On a project such as this book, two requirements are necessary: contemplative seclusion and the basics of life: sleep, food, and something to pat. My dear wife, Ellie, and our furry animals kept me secure, satisfied, and hidden. For that, I am intensely grateful. Ellie deflected potential disturbances, not to mention providing timely sustenance; our goofy golden retriever, Posie, kept my feet warm during the cold Maine winter nights; and Frisbee, our long-haired, reject cat from the Colorado humane society, slept on my papers and accepted my occasional strokes of her fur. To them I dedicate this book.