I've been up for 15 hours, yet in a 10-minute span this afternoon, I went through a full range of emotions: exhaustion, happiness, anxiety, fear, thankfulness and jubilation.

The drama began when I pulled into my parking space, turned off the ignition, popped the trunk, opened the door, locked the doors, got out of the car and walked to the trunk -- only to have the wind, ever so gently, push the door closed, locking my purse inside. As I looked toward the building, wondering whose door I could knock on to call the police or the AAA to tell my pathetic story to, I felt just plain dumb. Who leaves their purse in a car when going to get something from the trunk? (Well, me.)

I was gathering my belongings from the trunk when I remembered that the back seat folded down completely, so that long, large things could be accommodated. So, I did what any person in my situation would have: I climbed into the trunk and pushed on the panel in the back. As it fell, I saw the locked doors. I crawled toward it and unlocked it. Then, I went in reverse out of the trunk, walked to the door and opened it. I then reached over to open the front door, retrieved my purse, relocked the doors and went on my way to the mailbox, feeling like a genius.

Then, as if to reward me for my skill, I found a package from my friend of the 30th anniversary edition of Billy Joel's "The Stranger," with a bonus CD of a 1977 concert at Carnegie Hall and a DVD of the 1978 "The Old Grey Whistle Test" episode, which was only aired once on BBC. I was so excited! I've already watched one DVD feature, which details the making of the album, including 2008 interviews with Billy Joel and producer Phil Ramone. I am saving "The Old Grey Whistle Test" for tomorrow night.