What do you do when you're stressed out?

I rearrange my books. There is something soothing in that element of control over one of the most important aspects of my self. And there is a tactile therapy to it, as I get the chance to touch those objects and with that, the sense memory of what each volume means to me comes alive in my memory.

My favorite Librarian Avenger does the same, but with different results:

I fuss and swap and graze over my books, looking for the right system.And through this, somehow, I describe myself to myself. Whatever is going on in my head benefits from the organization I’m doing with my hands.

I externalize this stuff because it’s easier than neurosurgery and cheaper than therapy.

Behold my books. They are arranged by priority, then color.

I arrange mine by subject, then author, though not alphabetically. I have a type of hand-eye memory that allows me to shelve something and remember where it is forever until I move it. Certain shelves are mini altars to my writing gods. And I am constantly running out of room.