Karen had recently been down to Singapore and she ran a very successful charity event raising funds for Singapore Red Cross. As a full time stay home mum, she managed to garner tremendous support in sponsorship, publicity, media coverage, and most importantly, donations to Singapore Red Cross. I have nothing but utmost respect and admiration for this lady. Of course, being the utmost shallow person that I am, it helps that she is very gorgeous.

And thus, I have to say that I am very VERY sorry that I could not make it for both her Doing the Karen Cheng event in Indochine and her birthday drinks at the Fashion Bar.

The truth is, I really wanted to go. I mean, I like the lady and she so very kindly extended the invitation to me, for which I felt very honored.

The truth is, and I am ashamed to admit it, is that I am rather anti social by nature. I don’t enjoy meeting people unless I have known them online and am interested to know them further. The dilemma is, I really wanted to meet Karen, but I really don’t like some of the people on that list, and I would not be able to stomach having to put on a PR front the whole night. Goodness knows I have had enough of that in the past.

I am not atas. It’s just the way I am now. Am happy to wrap myself up in a cocoon of family and a few select friends.

And running a business, especially one that is an online presence, prompts that little voice inside my head to say that I am being an absolute idiot by passing up such a fabulous opportunity to network and smooze.

And hence the conundrum of whoring oneself out for the sake of additional business revenue or being true to one own’s feelings and principles and losing out on the business front?

I was sharing this with Big last night. He is one, I feel, whom I can share my thoughts with unreservedly and who will not judge me in any way. I told him that I felt rather bad at passing up the opportunity to finally meet Karen, and that I felt rather “unshrewd” in a business sense. And of course, that conundrum of self vs business. And he, being the wise Yoda, that he is, offered good advice in a single liner. No, I shall not share the single liner. It’s exclusive.

And Karen, when we troop to Perth, will definitely invite you for dinner and drinks, and of course, to “do the Karen Cheng” with you in person.

And oh, even though I was not there in person, I support you in spirit and in action. I have donated to Red Cross in the capacity of your “Doing the Karen Cheng” event. :D