I remember the day like it was yesterday… which is fairly impressive, considering it was actually 17 years ago, to the day in fact. This momentous occasion of which I speak, on March 8th, 2000, was the date I was told by our high school principal that I was, in fact, “officially” the valedictorian of our senior class. 

There are those who need to have every detail of each day planned down to the last minute, with little room for even the slightest compromise or delay. And then there are those individuals who prefer to fly by the seat of their pants; no blueprint, no nothing, open to whatever adventures might beckon.

Several weeks ago, shortly after the passing of my “Pal,” my Grandpa, we discovered what appeared to be a small bird’s nest nestled under the awning in the backyard. Assuming it was just a collection of twigs-in-progress, I gingerly climbed on top of a chair to peek inside, only to find three beautiful blue eggs, clearly from the likes of a robin.

Three customer service calls. Five “live” online chats. No fewer than four individual “incident” numbers to reference. And still, nearly six weeks later, no resolution.

Allow me to back up and fill in the blanks.