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Oh, sweet freedom.

Is there really anything better or more exhausting than a summer in Portsmouth, New Hampshire? Each year, I make all these grand plans to go to the beach every weekend, grow an enormous garden bursting with veggies and spend my nights sipping cocktails with all my seasonal friends. And every year Labor Day rolls around and I think, shit, I didn't do half the stuff I wanted to do. If only I were independently wealthy.

This summer, I have no illusions. I know I'm not going to do all the things I want, but I still can't help myself from making a list. This year, I tried to keep it modest:

1. See a film at the Portsmouth Music Hall

Every year, I grab the calendar of movies, post it on the fridge, circle five or six I HAVE to see and then around Aug. 1 realize I missed everything good and the only movie left to see is Mission Impossible III. This year, I'm not entirely thrilled with the classic foreign film theme (bring back the summer of Caddyshack and Animal House please!), but I am very excited about the late summer showing of Severence. This British film chronicles a group of weapons company employees on a team-building retreat. It has all the classic elements of a modern day horror flick. It's set in the middle of nowhere Eastern Europe, it plays on the arrogant American/British view that everyone hates us because we rule the world, and most scary of all, it takes place during a corporate team-building retreat. (Have you every been on one of those thing? I shudder to think.)

2. See a tall ship

When I worked at the Herald, I was given the prime assignment of covering the arrival of America's Tall Ship, the U.S. Coast Guard's training ship, the Eagle. I had to be down at the port at 5:45 a.m., ride out for about an hour in a stuffy Coast Guard vessel, jump onto a Coast Guard gunner -- with no sides -- in the middle of the ocean, ride the high seas toward the tall ship while holding onto dear life, and then jump onto a rickety staircase and climb aboard. Once on board the Eagle, I shook the sea sickness but was soon doused by a heavy rain storm. By the time I got off the ship and had to write my story at 10 a.m., I looked like a drowned rat with a soggy notebook. Not fun.

This year, I'd like to check out the ships while docked on a nice sunny day. It's easier to pretend I'm sea worthy when the boat's not moving. The Prince William, from Portsmouth, England, will sail into Portsmouth Harbor on July 6, joined by the Pride of Baltimore and the Spirit of Bermuda. They stay until July 8.

3. Eat some seafood outside, preferably on a checkered table cloth

Fried clams, onion rings, steamers, fried haddock, lobster -- they all make the list. Of course, accompanied by an ice cold beer or fine white wine.

4. Work on smoothing out the farmers tan

OK, so I'm not one of those girls who's like, Oh, I have to get a killer tan this summer, but I am willing to (embarrassingly) admit that I really want to get rid of my farmers tan this summer. It started the years I worked on the decks and I haven't been able to shake it since. Every summer I find my arms get darker and my chest stays white. I guess I have to start wearing more low cut shirts.

Why the need to cultivate a smooth bronzed tone? June 21, 2007 not only marked the first day of summer, but also the 365 day mark until my wedding. Call me cheap, but there is no way in hell I'm going to spend $80 giving myself skin cancer in a tanning booth the weeks before the big day when I can just slowly work on it naturally this summer. Plus, it gives me an excuse to get outside.

5. See some fireworks

Nothing's more romantic in the entire world. Gets me every freakin' time. *sigh*

6. Take a late night skinny dippin' trip

When I was 19, I lived a simple life. I would work during the day at Market Basket, go home, eat some dinner and take a nap, call my friends, meet up, get wasted and then hit the Dunkin' Donuts for some munchies. Before calling it a night, we would head to someone's pool and go skinny dipping. I don't think I've done it since that summer, but I would again in a heart beat.