Blessings

The baby is born. I know when I hear the little strand of music played over the hospital intercom. Such a blessing. I share the meaning of the music with my sons, and they seem happy about it. Each year that passes proves its truth, the blessing. Is it always easy and evident? 

Be in alignment to receive the opportunity. The words type across my mind. MAPS: memory, attention, processing and sequencing. I know those words. I pay attention to them. I think about what the alignment would look like. Then the opportunity presents itself. Accept, and repeat the process in a new way. 

A Perspective About Blessings

 "Sometimes we imagine blessings as fireworks, but many blessings are more like skating:

❄️ You don't control the ice.
⛸️ You learn balance.
💙 You fall and get back up.
🎹 You practice what is beautiful.
✨ You trust that grace will carry you farther than striving alone." 

-Chat GPT

Union Station Fan Zone

 

🚉 The Heart of the City: Los Angeles Union Station Fan Zone

📍 Los Angeles Union Station
800 N. Alameda Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012

🗓️ June 25–28, 2026
⏰ Doors open daily at 10:30 AM
🎟️ FREE, but tickets are required

⚽ What to Expect

• Giant screens with live World Cup matches
• Music and DJs
• Meet-and-greets
• Interactive soccer activities and challenges
• Food and drinks
• Family-friendly experiences
• Cultural programming with neighboring El Pueblo and LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes

🎟️ Tickets

You can reserve free tickets here:

🔗 Union Station Fan Zone Tickets

🚆 Getting There

Union Station is served by:

• Metro A, B, D, and J Lines
• Metrolink
• Amtrak
• Numerous bus routes

Parking is available, though event rates may apply.

🌮 Nearby Attractions (Walking Distance)

5

• Olvera Street – Mexican marketplace, food, and history.
• LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes – Free museum and family activities.
• Philippe The Original – Famous French dip sandwiches.
• El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument – Birthplace of Los Angeles.

Family Fun World Cup 2026

 

🎟️ Official FIFA Fan Festival™ Los Angeles

📍 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
🗓️ June 11–14, 2026
🎶 Live match broadcasts, music, food, cultural programming, and family activities.

🌐 FIFA Fan Festival™ Los Angeles (Official FIFA)

🌐 Los Angeles Host Committee Fan Festival Information

🎟️ Tickets (starting at $10; children 12 and under free with reserved ticket):
🌐 Ticketmaster – FIFA Fan Festival Los Angeles

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⚽ Official Los Angeles World Cup 26 Fan Zones

These free or family-friendly events will take place throughout the tournament:

• 🌽 Original Farmers Market — June 18–21
• 🎉 Downey — June 20
• 🚉 Union Station ("Heart of the City") — June 25–28
• 🌳 Hansen Dam Lake — July 2–5
• 🌿 Magic Johnson Park — July 4–5
• 🌄 Whittier Narrows — July 9–11
• 🏖️ Venice Beach — July 11
• 🎡 Fairplex — July 14–15 and July 18–19
• ⚓ West Harbor (San Pedro) — July 14–15 and July 18–19

🌐 Official Los Angeles World Cup 26 Fan Zones Map & Schedule

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🌴 Complete Los Angeles World Cup Experience Guide

This site includes:

• Match schedules
• Transportation
• Hotels
• Fan zones
• Events
• Stadium information

🌐 FIFA World Cup 26™ Los Angeles Host Committee

🌐 Discover Los Angeles World Cup Guide

Additional Travel Information for World Cup 2026

 

✈️ Ontario International Airport (ONT) Resources

🛫 Airport Information

🌐 Ontario International Airport
Ontario International Airport (ONT)

• Flight arrivals and departures
• Parking reservations
• Terminal maps
• Transportation options

🚗 Car Rentals

🌐 Rental Car Information
ONT Rental Cars

Popular companies:

• Enterprise Rent-A-Car
• Alamo Rent A Car
• Hertz
• Avis
• Budget

🏨 Hilton Hotels Near ONT

🌐 DoubleTree by Hilton Ontario Airport
DoubleTree by Hilton Ontario Airport

🌐 Embassy Suites by Hilton Ontario Airport
Embassy Suites Ontario Airport

🌐 Hampton Inn & Suites Ontario Airport
Hampton Inn & Suites Ontario Airport

🛍️ Nearby Attractions

• 🛍️ Ontario Mills Mall
  Ontario Mills
• 🏒 Toyota Arena
  Toyota Arena
• ⛳ Topgolf Ontario
  Topgolf Ontario
• 🌳 Cucamonga-Guasti Regional Park
  Cucamonga-Guasti Regional Park

🚆 Train Connections

🌐 Metrolink
Metrolink Southern California

The nearby East Ontario Station connects travelers to Los Angeles, Orange County, Riverside, and beyond.

🌴 Easy Day Trips

• 🌊 Santa Monica
• 🎡 Disneyland Resort
• 🏖️ Laguna Beach
• 🎬 Hollywood
• 🌴 Palm Springs
• 🏔️ Big Bear Lake

FIFA World Cup 2026 in Los Angeles

⚽ The 2026 FIFA World Cup Comes to Los Angeles!

The countdown is over! The 2026 FIFA World Cup™ officially begins on June 11, 2026, and for the first time in history, the tournament is being hosted jointly by the United States, Mexico, and Canada. The competition runs through July 19, 2026, featuring 48 nations and 104 matches. FIFA match schedule

🌎 Los Angeles Takes Center Stage

Southern California will host eight World Cup matches at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, including the opening match for the United States Men's National Team. Discover Los Angeles

⚽ Los Angeles Match Schedule

• June 12 – 🇺🇸 United States vs. Paraguay (6:00 PM)
• June 15 – 🇮🇷 Iran vs. 🇳🇿 New Zealand
• June 18 – 🇨🇭 Switzerland vs. 🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina
• June 21 – 🇧🇪 Belgium vs. 🇮🇷 Iran
• June 25 – 🇹🇷 Türkiye vs. 🇺🇸 United States
• June 28 – Round of 32
• July 2 – Round of 32
• July 10 – Quarterfinal Match 
SoFi Stadium

🎉 Fan Festivals Across Los Angeles

World Cup celebrations will extend beyond the stadium. Official fan events and watch parties are planned throughout Los Angeles County, beginning with the FIFA Fan Festival™ at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum from June 11–14, featuring live matches, music, food, and cultural celebrations. Fan Fun

🌍 A Historic Summer

The 2026 tournament promises to be the largest World Cup ever held. Whether you're attending a match, joining a watch party, or simply cheering from home, Los Angeles will once again become one of the world's great soccer capitals.

Kickoff begins June 11, 2026. Let the games begin! 

If you want to stay a little bit out of the city but close enough to drive to all of the fun festivities in Los Angeles, it's about an hour to drive into Los Angeles: 

✈️ Ontario International Airport (ONT)

Ontario International Airport is one of Southern California's easiest airports to navigate. Located about 35 miles east of Los Angeles, it offers nonstop service throughout the U.S., Mexico, and beyond. Travelers often appreciate the shorter lines and easier parking compared with LAX. Hilton Hotel Next to Ontario Airport

Airlines Serving ONT

• Alaska
• American
• Delta
• Frontier
• Southwest
• United
• Volaris
• Aeromexico

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🏨 Hilton Hotels Near Ontario Airport

🥇 DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Ontario Airport

2.9•Hotels•Open

••

📍 222 N. Vineyard Ave.

Highlights

• About 3 minutes from ONT
• Complimentary airport shuttle
• Adjacent to the Ontario Convention Center
• Resort-style outdoor pool
• Restaurant and lounge
• Famous warm DoubleTree cookie at check-in

This is one of the most recognizable hotels in the area and a popular venue for conferences and events. DoubleTree

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🥈 Embassy Suites by Hilton Ontario Airport

3.0•Hotels•Open

••

📍 3663 E. Guasti Rd.

Highlights

• Two-room suites
• Complimentary cooked-to-order breakfast
• Evening reception with snacks and beverages
• Indoor pool and whirlpool
• Airport shuttle service
• Great for families and longer stays

Many guests enjoy the spacious rooms and omelet bar. Embassy Suites

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🥉 Hampton Inn by Hilton Ontario Airport

📍 Near Ontario Mills and Toyota Arena

Highlights

• Free breakfast
• Outdoor pool
• Pet-friendly
• Convenient access to I-10
• Close to shopping and restaurants

A nice option for shorter visits or business travel. Hampton Inn

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Nearby Attractions

• 🛍️ Ontario Mills Mall
• 🏒 Toyota Arena
• ⛳ Topgolf Ontario
• 🌳 Cucamonga-Guasti Regional Park
• 🎭 Ontario Improv
• 🏢 Ontario Convention Center

Here are the official and popular car rental links for Ontario International Airport (ONT):

🚗 Official ONT Rental Car Information
Ontario International Airport Rental Cars

Major Rental Companies at ONT

🚙 Enterprise Rent-A-Car
Enterprise at ONT

🚗 Alamo Rent A Car
Alamo at ONT

🚘 Avis Rent A Car
Avis at ONT Airport

🚙 Budget Rent A Car
Budget at ONT Airport

🚗 Hertz Rent A Car
Hertz at ONT Airport

🚘 Dollar Rent A Car
Dollar at ONT Airport

🚙 Fox Rent A Car (off-airport with free shuttle)
Fox Rent A Car Ontario Airport

📍 Rental Car Center

3450 E. Airport Drive
Ontario, CA 91761

A free shuttle runs every 5–20 minutes between Terminals 2 and 4 and the Rental Car Center.

Focus

 Life is not perfect, ever, even though we can make it look that way sometimes. We all have our ups and downs, make mistakes, get back up again. How often? Well, there is literally not a finish line. So, what makes it all worth it? I guess that's what we should focus on. 

Lord Guide Us

Several paths present themselves and it's unclear which one I should choose. 

She meets me at the crossroads and disagrees. 

He meets me at the crossroads. You're reaching for what many are simultaneously reaching for, but what you have, is beyond reach for many. Are you afraid of continuing on an unclear path? Yes. Just take the next step forward.

I clear everything off of my schedule and decide it's what I'd prefer anyway. It's aligned, perfectly aligned. So, I write and I love it. 

Stryker's Indoor Soccer Game at the Toyota Arena in Ontario, California

 There is a women's Stryker game at 1 pm today followed by the men's Stryker game at 4:05pm with fun festivities for the kids in between. 

The Stryker games are located at the Toyota Arena in Ontario, California. 

Parking is usually $15, no cash allowed. 

For additional information, the website is: www.theempirestrykers.com.

The Writing Lesson Plan

 I am excited to teach. I'm thinking about the music, the math, the literature. Playing lesson plans in my mind. The music, the math, the literature, the artwork. 

The writing is what I don't actually focus on teaching most, surprisingly.

I think about my favorite writing lesson from all of the teaching years that I learned from my sister. The students each get a Hershey Kiss on their desk. They can't open it. They can look at it, smell it, touch it, listen to the wrapping as they hold it in their hands. Lastly, they can open it to taste it. They write about each step in the process, with all of their five senses. I don't know why I don't give the students that lesson EVERY SINGLE TIME I TEACH because it's absolutely COMICAL. I'll need to draft up a permission slip that allows me to integrate writing lessons such as these more often than not. 

In Training

 Building Mental Strength: Winning the Game Within the Game

Soccer isn’t just physical.
It’s psychological.

You can have skill.
You can have speed.
You can have talent.

The Game Within the Game

Every match has two layers:

1. The visible game (passes, shots, defense, goals)

2. The invisible game (emotion, composure, focus, response)

Championship teams win the invisible game.

In high-intensity moments:

• Referees make tough calls.

• Opponents try to intimidate.

• Coaches get loud.

• The crowd gets emotional.

• Energy rises.

That’s when mental strength separates players.

What Is Mental Strength?

Mental strength is not about being emotionless.

It’s about:

• Staying composed under pressure.

• Refocusing quickly after mistakes.

• Not reacting to distractions.

• Choosing discipline over impulse.

• Playing your role no matter the noise.

It’s the ability to say:
“I see the chaos. I choose clarity.”

Control What You Can Control

Great players understand something simple:

You can’t control:

• The referee.

• The opponent’s behavior.

• The crowd.

• The scoreboard.

You can control:

• Your effort.

• Your communication.

• Your body language.

• Your next decision.

Mental strength lives in the “next play.”

Mistake? Next play.
Bad call? Next play.
Opponent talking? Next play.

Championship mindset = Short memory. Long focus.

Energy Management

Soccer is emotional. That’s part of what makes it beautiful.

But strong teams learn how to channel energy instead of being ruled by it.

Instead of:

• Yelling back.

• Losing shape.

• Dropping heads.

• Playing rushed.

They:

• Reset.

• Organize.

• Communicate calmly.

• Stay disciplined.

When others escalate, they stabilize.

That’s leadership.

The Calm Team

When a team stays calm under pressure, something powerful happens:

Opponents get frustrated.
Officials respect composure.
Momentum shifts quietly.

Mental strength isn’t loud.
It’s steady.

And steady wins.

Practice Mental Reps

Mental toughness isn’t built on game night. It’s built in training.

Ask yourself:

• How do I respond to correction?

• How do I respond when I’m tired?

• How do I respond when I lose a drill?

• How do I respond when I’m not starting?

Those moments build the player more than the goals do.

Final Thought

The best teams don’t just play soccer.

They master themselves.

When the game gets intense, loud, and emotional — the team that controls its mind controls the match.

Win the game within the game.

Perfect Game Day Weather

 The Empire Strykers have a home game on this rainy day at the Toyota Arena in Ontario, California. The doors open an hour prior to the game and the game is at 6:35. 

There is also a home game on Thursday at 6:35. Parking is $15 per car every game. 

The next home game after Thursday is on Sunday at 4:05. 

Lyric's

 You choose who you are, what you represent and who you want to become. 

Bask

It was a hot day today in the winter. 

I sat with the sun shining on my arm.

There was silence and stillness to bask in. 

I watched the pulse in my wrist like a metronome. 

Then I stared at the piano wondering what it sounds like. 

Stryker Game Next Thursday Night

 The Empire Stryker's indoor soccer team has another home game this Thursday night vs. Utica City FC, who typically usually has a solid team. It should be a great game considering the level the Stryker's have been playing at. The overall intensity of the team has increased monumentally this season. I don't know if you're familiar with "runners high" or not but if you are, you understand that when you're running, you go through a period of time where you don't think you can make it through any more strides. Once you push through that point where you thought you couldn't keep going, your body rewards you with the "runner's high". 

This is when you feel as if it's easy (pleasurable really) to keep going and feels completely natural to continue. It seems as though the Stryker team has found their "runners high", so to speak, in the flow of the games. It makes it so fun to watch because of the gorgeous plays that emerge in that state of the game. I hope this level of play continues and the team is consistent with this type of improvement. The fans have been helpful, the entire Toyota Arena is increasingly welcoming, and the Stryker team is pushing past former performance boundaries all around, improving the overall experience. 

The next home game is on February 5th is at the Toyota Arena in Ontario, California at 6:35pm. Parking is $15. For more information, visit theempirestrykers.com. 

Stryker Games this Season

 The Empire Strykers have two upcoming home games. The first home game is on Thursday, January 22nd vs. the San Diego Sockers at 6:35pm (doors open at 5:35) and Sunday, January 25th vs. the Kansas City Comets at 4:05pm (doors open at 3:05). The home games are at the Toyota Arena in Ontario, California. Parking tickets have increased and are now $15 per car. For tickets to the game or more information about the Empire Strykers, visit TheEmpireStrykers.com.