Matt Bolch.com

During the Columbus Day break, Marilynn and I took Declan to the David J. Sencer CDC Museum near our house. For those who don't know, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been in Atlanta since shortly after World War II.

In the corporate world, I often got bored with doing the same job day in and day out. That's why an entrepreneur's life is for me. Currently, I'm working on an article about business continuity standards for a technology Web site, a cover story on Medicare Advantage plans for a b2b client, a story on Georgia's NASCAR roots for Georgia Magazine and a profile of a company that makes biomass equipment.

You won't find that type of variety by working for the Man (or the Woman, for that matter).

The College of Mass Communication at my alma mater, Middle Tennessee State University, has selected me to be added to its Wall of Fame. There will be a ceremony in late April. This award honors "successful mass media alumni and supporters," according to the student newspaper.

This caught me totally by surprise. As an independent communications professional, my work often is overlooked except by my editors and clients. What sounds better at awards time, free-lance writer or news editor at CNN?

I'm writing an article for the May issue of Georgia Magazine on buying HVAC systems. Topics will include efficiency ratings, signs that it is time to replace the system, where to conduct research, etc. The article’s main purpose will be to advise readers on how to make their homes more energy-efficient and save money at the same time—from heating and cooling to outdoor living. Geothermal also will be covered. If you have sources, please let me know.

For those looking for the Declan's NASCAR report from the holiday letter, please find it below. The sequence of events and the car numbers are all correct.

Much of this year's company news is of a personal nature but still worth sharing (I hope). In early March, I became primary caregiver and power of attorney for my 93-year-old former neighbor. Ms. Sang, as she was familiarly known, was my next-door neighbor before Marilynn and I got married and moved, and she used to take care of Walker. The whole family helped, taking her to doctor appointments, visiting her in the rehab center and the hospital, dealing with government agencies, utilities, etc.

Kept wondering why I was putting on clothes (socks, shirt) during the night since our bed is warm and cozy. Woke up to discover that the relatively new furnace was on the fritz. Come to find out, the condensation hose that removes water from the furnace had frozen as it exited the house, which was enough to trip the system.

Thankfully I'm on a first-name basis with the service manager at our HVAC provider, and he came out today and fixed it temporarily and promises to return on Wednesday to run a new line that terminates at our sump pump, which is in the basement.

I'm honored to have picked up a new client in the past few weeks, Emory Report. I'm writing for a new blog called Tech-niques, which highlights innovative uses of technology for classroom learning and professional development. It's bi-weekly during the spring and fall semesters.

Check it out: https://blogs.emory.edu/techteach/

Marilynn's in Belfast, Northern Ireland, doing research (tough job!), which leaves me as a single parent this week. I knew how much Marilynn contributed to the general well-being of the household, but I don't think I fully appreciated her contributions until this week. Whew!

Although we work together to keep the household running (relatively) smoothly, I owe her extra special thanks after this week's wake-up call. Everyone's fed and clothed, but I'm counting the days until she returns.

As a free-lance journalist, I'm usually not opinionated on the Web because I never know who might hire me next. And I teach my children never to use the "h" word. However, I'm making an exception on both counts today because of the crappy customer service I've received from AT&T during a 90-minute, transfer-filled, dropped-call, fruitless encounter I had today.