything you did for me. I love you all, but I can't do this anymore."
It feels good to write that story (I'll just ignore the fat tears rolling down my face!). Thanks for reading this far and sorry for the long story, I just started writing and couldn't stop. I apologize if it was a bit of a bummer.

The ~automotive infotainment system~ is the integration of navigation and entertainment system that allows these systems for accessing the audio controls and displays of the vehicle. Automotive Infotainment System Market report provides us with a complete outlook on thorough assessment of thorough data about vital feature of the global industry related to market size, revenue, development and market sales. This study report captures regulatory concerns and entry barriers that greatly affect the market growth. This report emphasizes on how industries get benefit from strategies offered here and achieve ample revenue other than also flashes light on constraints which can become great obstruction. It further helps to predict revenue increasing opportunities available in the marketplace. In addition, it then goes on to talk about volume trends, values and historical pricing structure. This Automotive Infotainment System Market study report also helps to predict growth and opportunities in the market. Furthermore, it also guides on how to increase product demand, growth rate and gain huge profits through changing consumption technologies.
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The global automotive infotainment system market is further analyzed on the basis of geographical regions, including North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Rest of the World. Asia-Pacific is estimated to exhibit significant growth in the global automotive infotainment system market in 2018. The region is considered as a major consumer of automotive with China being the largest consumer of automotive across the globe. Moreover, there are several American and European companies such as Audi, Tesla, and BMW, that have set-up their manufacturing units in India and China due to affordable infrastructure at lower prices in the region. For instance, the electric car manufacturer Tesla had decided to build a manufacturing unit in Shanghai in October 2017. Therefore, the stronger base of automotive consumers coupled with rising urbanization has propelled the adoption rate of automotive infotainment systems in Asia-Pacific. Furthermore, Europe is projected to contribute significantly in the global automotive infotainment system market during the forecast period. The automotive manufacturing industry in the region is growing exuberantly; with UK, Germany, and Norway being the major counties in the region. Moreover, a transition towards electric car has been seen in the region, which is anticipated to drive the market growth in Europe in near future.
full report of Automotive Infotainment System Market available @ https://www.omrglobal.com/industry-reports/automotive-infotainment-system-market
· Market Coverage
· Market number available for – 2024-2031
· Base year- 2024
· Forecast period- 2024-2031
· Segment Covered- By Source, By Product Type, By Applications
· Competitive Landscape- Archer Daniels Midland Co., Ingredion Inc., Kerry Group Plc, Cargill
· Inc., and others
The Report Automotive Infotainment System Market Segmentation
By Installation Type

• Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM)
• Aftermarket

By Product Type

• Navigation System
• Display Unit
• Audio System
• Others (E-call Services)

By Vehicle Type

• Commercial Vehicle
• Passenger Cars

By Connectivity

• Bluetooth
• Wi-Fi
• Others (NFC)

By Region
North America

• US
• Canada

Europe

• Germany
• UK
• France
• Spain
• Italy
• Rest of Europe

Asia-Pacific

• China
• Japan
• India
• Rest of Asia-Pacific

Rest of the World

• Middle East & Africa
• Latin America

The Report Covers:

• Comprehensive research methodology of the global automotive infotainment system market.
• This report includes a detailed and extensive market overview with key analyst insights.
• An exhaustive analysis of macro and micro factors influencing the market guided by key recommendations.
• Analysis of regional regulations and other government policies impacting the global automotive infotainment system market.
• Insights about market determinants which are stimulating the global automotive infotainment system market.
• Detailed and extensive market segments with regional distribution of forecast revenues.
• Extensive profiles and recent developments of market players.

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