I just unloaded a load of boxes full of books and I knew EXACTLY which box to open for each book I wanted

How did I do it, and why has this post got such a long title? Read on for the answer.

Greetings!

Last year I had a crisis of conscience. A relative had told us that he’d spent several weeks cataloging all his books, entering all the details into a spreadsheet. Had he mentioned it earlier I’d have told him not to waste his time, but telling someone they’d wasted their time after they’d done so seemed a tad cruel. So I listened to my conscience and didn’t. Mind you, I was tempted. I think Philip Roth expressed this dilemma very well in Portnoy’s Complaint:

Doctor, I am torn by desires that are repugnant to my conscience, and a conscience repugnant to my desires.

Well exactly, though not in the same context I should emphasise.

Anyway, to tackle the second question in the subtitle to this post, I don’t know why the title is so long. It just seemed right, somehow.

And as for the first question, here goes.