DennisMansfield.com

Watching boys become men, right before my eyes.

2013-06-17T07:33:27-06:00

The Price men - Derek, Byron and Andrew - grew up with my kids - Nate, Meg and Colin.

They grew up together one week at time.

At Campus By Sea.

Catalina Island.

What I mean by that is this: our two families met at this family camp in 1987.

We'd never known each other.

Until we were stuck in the camp's kitchen cleaning cups and dishes.

(Doing this as an "opportunity to serve" - and pretending that we loved it... ha)

We hit it off and didn't have to pretend something wonderful that took root and bloomed: we soon loved each others family as though they were our own.

For in many ways they are.

27 summers ago and almost each summer since.

So recently we stopped by their home in Merced on our way down to Catalina Island and enjoyed time.

And were introduced to another one of the Price men: Jack, age 1 year old.

Though Byron was not with us, we had to take a pic of the "guys".

My oldest son Nate loved Derek; and the love was reciprocated. So much so, that Derek's grief over Nate's death continues to deeply touch him, even as he holds his beautiful baby boy.

Meg and Byron , though miles apart from each other shared the same wedding day and year.

Colin and Andrew are as close as two cousins who live down the lane from one another on the information super highway.

John and his bride, Ellen, love Susan and me, unconditionally.

And years go by.

How sweet. How tender it is to see the Price men grow older and their numbers increase.

As friends and family should.

Even if the intensity of the visits are but once (or twice) a year.

Love has no arms on its clock, I have learned.

Den

Happy Father's Day, Dad.

2013-06-16T07:42:44-06:00

This pic was taken 11 Father's Days ago.

My dad, Bill Mansfield, was a great man to me and a good friend to my family. My boys loved him as much as I did.

He passed away last summer and left a palpable legacy that beats with a military rhythm in all of his progeny.

Den

"Louie Louie" - 50 years later. (The FBI's original file on it.)

2013-06-15T18:07:04-06:00

Smut?

Obscenity?

Or just a song?

Fifty years ago, The Kingsmen recorded a little record that made huge waves in our culture.

The lyrics were fuzzy, but seemed to say something...

Or did they?

Here is the FBI's report on the song.

And here's a slice of an interview on the subject:

"Singing along to “Louie Louie” continues to be a major challenge for any cover band, due in large part to Jack Ely’s slurred performance.

The vocalist has explained that he was yelling to be heard over other instruments in the recording session, and also that he was wearing braces at the time, which contributed to his infamously incomprehensible delivery. But when the record was banned by the governor of Indiana on accusations of obscenity, the continued popularity of the song and the band was guaranteed."

Braces? What 17 year-old garage band singer in 1963 wore braces?! Probably ALL of them! Ha, sounds pretty smutty to me.

Here are the lyrics. You be the judge - half a century later.

Louie, Louie,
me gotta go.
Louie, Louie,
me gotta go.

A fine little girl, she wait for me;
me catch a ship across the sea.
I sailed the ship all alone;
I never think I’ll make it home

Three nights and days we sailed the sea;
me think of girl constantly.
On the ship, I dream she there;
I smell the rose, in her hair.

Me see Jamaica moon above;
It won’t be long me see me love.
Me take her in my arms and then
I tell her I never leave again.

Jackie Chan: "I just lay there and pretend to cry" - The day Bruce Lee took him down.

2013-06-15T15:57:56-06:00

If you're anything like me, you probably enjoy hearing stories of famous people when they were not-yet-famous who LOVED meeting REALLY famous people.

Too many "famouses"? Probably.

Just watch this and you'll get it.

Den

Yeah, I spent a few minutes and learned Russian. Not a big deal.....

2013-06-15T15:20:26-06:00

People make out learning a foreign language to be a big deal.

German, Russian, whatever....

So, I spent a few minutes today mastering Russian and came up with a REALLY clever post.

I hope you enjoy it.

Den (or Логово as I so often like to be called.)

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BYU + БГУ = Кто ты?

Кто эти парни?

Я чувствую, что нам нужна фоновая музыка сюда из The Who.

БГУ и BYU играли сегодня вечером.

Какая ужасная игра. Какая ужасная Kicker цель Поле. Какая ужасная QB БГУ ....

Университет штата Айдахо бить Brigham Young University но то, что неаккуратно, глупые игры.

БГУ Защитник Саутвика было ужасно, снова. Я нашел себя просить мой внутренний тренер: «Что я буду делать с этим молодым человеком"?

Тренер BYU в дернул QB.

БГУ тренера Пита, вероятно, должен был последовать их примеру. Саутвика видимо по хорошему, чтобы гарантировать, что он был выбран на эту должность.

Теперь он должен играть так, как он практиковал ...

Является QB Саутвика лучший тренер Пит?

Смотря преступление БГУ в рамках нынешней QB (и даже Kicker Field Goal) является неудобная вещь для просмотра. Я просто чувствую себя неуверенно.

Реакция сегодня тренера Пита было нехарактерно для его нормальной, контролируемой взгляд. Может быть, это должно было быть. Он честный человек.

Как он неоднократно покачал головой, удивляясь, что в мире эта молодая команда делает, он был не одинок: в ста тысяч болельщиков присоединился к нему.

Счет стал 7-6.

Aritmatic больше походила BYU + БГУ = Кто ты?

Конечно БГУ лучше, чем это.

Логово

The arrogance of rich "Republican" donors: a disconnect of huge proportions.

2013-06-09T10:39:53-06:00

America is a land of donors.

How great it is that we are able to give to causes, charities and political candidates.

At times, many cause-centered donors give with strings attached.

In politics, political donors always give with strings attached: they want the recipient of the funds to be reflective of their political perspective.

HUGE political donors of both parties give and seem to DEMAND that their recipients mirror their mind-thoughts.

Recently, an exclusive conclave was hosted by Mitt Romney in Park City, UT.

The LA Times put it this way:

"Susan Crown, a 2008 supporter of President Obama who became a key fundraiser for Romney, said that "the extremists — the 2% on either end — were the squeaky wheels that dictated the conversation."

The party, she said, "really has to reconcile its fundamental principle, of government staying out of the people's lives, with its recent history."

The views expressed by many donors in interviews this week about the direction the party should take stood in stark contrast to the current concerns of the 168 members of the Republican National Committee, who determine the party platform and its rules."

Stark contrast, indeed.

The national GOP stands perched on a precipice; the rich Republicans believe it to be a launching post for flying high into the future.

I'm not so inclined to think that.

I think it may well turn out to be a post from which the party may plummet, if it listens to the mega-rich donor base and follows them.

See, most rank and file Republicans believe in their party's platform. Traditional marriage, pro-life, low taxes, strong military.

They REALLY believe these things.

Most "moms and dads" in GOP county-level activities firmly support the platform. If they didn't, they wouldn't volunteer monthly as precinct committee members. I'm one of those, for my own local GOP county committee.

National GOP rich Republican donors? I'm guessin' not....

So, they hire Obama's '08 supporter to help with Romney's unsuccessful '12 race, to then have her help give advice to the party for '14. Does this make sense?

Well, not "common sense", as the word is traditionally used.

Wealthy people in politics think differently than the rest of the folks who are involved, only by the way they want to change it with their money. They think they have more power because they have more money.In essence, they "want another pony"...

For example, "The conversations last year about deporting more than 11 million illegal immigrants were harmful to Republican efforts, said Andrew Puzder, the California-based chief executive of CKE Restaurants Inc (Carl's Jr.) He noted that mass deportation would require an enormous expansion of government, which to him seemed antithetical to Republican views. "We're losing for a policy that we couldn't even implement," Puzder said in an interview in Park City."

So, let me get this straight: our political philosophies should be utilitarian - we should support issues of today that we can solve in one political presidential election cycle? Kind of like fast food? Hmm. Pulling up to the drive-through window on election day and receiving our fresh, hot helping of... what?

Look, I honor those who have made great wealth in this nation. Their wealth allows them to start new companies and hire new employees and give dreams to others to start new companies.

And hear me here: just because a person is wealthy does not give them more credence to help guide public policy for the nation.

Just as we cannot be governed by a spirit of poverty, we must not be guided by a spirit of wealthy arrogance. Regular work-a-day people are repulsed by both attitudes.

And the GOP mega-donors better beware.

My guess is that the majority of the 168 National Committee members will stand fast on principle at the edge of the precipice I earlier described.

And the arrogant-rich?

They may well want to fly off to a "more inclusive" destination: The Democratic Party.

Den

A marvelous night - Friends, Clearwater Canyon and Sip Northwest Magazine.

2013-06-08T23:14:19-06:00

Ever have a night that sparkled?

A night where life's "presentation" is beautiful and marvelous?

Tonight, our friends Julie and Tony took us to dinner at The Red Feather, located in the historic downtown area of Boise, ID and just such a night unfolded.

The conversation was wonderful, the dinner was superb, the friendship was beyond what we could hope for. Julie and Tony are more like family and we love them for it.

Then, a stranger walked in.

She sat next to us.

With a box.

And Tony asked her, "what's behind the cardboard?"

Turns out "she" was Coco Umiker and "what" was a collection of 10 wines - each in their own bottle. Coco and her husband Karl are vintners from Lewiston, ID (Clearwater Canyon Cellars) and she was in the capitol city to meet a reviewer.

Shortly after that came the reviewer, Kristin Ackerman, Publisher of Sip Northwest Magazine.

And then began an even more wonderful night!

The six of us talked; the four of us asking questions about the magazine and the winery - about their lives. Getting to know them. Hearing their stories and seeing Coco open some bottles for Kristin to test by taste and smell.

Wine, a wine maker and wine reviewer - all pleasantly next to us.

As someone who both grew up for some key childhood years in Europe near the wineries of France and Germany AND someone who has poured many of his adult years into sobriety for addicts, it may seem strange that I would post something like this on my blog.

Think differently.

Coco and Karl, Kristin and the four of us would want nothing better for those struggling with addiction than to remain clean and sober.

On that we all agree.

New friends are wonderful to make. Tonight we met new friends.

To those for whom the joy of vineyards enhance life, what a terrific pair of caring business owners we met on this sparkling night.

How funny.

Even my own church is called "Vineyard Boise"....

Den

Boise (1863 to 2013) 150 years of beautiful confusion: "University of Iowa, Idaho City, Ohio".

2013-06-08T13:51:29-06:00

Boise.

People either pronounce it "Boy-zee" (if they are not locals) or "Boy-cee" (if they are).

At one time the world heard the name regularly because of an international firm named Boise Cascade.

Then, the company changed.

But up popped a college football program that turned the city's name simply into initials: BSU (along with its blue football field).

For 150 years the community of Boise, Idaho, Iowa, Ohio....whatever (people can't seem to remember the state's name - ha), has been like an unknown jewel in the Pacific Northwest.

Or better yet, a beautifully confusing jewel...

As Jim Tucker recently posted: "I had a great time on a visit to Iowa for an Ohio State football game in 1983. One t-shirt I remember, University of Iowa, Idaho City, Ohio."

You get the idea...

Having lived in Boise just at 22 years, I think I understand.

The confusion actually helps us, possibly.

It keeps Boise, Idaho off the beaten path (Except for recent football seasons, it seems.)

There is a way of life here that compels people to civility.

Strangers still greet one another with tips of the hat and "good afternoons" as they stroll along the Greenbelt amid the many parks.

Citizens still attend outdoor events and are civil.

Culture comes and visits - plays, musicals and international visitors.

The Boise Airport introduces Sun Valley skiers to the capital city's beauty.

The city parks of Boise reflect the appealing nature of the city. (Below is my son Colin's Boy Scout Eagle Project from a few years back - it's still being used, I understand.)

Boise: 150 years old and new every morning.

Ahh, yes...

Beautiful Boise, Idaho.

Den

35 years ago today, June 7th, West Point's Class of '78 joined the Long Gray Line

2013-06-07T09:25:24-06:00

This came to me from a West Point classmate of mine, David Rich. Though I served only two years at West Point and I was already graduated from a civilian university by this date, June 7th, 1978 holds a very special memory to all of us who remain members of this class.

For those who entered with me on July 8th, 1974, for all the '78 ex-cadets who left West Point prior to graduation, to all those men who served during the transition from an all male military academy to a male/female one, to those members of the Class of 1977 who joined us and to all who graduated on June 7th, 1978, America thanks you for your service.

Dennis Mansfield, 1st Class President

Company E2, United States Corps of Cadets

USMA, West Point

Thirty-five years ago this morning......

.....981 members of the Class of 1978, Proud & Great, listened as Chief of Staff of the Army, General Bernard Rogers, delivered our commencement address, marched across the stage – the first class to receive diplomas in alphabetical order instead of academic order of merit -- and joined the storied ranks of the Long Gray Line.

It is a significant day for the class, or memories and dear brothers gone across the river, a day of glimmering youth remembered, or service celebrated, of renewal and rededication to our oath to protect and defend the hallowed precepts of our Constitution and not governments, men, or ideologies

Please join me today in lifting a glass to the Class of 1978.....to the Corps of Cadets.....to the US Army.....and to our beloved United States

David Rich, Class of 1978

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Thank you to all my classmates who served.

Den

Come be with "Chicken Soup for the Soul" co-Author Mark Victor Hansen in Boise June 20th (and 21st).

2013-06-06T14:21:56-06:00

As a writer and a business coach, there are few people in the world like Mark Victor Hansen.

His book series "Chicken Soup for the Soul" has sold over 500 million copies.

I'm honored to have Mark come to Boise and speak to a limited group of business owners and entrepreneurs - men and women who need encouragement during these difficult times.

Mark and I are together coaching some great business folks in Idaho and felt that this free event might be a blessing to others who need help. Jim Stephens, owner of Sandler Training is opening up his gorgeous facility for us.

Recently, Mark and his wife Crystal read my book, Beautiful Nate, and have come alongside my coaching in a big way. This is our way to give back to the community.

Please come on June 20th and join Mark Victor Hansen & Jim Stephens, Sandler Training Guru. Call number below to RSVP. There is limited seating and once that is filled, we'll broadcast the presentation over the Internet.

All can be a part of this, though seating at the June 20th event is limited.

Mark and I will ALSO be having a second meeting at 7pm on June 21st for others interested in being coached by us. You can sign up June 20th, if you wish. One meeting doesn't commit you to the other meeting. Space is limited for the second meeting, too.

It's just our way to say "keep your chin up" during these tough times...maybe even sip on a little chicken soup for the soul?

Yep, that works.

Den