Road To Dec21 @ KSQ (Personal Journal)
It has been 6 months since I had tabled at Katong Square Lifestyle & Vintage Market (last one being early-April), having transported a chunk of my available geekery to Miku Market, there had never been any opportunity to "return", until "December 21st" when someone relinquished their space for a day! My return journey, alas had been more harrowing as I could have imagined.
The day after Comic-Con ended, I essentially literally lost my voice, with barely a whisper leaving my chapped lips. A "viral infection"; said my neighbourhood doctor, and I downed multiple pills, along with my daily meds through the days. I had nearly two weeks to go before my "Dec 21st"-date, so it should be a cinch to conquer this illness, no? I was certainly hopeful tho...
Nearly two weeks had gone by when I started to even whisper with my forced breath. Avoiding my family and folks (for fear of spreading the nonsense), I hacked my figurative lungs out every other night, and spoke to no one, not even on the phone.
I would have enjoyed my solitary (having developed and embraced it for the past two decades or so) if not for the horrendously sleepless nights coughing keeping me awake, days dazed thru with pills that cause drowsiness, but did not give me my health or voice back. And ironically even before that I was drowsy-daily already due to meds attempting to quell my hives outbreak (for the better part of two months ... it still hasn't gone away fully though). I completed my medicine course and held out to the last pill, but alas I was in no condition to meet the world outside my house.
On the day I was invited to a dinner (I really want to go too to), I bailed at the last moment and seeked doctor's re-examination, the resulting new course of prescribed meds certainly boosted my chances at KSQ, two days to go ... missing a artist (whose work I really enjoy) signing at a toy launch too ... all the while preparing my offerings in a (near) constant state of stupored lucidity, at a quarter speed crawl ... "WIN" ... And of course all this time, things would suddenly "disappear", and reappear a day later or so. Happens all the time when you're in a rush for time, innit? INNIT?
D-Day was a hustle-bustle of nerves amidst an unexpected "calm", essentially of "this is the best I can do given the circumstances" (or operhaos it was medication LOL), which only now I put into words for folks to read in this blog-post, unsolicited, of course (My blog, and that's how I roll ~ sorrynotsorry :p).
I am not an extroverted person by nature. But having the chance to talk about things I like and enjoy, I reckon I am pretty the yakkity-yakker. Other "things in male-adult-life" I have nothing to contribute to, I can hardly pretend to engage otherwise. I am a simple geek with basic knowledge, I admit. So when I do not have a particular voice to share, "tabling at a flea market" is stressful and dauntingAF, innit?
But folks turned up, found their treasures, shared memories and opinions, and that was good enough for me. "Shouting" at each other because of the DJ'd music like in a club or even in Comic-Con, did not help too though LOL
My geek-adrenaline was pumped, and I attempted to communicate thru my face-mask, which neccessitated me raising my voice too = A definite recipe for eventual disaster, innit?
Nobody notices (or might even "care" but tis cool), but I am hard of hearing on my left ear, and had been for a few years (since my Stroke in 2010 I reckon). And many a times I would do a "Huh? Say again?" ... As I retreat further into myself, I face less of that situation, embraced by the comfort of isolation, thank you for understanding.
Sitting in front of my lappie now, typing these out as the day's adrenaline is wearing off, and because as exhausted as I am now, I am unable to sleep peacefully, because the incessant coughing is back, no doubt aggravated by my talking, and the ridiculous heat of Sunday. Scalding sunshine versus dreary rain. Welcome to Singapore LOL
And all I can do is whine about this online, so that I would tire myself more leading to sleep, or maybe coughing in my sleep? This is the second time I had gotten up from bed tonight, to continue typing this ...
I had joked earlier the week that "whatever I might have earned at the flea market, would not have been able to pay for my medical bill" ... but I am happy too say, as of today, it actually did! Well, partially did, Anyways, so financially I've come back to "square one", innit?
For the past two weeks, due to keeping at home and not venturing out to spread my germs, I had not been able to "restock" my table at Miku Market, the result being an unfruitful week(s), even as Miku has since extended their opening days (from just the weekend) to now Wednesday to Sunday. Looks like it's not just "square one", but "three steps back", innit?
I known my disposition and health has not been the most robust for the past couple of decades, but hearing different folks talking about a "flu virus" currently circulating (which my doctors said I did not have), somewhat lulled me into a false sense of calm, that "I am not special" (in a bad sense), forgetting at times my own vulnerable state-of-health (which has honestly affected my "day job" more than I let on online) ... so I just have to find the strength to embrace that and move forward, hoping I'll not have too "silent" a Christmas and New Year ahead, innit? At least my constant hacking is louder than words coming out of my mouth, innit?
Have a fab rest-of-the-year, everyone!
Andy TOYSREVIL
The day after Comic-Con ended, I essentially literally lost my voice, with barely a whisper leaving my chapped lips. A "viral infection"; said my neighbourhood doctor, and I downed multiple pills, along with my daily meds through the days. I had nearly two weeks to go before my "Dec 21st"-date, so it should be a cinch to conquer this illness, no? I was certainly hopeful tho...
Nearly two weeks had gone by when I started to even whisper with my forced breath. Avoiding my family and folks (for fear of spreading the nonsense), I hacked my figurative lungs out every other night, and spoke to no one, not even on the phone.
I would have enjoyed my solitary (having developed and embraced it for the past two decades or so) if not for the horrendously sleepless nights coughing keeping me awake, days dazed thru with pills that cause drowsiness, but did not give me my health or voice back. And ironically even before that I was drowsy-daily already due to meds attempting to quell my hives outbreak (for the better part of two months ... it still hasn't gone away fully though). I completed my medicine course and held out to the last pill, but alas I was in no condition to meet the world outside my house.
On the day I was invited to a dinner (I really want to go too to), I bailed at the last moment and seeked doctor's re-examination, the resulting new course of prescribed meds certainly boosted my chances at KSQ, two days to go ... missing a artist (whose work I really enjoy) signing at a toy launch too ... all the while preparing my offerings in a (near) constant state of stupored lucidity, at a quarter speed crawl ... "WIN" ... And of course all this time, things would suddenly "disappear", and reappear a day later or so. Happens all the time when you're in a rush for time, innit? INNIT?
D-Day was a hustle-bustle of nerves amidst an unexpected "calm", essentially of "this is the best I can do given the circumstances" (or operhaos it was medication LOL), which only now I put into words for folks to read in this blog-post, unsolicited, of course (My blog, and that's how I roll ~ sorrynotsorry :p).
I am not an extroverted person by nature. But having the chance to talk about things I like and enjoy, I reckon I am pretty the yakkity-yakker. Other "things in male-adult-life" I have nothing to contribute to, I can hardly pretend to engage otherwise. I am a simple geek with basic knowledge, I admit. So when I do not have a particular voice to share, "tabling at a flea market" is stressful and dauntingAF, innit?
But folks turned up, found their treasures, shared memories and opinions, and that was good enough for me. "Shouting" at each other because of the DJ'd music like in a club or even in Comic-Con, did not help too though LOL
My geek-adrenaline was pumped, and I attempted to communicate thru my face-mask, which neccessitated me raising my voice too = A definite recipe for eventual disaster, innit?
Nobody notices (or might even "care" but tis cool), but I am hard of hearing on my left ear, and had been for a few years (since my Stroke in 2010 I reckon). And many a times I would do a "Huh? Say again?" ... As I retreat further into myself, I face less of that situation, embraced by the comfort of isolation, thank you for understanding.
T'was a splendid Sunday at Katong Square Lifestyle & Vintage Market! (Part 2/2).
— toysrevil (@toysrevil) December 22, 2025
Thank you for your support & sharing! Have a wonderful Christmas ahead!
Road To Dec21 @ KSQ (Personal Journal)https://t.co/exHMKZVtGH#toysrevilfleamarket#toysrevilpopup#toysrevil pic.twitter.com/4YEnx85VOX
Sitting in front of my lappie now, typing these out as the day's adrenaline is wearing off, and because as exhausted as I am now, I am unable to sleep peacefully, because the incessant coughing is back, no doubt aggravated by my talking, and the ridiculous heat of Sunday. Scalding sunshine versus dreary rain. Welcome to Singapore LOL
And all I can do is whine about this online, so that I would tire myself more leading to sleep, or maybe coughing in my sleep? This is the second time I had gotten up from bed tonight, to continue typing this ...
I had joked earlier the week that "whatever I might have earned at the flea market, would not have been able to pay for my medical bill" ... but I am happy too say, as of today, it actually did! Well, partially did, Anyways, so financially I've come back to "square one", innit?
For the past two weeks, due to keeping at home and not venturing out to spread my germs, I had not been able to "restock" my table at Miku Market, the result being an unfruitful week(s), even as Miku has since extended their opening days (from just the weekend) to now Wednesday to Sunday. Looks like it's not just "square one", but "three steps back", innit?
I known my disposition and health has not been the most robust for the past couple of decades, but hearing different folks talking about a "flu virus" currently circulating (which my doctors said I did not have), somewhat lulled me into a false sense of calm, that "I am not special" (in a bad sense), forgetting at times my own vulnerable state-of-health (which has honestly affected my "day job" more than I let on online) ... so I just have to find the strength to embrace that and move forward, hoping I'll not have too "silent" a Christmas and New Year ahead, innit? At least my constant hacking is louder than words coming out of my mouth, innit?
Have a fab rest-of-the-year, everyone!
Andy TOYSREVIL
