1. Getting excited for fall. Look, summer was great when I was a student and could bask in the glow of ’round-the-clock reading and video games at my grandparents’ house, plied with ice cream and “I Love Lucy” re-runs — but it’s decidedly less great when the average daily temperature is 105. And you live in a Maryland swamp.

I’m ready for pumpkin spice lattes (natch), changing leaves, crisp air, blue skies. Pumpkin patches. Basically everything on my Pinterest board, which taunts me as I sweat at my desk. And I’m looking forward to going here with Spencer sometime in October.

2. Looking for the perfect coffee table. Spence has lived long enough without a place for us to stash our diet soda cans (me) and cups of healthy, noncarbonated water (him). Plus, I want to put books and pretty magazines and vases of flowers on it. (But don’t tell him that.) A local furniture store is going out of business, so I’m planning to pop over there and see if any deals are to be had. I want one with drawers.

3. Reading North and South for my first read-a-long! Andi and Heather have organized an event centered on Elizabeth Gaskell’s famous novel, and something about it spoke to me. There’s still time to get in on the sweet action: our first discussion (on chapters 1-14) is Monday, August 6.

4. Preparing to reorganize my book reviews archive. It has been woefully neglected, and I probably have a solid 50 reviews to add. That’s nothing but sheer laziness, and I promise to get it all cleaned up soon.

5. Watching the Olympics like a mad woman (and not just because of Ryan Lochte). (Though hot darn.) For someone who typically shows very little interest in sports, I’ve been glued to my television every night. I’m partial to gymnastics and swimming events, but I’ve been known to hunker down for a little table tennis and badminton action, too. I don’t discriminate. And it saves me from the summer TV doldrums. (That and “Downton Abbey,” which I’ve been steadily plowing through . . . but I want to savor it.)

6. Crocheting in the dead of summer. Pretty crazy, I know, but I’m hoping to get a jumpstart on the fall orders I hope will start trickling in next month at my Etsy shop. I’m sticking with “Harry Potter”-themed looks exclusively, and I just need to get a Hufflepuff whipped up to complete my collection! Plus, crocheting relaxes me.

7. Eating Golden Oreos ice cream. I blame my boyfriend, who dragged me to a grocery store at 9 p.m. on a work night for trash bags — and promptly walked the entire length of the store with me, pointing out All the Delicious Things and then cautioning how we should be “healthy.” By the time we made it to the freezer section, I went for the low-fat goodies — but he’s the one that steered me toward the super-bad stuff. And when I saw Golden Oreos, I was done. Best cookie ever . . . and now combined with ice cream. World made. It’s amazing.

8. Waiting for Erin and Matt’s baby to arrive. My good friend is due to give birth soon and I’m quite excited to see the little guy! Erin is the first of my friends to welcome a baby, so that might take some getting used to on my end. But she and her husband are going to be great parents; I’m really happy for them. Plus, I get to photograph and hold a baby, so . . . win/win. (And I bought him a shark hat. He’s going to be cool.)