Jeff Templin

You might want to read my school "story" (below) first before continuing here, as it will put this into better context.

It's sobering to enter the decade of your life that statistics say you are most likely to die. U.S. males (currently) at 73.7 years of age. If I didn't know better, I'd say that death is an existential threat. (smirk) Oh well, we all deal with it in our own way. I don't know the old face I see in the mirror every day. I am happy to report that my health is good. I go regularly to Planet Fitness to work out and my quality of life is good. (Fingers crossed.)

This may seem like there's no segue but it's relevant:
Everything Must Change https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxHMvl2s5A8

I look back at my life and see it as several different books, as opposed to just one book with different chapters. Maybe some of you can relate.

When things "went south" with the school district I also divorced my second wife (Chris). We had one child together. Two major "life events" had occurred in my life in relatively short order.

In 2001, I would spend the next 8.5 years packing chips into boxes (on third shift) at Frito-Lay for a living and worked a few other odd jobs part-time (for a while) so I could make my child support payments. It was a humbling and enlightening experience.

In 2009 I met my next (current and last) wife, Robin, (both of us using an online dating service.) We hit it off, but she lived in Wichita. She invited me to leave Frito and move in with her in Wichita. I asked her to marry me, she agreed. That was 2010. I moved to Wichita. It was the best decision I ever made.

I did some community theatre in Wichita for a couple of years but by then I was too old for most parts in musicals, and no one knew me from Adam here in Wichita. My solo voice was faltering, and I quit singing and acting. Lines in shows had become harder and harder to memorize.

I did run the spotlight at Roxy's Downtown (a well-known dinner theatre) for a few years. Now I have no paid jobs.

I took up photography as my main hobby which I still enjoy immensely. I love to photograph birds. That's something new for this "old dog." I think my photographic skills have improved a great deal in the last ten years. I love processing my photos on my PC and I share them at the website Flickr I listed above where it says "homepage." I just started sharing here and I will share my best photos. I would invite you to view my photography there.

I currently live in an older section of Wichita called "Riverside," about 50 yards from the Little Arkansas river. My wife is retired too. She is three years younger than me. We have a comfortable life we share with an old part Jack Russell terrier and Schnauzer. A wonderful combo of the two characteristics of those breeds. He is SO very loved.

THS's theatre and music departments were the best in town, and I had great experiences, opportunities and training there.

I have (had) a bachelor's degree in music education.

I taught 27 yrs in USD 501, before a principal (in 1998) at TWHS basically ended my career when he decided he wanted someone else in my job as choral director. I had no warning. As 501 district rules don't require a principal to explain (justify) why they transfer a teacher I was never told the reason. It was the kiss of death to my teaching career.

I didn't want to go back to teaching elem. music again my only option with USD 501. No other district would hire me because my former h.s. principal would sabotage any interviews I had with other districts, including those as far away as the KC area.

I was unhappy, emotionally depressed and left the school district. My teaching career was over at the turn of the century. I had no further schooling, never moving beyond my music education degree.