It’s a tricky deal, living in anticipation of what’s to come. Looking forward, gasping in excitement, at an abstract future.

I spend a lot of time this way: entranced with what is yet to be and somewhat ignorant of what is now.

A lot of effort goes into trying to stay in the present; to take each day in as it is rather than where it’s going…but as Mumford & Sons says in “Sigh No More”,

Man is a giddy thing, Oh man is a giddy thing…

I’m not made to stand still, it is my blessing as much as my burden. So I thought, much more lighthearted than this post has begun, that we could all indulge this predisposition of mine and shift our gaze to the days ahead and talk about what we’re chomping at the bit for.

First,

I’ve now completely blown my cover as a Mumford-crazed fan…but “I Will Wait” is the first song after their album, Babel, coming out September 24th.

It’s a dangerously well-named song, since hearing it I’ve been waiting, not even remotely patiently, for my pre-ordered copy (get yours here!) to arrive.

And second (in order, not attachment),

From the director (Joe Wright) of Atonement and Pride & Prejudice comes Anna Karenina. If no teacher ever poked and prodded you into reading Leo Tolstoy‘s brilliant work…you’ve got just about three months to do so now.

Between Keira Knightly, Jude Law, and Matthew Macfadyen it promises to be the British manifestation of my tragic, literary soul. So… please don’t ask me to do anything on November 16th. Simply put, I’m booked.

And then lastly,

(source)

Can you even believe it? I once was a firm member of the camp touting how JK Rowling should never publish again (I gave my heart to Harry long, long ago) but now that it’s on its way I have to admit…I cannot wait.

It’s a big novel about a very small and perfectly English town wrought with cobbled stone walkways and dark mysteries. Even better? Rowling seems to have aged right along with me; it’s her first novel for adults, due out September 27th.

I’ve marked my calendars, does anyone have anything else I might add?