Song Insight: “Spiritual Honeymoon”

Composer: Greg Hintermeister, ©2000
Arranged: Greg Hintermeister
Performed by: Greg Hintermeister
Recorded: 2005 in Hint of Light Studios
Emotions: Sad, longing, regret, faint hope

Listen:
Other song insights

Background: 
I love my wife. A lot. It’s a fact that she adds the sparkle to most things in my life. What we share is a deep and profound love I hope to capture in a song someday. We will have been married 17 years this fall.

However, back in 2000 we had a bit of a rough patch. Nothing big. Nothing external. Just a period of feeling blue when we didn’t connect very well. Too busy, too distracted, and a bit too much arguing.

One night we had some friends over and we they asked where we had our honeymoon…so we ended up showing them photos. That really made me blue.  It had only been 7 years earlier but we were already looking and feeling older; the pressures of life were taking their toll (at least on me).

I got to thinking: Wouldn’t it be great to go back to the way things were on that honeymoon?

Young. Crazy in love. Completely care-free. No mortgage. No kids. No stressful job. No commitments.

Just us.


Just me and my beautiful wife, in a beautiful location, with nothing on the agenda but beach, love, food…and mini-golf.


To go back to a place, a time, a spiritual anchor-point where we could just be with each other. A sense of clarity where looking deep into her eyes, watching her every breath, and exploring the world with her was what I was meant for.

From that brief glimpse back into our first weeks of marriage, this song emerged.

A few years later in 2005 we ended up playing this song live at our church during a week focusing on relationships. In a way our rough patch, and this song, provided healing not only to our marriage but possibly to other relationships as well. Crazy how God works to provide good out of the not good.

Today, nearly 17 years later, I am grateful that our marriage is stronger than ever. We’ve learned that it’s a lot of constant work…and worth every effort. My wife has become even more beautiful, patient, adventurous, lovely, chef-like (a very important characteristic in a beautiful marriage) and Godly. Me? I hope I’ve become better, too. All I can say is that I look forward to every chance we can spent together…from travel to NYC (to see each season), to Paris, Florida, or even 40 minutes taxiing our four kids around town…

…as long as we’re together…

…everything sparkles.

Technical Specifics: Recording Unit: Cakewalk MIDI software, Soundscape DAW
Drums: Alesis DM-Pro
Guitar: Paul Reed Smith Hollowbody II – 1 lead track (clean and solo), 3 rhythm tracks 
Guitar Effects: Line 6 Pod Pro
Bass: Keyboards (Roland RD-500)
Keys: Piano Roland RD-500)

Lyrics ©2000 Greg Hintermeister
Verse 1:
Here we are - in the aftermath
of the 115^th argument we’ve had
You said your bit I said mine
now we’re spiraling down another emotional pit

Bridge:
Remember when - we were young
All we had were hopes and dreams for two
I loved you “Happily Ever After” was coming true

Verse 2:
Now we sit - in the afterglow 
of passion so strong it burned within my eye 
Now we lie 
Next to each other wondering where did it go?

Bridge:
Remember when - we would kiss 
The earth would shake and stars fall to the sea 
You loved me I held you close enough to feel you breathe

Chorus:
Lets go back to the way we were 
a love so strong I’d need a rendezvous…with you 
What we need is a spiritual honeymoon

Verse 3:
Here’s our chance - no more afterthought 
Tonight we make a vow to start again 
no more you….versus me 
We’ve got to stop this fighting and agree

Bridge:
Remember when - we would pray 
We’d hold hands and fall down to our knees 
We believed Nothing could come between us…how naive

Chorus:
Lets go back to the way we were 
a love so strong I’d need a rendezvous…with you 
All we need is a spiritual honeymoon

Solo

Coda:
We’re still here in the afterwards 
Struggling to find reason to go on 
Our eyes meet….the spark is gone 
How do we decide….to stay or move on

How I Cope at Work

I’m a dork. I know. You know. But I didn’t know if you know I know. (Ya. I know).

Over the years, work has certainly had its ups and downs. Through it all I’ve developed a unique way to cope during peaks and valleys.

Some people read, some people run, some people golf or fish.

Me? What do I do to cope?

I write Haiku. English Haiku to be precise.

Yep. Somewhere in the deep recesses of my robot innards, there’s a satisfaction about funneling all my thoughts and feelings about a stressful work situation into that deceptively complex 5-7-5 syllable rhythm. Not much space to say much, but at the same time, much can be said.

Here are some excerpts from over the years…

…like when my job is going really well…

I love my job now I invent things all day long Time to change the world

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

…like when our product really shines…

Look at the Blue Clouds What makes them look so perfect? Our team, our designs!

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But sometimes things don’t go well at work, and the Haiku gets a little more sarcastic…

…like when our product goes out and the marketing is so over-the-top that only super-human software could meet expectations…

Our product blooms high What made the product succeed? Much fertilizer

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

…like when those who view status and schedules as more important than the user experience we release…

Project manager the death of all that is good smell the rotting flesh

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

…like when a customer review goes bad…

Smell the aroma Even the dogs run away my UI design

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And sometimes they turn personal…they try to bite at work, but turn around and reveal true emotion…

…like when it’s really overwhelming…

Status reports suck I want to burn them with fire but I drown instead

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

…like when they reflect my perceived performance compared to others…

Kickball team chosen The best players run and play I sit on sideline

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…like when they are an honest reflection of how my work values me compared to how I value myself…

I bring great value Users feel joy and peace here Me? Lost. Without hope

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And sometimes they make me cringe at the truth they shout…

…like how work adventures affects my family…

Exotic travel Feeds my exploration bug Hear my kids cry "bye"

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Finally, sometimes a thoughtful Haiku just doesn’t dig into the emotions that burn through a tough project when daily status meetings are occurring…

…so what else can be done…

…but parody a Christmas tune…of course…

…to the tune of “Twelve Days of Christmas”…

On the thirteenth day in Status Hell the devil* gave to me... ...thirteen bitter arguments ...twelve performance lectures ...eleven stop-ship defects ...ten hours of debug ...nine scrums a scrumming ...eight design rejections ...seven screams of agony ...six dropped enhancements ...FIVE PROJECT MANAGERS! ...four status charts ...three broken green threads ...two design debates ...and a product that still doesn’t work * editors note: Apologies to the devil. I am implying project managers because they run Status Hell, but ‘project manager’ just didn’t fit the rhythm of the song. I mean the devil is mean, but not THAT mean.

Song Insight: “The Rock”

Composer: Michael O'Shields
Arranged: Greg Hintermeister
Performed by: Greg Hintermeister
Recorded: 1986 in my home studio
Emotions: Rockin! Fun, Excitement, Thrilling, Future awaits!

Listen: Other song insights

Background:
While I didn’t compose this song, it’s the first song I arranged and recorded that I felt I had at least a shred of talent at this whole playing, arranging, performing and recording thing. While the sonic quality isn’t the best (the only master I now have is from a cassette) It still has the energy and passion I hoped for.

It was the song that impressed my youth group leader, Chuck who helped get my confidence up for future songs. I remember that a lot of our worship songs from our youth group could sound great if rocked up many notches. This one was pretty schmaltzy in its original form “I Will Call Upon The Lord”. It was time to see what my Charvel could do!

Notice no vocals?

Notice no lead melody in the verses?

I had full intentions of singing this and even recorded some vocal tracks but really didn’t like how it sounded. My voice was just too weak for the power this song needed.

Here is a couple shots from ‘back in the day’ playing this song live. I think we must have sung the lyrics live because the wife (then girlfriend) could (and can) really belt it out.
 

I recorded this on my cassette 4-track in my home studio in my parents basement. I had quite a detailed process of mapping out songs measure by measure, instrument by instrument before I even hit the record button. It was quite a matrix! I learned that process from 2 years of Electronic Music class in high school.

I can’t remember exactly how many tracks but I had quite a few and bounced the tracks several times in order to get all of them on 4 tracks.

Technical Specifics:
Recording Unit: Yamaha MT1X cassette 4-track
Drums: Oberheim DMX
Guitar: Charvel - at least 2 lead tracks, 1 rhythm track
Guitar Effects: Digitech GSP21 Pro
Bass: Keyboards
Keys: Yamaha DX-100, Oberheim Matrix 6

Lyrics (If I had sung them at the time): 
VERSE:
I will call upon the Lord
Who is worthy to be praised
So shall I be saved from my enemies
CHORUS:
The Lord liveth, and blessed be the rock
And let the God of my salvation be exalted
The Lord liveth, and blessed be the rock
And let the God of my salvation be exalted

Song Insights

I had dreams of being a rock star. No, not dreams…full fledged plans. I wrote, recorded, gigged songs that I wrote with a business plan to '”make it” as a songwriter.
…I sent demo cassettes (I know…I’m old) to record companies
…I got rejection letters
…I started to gig around
…I toured the world with Up With People, assuming that would catapult me into the music industry
20 years later I’ve arrived at a much different destination. I’ve been quite blessed in my life but I’ve discovered I still need to write songs and share them (thanks Jewel). Whether from my old archives, from my rock star days, from the recent past, or new and fresh, I need to share these songs in hopes that they might impact you as much as they, and the events that inspired them, impacted me.

Songs by a Robot

Sunset Chairs

A moment of clarity, and 13 months of crafting lyrics, and a rockin' finish to a song based on a favorite blog post.

Composed in 2011, finished in 2012. Recorded in 2012

Gonna Get High
It all started with an inside joke about my new guitar. It ended with a surprisingly uplifting and passionate song.
Composed and recorded in 2011

Pocket Man

About a boy who loves life, explores with all his senses, and tries to capture all that this beautiful world has to offer...and crams it ALL into his pockets.

Composed 2007, 2011. Recorded in 2011

Hello, Happy!
Sometimes I’m happy. Really happy.
Composed and Recorded in 2007.

Everything’s Gold 
What’s your top priority in life?
Composed in 1999. Recorded in 2011

Be to Me
The yearning of a son longing to have his dad’s attention. Fictional story :-)  
Composed in 2000. Recorded in 2010. 

Alice Wonders
Sometimes, in order to take a BIG BITE out of life, you need the right soundtrack for life.
Composed and Recorded in 2002.

No Uncertainty
”Dedicated to all the ladies out there…”.
Composed in 1992, 2010. Recorded in 2010.

Spiritual Honeymoon Looking back and longing for what was.
Composed 2000. Recorded 2005.

Christmas Morn

I've received some amazing gifts on Christmas morn.

Composed and Recorded in 1995

The Rock
The first song that hinted at some skills.
Recorded in 1986.

…more to come…

2010-06-02 Jewel

06-02-2010: Jewel 
Where: The O’Shaughnessy, St. Paul MN
Went with: Myself, Wife
Times: 4th

The first thing I noticed was the beautiful blonde body…then the flower-laced neck…then the delicate curves decorated with elegant gems.

…and then Jewel walked out on stage.

Boy, I could have stared at those guitars all night:

But then I would have forgotten how great Jewel plays those guitars. The cutaway (left) was standard tuning with a capo for most of her songs. The right one was in open G tuning and her alternate tuning guitar…open G and some crazy ones using a partial capo. Rich and lush tones. Since it was an acoustic concert it was a special treat to hear those great guitars with that great voice.

Oh, I also loved the lighting she had on stage…

Top concert memory? Her new songs.

What blew me away? The songs were so good that they were quite moving after the first listen. Especially the song “10”. (counting to 10 after a fight)

Another? When she couldn’t think of how a song went because it was one of the 500 she’s written…so she looks at her cheat book (a gift from her fans)…and another time when the song was so new she’d never played it before.

Yet another? Her story of “Hands”. She was in a dark place at 18, shoplifted, then looked at her hands holding a dress she wanted…and  realized you can tell a person by what they do with their hands…she wanted to make music and tell stories. Years later, she returned from camping… Sept 12…2001… and heard her song “Hands” being dedicated to the country…because it was in a dark place too…

Top memory of the night? Experiencing Jewel with my wife. Everything sparkles more when my wife is nearby.


Here is a movie of some other great memories:

Final thought:
I think it’s time for me to write more songs. Record them and move on. Maybe the songs I’ve already written but not recorded are clogging the creative pipe (I've got a stack of 8 songs complete with charts in my studio...just never recorded). If Jewel is 36 and has over 500 songs, I’m sure some are duds but many are wonderful.

I’ve got dozens of songs, but the last new one was years ago…and several have never been recorded.

It’s time to change that.

It’s time to have my hands show what I’m all about.

My Blue Tombstone

I’ve been feeling pretty blue lately, and when our Wednesday night church leader asked the following question, it really took me for a spin:

“What would your loved ones write on your tombstone if they could only could use one word?”

It was in a “5 Love Languages” class and the goal was to help identify what love language I used. If I could identify my kids/wife’s love language, I could use that and then maybe they’d write “He served” or “He listened” or “He cared”. It didn’t work. I Immediately went through the list of what would most likely end up etched in stone:

“He wasted”
I used to compose songs, record them, perform them, and communicate passionately to impact lives around me. I built a recording studio with the assumption I would be very active creating music. None of that has happened. I haven’t composed a song nor recorded my own music in years. What a waste.

“He wanted”
All the toys. The best. The shiniest. Oh sometimes I wander between guitars, keyboards, computers, gadgets, sound equipment, even a car or two depending on my mood, but I obsess about them, and get blue when reality takes the $$$ away I’ve saved for it.

“He stared”
How many times have my kids tried to interrupt me from staring at and caressing my iPhone? This addicting Internet toy improves the life of my loved ones how? But my how it fills the time between sleeps.

“He worked”
Big deal. So I made IBM some money. I've seen many co-workers come and go and within a month there’s no trace of them being there and in a couple years there’s no trace that their work ever existed. I also imagine my kids crying out “That’s not TRUE!”, then running up and sketching “…too much” in permanent marker. “There. Now it’s true”. Thanks.

“He didn't”
So many things I don’t take the time to do that really matter. But I don’t even know where to find the ‘what matters’ list. I guess I’ll just keep watching American Idol. At least I can check that off as something I did.

“He yelled”
At my kids, at my wife, at myself. Not all the time, just enough to keep the guilt flowing. I think I get control of my rage and then one of them will challenge me or interrupt me or make a could-be-cleaned-up-in-30-seconds mess that takes me to that place satan loves to meet me and have a double-shot-yell-for-nothing-and-leave-scars-on-the-heart-of-a-six-year-old latte. Mmmm. Yummy.

“He raised”
4 kids. Does that count? Even dogs have more offspring. Did I impact them? Sure, but did I do more damage than good? Was the investment worth it? Did I invest enough? Ask my youngest. My heart aches at how he tries to please me and I too quickly tell him to stop doing something that’s totally benign…like making mud soup outside. as Brian Regan confirmed, I care more about how my concrete driveway looks than the joy in my child’s heart.

“He loved”
Maybe, but not very well. I find people more irritating than worth while. I’m more of a stay-close-if-useful-to-me relational human than really interested in them.

“He believed”
Ya, but did I need 41 years to do something I started at 7? Especially when a successful believer would have a long wake of saved friends. Me? I just don’t get close enough to know if they need a savior, or frankly to care.

“He left”
The one sure thing I can count on. At some point I’ll have a real tombstone and leave someone behind. They’ll probably feel sad. Is that the one accomplishment I can count on? Awesome.

So, are you prepared if someone asks, “What would your loved ones write on your tombstone if they could only could use one word?”

Hard Core Impact on a Robot

“Hello. My name is Greg. I’ve been a youth group survivor for 23 years”.

That’s how I imagine some remember their church youth group experience growing up. Not me. My high school youth group became such a core part of my existence that its effects are still strong in my life. Pretty apropos that it was called “Hard Core”. Even more, the leader, Chuck, took the helm, guided this young sailor through the rocky shoals that could have wrecked me early on. I now reflect on how I started sailing this sea of life with a great captain to guide me.

This is really for all youth leaders that wonder. “What does it matter if I show up tonight to lead these kids in worship and other youth group mayhem? It’s not like they care.”  Trust me. It matters. We care. Show up…please.

Hard Core Effects on the Life of Greg:

I met my wife there!   Hard Core had coffee houses and I had just joined a band with my friends Eric and Pete. I didn’t know anyone else at the time, but I played at one and met Karyn. If memory serves, it was the classic “I saw her in the crowd dancing to our songs…it was love at first site”. Not many people know that when I was 16 I prayed that I would meet my wife early so I wouldn’t have to do the “dating” thing. I remember deep talks about relationships, intimacy, self-control, all of which were instrumental in “waiting” for the wedding.

Hardcore gave me confidence that I could actually play music and rock for Jesus.

I remember sitting with Chuck in my dad’s ‘84 Toyota Camry and listening to “The Rock” (click to listen now) that I recorded in my little studio to a cassette. He was very supportive. Now music is a core part of my life. I’ve toured the world playing music, performed throughout Rochester, composed many songs and full soundtracks, built a recording studio serving startup bands and players, and am currently serving in my church, leading a Sunday band and the student band.

I finally rid myself of my obsession with Prince. Since 8^th grade I bought everything having to do with Prince and it shaped my thoughts and actions. Hard Core gave me the guts to literally burn it during a cold Hard Core night. I still remember the pain when Karyn tore the Purple Rain album sleeve in ½, but now I think of how liberated I was after that. It let Christian music in so I could be more open to Jesus. It was a HUGE thing and helped me in my journey.

I’ve got 4 kids now!!! Not that having kids was the focus of Hard Core but adult male role-models on how to treat women was. Chuck treated his wife well in front of all of us students and his little one that put some seeds of wisdom in my brain.

I learned the value of quiet time. We went to some farm with a really old piano. It was winter. We were told to walk by ourselves and reflect. It was almost like we were in training, never just on a “youth trip”. Trips like that were always great fun, but a sense of urgency or importance or something made it clear we shouldn’t fool around with this Jesus thing…that we should get with it and never look back.

During Hard Core I experienced times of worship so intense! If I would have known how rare that would be through my life, I would have savored it even more. We learned that students shouldn’t be toyed with when it comes to worship and Jesus. We were so ON FIRE! I still remember feeling it was like the early church. We all went to school together, played after school together, went to church together, small group together, we went out on weekends together…and we were all believers so it was one of the safest environments to grow up and mature in. We weren’t toyed with. We were told one night, “he comes like a thief in the night, to steal, kill, and destroy” and if we didn’t help each other and become strong believers, we’d be in big trouble. This was all an experience I’ll never forget.

I Remember being given a “Sailing” painting by Chuck before they moved. I still have it. It reminds me of the impact he had on me and the impact I can have on students now. The following movie is the song Chuck wrote inspired by that painting and other photos from Hard Core.