I haven’t had a lot of reason to write a ‘life update’ post on in a long while. Going back through my archives, it looks like I never did when I moved jobs in 2020. But with other posts that are starting to roll around in my head, I figured a post about life was due.
The previous six school years, I’d been teaching 5-12 band in a small public school. Prior to that, two years that were a combination of 5-8 Band, 7-8 General Music, and a mix of other responsibilities in a private school. All of those were in Iowa.
In the summer of 2025, at a retreat for LCMS singles, I met an incredible woman, with whom I found a lot in common. Her story (and her family’s story) was incredible1. They were a very active, high quality family band. And she also had a unique level of interest in technology for a musician as a web designer and all-around nerd2. We hit it off very quickly. And once I got to understand her family’s music ministry, I had a lot to consider. Before the 25-26 school year had even started, I’d begun looking at a Wisconsin teaching license.
I gave notice back in Iowa rather early, and committed to the move long before I had a job up in Wisconsin. I was also looking in Minnesota, but in early August accepted a position in Wisconsin where I was primarily doing elementary general music and splitting my time doing a chunk of the beginning band classes3.
For the first time in my professional life, I’m not dealing with the logistics of running a band program. For the first time, I have others to bounce ideas off of and borrow ideas from that I’m working directly alongside, in the same building. While I’m still teaching band, I feel like I’m ‘out’ of the band room.
And for the first time, I have a lot beyond my professional life going on for me. Before November is out, there’ll be a Mrs. Ehler.
All of this changes what my technology needs are, and what problems I’m trying to solve. I’m doing a lot less with notation software, while still a fan of it. I have a lot less structured office time to work on problem-solving. I won’t have the same concerns with contest regulations or documenting technology systems at work. I dffrent setup of technology around me at work, though.
This blog isn’t so much for personal things, but it’s worth getting to share this context for what I’ll be writing about soon.
- It is incredible. They are a very active, high quality family band. I really struggled with tense in this… ↩
- She designed their website and many others. She’s kept her own portfolio site/blog offline for awhile now, so I can’t link to that. ↩
- I’m accustomed to the format of beginning band meeting as a whole band with lessons; at our district, it’s classes that have just specific instruments together. ↩
