Well, now I know why my front brakes were grinding:
Wow, about 20% of each pad was down to bare metal!
Those Suzuki pads in the above photo that I took off of my '05 bike last night lasted only 2,375 miles. I put on a pair of red EBCs, and I'm hoping they last much longer.
Well anyway, thanks for all the advice and for pointing me in the right direction.
Turns out that I did not need a C-clamp or a vice grip to push the piston back. Just my two thumbs and steady pressure did the trick. (I had removed the top plate of the brake fluid reservoir on the handlebars first.)
I was very nervous about twisting the caliper about, because several of you warned me not to pop the brake line banjo fitting. I didn't pop it, but it was always in the back of my mind.
Also, I was surprised that the anti-brake squeel spray I bought turned out to be very unlike grease. It was actually very sticky.
But it sure does work! No squeeling at all in my morning commute. But then I never really did clamp down on the front brakes, as I'm mindful of the break-in period.
Cheers.
Tammi