ABSTRACT
Considering the tremendous honor that is represented by having a book such as this dedicated to oneself, it seems the height of self-indulgence to then use this as an occasion for telling my own story. Nonetheless, I have chosen to engage in that indulgence because I could think of no better way to thank the editors and contributors to this volume (and the many others who have influenced my life along the way) than to let them see how significantly they have played a part in that story.
