This Is Me--2024 A to Z Theme

My A to Z Themes in the past have covered a range of topics and for 2024 the theme is a personal retrospective that I call "I Coulda Been" which is in reference to my job and career arc over my lifetime. I'll be looking at all sorts of occupations that I have done or could have done. Maybe you've done some of these too!

Thursday, April 30, 2020

Zamboni My World ( #AtoZChallenge )



#AtoZChallenge 2020 Blogging from A to Z Challenge letter ZZounds!  Can it be the end of April already?   Another A to Z Challenge comes to a close and in the weirdest times that most of us have ever seen.  It's been rough at times yet the Big Zamboni keeps making the rounds to smooth things out...



  Zamboni My World


The Zamboni Story | Zamboni - Part 4
Zamboni.com

         A few miles down the road from where I live is Paramount CA which is home to Frank J. Zamboni and Company.  For over seventy years this company has produced the machine known as the Zamboni.  Those of you who are fans of ice hockey or other ice skating sports are likely familiar with the ice resurfacing machine known as the Zamboni, a machine with the function of smoothing off the surface of ice after it has become too rough to safely and effectively skate upon. 

          I doubt that there is any among you who has not had their share of rough spots in life that have caused you to stumble, maybe fall, and not be able to glide through like we do in better times.  Those are the times when we could use that "Life Zamboni" to make for smoother sailing and easier coping over those rough spots.

          There may not be a simple device that fixes everything for us.  It's mostly up to us and whatever support we can find around us.  I've been fortunate in my life.  The metaphorical Zamboni has often passed across the surface of my life to make things smoother again--to make my life easier to navigate.  Then as I've skated on, the ice of life gets choppy and rough again, requiring another pass of the Zamboni of Life.

          It is unlikely that my future will be free of new hardships and unexpected challenges and I will again need to Zamboni my world.  That is just the way things go in life:  One moment you are gliding along carefree and content until you hit that rough spot.  Time to call out the Zamboni and rest and reflect awhile while the surface of life gets smoothed out again ready for another round of smooth skating.


         What do you do when you see rough spots starting to threaten the peacefulness of your life?  Who or what do you depend on to help you through difficult times?   Do you tend to easily forget your past hardships when the road ahead appears to be trouble free?




And so ends another April of posting from A to Z.  Tomorrow (Thursday May 1st) I'll have another Battle of the Bands post so I'll hope you'll join me for that.  Also don't forget the upcoming Post-Challenge Survey as well as the A to Z Reflections all coming up in the next few days.  For more A to Z info please visit the A to Z Blog.













27 comments:

  1. Very familiar with the zamboni.
    Congratulations on another Challenge - eleven of them in the hole now.

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    1. Alex, hard to believe this Challenge has gone on so long. Hope it goes for years to come even if I'm not doing it.

      Lee

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  2. A Life Zamboni... I like it! I could use one now, in fact.

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    1. Trudy, life is filled with those rough spots isn't it.

      Lee

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  3. Congratulations on another Challenge!

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    1. John H, and likewise to you! Thanks for all you did for this year's Challenge.

      Lee

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  4. We did it! Congratulations on another year. Thank you for all you do!

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    1. OP, thank you for being a part of the Challenge.

      Lee

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  5. Zamboni & Company. Zamboni, the machine. Happy to learn. Congratulations for very good organization of A to Z. Let me try and comment on every blog that participated in this challenge this year.
    ZF Friedrichshafen - Industrial Engineering Activities and Jobs - Value Engineering - Supply Chain Cost Reduction Strategy
    IE practice in Top Global Engineering Companies.
    Industrial Engineering Practice in Top Global Manufacturing Companies - Top 100

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    1. Narayana, thanks for your participation again this year.

      Lee

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  6. I didn't know the Zamboni originated in California. Thanks for the education! And I love your Zamboni metaphor. I guess you could say we are all currently in a holding pattern, waiting for it to smooth things out. Congratulations on another successful A to Z Challenge, Lee!

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    1. Debbie D, if ever there was a time for a world Zamboni then this is it!

      Lee

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  7. I'm not very familiar with Hockey and Zomboni, but I like the ida of a metaphorical Zamboni smoothing life.
    Grat job Arlee, co-hosting and ending the challenge ;)
    Take care, and stay safe.
    Z is for Zakka

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    1. Frederique, thank you for dropping by to comment on all (or nearly all) of my posts.

      Lee

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  8. My Zamboni is a sense of humor...without it, I'd be a basket case.

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    1. Patricia, a sense of humor is so important. Sometimes mine gets me in trouble, but I can even laugh about that later.

      Lee

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  9. Lee,

    Congrats on crossing the A2Z finish line with me, my friend. I sure do appreciate you hosting another this annual event. It's a lot of hard work.

    Jesus is the one I look to when tough times fall this way and even in days of smooth sail my mind isn't far from the days of trouble. I don't want to ever forget because I want that reminder to be grateful for what I have always. It's easy to take things in life for granted. Hopefully, in a few months we'll all count ourselves extra blessed to have come through the pandemic healthy and alive. Storms will pass, how we look at it depends on where we place our faith. Is it in oneself or the Master?

    Have a great weekend and thanks for stopping by frequently to check out my A2Z posts!

    Cathy's Pinup Girl Art Sketch Series 'Z'

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    1. Cathy, great answer with which I would agree.

      Thanks for being a part of another A to Z. You did a great job--again!

      Lee

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  10. Another great A to Z Arlee. I've seen Zambonis watching the Sharks play. Would be nice to have a clean slate once in a while.

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    1. Janet, a clean slate makes it easier to reevaluate our lives in order to move on anew.

      Lee

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  11. Zamboni your life...hmm, I'd always considered a bulldozer... this is a thought that could be expanded...

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    1. CW, the Zamboni is good for touch ups, but a massive rearranging can be best achieved by a metaphorical bulldozer.

      Lee

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    1. Jo-Anne, I'd seen them, but I never knew what they were called or their story until the nineties after I moved here.

      Lee

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  13. Congratulations on completing the challenge Arlee!

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  14. Susan S, thanks! Each new year seems more daunting a prospect than the previous ones, but once I get into doing it the process comes pretty easily.

    Lee

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  15. Well done Lee - it was an amazing thing to start up. I've loved doing it on the many times I've done it and will probably do it again. Take care - Hilary

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Go ahead and say something. Don't be afraid to speak your mind.
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Lee