The really frustrating part was that the iPod worked just fine on a PC. In this thread on Apple's Discussion site, toonz suspected I had a FAT32 recognition issue, and suggested I do an archive reinstall of OS X, and after all the system updates, my Shuffle worked...
...until this evening when I plugged in my Lexar Mercury USB thumbdrive and installed the Secure II vault encryption software. Once again, my Mac refused to acknowledge his iPod relative, and my poor shunned little Shuffle went back to sorrowfully blinking his amber light.
Setting out on a mission as some technology conflict mediator (aka hit man), I searched through the Secure II installation packages. The culprit turned out to be an extension called LexarFilterScheme.kext (but it might go by "Bubba" in some circles). It resides at /System -> Library -> Extensions -> LexarFilterScheme.kext. Thankfully, by deleting (aka whacking) this file, my Pbook and iPod are buddies again. Enemy neutralized, mission accomplished. I don't need an encrypted vault on a thumbdrive anyway ... I just wish I had figured this out before I reinstalled.

