**Warning: My opinion follows...

**For those of you reading the following.... and are of the "younger generation", please don't be offended by my following blog. I am feeling very old tonight..." -- MsKelley

A new chapter... is opening. For those of you that know me... You know I have been working with my employer for six years now... I do inside sales and am currently the sales director over two outside salesmen. As of tomorrow, that will become one outside salesman. At 5 pm, salesman #9, will be going out the door, never to return.

And yes... You read that right. He is Number 9. The 9th salesperson that I have worked with in six years. The ninth.

And I? I am tired. I am tired of training. I am tired of being the strong one in the workplace. I am tired of being the one salesperson that brings in the money. I am tired.

What is wrong with this younger generation? Why don't they want to work for a living? Why do they want everything handed to them, as my momma would say, "on a silver platter"? Why can't we find someone that actually wants to work? AND why am I the very last GREAT salesperson we've hired?

So... as of tomorrow, we lose yet another salesperson. Number 9, which is in itself very sad.. but the one thing that I find sadder than the loss of this employee, is that he is capable. He has potential. He has a good personality. He has a great opportunity, and he is throwing it all away.

And why? Because he doesn't want to work an 8 - 5 job. Because he doesn't want to have to be responsible. Because he wants an easy path.

He's young. He wants to be lazy. He wants the high salary but he doesn't want to dress the part (literally).

He has the best opportunity here and he is throwing it all away. For what? Sleep? My momma always said there were things to do and I could "sleep when I'm 80!" And she is right. As always.

But why do some young people seem to think that the road is paved in gold? Why do they seem to think that they deserve everything without having to work for anything?

And when... when did I get this old?

Having your cake....

... and eating it too! This past Saturday, 10/11/08, was my 9th month anniversary on SparkPeople! What an amazing journey and adventure this has been!

Unaware that this was my anniversary on SP... we traveled (we.. being my brother, Ben (no, he's not lost any weight to speak of), his wife, Debbie, Abby (baby in the picture), Bekah (NannyBekah to those of you on SP), DBF & myself) traveled to my mom's to celebrate Abby's very 1st birthday! And what did we have... oh, yeah... cake.

Now most of the time, probably 99.8% of the time, I can pass up the sugary, fattening, totally off limit desserts that "normal" people have every day... But special events... like Abby's first birthday? Nah.. can't pass that up, besides... as you can see by Abby's picture above.... the cake was SCRUMPTIOUS!

And the entire piece I ate... was delicious! I lavished every bite... and then the nibble I had here and there as we were cleaning up the room after the party... Let me tell you... IT WAS THE BEST CAKE EVER!

Had I realized that this particular day was the 9th month anniversary of my decision to change my body and my life... I might not have taken that slice of cake... and enjoyed that little (or not so little actually) slice of heaven...

But... of all the things I have learned on this 9 month journey... it's that YOU CAN HAVE YOUR CAKE... and eat it too... YOU just have to have your cake... in moderation... and then... get back on track...

That slice of cake was so worth it... and just in case you live in my town... "Celebrations by Sonja" has the best cake ever!!!! In fact, I can't wait till my birthday party in February... Turning 50 years old will have it's good points... Guess where we're getting the cake?