I feel guilty for even reaching out for advice but I feel like im drowning and I just want to understand myself. a little about me I’m the oldest of 3. My mother and my father divorced when I was around 8 years old and ever since then I feel like I’ve just been crumbling. Since the divorce my mom always shut herself in her room and left me to take care of my two sisters. I would cook and clean up after them at 8 years old and try and stay on top of my schoolwork while also grieving the loss of my daddy (who is still alive). I would constantly get into trouble and there were times where my mother was extremely violent with me and even locked me in closets for hours.
My sister didn’t make it any better and were constantly complaining to my mom that I was bullying them which would get me punished even more. My father eventually remarried but his wife I feel has ostracized me from him but telling him I had cussed her out and I didn’t but he believed her. My mother tells my family I’m disrespectful and that I fight her when I do not. My siblings are hell. One has a learning delay and is dating a 30 yr old (she’s 19) and she’s actually the one to fight my mother and I mean rip into her. My other sibling just acts bad at school. I feel like I can’t do right even though I stay on top of my studies and even live on my own. My siblings get big Christmas’ and family gatherings and all I get is $100-$200 since I’m not allowed at family gatherings.
I’ve had a boyfriend for 4 years but he left for a 36 yr old woman with 5 kids that don’t belong to him and he completely ruined our life plans. I was pregnant at that time and ended up losing my baby due to grief.
I just feel so alone and I isolate myself bc I’m afraid of being hurt and I crave human connection. I have spoken to a therapist who says I just need to get out there and introduce myself. I’m scared. I need help. What can I do?

I have to work ft cos bills…
I don’t hate my job but I do struggle with aspects (hot desks that cant be pre booked 🙄), it’s not stimulating me, very noisy open plan office etc.
I’ve got some other health issues which added to ADHD means I have toss all energy after work so any fun stuff to fill my cup.
Do you lovely people have any tips on how to push through?
How do I not get ragey/down/fed up?
My ideal scenario would be to work part time and/or self employment but they are just not on the cards for a while.

This is the transcript from the televised sit down between Conservative deputy leader and mp meneerduif and survivor of the riots on New Caledonia Micheal Jones.
Meneerduif; “I’d like to thank all the press for being here for this important sit down with my honourable guest. If you’d like to introduce yourself.”
Mr Jones; “hi, I’m Micheal Jones I’m 37 years old and I live in Manchester. Just recently I was on vacation with my girlfriend in New Caledonia. Hoping to enjoy nature and the local culture. That sadly changed when riots and violence swepped the island.”
Meneerduif; “and could you, if you don’t mind, tell us some more about how the riots impacted you?”
Mr Jones; “we were afraid for our lives. We were unsure if we could safely leave the hotel and who we’d need to contact to get help. The people sleeping in the hotel room next to us were evacuated by their own government but our government did nothing for us. It almost seemed like they didn’t care or forgot about us.”
Meneerduif; “thankfully you are now safely with us. Could you tell us some more about what happend after the riots started and how you left the island?”
Mr Jones; “when the riots started we could no longer leave the island since the main road between our hotel and the airport had been blocked. So we are still very grateful for the French authorities ability to reopen this road. We then made our way to the airport we’re we managed to convince a member of the Australian airforce on letting us on one of the evacuation flights. Even tough our government had not worked with the Australian government on those flights. After we arrived in Australia we had to fend for ourselves on how we got home from there.”
Meneerduif; “showing us once again that we can rely on our Australian allies, even more then on our own government. I must imagine that all of this must have an impact on you.”
Mr Jones; “yeah, it has really impacted me and my girlfriend. My girlfriend still has nights that she can barely sleep. Or if we hear kids lighting fireworks or another loud noise she’ll become really stressed. We also used to be real adventurers on vacation, exploring new cultures and countries. But now we plan on staying a bit closer to home where we are more certain that we can stay safe.”
Meneerduif; “it’s saddens me that the inaction of the government has had such big consequences for you. It really shows me how solidarity has no longer got the energy to govern.”
Mr Jones; “exactly, this whole affair has also influenced my voting intentions. I used to be someone who would read up on what all party’s wanted during the next term and what the government had done during the last term, but seeing how you have been the only one supporting me and the others trapped on the island has made me into a solid Conservative voter.”
Meneerduif; “thank you for that, all I did was my job as an mp of holding the government accountable when they would not act. I hope more voters learn from this debacle from the foreign secretary and see that the Conservative Party is the right choice.”
“With that I’d like to thank you mr Jones for being here and sharing your story and all the press for being here.”

TW for very brief mentions of sexual assault
For context, my boyfriend and I have been together for around 10 months now but just recently he has been acting incredibly distant and uninterested, something incredibly out of character for him. We have both struggled with mental health in the past and during the start of our relationship I supported him at his lowest through some particularly tough times. We have always been incredibly open about this kind of stuff.
In the past month or so it's been me that's been struggling, I was a victim of sexual assault a few years ago and although it doesn't affect my life in anyway now; I still struggle when put in a situation in which I'm expected to talk about it. My boyfriend has recently started to try and get me to talk about it more which is causing him to bring it up more often, insisting that the best way for me to heal is to talk. I understand his point because whenever he brings it up it causes an emotional responses from me that leaves me feeling vulnerable and reliant on him so I definitely feel as if I need a better support system than only him and a few friends,
The issue has arisen when recently he has been acting differently, quieter, more uninterested, and ignoring me/ cancelling plans. I confronted him about it the other day by asking if he was alright and he went on this long talk about how I am exhausting him and he needs to take some time away, which is apparently why he was ignoring me and our plans, but it isn't intentional. He feels unmotivated and as if he has no energy and he "wants to figure out why it is and how he feels about our relationship" - a direct quotation. I feel as if my feelings weren't considered while doing this but I can understand why he wants to put himself first right now.
I can see how my reliance for emotional support could cause him to feel burnout, although it's not something I have personally experienced, and I just want to know what I can do to support him right now. I don't want this relationship to end because I still really love and care about him and I know it is kind of my fault for acting selfishly and not thinking about him.
I want to know how I can best support him right now so he can try and feel better and more like his old self again?
Thanks <3

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So for a bit of context I 24m have been with my partner 23f for under three years. I have always told her of my dream of moving to Australia on a working holiday visa to which she always told me she shared.
She has been living a few hours away for the past three years while studying. She has now finished however a little over a year ago I told her I wanted to get serious about this move and plan it for September this year so I had time to save for the both of us and she could have a few months at home after finishing study.
As soon as I tried to be serious about it she would instantly go quiet with me and did not want to talk to me about the subject at all. She would make comments that I am rushing this and I have my life to travel to which my reply is that I want to do this while still in my mid 20s and I am not happy In the uk so I don’t want to waste my time stuck somewhere I don’t want to be.
We went round In circles for months about this issue and it was impossible to speak to her about it. I eventually hit breaking point and tried ending the relationship to which she broke down and told me she would come with me in September so I stayed.
About two months later I tried talking to her about booking flights to which she froze again and told me she was going to ask me to delay until OctobeNovember so she has more time to save money.
I have saved a very large amount of money so that we can afford this in September so there is no stress when it comes to the money aspect of it at all so this delay to me makes no sense as I am miserable in the uk and don’t want to waste another two months of my life unhappy for no reason.
My visa is also due to expire mid September which would also mean me forking out another $635 to re apply just to leave a month or two later.
Last week I tried to bring the move up to her and told her I wanted to book her visa and start looking at flights to which she didn’t really respond too and I felt like I was back at square one. I then asked her if she still wanted to move there with me to which she hesitantly replied yes to but didn’t really say anything else. I feel as if I just sank into myself and didn’t know how to even deal with it. I genuinely felt like I had got no where in the past 10 months of trying to speak to her about it I then told her I want to do this in September as that is when my visa expires and it is the perfect time to travel there before we need to find work.
She went silent on me and we didn’t say much for the next hour and I ended up feeling bad and didn’t try and bring it up that night again because I felt like I was In the wrong.
I have since seen her and haven’t been able to bring myself to even try and talk about it as I know she will just get upset and go silent with me again I physically feel like I can’t speak to her about it anymore but by not speaking to her my mental health is becoming terrible I think about this daily and all I want to do is plan it so I can finally look forward to it and think about quitting my job that is making me unhappy and actually do something I’ve always wanted to do which is travel.
I am honestly lost with in myself. I am miserable in this country and I want out and in ten months I have made no progress. She tells me she wants to come which keeps me happy I then try and make progress to book things and start planning it and getting excited with her and we hit a brick wall.
I feel like I just need to tell her I am booking my flight and if she isn’t ready then she can follow me over there when the time is right for her but I don’t know how to even go about it. I know when I try she will go silent with me and she will make me feel bad for not waiting for her but I honestly can’t put myself through any more waiting.
She has had close to a year to decide on this yet I feel as if I’m stuck in the exact same position I was when I first brought it up with her. I want her to come with me and I want to share this experience with her but I don’t know what to do in this situation at all but I want out of this country and I want to start planning it but I keep getting stopped in my tracks.
How do I bring this up to my partner in the nicest way possible for the sake of my own mental health?

Salam everyone, using my throwaway acc for this. So, I've started searching for my potential spouse. Growing up, I was always on the chubby side. Unfortunately, I've noticed that people treated me differently depending on my physical appearance. When I started eating healthier and working on my body, the amount of people interested in befriending me or making plans increased. Even the men would go out of their way to help me, and it made me question why they were treating me better all of a sudden.
I'm proud to say that I've learned from that experience and I now know how important it is to surround myself with people who appreciate me for my personality. I'm a hijabi woman, and I thought that people would be interested in getting to know me for my mind and values, but I've learned that physical attraction is important as well to most people.
So, after all that experience, I'm considering using a more "chubby" picture on Muzzmatch or when exchanging pics with potential spouses. I'm afraid that using my current "great shape" picture will attract people who only care about my physical appearance which will fade soon.
I once worked with a guy who was very popular and attractive, he confess that he like me but I knew from working with him that our personalities wouldn't match. Even though he was tall and attractive, the fact that he vapes was a deal breaker for me. I think it's important to be true to yourself and not compromise on your values, especially when it comes to choosing a potential spouse.
Even though I might get rejected by some potential spouses because of my chubby appearance, I do think I'm dodging a bullet. I genuinely want to find someone who loves me for my personality, and using my chubby picture might be the best way to attract the right type of person. So, what do you think? Will you get angry or mad if we meet and turned out I'm not chubby and I kinda lie to u by using my chubby picture? Am I wrong to do this? Please share your thoughts! JIA

Read the book 10 times. However, I've come across 2 things in dating which are a bit more advanced, and I'm not too sure about. Bit of a longer post, but I'd really appreciate any insights you guys have.
Just went on a 2 night, 3 day trip with a girl, which she proposed (currently seeying her 2-3 times per week). Couldn't meet her the night before the trip to go together because I had another date, so I met her out in the morning and we had breakfast together. We then went to the train station and went to another city for the trip.
The first day was amazing, non-stop talking, her doing 80-90% of it. We went to a museum when we arrived and the vibe was so flirty, with her chasing to kiss me, that we ended going to the museum bathroom...
We then went to check into the hotel, which was 2 hours later since we were walking around, with her holding my hand, putting her head on my shoulder and kissing. When we arrived to the hotel, smoothly went into another round of indoor olympics. Then I took her out to dinner. Everything up to this point, I'd planned and made reservations for. During dinner, she commented that I seemed quiet, which I took as "you're not making me talk, I want to talk more", hahaha. I think I was tired, I don't know, but once my drink kicked in, the conversation re-started. We went back to the hotel, and she said she had a surprise, she went to the bathroom and came out just wearing some launderay she'd just bought. Never before had she worn anything beyond the classic bra and panties lace launderay. Indoor olympics ensued but she asked to stop during the foreplay because eventhough she was very wet, and seconds before, begging, she was still sore from before. She said she still wanted to make me happy so she helped me finish.
The next morning, we had to check out, we were in bed laughing, but it seemed she wasn't very responsive to escalations, so I just assumed she was still sore from the night before. We went out for breakfast, this I hadn't planned. I said to go into a café that we walked past and she said that "being in the city that we are, we can definately do better than that". I agreed, because it was true. She started proposing something, and this is were I fucked up. I just told her to relax and that I'd take care of it. I looked up something on google, and we took transport to get there. After that she seemed off, I figured she was shut down, but I didn't open her up. When we got to the café she was a bit bitchy, saying things like "this doesn't look as good as the other one", etc... We ordered and after some conversation and some laughter she just came out and said this: "I am in a better mood now, before I was upset and almost cried. I know some girls like the feeling of just being able to turn their brain off, and I do to, but this is my trip to, and there were so much nicer and special bakeries that I know of, and if you'd just let me tell you we could have gone to one of them. Like I'm not going to think, oh, he hasn't looked and researched all of the best cafés and bakeries in this new city, that's bad. Like sometimes it's good to just not have a plan. I've been single for so long, that I've just become used to getting and doing exactly what I want, which I guess is something that I just need to get used to, and learn how to compromise." HOW DO YOU BALANCE PLANNING DATES VS GOING WITH THE FLOW AND BEING SPONTANEOUS? Because, I'm very spontaneous, with my friends we rarely plan things, we just do whatever we feel like and we come up with stuff on the go. However I've found that, eventhough she may say she wants that, when I have done that, inevitably stuff goes wrong, and then it seems to me she steps into this more reserved persona, were she almost feels unsafe when stuff goes wrong, she lets me handle things, but still kind of shuts down emotionally... maybe I just need to re-assure her more?
Then she said the following: "I've spent a lot of time alone, and when I do so, I can do whatever I want. I've also found that when my social battery runs out, I just want to be alone, or do an activity that I want, like reading my book. This even happens when we spend a lot of time together. I love spending time with you, but I just want to relax or be alone sometimes. I really like just relaxing next to you, like I would like to read my book with you in bed next to me. I also sometimes just want to pop in and say hi during the day and then go do my own thing like go on a run, etc..." So, she's helping me out like crazy here... [she's done the thing before of wanting to drop by and bring me some food during the day. I let her, gave her some love and some indoor olympics, and she left all happy afterwards]. For the rest of the day, we had fun, and good conversation, holding hands, kissing, etc... She still gave me compliments, but, at some point the conversation slowed down considerably, to a stop for some time, and we were just enjoying the sights together. It's not a lack of things to talk about, but like during the dinner, I didn't feel like talking much and wanted to enjoy her company, and just relax. We were tired that night but we hooked up in the morning. She said sometimes she just wants to relax and read a book, and would love if that was in my company. I feel the same way, sometimes I just want to cuddle, relax, read a book, and not say much, just enjoy each other's presence. I typically get this feeling if we hang-out for more than 1.5 days with no intermission. CW says that what I feel and she feels like doing, is hanging out as roomates and not as lovers. TO WHAT EXTENT, AND UNDER WHAT CICUMSTANCES, IS IT OKAY TO DO THINGS LIKE READING A BOOK, WALKING/CUDDLING, IN PRETTY MUCH SILENCE, YET NEXT TO EACH OTHER? IS THIS TOO PLATONIC, EVENTHOUGH WE HANGED OUT EXTENSIVELY FOR 2 DAYS, AND HOOKED UP NUMEROUS TIMES? IS IT JUST THAT THE KITTY-CAT AND MYSELF ARE BORED AND WE SHOULD JUST GO DO OUR OWN THINGS WHEN I DETECT THAT, OR IS IT OKAY TO TAKE THAT BREAK FROM EACH OTHER WITH EACH OTHER? THERE'S NO SPACE, EVEN WHEN YOU'RE LIVING WITH YOUR PARTNER, THERE'S SPACE BECAUSE YOU GO TO WORK, A RUN, GYM, ERRANDS, ETC..., BUT IF YOU GO TRAVELLING TOGETHER, HOW DO YOU HANDLE THAT?

im making this post on a throwaway account to avoid any family input or what have you. i want to start off by saying the dog i mention in this post has been close to me and my partner since my mother brought him home about 2 years ago and the reason for this is simply because we have been taking care of and raising him like he was ours since she got him because all she wanted him for was so that she could look cute with him on social media (where she basically lives digitally). about a year after she got him problems had arised in the household mainly because of me, i had just got back to her house after spending 2021 back in my hometown three hours from where we lived after she kicked me out of her house for questioning her on account of a current gf i had at the time (who did start the issue and waited until my mom kicked me out to come clean). it was fine with me i took that on the chin because at the end of the day i was wrong for coming at my mom for assuming she didnt like my partner bc she was white. fast forward a year later about early 2022. and we talk about our bond and she says i can come back and get myself together because she knew i was in a fucked up situation financially where i was staying. i come back to her house in 2022 and she had told me before i even came back that she just wanted me to focus on myself and not worry about her bills. i wasnt eager to go with this decision but it was smart considering i was basically starting from scratch with life in general. got a job not too long after i got back and met my current partner (we'll call her beck). beck is white while me and my family are black and trust me this information is important. beck comes into the picture and we hang out more and she starts coming over some days hanging out in my room and i went to her house twice because her mother kept the place in shitty conditions and basically tried to downplay her own daughter right in front of me both times. i could tell beck had issues with being home and she too was in the process of getting her life together without even saying any of this. so i knew being with me in my room at my moms house was her only escape. mom for random reasons started having issues with beck cleaning the house for her while she was at work or taking care of the dog in a way my mother didnt approve. then it graduated to beck "stealing" money from her but her never having the proof or the funds to back it up to begin with. my mothers partner at the time of like 8 or 9 years who we'll call randy was cool as hell but somehow never managed to avoid fighting with her verbally. this went on the whole time i was there and randy ended up leaving and they broke up. problem was randy left right around the time i started fumbling with my jobs and needing to look around. now i wanna say im no saint, i spent my time searching for jobs AND gaming bc im a gamer. problem was i was taking too long this time around and theres no excuse. she started turning the heat on me and my partner once randy left and i started getting fed up because she was now asking for rent money while belittling me and my partner for being "laid up in her house". again, fair point. so my next step was realizing whether i had a job or not this woman was a firestarter no matter what you had going on. getting up early morning to say little slick comments in the morning because she wanted to get a reaction. by this point me and my partner are looking for a new place to live while we figure things out. my mother catches wind of this and starts asking when we'll take the dog after we get the place. now me knowing that she wont take proper care of him, i agree to take him with us and her response is "well hes not going anywhere until i see the house that yall move to. i wanna see everything to make sure its good for my baby"(the dog). i immediately got pissed and told her its not going down like that and that she needs to start considering how she speaks to people mainly me because im not gonna keep dealng with it. she got offended and kicked me and my partner AND THE DOG out of the room mid convo bc she didnt like what i said. me and my partner go back to my room and close the door to which she comes out saying "disrespectful little motherfucker talking to your mother like that" super loud. i let that one get to me and i mistakenly opened my door and started arguing. out of nowhere she hits me with "n***a fuck you" "you wont have to worry about me or the dog because NOW you AINT seeing him how about that" i said "thats fine hes not a bargaining chip". she went back to her room and slammed the door. didnt speak to me for like a week. my birthday comes around after this long week and she working the day of. i didnt expect her to say shit bc i know my mother and shes that petty. what i didnt expect was for her to hop on social media and wish early happy birthdays to two family members that werent me. ok fine thats cool. she gets home that same day and asks my partner if sai(the dog) has been out. my partner says "no we couldnt take him because his leash and collar are in the room and you locked the door. she had been locking the door ever since she started blaming beck for stealing from her. so once she realized the dog hadnt been out because she locked the door, she tells beck to "ask him if he'll take him out" by this point ive been told im not shit and im not needed and the first thing u say to me on my birthday is "can you take him out" i said no. rage ensued as she slammed the bathroom door on her way out of it. this time she kept walking passed my door talking more shit. more of the usual "i gave you life and you treat me like this" i told her to get away from the door with the nonsense and she started a full argument and said we had to go tomorrow. tomorrow rolls around and we wait for her to go to work so we can leave in peace. she normally got home around 9pm but on this day here she comes strolling in at 2pm right in the middle of packing. paces in front of our door talking shit and this time beck responds saying "we're leaving you need to let us be". this woman then told my partner she was going to beat her ass. i immediately shut that down too because i never seen my mother get tough with anybody. and here she is getting tough with the one person who hates confrontation. after i told her she wasnt even that type of person she replies with i'll stab both of yall in yall sleep. said weird stuff like "thats right i forgot i cant throw pussy on you and call you sexy like her im just the mother you dont have to respect". beck calls me sexy every day. its our little corny but cute word between us. anyway after 30 more minutes of bullshit arguing we leave for becks moms house which fucking sucked until my brother offered me a job in California working with him and my dad. throughout the 5 or 6 months of me being there i was making good money and even tho my mom was fucked up to me, i sent her funds when i could. my father found out i was sending funds to my mom AND my sisters (his daughters with other women) and the fuckhead accused me of using him then when i told him save it for after work(we worked the same construction site) the motherfucker sat there next to me and argued with himself bc i started ignoring the "i feel like your playing with me" comments because i told him "im a grown ass man and we are at work. you are not to question me about shit because you wont get an answer you like. i help my family out because its my money. simple" he then grabbed my shirt yelling "who are you talking to" snatched his hand off and he gets in my face saying "DONT FUCKIN TOUCH ME" so i replied calm "dont touch me at all. thats the last free one your gonna get" dude looks around the lot at a crowd and says "you wanna fight or something? yall wouldnt be working here without me" i couldnt help but laugh in his face for trying to cause scene for an audience and went home. packed me and my partner up, came back to new york where im from. stayed with my mom for a month before me and my partner rushed and got into the place we have now. problem was now that we had our own space, my mom pushed sai off on us and dude practically lived with us. barely went home.fast forward to like 2 weeks ago. by this point we have our two cat boys cosmo and dexter. they are babies. 4months and some change to be exact. we tried introducing sai to the boys multiple times a day and he kept jumping at them or scaring them. the only option was to let sai sleep in the living room. we kept my mother in the loop with him because by law, hes "her dog". she started her little comments over text to beck immediately "if yall plan on mistreating my baby he dont have to be there" then told beck "im venting if you mention this to my son im gonna cuss you tf out" we let that one slide because now i was building my evidence so when i bugged tf out, i wasnt wrong. next day some old dude on our block got aggressive with beck for walking sai "on his block" she called me to come handle it and i get there and back him off. by this point im pissed. beck calls my mother to tell her sai gotta go home this week hes been with us since we got our place. mother catches a attitude and i again let it go. two days later beck has a goofy moment and brings sai in the room seconds after her, the boys and i just got up. dexter pops sai on the nose for getting too close. beck moves asai then scrunches dex to put him in time out. i got annoyed when she scrunched my furry boy. told her dont do that shit again even tho it supposedly doesn't hurt them, i dont like seeing it especially when it all happened because she was doing too much too early. she had a moment and told my mom he has to go "because your son is getting annoyed". mother responds "he can come today he'll be fine at home by himself. hes favoring those cats over his brother (sai). i immediately got pissed at both of them. called my mother and told her hes going home and hes not coming back because im tired of the comments of neglect when i actively tried to introduce him to the boys with no progress. i mean FUCK i kept the boys stuck in the room in their own home so your dog can fuck our living room and kitchen up. i then got on beck for being a firestarter to which she argued me on. then i told her the relationship was on the verge of being done because your not gonna be sitting around me starting shit. i didnt let up until she realized how petty she was being and how at risk we were because of it. my mother then argued me down telling me im dumb. and then she basically skipped over the fact she didnt reach out to her son to see what happened before coming at me in a side convo with beck. beck brought the convo to my attention which was wat initially set me off but i made sure to get on her ass instigating an issue where there was none. mom then called beck a white trash stealing dirty bitch. we told her to come get her dog. i cut contact soon as she left. a day later i find out she called the women on her side of the family and fabricated the whole story i didnt bother clearing it up or giving her that satisfaction of a response. then 2 days ago she called my phone and i let it ring. haven't spoken since. AITAH here? genuine question

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• Valuing Marriott points at 0.6 rupees and the Taj voucher at 7500 rupees, this offers a 9.37% return or potentially 13.5% if redeemed at selected Marriott hotels.

Things you should also consider:

• The Taj voucher can only be redeemed if booked directly on the Taj hotel website without any offer. Thus, we value it at 7500 rupees.
• Marriott may offer a 30% bonus transfer during November-December, significantly increasing your reward rate.
• Amex Platinum Travel Card considers wallet transactions for base reward point and milestone reward point; transferring money from the card to a Mobikwik wallet and then to your bank account may incur a 12000 rupee transaction fee, but the 48000 Membership Reward Points + 10000 Taj voucher may be valued higher than the fee.

If you really like this post and planning to apply for Amex credit cards, please consider applying with my referral. You can DM me if you need any clarification. My referral link - Referral Link. Please stay away from the scammers who are luring with amazon vouchers for referral.

does it mean you're courting the person? like does it have to be specified that you are courting the person or that both people have agreed? or is it just based on the actions of the person, even without the other person knowing or even liking them? like giving flowers, spending time with them, making letters and stuff.
what is like the bare minimum meaning of it.
this guy is doing a lot for me, i go along with it sometimes because we are friends and i appreciate him. He does things as if he is already courting me but he hasn't asked cause its obvious I'm uninterested. also that's why he probably hasn't confessed yet but his friends keep telling me he has a crush on me tho.
some of the things he's done is he keeps asking me to go out (i keep turning him down if its just the 2 of us), gives me flowers and food, literally planned and spent money on my surprise bday party, asks a lot of questions about my life and takes an interest on what i like.
am i being pursued? or what is happening rn? 😭
i keep turning him down if it's too much cause i don't want to lead him on, and it's clear that I'm uninterested but i still care and appreciate cause he's my friend.

I really don't like talking about myself, but here it goes. I am a down-to-earth individual with a nerdy passion for art and creativity. I wear my heart on my sleeve, openly expressing my emotions and connecting with others on a deep level. Whether I'm immersed in a book, painting, or exploring new ideas, my artistic side shines through in everything I do. Amidst it all, I'm on a heartfelt quest for that special someone, seeking a genuine connection and meaningful companionship. As the title says, I'm 44, white, 6'2", about 200lbs (slight dad bod which I'm working on, despite not having any kids lol), short brown hair (although just shaved it off), hazel eyes, beard, and a couple of tattoos.
I've honestly never been much for the club or bar scene. As I have gotten older, I find more comfort in a setting where I can really get to know a person. Additionally, all of my close friends are married, maybe with kids, so I don't really have a wingman or someone to go out with me to these settings. Some might be thinking, well why not try dating sites? These have never been much help for me either, even if it were something only temporary. If someone was looking for just a fling, they would honestly choose a more appropriate specimen haha. But if someone truly wanted a great personality in addition to someone with passion, that's where I think I shine. I'm witty, have a good sense of humor, I'm easy going and I'm just a big nerd at heart.
Would I enjoy some NSFW activities? Of course I would...but caring about the person I experience that stuff with makes those things worth so much more in my opinion. If any of this resonates with you, please don't hesitate to reach out and get to know me. I'm an open book.
PS - Open to SFW or NSFW

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What is this?

This is a weekly crowdfunding roundup of new projects launched last week and projects that end the coming week.

Google Docs

As an alternative format, the lists are now also available as a Google Docs found here: Weekly Crowdfunding Roundup

Updates

Expect new lists every Sunday between 00:00 and 23:59 CEST on the following platforms:
Mastodon: @danielpervan@mastodon.social
Discord: https://discord.gg/dN4P4PZcU9
Reddit: /boardgames

Selection criteria

The criteria for the lists are as follows:

Ending soon

• Sorted by number of backers
  
• Kickstarter projects ending in the next 7 days, that have at least 100 backers (or marked as "Project we love" by Kickstarter), will have reached more than estimated 95% of their goal by their deadline and passed the filters:
  
  • No DnD books
  • No zines
  • No 3D printing
  • No dice sets
  • No magazines
  • No shirts
  • No playmats
  • No furniture
  • No events
• Gamefound projects ending in the next 7 days, that will have reached more than estimated 95% of their goal by their deadline and passed the above filters.
  
• (beta) Backerkit Crowdfunding projects ending in the next 7 days, that will have reached more than estimated 95% of their goal by their deadline and have a matching BGG page.
  

Newly launched

• Sorted by number of backers
  
• Kickstarter projects launched in the last 7 days, that have had at least average 15 backers per day, have at least 100 backers or is marked as "Project we love" by Kickstarter and passed the filters (see above).
  
• Gamefound projects launched in the last 7 days and passed the filters (see above).
  
• (beta) Backerkit Crowdfunding projects launched in the last 7 days and have a matching BGG page.
  

Notable filtered projects

• Filtered projects from above lists that have more than 1000 backers.

Tags

🎉: Staff pick/featured
💰: Funded
🔥: More than average 200 backers/day
🌱: Creator's first project
🌳: Creator's >5th project
🔄: Money back guarantee (Read more)

FAQ

I live in El SalvadoCanada/Colombia/USA, why are you posting on a Saturday?!
Because I'm writing this from Europe in the future where it's already Sunday. Timezones be crazy.
Why are there a bunch of non-board games in the board game list?
Because the Tabletop games category on Kickstarter includes anything remotely related to board games and sometimes things slip through my filters.
Why is this future award winning board game and literal saviour of humanity missing from your list?
Sometimes my filters get a bit overzealous and discard actually valid projects. If you feel something is missing for this reason, leave a comment and I'll add it (maybe).
Can I donate all my money to you?
No
Can you help me promote my game?
Please no. I make lists. Nothing more.
Your list is full of errors and now I cnat spel amymor!
Indeed, this fine piece of code runs purely on single malt whisky, so anything can happen. Leave a comment and I'll see what I can do.

Ending soon (29)

Name	Description	Backers	Pledged	Ends	Information	Tags	BGG
Rebirth: Limited Edition	A brand new, tile-laying game from Reiner Knizia, set in a lush and hopeful future.	5552	€265,854.00 (1329%) in 19 days	2024-06-12	💸 Kickstarter 👥 2‑4 players 👶 10+ ⏱️ 45-60 min.	🎉💰🔥🌳	BGG
Feudum	Game-of-the-year winner, Feudum is back with the 7th anniversary collector's edition featuring an exclusive clockwork behemoth! Grrrrrrrrrr.	2679	$354,257.05 (1417%) in 26 days	2024-06-14	💸 Gamefound 👥 1‑5 players ⏱️ 150 min. Area Control	💰🌱
Hex Effects: A Spellbinding Card Game	Hex Effects is a “take that” card game that involves beautiful artwork and easy-to-pick-up gameplay. From the makers of Side Effects!	1413	$55,457.00 (462%) in 24 days	2024-06-14	💸 Kickstarter 👥 2‑8 players 👶 10+ ⏱️ 20-40 min.	🎉💰	BGG
How to Save a World	Three desperate plans. One small chance... to save a world.	1216	CA$114,038.00 (190%) in 19 days	2024-06-13	💸 Kickstarter 👥 2‑4 players 👶 10+ ⏱️ 60-90 min.	🎉💰🌳	BGG
Village Pillage: Big Box + New Expansion	Magic makes its way to Village Pillage in the fourth and final expansion to the critically acclaimed game!	1090	$60,172.00 (301%) in 19 days	2024-06-15	💸 Kickstarter 👥 2‑5 players ⏱️ 15-30 min.	💰🌳	BGG
BERSERKERS : Chaos Extension by Alone Editions	Berserkers is Back !	972	€26,872.00 (413%) in 24 days	⚠️ 2024-06-09	💸 Kickstarter	💰🌳
Big Sur, Grand Central Skyport, Sand Art, & Wine Cellar	Mix and match your pledge from four new games across a variety of styles, themes, and player counts to elevate your next game night.	893	$42,936.00 (429%) in 12 days	2024-06-14	💸 Kickstarter	🎉💰🌳
🍁 Masters of Maple Syrup & Downstream 🛶	Manage a maple farm and explore the riverbank in these cozy, pocket-sized games for two!	835	CA$47,616.00 (595%) in 19 days	2024-06-10	💸 Kickstarter	💰
Greenlight	A game for people who will never make it in Hollywood.	829	$45,269.00 (453%) in 33 days	2024-06-10	💸 Kickstarter	💰🌱
Thorgal: The card game	Thorgal: Card Game, where strategy meets destiny in a thrilling card-based adventure	761	€40,864.00 (409%) in 19 days	2024-06-11	💸 Kickstarter 👥 2‑4 players 👶 14+ ⏱️ 45-90 min.	💰	BGG
The Big Bad Wolf	Based on The 3 Little Pigs! Secretly pass the "Big Bad Wolf" then Entice & Persuade players into flipping it, to Blow Down their house!	570	$12,768.00 (365%) in 26 days	2024-06-13	💸 Kickstarter 👥 2‑4 players 👶 10+ ⏱️ 15-35 min.	🎉💰🌱	BGG
Catstronauts: The Board Game	The cooperative boardgame based on the hit graphic novels!	492	$31,506.00 (630%) in 26 days	2024-06-14	💸 Kickstarter 👥 1‑4 players 👶 8+ ⏱️ 30 min.	💰🌳	BGG
TOOTHEAD	Let's Get Ready To Rumble!!! Sneaky moves and a lot of fighting in an innocent setting. A family-friendly game, also great for parties!	448	€29,744.00 (372%) in 33 days	2024-06-10	💸 Kickstarter 👥 2‑8 players 👶 10+ ⏱️ 40-180 min.	🎉💰🌱	BGG
Amsterdam Board Game Design - season 1	Three fun card games by different members of ABGD: Bable, Grachtenpand, & TimeZoo. May this be the first season of many!	419	€11,900.00 (397%) in 27 days	2024-06-13	💸 Kickstarter	💰🌱
Guns of the Old West	Players compete in solo/co-op play or as a team with over 100 campaign paths. Each playthrough is a unique cinematic experience offering endless replayability. Players make strategic decisions and interact with each other to achieve their group and secret individual objectives, some of which involve…	299	£53,400.50 (107%) in 26 days	2024-06-11	💸 Gamefound 👥 1‑8 players 👶 14+ ⏱️ 45-90 min. Card Game Wargame Dice Game Area Control Cooperative	💰🌱	BGG
DVG - Mustang Leader	The WWII Air War Over Europe Solitaire Game!	284	$54,294.00 (271%) in 19 days	2024-06-12	💸 Kickstarter	💰🌳
GotchaCards: a rock-paper-scissors card game!	a thrilling RPS dueling card game for all ages by Pat Casao & pabloKM	278	$15,972.00 (86%) in 31 days	2024-06-15	💸 Kickstarter	🌱
EXPENDABLE EMPLOYEES	A Cooperative Miniature Skirmish-Extraction Game Inspired by Lethal Company, Content Warning & Helldivers 2!	269	CA$6,390.00 (256%) in 24 days	2024-06-15	💸 Kickstarter	💰🌳
Dabba Walla	The famous Dabba Walla invite everyone to join them on their daily journey through Mumbai!	250	$14,400.00 (288%) in 5 days	2024-06-13	💸 Kickstarter 👥 2‑4 players 👶 8+ ⏱️ 30-45 min.	🎉💰🌳	BGG
The Thinning Veil Cormac Mac Airt on the Other Side of Midnight	A solo dungeon crawl now featuring a 2 player mode set in the world of The Thinning Veil, and featuring Cormac Mac Airt, High King of Inis Fael! This game is the first in the Thinning Veil line and the Cormac series.	243	£34,126.74 (1706%) in 26 days	2024-06-11	💸 Gamefound 👥 1‑2 players ⏱️ 90 min. Dice Game	💰
Freak War: A Card Game	A fun and simple pick-up-and-play card game—with unhinged rules and a hidden layer of intense strategy.	227	$15,544.00 (155%) in 26 days	2024-06-13	💸 Kickstarter 👥 2‑4 players 👶 6+ ⏱️ 15-60 min.	🎉💰	BGG
Dice Tales: Knight's Adventures	Become mighty Knight, live exciting adventures in this solo sandbox print and play roll and write board game with a dose of strategy.	226	€3,030.00 (3030%) in 10 days	2024-06-13	💸 Kickstarter 👥 1 player 👶 10+ ⏱️ 20-30 min.	💰🌱	BGG
One Hour World War II	A fast playing game of all of World War II for 2 players. Actions and Reactions drive the game. Plays in....wait for it.....1 hour.	224	$20,955.00 (1080%) in 8 days	2024-06-15	💸 Kickstarter	💰🌳
The 7 Seas: A New Start	Embark on a thrilling adventure in the world of The 7 Seas. Explore, trade, and fight to become a legend!	218	€20,600.20 (206%) in 24 days	⚠️ 2024-06-09	💸 Gamefound 👥 1‑5 players 👶 10+ ⏱️ 30-90 min.	💰	BGG
The Dream of Gods: An Interactive Mystery Game	Speak with gods. Solve puzzles. Uncover secrets. An interactive mystery book with audio, puzzles and visuals.	201	€12,151.00 (608%) in 25 days	2024-06-14	💸 Kickstarter	💰🌱
Of Popes & Plagues	The Game of Plague & Pestilence in the Middle Ages	183	$7,890.00 (158%) in 33 days	⚠️ 2024-06-09	💸 Kickstarter 👥 2‑6 players 👶 10+ ⏱️ 20-60 min.	💰🌱	BGG
Scare BnB - Spooky family fun for all ages!	Help guests flee from a Bed and Breakfast run by monsters!	142	$2,938.00 (94%) in 19 days	2024-06-11	💸 Kickstarter 👥 2‑4 players 👶 5+ ⏱️ 15-30 min.	🌱	BGG
El Camino de Belén (The Journey to Bethlehem)	The game that brings families together. Up to 4 teams, the first to get to Bethlehem wins! The game comes in English and Spanish.	111	$10,384.00 (103%) in 30 days	⚠️ 2024-06-09	💸 Kickstarter	💰
WARLINE x Dragons War	Design the battlefield. Design your army. Design custom tactics. Craft your own path to victory in this sandbox fantasy warfare game. Now, Warline's head-to-head "Strategicraft" gameplay is bolstered with the new solo or cooperative army-versus-dragon expansion—Dragons War.	99	$10,085.15 (81%) in 10 days	2024-06-16	💸 Gamefound 👥 1‑4 players ⏱️ 45 min. Wargame Cooperative

New this week (28)

Name	Description	Backers	Pledged	Ends	Information	Tags	BGG
Grimcoven	Discover our new boss battler game for 1-4 players, set in a dark Victorian universe where only the hunt matters. In the unique tactical gameplay of Grimcoven, you take up the role of a hunter fueled by Lament.	9366	$1,795,810.67 (3592%) in 3 days	2024-06-27	💸 Gamefound 👥 1‑4 players 👶 14+ ⏱️ 90-270 min. Cooperative	💰🔥🌳	BGG
RETURN TO THE 7th CITADEL. Explore, build, YOU are the hero!	Get ready for new adventures in the Collapsing Lands! 1000+ minutes of exploration and adventure for 1 to 4 slave-gardeners.	8031	€837,720.00 (1077%) in 5 days	2024-06-19	💸 Kickstarter	🎉💰🔥
🧁 Apothebakery - The Culinary Alchemists	Forage resources, brew elixirs and bake cakes of salvation to heal adventurers on the brink of doom in this game for 1 – 4 players.	3870	£286,958.00 (820%) in 5 days	2024-06-28	💸 Kickstarter 👥 2‑4 players 👶 14+ ⏱️ 60-90 min.	🎉💰🔥🌱	BGG
Mythic Battles: Isfet	Explore Ancient Egypt or Norse Mythology, commanding gods, heroes, monsters and troops in this 2-4 player skirmish adventure game!	3288	€627,108.00 (314%) in 5 days	2024-06-21	💸 Kickstarter 👥 2‑4 players 👶 14+ ⏱️ 60-90 min.	🎉💰🔥🌳	BGG
Mine Turtle: It’s a blast!	An explosive game of truth or dare.	2655	£98,122.00 (981%) in 6 days	2024-07-03	💸 Kickstarter	🎉💰🔥
Secret Villages & Santa's Workshop (+Related Story Puzzles!)	The first expansion to Merchants of the Dark Road, plus a deluxe edition of Santa's Workshop and our first two story-driven puzzles!	2289	$146,525.00 (488%) in 5 days	2024-06-22	💸 Kickstarter	💰🔥🌳
Agemonia Reprint + New Heroes!	From the publisher of Eclipse, a fully co-operative board game with challenging moral choices, set in an epic campaign for 1-4 players!	1924	€161,398.00 (461%) in 5 days	2024-06-21	💸 Kickstarter 👥 1‑4 players 👶 10+ ⏱️ 60-120 min.	🎉💰🔥	BGG
Yokai Septet Pocket Edition	Fan favorite trick-taking game is back with a smaller footprint and an official inclusion of 2-player mode!	945	$15,535.00 (518%) in 5 days	2024-06-21	💸 Kickstarter	💰🌳
Port Royal	A Miniature Skirmish Game set in the Searover's Caribbean	558	$72,324.00 (482%) in 4 days	2024-07-05	💸 Kickstarter	💰🌳
Pillars of Heracles - Awaken the Legends!	Lead your city-state through a monumental adventure in Ancient Greece in this epic civilization board game for 1-4 players.	517	$42,151.00 (211%) in 5 days	2024-06-24	💸 Kickstarter 👥 1‑4 players 👶 14+ ⏱️ 90-120 min.	💰	BGG
Imperfect Crimes: Pop-Up Escape Book	Solve an immersive, 3D PopUp Book crime escape game. Find clues, solve puzzles and explore each crime scene filled with hidden secrets.	463	€44,896.00 (180%) in 4 days	2024-07-08	💸 Kickstarter	💰🌳
Operation Barclay	Operation Barclay is a two-player game of low/medium complexity about the intelligence war between the Allies and their Abwehr counterparts in the Mediterranean theater in 1942-1943.	461	€15,244.85 (191%) in 3 days	2024-07-04	💸 Gamefound 👥 2 players 👶 10+ ⏱️ 25-40 min. Card Game	💰🌳	BGG
2GM Tactics 🔥 France & Total War	2GM Tactics series expansions. Fight in World War II! And become the best General.	368	€20,878.00 (418%) in 5 days	2024-06-28	💸 Kickstarter	💰🌳
Fluffy Dragons	A bluffing game, where you'll use the force of the elements to fight your Fluffiest enemies to collect the most gems!	357	$16,827.00 (224%) in 5 days	2024-06-29	💸 Kickstarter	💰🌱
Bunny Boom	Bunny Boom is a strategic game of bunny infestation! Manage actions, place cards, and pass the bunnies to your opponents to end the game with the fewest bunnies! 🐰💥	310	CA$28,728.43 (144%) in 5 days	2024-06-27	💸 Gamefound 👥 2‑4 players 👶 12+ ⏱️ 15-45 min. Card Game	💰	BGG
Cyberpunk RED: Combat Zone™ - RePrint and Vehicle MAYHEM	An introduction of vehicles to the Combat Zone featuring the Zetatech Herakles, sleek cyber-bikes, and more!	310	$83,971.00 (280%) in 4 days	2024-06-28	💸 Kickstarter	🎉💰🌳
Clash - D-Day Special edition	Get ready for an immersive World War II experience, during the D-Day landings in Normandy, 1944. 'Clash - D-Day Special edition' is an accessible, turn-based, tile-laying board game for 2 players. You and your opponent will have to fight for every beachhead to win this war. This special 80th commem…	308	€25,105.99 (279%) in 6 days	2024-07-03	💸 Gamefound 👥 2 players ⏱️ 45 min. Wargame Area Control	💰🌱
The Parthenogenesis of Hungry Hollow for Liminal Horror	The Parthenogenesis of Hungry Hollow is a sandbox investigation for Liminal Horror.	285	$12,340.00 (123%) in 5 days	2024-07-05	💸 Backerkit	💰
Dabba Walla	The famous Dabba Walla invite everyone to join them on their daily journey through Mumbai!	250	$14,400.00 (288%) in 5 days	2024-06-13	💸 Kickstarter 👥 2‑4 players 👶 8+ ⏱️ 30-45 min.	🎉💰🌳	BGG
CASSETTE DUNGEONS!	A compact rogue-like dungeon crawl board game through a realm of metal and madness packed in a cassette tape case!	196	$2,955.00 (197%) in 6 days	2024-07-03	💸 Kickstarter 👥 1 player 👶 13+ ⏱️ 5-45 min.	💰🌱	BGG
X: Seekers of Fortune | An Action-Packed Adventure Card Game	Hunt for lost relics and legendary sites while performing heroic feats to outfox your rivals in this tcg-like strategy card game.	191	$12,328.00 (123%) in 5 days	2024-07-01	💸 Kickstarter 👥 2‑4 players 👶 14+ ⏱️ 20-40 min.	🎉💰🌱	BGG
NAWALLI: The Aztec Card Game (Second Edition)	A strategic lane battle game based on Aztec mythology - become a Nawalli Sorcerer summoning Nawals and Spells to dominate the Arena!	129	$8,198.00 (410%) in 3 days	2024-07-06	💸 Kickstarter	💰
Paw of Duty	Command a kitty squad to regain control of a war-torn city.	102	$2,832.00 (189%) in 5 days	2024-07-04	💸 Kickstarter	💰🌱
TomeBound	The Game of Strategic Sorcery	77	$4,686.00 (134%) in 2 days	2024-07-07	💸 Kickstarter	💰🌱
Order of the Day: Normandy	A boardgame of the D-Day invasion, June 6, 1944, playable by inexperienced or veteran boardgamers.	60	$2,744.00 (62%) in 3 days	2024-07-06	💸 Kickstarter 👥 1‑2 players 👶 12+ ⏱️ 45-120 min.	🌳	BGG
Wrestling Cubes	A unique abstract strategy game about pinning your opponent's cubes.	51	$2,102.00 (42%) in 2 days	2024-07-07	💸 Kickstarter
Fantasy Adventure Game LIGHT AND DARKNESS	Embark on a journey full of dangers, random locations, random encounters, watch out for traps, hunt animals, heal the sick, pay for services, trade. Enter the darkness and explore ruins, caves, or undergrounds. Keep your team in mind and meet their basic needs of thirst, craving, and sleep.	19	PLN 5,227.50 (7%) in 6 days	2024-08-03	💸 Gamefound 👥 1‑3 players ⏱️ 180 min.	🌱
Top Line Hockey	A fast paced table top hockey game that fits on a piece of paper.	18	$605.00 (151%) in 1 days	2024-07-08	💸 Kickstarter	💰

Notable filtered projects (4)

Name	Description	Backers	Pledged	Ends	Information	Tags
DC20	The Next Great Evolution in Fantasy TTRPGs: A Fresh System with Epic Combat, Intuitive Gameplay, and Characters as Unique as Your Group	10643	$1,109,228.00 (5546%) in 5 days	2024-07-02	💸 Kickstarter	🎉💰🔥
Blade Runner RPG: Replicant Rebellion & Asset Pack	Fight back against Replicant oppression in this major expansion to the award-winning BLADE RUNNER RPG from Free League Publishing.	4134	SEK 3,612,769.00 (1445%) in 12 days	2024-06-13	💸 Kickstarter	🎉💰🔥🌳
Mörderin by John Blanche	John Blanche presents a new range of 32mm grimdark femmes miniatures based upon his artwork.	1733	£53,911.00 (2696%) in 4 days	2024-06-12	💸 Kickstarter	💰🔥🌱
Mörk Borg Action Figure w/ Zine by Stockholm Kartell	Dread Risen - A fully articulated Mörk Borg Action Figure w/ Zine by Johan and Pelle of Stockholm Kartell	1199	$104,799.00 (210%) in 40 days	2024-06-11	💸 Kickstarter	🎉💰🌳

Business
Ixigo, started in 2007, as a flight comparison website enabled travellers to research and compare relevant price information and book their preferred flight in a cost-efficient and informed manner from OTAs. Ixigo later graduated to OTA( Online Travel Agent) in FY20. Ixigo is the 2nd largest OTA( Online Travel Agent) in terms of revenues, with 6% market share.
They operate through 4 different apps Ixigo flights,Ixigo trains, ConfirmTkt and AbhiBus. Ixigo is the largest Indian train ticket distributor in the OTA rail market with largest market share of around 51%, in terms of rail bookings, among OTAs. Their bus-focused app, AbhiBus, was the second largest bus-ticketing OTA in India, with a 11.5% market share in online bus ticket bookings in FY23. They had a market share in India of about 5.2% of the total airline OTA market by volume in H1 FY24. They have the highest app usage among OTAs with 83 million Monthly Active Users cumulatively across our apps. However, within each of their apps, they integrate and cross-sell all services they operate to ensure that users may not necessarily require another app ,like users can book a flight on the ixigo train app or ConfirmTkt and a bus journey on the ixigo flight app, and a train ticket on the AbhiBus app allowing them to discover and buy multiple travel services.
Product segments
1. Airline ticketing
Ixigo commenced operations in 2007 in the flight vertical by launching a travel meta-search website - providing aggregated comparison of deals and accurate travel information. Later in FY20, they transitioned to an OTA.
2. Rail
They launched the ixigo trains app for android in 2013 as a utility app with the objective of improving the experience of Indian train travellers by allowing them to search for train related information and providing utility services. Subsequently, in 2017, Ixigo started selling train tickets through their Ixigo trains app.
3. Bus tickets
Bus accounts for 70% of transport modes in India. Ixigo sells bus tickets by partnering either directly with operators or source inventory from bus ticketing aggregators in the country.They acquired the business of AbhiBus in 2021 to further consolidate their position.
4. Hotels
In December 2023, Ixigo have launched a hotel booking section on their website and apps to allow users the ability to search, compare and book hotels on their own platforms in India and across the world. They offer properties across domestic and international hotels, spanning budget, mid-range and luxury price points.
90% of users of Ixigo are organic users. Ixigo has market share amongst OTAs in terms of volumes - flight 5.3%, rail 53%, bus 13%. In July 2023,Ixigo became the first OTA in India to launch a Generative AI based travel planning tool named PLAN to help travellers plan their trip, get itineraries and real time information and recommendations based on input criteria.
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Industry overview
The Indian travel and tourism market for air, road, air and hotels accounts to around 3,80,800cr, expected to grow at a CAGR of 9%. In the overall Indian Travel market, 54% of all travel spends were made online in FY23, expected to reach around 65% in FY28.
Within the overall budget of ₹ 24 billion allocated to the Ministry of Tourism, a significant portion of ₹ 17.4 billion has been earmarked for the enhancement of tourism infrastructure.
Online penetration is 66-68% which is expected to go to 73-75% in FY27.
OTA (Online Travel Agency) industry in terms of net revenues is 11000cr, expected to grow at 14-15%
B2B OTA is at 4500cr(expected CAGR 14-15%).
In FY23 online penetration of the air segment stood at 70% of all air travel, expected to increase to 80% by FY28. Share of online hotel booking is low at 32%.
The Bus segment is highly underpenetrated by OTAs and represents an increasing segment in terms of volume. Long haul intercity bus services have good revenue margins for players like RedBus, AbhiBus (ixigo bus business), PayTM and RailYatri. For middle market OTAs, this represents the next frontier of growth from Tier- II & III cities and provides the bulk of their top line and growth. Bus along with the air is the fastest growing online travel segment, with a forecasted CAGR for Fiscal 2023 to Fiscal 2028 of 18%
Breakup of the travel industry ( by revenues)
Airline ticketing 44%
Hotel booking 26%
Rail ticketing 16% Bus ticketing 14%
Growth drivers
With per capita income growth, discretionary spends on travel to increase, leading to growth in OTA industry, along with further increase in share of online booking will drive the growth. Convenience of booking with OTAs, making luxury destinations affordable to fit into middle-income consumer budget , workation ( working during travelling)- all these are fostering growth of travel industry.
The surge in affordable smartphone users is expected to reach 1 billion users by 2026, according to TRAI. This, coupled with high speed internet connectivity( launch of 4G/ 5G) will drive online bookings.
The ability of OTAs to offer value added services that offer additional protection and refund guarantees such as zero cancellation fee programmes, fully refundable and flexible ticket types, price protection, travel insurance etc. and their ability to bundle in multiple types of services in one transaction.
A shift in demographics of overall travellers to the age group of 18–35 years who are dominating the Indian travel scene, comprising almost 66% of the overall trips.
Market leader is MakeMyTrip with 24% market share, and other players are Ixigo, Easemytrip, Cleartrip. Ixigo’s market share of the overall OTA market (flights, trains, hotels and buses) by GTV stood at 6% in FY23.
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Operating metrics
Gross booking revenues is Rs 7450cr (Makemytrip Rs 53790cr). Gross booking revenues is total ticketing values. Revenues for FY23 is 500cr. Contribution margin was 220cr, at 44% in FY23. Though highly fragmented, contribution margin for bus segment is highest at 61.9% Gross take rate is 8.15%.
Comparison of metrics vs FY22, FY21 will not yield correct picture as travel was highly reduced due to covid during those years.
Segment wise revenues (Total revenues 500cr)
Airline ticketing 100cr (20%) Rail 300cr (60%) Bus 100cr (20%)
With the overall improvement of travel and internet infrastructure in India, it is expected that increased travel from / to non-Tier I cities to drive growth in trains, flights, buses and hotel bookings. Transactions booked through Ixigo's OTA platforms involving either origin or destination as non-Tier I cities were 94%.
To gather more tier II customers. Ixigo has run Hindi language outdoor media campaigns at non-Tier I railway stations and target audience in such regions through multilingual digital ads. Their mobile apps are available in multiple regional languages, and have several voice-based features. In FY23, 97.7% transactions are done through the Ixigo apps , rest website. Ixigo's brand presence and loyalty amongst users is evident from the growth in Monthly Active Users, which has increased from 21.59 million in March 2021 to 62.83 million in March 2023. They had a repeat transaction rate of 85% in FY23. Ixigo took 9 hrs to process a complaint, a total of 191576 complaints received in FY23.
90% traffic to Ixigo is organic. Ixigo operates through house of brands approach like Makemytrip. Ads & sales promotion expenses stand at 18.6% of revenues.
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Financials
Annual revenues of Ixigo is 500cr. PAT 23cr.Revenues for 9M FY24 is 490cr and PAT for 9M FY24 is 65cr.
Take rates ( Operating revenues/ Gross booking revenues) of Ixigo is 8.15% (Yatra Online 5.7%, Makemytrip 9.1%, Easemytrip 6%)
EBITDA margins 8.7% (Yatra 17.6%, Makemytrip 10.2%) PAT margins 4.6% (Yatra 2%, Makemytrip is loss making Rs 90cr loss)
Balance sheet as on Dec '23
Borrowing at 43cr ( short term)Current debt/ equity ratio at 0.01
Trade receivables 33 cr.Cash equivalent of 52 cr. Cashflow from operations 30cr for FY23.
Points to consider
Market leader Makemytrip is still loss making, despite having 24% market share and 10 times revenues of Ixigo, indicating there is significant cash burn involved in terms of customer inducement/ customer acquisition cost which is 39% of revenues for Makemytrip.
Hotel & package booking is higher margin business, but Ixigo has just entered the segment in Dec '23.
Ixigo has a good hold in bus segment , which is still underpenetrated, and has higher take rates and contribution margin.
Transactions booked through Ixigo's OTA platforms involving either origin or destination as non-Tier I cities were 94%. Most of the future growth will come from non- Tier I cities, which places Ixigo in favourable spot. Given the growth drivers discussed , OTA industry is expected to grow at 14-15% CAGR.
IPO size /Promoter holding/ Market cap
Total offer ~ 720cr Fresh issue 120cr OFS 600 cr OFS sellers are SAIF Partners India IV Ltd , Peak XV Partners Investments V, others.
QIB- 75% NII 15% Retail 10% Funds raised from anchor investors is 333cr.
Price band- 88-93 Market cap post listing ~ 3635cr
Purpose of IPO
to fund working capital 45cr Technology & data science 26cr rest amount to fund inorganic growth
Valuation
Ixigo is valued at P/E of 56 and P/S of 7x. Yatra online is valued at P/E of 267, and P/S of 4.8x, whereas similar sized listed peer Easemytrip is at P/E of 48, P/S of 12.5x

Hey Prydz friends. I’ve looked around but cannot seem to find a post on this subject.
It would be very helpful to have one thread where all gigs are listed in place, as there is no single source of Prydz touring calendar. With various promoters, festivals and clubs booking Prydz it all becomes fragmented and difficult to track. Many channels to keep track off. I recall last year Prydz published many of his gigs on his official website, but many more actually happened.
It would be grand to have an exhaustive community updated tour tracker to help folks plan. Before kicking this off, does something like this already exist?

I'm going to start by saying I'm a big Jarace Walker fan and think he will be pretty darn good. How good? I'm not sure. A big part of that will be if he can maintain that outside shot, but that's not the purpose of this post.
The purpose is to talk about his potential role next season, and I don't think it needs to be that big. I just think if he can squeeze in around 10mpg most nights and maybe get a tough assignment or 2, that'll be huge for his and our development. I still think we see a trip or 5 to the G-League just to get some big minutes and "stretch the legs," but ultimately I feel like his place isn't going to be until Year 3 and we know what exactly we need from him.
People won't like this, some people think he should start, but despite the physical gifts, he simply isn't ready, and taking time to teach him the right way is a perfect plan in my books. He was the 8th Pick, but guys like Mathurin, Toppin, + Nesmith were all lottery picks as well, so that shouldn't really be a factor. Siakam wasn't, but the fact he is 2 x All-NBA and 2 x All-Star I think we can let that one slide.

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Planning to go on a trip about a week to UK with my parents and sibling. Parents and sibling visas are approved. My dad is sponsoring for mom and sibling. I'm applying on my own. My visa application was refused and I want to address the reasons listed first before applying again. What other documents can i add to provide 'strong family, social or economic ties'?
I'm 25, Singapore Permenant Residence and Myanmar National. I've been living in Singapore for more than 10 years now and have studied secondary school, polytechnic and university all here in Singapore. Currently, I'm working at a local company and have been working full time about 3 years~ish. I live with my parents and sibling as they are also Singapore permenant residence as well.
For the visa application, I attached my bank statement, 6 months payslip, Singapore re-entry permit, Singapore Permenant Residence identity card. But since the application was refused, it looks like its not enough evidence that I'm not going to over stay in UK :(
I'm thinking of asking my boss to provide a letter to say that i'm employed at the company and taking annual leave for the trip. I'm also thinking of asking my dad to write a letter saying that he can guarantee that i'm not going to stay in UK past the visa. Should I also add in hotel booking, itinerary for the trip or flight tickets? Hotel is booked but we haven't gotten flight tickets since we aren't sure we will get visa or not.
So, the question is what other documents can i add to provide 'strong family, social or economic ties'? Has anyone been in the same boat as me? Thank u in advance.

This weekend my boyfriend went over to his friends for a BBQ yesterday, and to different friends to play airsoft with today. It's all good, I enjoy my alone time and I'm all for him doing his hobbies and hang out with friends.
But I thought there would be a at least an hour in the morning for us to talk and chill for a bit before he leaves for the next thing. My mistake, I didn't ask and he didn't specify either. But I was fully in the belief we would hang out a bit.
I'm not even clingy and I would literally be fine with him leaving very soon. But I didn't know it! And I planned for it emotionally and mentally, as part of my day. Now my mood is very meh and other negative things I'm currently having are cranked up to a 100 whereas they didn't bother me this much at all before.
I hate being like this sometimes lol. I don't care that it went this way logically, but emotionally it's bothering me so much

My father didn't care about our family when he was in 30s..
Got cancer and never followed proper medication. All the ancestral land is selled by his greedy brothers. He died and I was just a kid back then. My mother is not able to see from her one eye. She was way traumatized all these years.
Being an elder son , I had to deal with my mother's narcissistic and highly traumatised personality which I myself justify because of the reasons.
My maternal and paternal relatives treated us like a shit. When my father was on deathbed , they made us untouchable because of the fear of infection. My mother raised me. But I grew up like a lifeless kid. I never played games , i studied hard because that was the only thing I could do that time.
By focusing on partime jobs and studies, i couldn't make friends ( believe me keeping friends was expensive for me!) Because you need daily at least 50 rupees if you have to sit with them for tea.
I had girlfriend when I was 18-19. She was 4 years older than me. She cheated me brutally with her old friend. I took a year to get back in my senses. I blame her for spoiling my college years.
Somehow , i became engineering graduate two years ago. Now I'm working, I have real life ahead to face. I earn very less. My mother is almost got old. My younger brother lives like he's Nawab by my money. If I refuse , my mother Gaslights me unconsciously. I understand her , I have to understand her why she is like this.
My only uncle (34) died before 3 years. His wife got married someone else. His daughter is 5 y/o and unfortunately she is mentally disabled. My grandmother lives with her separately because she has issues with my mother. She never miss a chance to increase my tension. I feel so bad , my own blood relatives can't see me like their child. My father had two sisters. They don't speak with me because they wants our ancestral house in village.
I failed at romantic relationships which gave me unbearable trauma. Society looks at my mother as a great woman but no one looks at me like a human. My insecurities are so hyper. I can't smile , i desparately find someone just to talk.
I have read too much philosophy when I was in isolation. That's why I'm facing an existential crisis. I don't remember when I smiled last time. My maternal relatives also treats me as the competitor of their children ( they are crorepatis) not as a son of their poor sister. My great grandfather was very close to the King of our province before independence. I have read too many books just to cure my loneliness. But nothing works anymore. After years of studying hard , i became a mediocre.
Today morning I got a call from my sister in law. She expressed her concerns that my cousin is not close to her and life seems boring. She said that if this is being normal life then I probably do something. And then she justified a woman who recently caught cheating her husband. I know my cousin is in too much loss in his business. That's why he's not able to give her attention. But this woman triggered my all insecurities again. I'm still living cause I have a hope for being loved someday, and the chaste lady like her feels cheating on her husband then it can happen with me too. I see no purpose in life is I don't get loved.
I look very playful and handsome according to some women. But trust me I don't believe in anything anymore.I want someone to motivate me for killing myself. Because I'm a coward. I can't see blood. If one really cares about me then they should really help me to end this miserable life. Please don't give me sympathy if anyone is reading this. Because I don't deserve it. I wish I die as soon as possible. I have no one in this world. I see nothing getting better.

I got married at 26 knowing I had endometriosis. TTC naturally for two years and never saw a BFP even after ablation of endo. In the process, discovered one fallopian tube was closed. My Ob Gyn said I would most likely need IVF but tried fertility drugs (clomid, trigger etc.) and no success. I skipped IUI and went straight to IVF. Joined WW and went from 220 to 180 lbs. exercised 5 days a week and tried to maintain a whole foods diet. VCU Health had a 6 IVF with ICSI package for roughly 20k. If you don't take home a baby after 6 rounds, you get a refund. This did not include meds and anesthesia. We purchased the package. There was a grant making meds $1500. After two rounds of IVF, the grant was lost and meds cost $4500 per round. Both rounds only produced 4-5 embryos. I had a fresh transfer and the embryos only grew to 5 days max. No success. The 3rd fresh transfer was during covid (2021) and only produced 3-4 embryos no more than 5 days old. No success. I got a therapist, quit WW and stopped going to the gym. I got a less stressful job than teaching, bought a house and gained weight (skyrocketed to 250 pounds). I took a break from IVF and ignored my biological clock. During the 4th round, I only produced two embryos; one was good and the other so so. The doctor recommended stopping until he remembered that I had a package. My mom was the one who reminded me that all it takes is 1 (and to eat pineapple 🤷‍♀️...what did I have to lose???). She and my husband had all of the faith that this was possible. I was emotionally and physically depleted and was preparing myself for five millionth BFN. I remember watching the episode of Young Sheldon when Sheldon had the awards party and no one showed. Sheldon cried because he realized at this point in life, he had no friends. At the end of the episode, it showed all of Sheldon's friends he'd have in the future on the Big Bang Theory. I cried because it gave me hope that one day, my circumstances would change, too. The next day, I went accompanied my father while he was buying a boat and I received a call. The clinic called and put me on speaker phone letting me know that my blood had hcg (43). I was pregnant for the first time in my life at 36 years old and bigger than I'd ever been. I was in shock and as I hold my son, I still am in shock.
Several things had to happen to help me get through this:

1. Support: I had to KNOW my husband would stay and love me whether we had kids or not. TTC/IVF is not sexy and can suck the romance out of a relationship. Make sure you have someone strong by your side to weather the storms, your emotions and the let down after failing TTC. My mom was my strength. Choose one BFF in your life who loves you unconditionally; for me, it was my mom. I would caution telling others about IVF while going through it. If they've never been through it, they just won't understand. An excellent therapist is a must. She helped me to focus on one day at a time and see the glass half full. Find the best IVF doctor you can and trust the process. Make sure you get along with and trust your doctor and the team.
2. Rest and Less Stress: Covid forced me to re-evaluate my life. I got a less stressful career, stepped down from the church praise team, ate whatever I wanted and just rested. I don't recommend gaining weight but I do recommend relaxing (no new weird diets, exercises or supplements that might put your body in shock before IVF). The IVF meds will do what they need to do. Just rest and do things to make yourself happy.
3. Have a financial plan. If you can find a package deal, it is wonderful. After accepting that we may never have kids, we were going to take the refund money and travel in Europe for a month. The money alone can destroy your relationship. Make sure you can handle this financially because it is brutal.
4. Growth: Make sure that you find a way to travel, go back to school, have fun, buy a house etc. If you put all of your time, effort and money into having a child and it never happens, you could suffer from massive depression. To prevent that, have a life.
5. Set boundaries: Tread carefully when telling people. Most ppl just don't understand if they've never been through this. They think your whining about silver spoon problems. I had to cancel affairs due to IVF and I had to take a step back from anything that caused me stress (family members, church obligations, babyshowers (sometimes), after school obligations etc.