I really don't mind holiday shopping, but I dread the thought of Black Friday, the busiest shopping day of the year. If I want to save a few bucks on gifts this year, I'll frequent online retail sites, where I'm just as apt to snag a good deal, only without the horde of other bargain-hunters storming the malls at 5 a.m.

But those shoppers intent on making their way into the city the day after Thanksgiving will be greeted by not having the added burden of feeding a meter. The city of Boston is once again offering free on-street parking on Friday, as well as on five consecutive Saturdays beginning Nov. 28. The hope is that the deal encourages shoppers to spend more time in the city, and less time at the mall in the outer suburbs.

"I am pleased to kick-off this holiday season by offering two hours of free parking at every one of these meters on these six select days between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day," Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino said in a release. "We invite shoppers to visit Boston's exciting and unique stores and restaurants while taking advantage of this parking opportunity."

Of course, the meters will only be free for the two-hour time limit, which would normally run you $2, and it won't make it any easier finding a spot in the Back Bay. Parking remains free on Sundays as usual.

Another Boston college football program is getting sacked.

A dozen years after Boston University dumped football from its athletic docket, Northeastern University is following suit. Huskies athletic director Peter Roby cited the escalating costs involved to maintain a competitive program.

"We do not define success merely through wins and losses. Instead, we recognize that success comes from creating a positive student-athlete experience," Roby wrote in an open letter to the Northeastern community. "The primary motivation for this decision was based on the significant obstacles to providing this experience for our football players.

"Elevating and sustaining a competitive Division 1 football program would require additional multimillion dollar investments on an ongoing basis."

While some Northeastern alumni call it a sad day, it's not an entirely unexpected one. The 76-year-old, 1-AA program wasn't exactly a hot ticket. The Huskies finished off their season Saturday with a 33-27 win over URI. A week earlier, they played their final home game at Parsons Field, a 14-13 win over Hofstra. Only 1,017 fans showed up.

Northeastern finished its final season 3-8.

My wife received the H1N1 vaccine yesterday, which leaves me as the only member of my household to do so. Still, I'd seemingly have an easier time finding Whitey Bulger than I would the vaccine in Massachusetts.

According to the state's Department of Heath and Human Services, Massachusetts has received just over one million doses of the H1N1 vaccine - less than one third of the amount the state ordered.

However, there does seem to be a light. According to commissioner John Auerbach, the government projects a significant increase in the volume of doses by the second week of December. However, Auerbach writes, "given the changeability of the production processes we don't know what amounts or what formulations of vaccine doses will become available ahead of time. This makes it very difficult for clinical practices to plan ahead or to notify their patients of what to expect."

The best bet? Utilize the state's public flu clinic finder for updates, and be sure to call ahead.

It's certainly been a pretty temperate November so far, but winter is indeed on the way. So, grab your skates and head to Boston Common, where Frog Pond opens for the season Thursday night.

Mayor Menino will help kick off the rink's annual opening with a gala featuring many of Boston's top national and international figure skating competitors, including Brittany Rizo and Curran Oi, as well as many local up-and-coming young skating stars. Opening night will also feature raffles for season and night passes and special guests Frog Pond Freddie and Blades from the Boston Bruins. Mardi Gras masks and beads will also accompany a special musical performance by the Hot Tamale Brass Band.

Admission on opening night is free, while normal skate rental rates will apply.

The 2009-2010 Frog Pond hours of operation are as follows: Sunday-Thursday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. (except Monday when the rink closes at 4 p.m.), Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., closed Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day, open Christmas Eve 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., New Year's Eve 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and New Year's Day 12 noon to 5 p.m. On December 28, and February 15, 2010, Frog Pond will be open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

For more information, visit the rink's official web site.

Photo courtesy Greater Boston Convention and Visitors Bureau