Category Archives: Lifestyles with Debbie Norrell

You all know I like going down memory lane. I am so old that I remember when you patronized a business or service regularly that they gave you a gift at Christmas. Is there anyone else out there that remembers … Continue reading →

For years I set my alarm for 4 am or earlier to go shopping on Black Friday. It was a tradition, and if my sister and brother-in-law were in town, I dragged them along. We had so much fun. I … Continue reading →

It seems like the holidays are always rushed by retail displays that go up right after the Fourth of July. As we get older, the months and years seem to fly by, and before you can begin to plan for … Continue reading →

I can’t stand when people start a sentence with the word “look.” I find it to be abrasive and feel there must be a better word choice. It is something politicians often do. I know I’m not the only person … Continue reading →

October is breast cancer awareness month, and I would like to celebrate all survivors and remind ladies to have your annual breast exam. Not only should you have an annual exam, you should do self-examinations often. I am a two-time … Continue reading →

Christmas home décor has been in the stores for a while, so I would say it’s safe to put my Halloween decorations up. For some reason, I only put up a wreath last year. I have a large collection of … Continue reading →

Every time I hear politicians talk about rising grocery prices, I ask myself why is the store crowded every time I go? The lines are long at the check out and I don’t hear anyone  complaining about the price of … Continue reading →

Have you ever heard anyone say, “I don’t go to Las Vegas because I don’t gamble.” I have heard that a lot when I tell people how much I enjoy this popular vacation spot. I have been to Las Vegas … Continue reading →

I remember a time when people would ask me why I didn’t start my own business. I would tell them that having a business is very difficult, and I didn’t think I was cut out for it. Since the age … Continue reading →

Fortunately, I have never worried about staying cool. When it is 90 degrees and over, I typically stay in the house. If I do have to go outside, it’s into an air-conditioned car and then into an air-conditioned building. Lately, … Continue reading →

Who is Alex Trebek? When I am in the car and also in the house, I can be found listening to the news. I like to stay abreast of what is going on in the city and around the world. … Continue reading →

Anyone who has known me for a long time knows that I was a daddy’s girl. Before I was born, my parents had a little boy, and he died when he was two years old, so when I came along, … Continue reading →

This question has been on my mind for quite some time, and today I decided to find the answer. If I had a question about this topic, I’d bet a lot of people were wondering the same thing. I wanted … Continue reading →

Currently, we are in the midst of graduation season, and you may be invited to a graduation party or ceremony where the attendees are much younger than you. Recently, I have had several encounters with young people who are young … Continue reading →

Have you ever meant to send a thank you note to someone, but you forgot, and then by the time you remembered, you felt it was too late? That has happened to me, and I hate to be late sending … Continue reading →

If anyone thought there was not a need for the Monroeville Convention Center, they should have been in the area of the convention center this past weekend. Since I live close by, I still shop in the stores that are … Continue reading →

Perhaps I should have saved this column for Mother’s Day, but the subject is trending now, so I decided to go for it. If you are a social media or news junkie, I’m sure you have been watching the news … Continue reading →

If you are of a certain age, let’s say over 60, you remember a time when the biggest complaint was that there was nothing to do in Pittsburgh. Younger people were always wishing that they lived somewhere else because there … Continue reading →

Back in the day, when I was a talk show host, I interviewed the author of a book called “Juba to Jive.” It was a dictionary of African American slang and was edited by Clarence Major. I thought I had … Continue reading →

Valentine’s Day is over. I’m sure there are millions of people who don’t pay any attention to February 14th at all. They may not have a significant other in their life, or if they do, the day for lovers is … Continue reading →

There has been quite a bit of chatter on social media about Vivica Fox doing the commercials for the aftercare car insurance company. I didn’t mention the company’s name because I am not a fan of the company, but I … Continue reading →

When I was working full-time (day job), I always looked forward to having the Martin Luther King holiday as a day off. Actually, the day is to be a day of service and not a day of shopping. Today I … Continue reading →

The big thing at this time of year used to be making a New Year’s resolution. The funny thing is that we shared what our resolution was, and then when we fell off the wagon, everyone knew about it. According … Continue reading →

We are almost at year-end, and every year we say, Where did the year go? Several weeks ago, I wrote a column on the “free gifts” I was receiving from charitable organizations. I recently received an abbreviated copy of the … Continue reading →

This morning, I was notified that a friend of 40+ years had passed away. I think it has been 6 years since I have seen her in person. She lived in another state and did not do FaceTime or Zoom. … Continue reading →

If you know me, you know that I love to shop and eat, and when I go to chain restaurants, which is often, I typically order the same thing. When I am hungry, I don’t like surprises. Before I get … Continue reading →

Halloween! Back in my day, this was a day that we looked forward to for weeks. Who remembers the costumes that came in the box with the clear front? The mask was a big indicator of the character. There were … Continue reading →

Just when I thought the world was finished with the slap seen around the world, we now have a new episode of Will and Jada Smith. For those of you who are not paying attention to social media or television, … Continue reading →

It seems that this is the time of year for nonprofit organizations to campaign for contributions. My mailbox is full of envelopes with letters suggesting that I make a donation. Not only am I receiving letters, but often I also … Continue reading →

Has this question been on your mind, but you don’t want to say anything? The question is, When are you too old to be president of the United States? This is a tough one because both candidates for the next … Continue reading →

I just saw a Facebook post showing a 1950s family going grocery shopping. The mother and father were well dressed, the mom in a dress and the dad in a shirt and tie, and the children looked to be wearing … Continue reading →

Celebrations are fun and necessary, and I love to celebrate. There are so many reasons to celebrate: birthdays, weddings, babies, new homes, new jobs, retirement and so much more.  The celebration can be small or large, I prefer something in … Continue reading →

I have always believed that if you tell the truth, you won’t have to remember a lie. The truth is easy; you don’t have to remember the details because you are telling an incident as it happened; the story does … Continue reading →

What is one of my favorite sitcoms? It is “Martin” and I’m sure I have seen every episode; I stay up at night watching Martin reruns and own the first two seasons on DVD. A recent issue brought one of … Continue reading →

Things that make me go hmmmm. Why is there a love affair with plastic surgery? My guess is that everyone wants to look their best. As I age, I have thought about plastic surgery, but I think I will just … Continue reading →

In my working life, I have worked for many companies, and all of them had operating procedures. These procedures were gone over when I was first employed and from time to time during yearly reviews. I would like to see … Continue reading →

So, what did you do on a Sunday evening that happened to be a holiday weekend? A lot of people had cookouts and family gatherings planned. My big plans were to see the Black Mona Lisa Tour. Black Mona Lisa … Continue reading →

Why are there so many scams? What is a person to do? Just the other day, I overheard a lady telling a cashier a tale of woe about losing almost all of her money out of her checking account. It seemed … Continue reading →

Do you remember the days when people in Pittsburgh complained that there was nowhere to go and nothing to do? Fast forward to 2023, and now we have to pick and choose where we are going. Your social calendar should … Continue reading →

There are certain things that are like chalk on a board for me, or in other words, things that really work my nerves. One is the mispronunciation of the word Salmon. The L is silent, and it really bugs me … Continue reading →

How many times have you walked into a room and can’t remember why you are there? Or how about this one: you are using the flashlight on your phone to search for your phone. Recently, I lost my cell phone, and … Continue reading →

When I was in Atlanta in December 2022, the wait time for restaurants was well over an hour. The restaurant that we settled on—you guessed it—Pappadeaux’s—was an hour and 45-minute wait. I thought I was going to faint from the … Continue reading →

Do you ever wonder what makes an item vegan? It seems that being a vegan has become popular, and the rising stardom of Tabitha Brown has contributed to its popularity. If you don’t know Tabitha Brown, she is the all-around … Continue reading →

Sometimes change is hard, especially when you are three score and ten. When I was working every day (day job and part-time job), I used to enjoy change because it was often exciting and I didn’t have to do anything … Continue reading →

Everyone is talking about the price of eggs. I guess I don’t buy eggs that often because I thought it was a joke until I went to the grocery store the other day and I decided to see for myself. … Continue reading →

Are you confused about crudité, relish trays, charcuterie, Pootie Tang, Jean Nate? I hope by this time you are laughing because when I was thinking about this column, I was on the floor. I was talking to a few lady … Continue reading →

The news of the passing of Stephen “Twitch” Boss is shocking. Twitch was the DJ on the Ellen DeGeneres Show, and when the show ended, he was an executive producer. He had a wife and three children. When a person … Continue reading →

Around this time of year, there are a few days that come to mind, like Black Friday and Cyber Monday, but a lot of people forget about Giving Tuesday. Reportedly, the annual day of giving began in 2012, following two … Continue reading →

“I want to get away…I want to fly away,” that’s in my best Lenny Kravitz voice. There is nothing like a good vacation, and one of the best parts of a vacation are the pictures. Even before the camera phone, … Continue reading →

Have you asked yourself when will it stop? I’ve been asking myself that question for quite some time, and I can’t remember when I started asking myself this question. In just the last 4 days, there has been a shooting … Continue reading →

“I’m blessed” is a phrase that we often hear and many times when someone says it, they are talking about being financially blessed. Being blessed with an abundance of cash is a wonderful thing, but there are so many other … Continue reading →

Originally the title of the column was “so much to enjoy” but that was not what I was trying to get across to the reader. I am hoping that once you read this that you will get out of your … Continue reading →

Shopping is something I do for a living, and it’s a wonderful thing. I’m not sure when this started but, in many stores, I am being asked to round up my purchase amount and make a contribution to either the … Continue reading →

“Give roses while they can smell them,” is a popular phrase, and last weekend I experienced several events where roses were given to the living in various forms. One that stands out was a Conversation with HazelJackson. This afternoon event … Continue reading →

I often wonder how does someone get a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame? I have been there, and I’ve taken a few pictures of the stars. Judge Mathis recently received a star and there are more scheduled for … Continue reading →

I love to eat out, as a matter of fact, I enjoy going out and going out gives me an opportunity to wear something from my vast collection of clothing. Getting a compliment from a stranger on a well put … Continue reading →

Let’s get on the road and go somewhere. Are you traveling alone? Most of the time, I am traveling by myself. I have the entire car to myself. The passenger seat becomes my snack tray and an empty back seat … Continue reading →

Is anyone concerned about work ethic anymore? I am. I am still trying to figure out why there are so many job openings and no one to fill them. The reason for this concern is I encounter numerous people who … Continue reading →

I just left the grocery store and there were few “human-operated” checkouts to select from. I only had one item, but I refused to go to the self-operated checkout. The reason I am not a fan of the self-serve checkouts … Continue reading →

The mass shootings that have taken place over the past few weeks have been unsettling. Each time one of these incidents takes place I always pray it will be the last one but then another one happens that is worse … Continue reading →

I have been watching the news stories about the lack of baby formula and still can’t understand what is really going on. When is someone going to take on the task of really having things made in America? Yes, I … Continue reading →

Recently I attended an art opening that took place at 8 am on a Friday morning. The time of day was not a problem for me as I am an early riser. Going out always excites me and I typically … Continue reading →

“What makes you jelly? Excuse me I don’t understand the question.” This exchange came up during a webinar with some colleagues that are about 25 years my junior. As the dialogue went on, I finally understood that they were asking … Continue reading →

Raise your hand if you are tired of talking about Will Smith and Jada Pinkett. I’m raising both hands and just for the record, I’m team Rock. If you are in the entertainment industry at that level and are attending … Continue reading →

Back in the day when I listened to the original WAMO and then when I worked there one of the former deejays used a one-word phrase that was profound. Right before he would play a record in a melodic tone, … Continue reading →

If you are watching, reading or streaming the news you know that we are in the midst of a war. Many of us think of war as tanks, guns, and missiles but if you paid attention to the news stories … Continue reading →

Not everyone has a sweetheart that will send flowers, buy candy hearts or take you out for a great dinner. So why not treat yourself. I have never been shy about sending flowers to myself and actually act surprised when … Continue reading →

Where were you when you heard the news about the bridge collapsing at the corner of Forbes and Braddock? Due to the time of the morning, a lot of us were at home. When I heard about it, I thought … Continue reading →

Back in my working days (day job) I was a client trainer. I worked for US Bank, and I trained other financial institutions on how to use products that related to the debit card industry. It was a great job. … Continue reading →

Every year around this time we talk about how quickly the year went by. It was the same 365 days that we passed through in 2020 and 1965 but for some reason it seemed to go so fast. I think … Continue reading →

Now that Thanksgiving is over “what are you thankful for” posts will quickly diminish. We should be thankful all year long, why wait until the end of November to be thankful. I just saw a post on social media that … Continue reading →

You know that phrase “making a list and checking it twice” I find out that I always get things finished when I make a list. This coming year the list is going to be long. I need to clean out … Continue reading →

Just when you thought you could ignore the phone calls that appear to be spam you are receiving text messages that you are not sure what to do with. After a career (day job) that was centered around fraud and … Continue reading →

One of my best “Black Friday” purchases was a small freezer. I placed it in my garage, and it is so convenient. I was listening to the news the other day and the news anchor was advising the public to … Continue reading →

In recent news stories, the focus has been on challenges for school students to slap their teacher or someone in authority. Another school-related challenge involves students vandalizing school property. In each story there are videos supporting that some students have … Continue reading →

During the last year, I have been going to restaurants that are open and for the most part, I have had a good experience. In some cases, the menu has been limited and I have received a paper menu (throw … Continue reading →

The last challenge that someone asked me to participate in involved water and money. It was that one where you poured water over your head or contributed to a charitable organization. I know I didn’t pour the water over my … Continue reading →

I am ready to travel. In my best Lenny Kravitz voice “I want to get away, I want to fly away yeah yeah, yeah” but I still have fear of Covid while traveling and I would hate to book a … Continue reading →

Recently I was watching the news and the story line of this particular news story was eviction. You know that thing that happens when you don’t pay your rent or mortgage. The family that was being interviewed seemed to be … Continue reading →

In July I will officially be retired for two years. This has been rather an odd two years. Things happened that I never would have dreamed would take place. Like a global pandemic and losing my job at the New … Continue reading →

Full disclosure, I don’t live in the Pittsburgh suburb of Churchill, I am about 1.5 miles away however I pass the former George Westinghouse Industrial Park about 4 times a week. Before I retired (day job) it was every day. … Continue reading →

If you see me in the Giant Eagle in a ball gown with full makeup, it’s because I am celebrating that Giant Eagle is one of the places that is allowing those who are fully vaccinated to come in without … Continue reading →

That title would lead you to believe that I have just one pet peeve. I have enough to fill a book, chapter one will begin with people who do not use their turn signals, chapter two features people who make … Continue reading →

I just scheduled my seventieth birthday party. Putting it in writing is scary next year I can say that I have been around for seventy years and I can also talk about things that I have actually witnessed. When I … Continue reading →

I must admit, I have too much stuff, and it’s just not clothes, it is a lot of other stuff that I can’t seem to part with. For instance, a pretty straw picnic basket that I have never used for … Continue reading →

On March 30, National Doctor’s Day was celebrated. I feel if there is any year to celebrate doctors it should be this year and of course last year. Recently, I received a letter from my surgeon’s office informing me that … Continue reading →

I can’t be the only person that has noticed the use of the word “whole” when referred to relationships and just about anything. I have heard it on “reality shows” most recently on The Real Housewives of Atlanta. One of … Continue reading →

One thing that I haven’t stopped doing since retirement and during the pandemic is shop. It’s one of my favorite pastimes. Perhaps it is just a way to get out of the house and see human beings or maybe I … Continue reading →

It was the biggest story of the week. How will the lady known as the “Gorilla Glue Girl” get the glue out of her hair? Her real name is Tessica Brown and she is from Louisiana. Brown revealed her plight … Continue reading →

“This is not who we are.” How many times did you hear someone on Capitol Hill make this claim when talking about the horrific events that took place in Washington D.C. on January 6? I am not sure who they … Continue reading →

My last column was about my love and pursuit of Black Santa Claus figures. Doesn’t that seem like an innocent topic? Yes, I thought so as well. I was pretty much finished with shopping for additional holiday décor, but I … Continue reading →

You have heard the phrase and by this time you have probably said it numerous times, “this too will pass.” In the back of your head, you say when will it pass. Back in March when we were initially told … Continue reading →

I have a great collection of Black Santa Claus’. Some are fat, and one is very thin, they have white beards and grey beards and I love each and every one. This year I am not adding any Santa’s to … Continue reading →

I don’t know how you feel about participation awards but personally, I don’t like them. About 6 years ago I was a member of a chapter of Toastmasters International. It is a great organization for speakers and those who want … Continue reading →

Who has that feel good Halloween memory? I do, I do. I can’t remember the year, but I was under ten years of age and one of the best houses for trick or treat was near Belmar Gardens (a co-op … Continue reading →

Here is a question for you. What did tearing down the statue of Stephen Foster accomplish? From my point of view, and only my point of view, I cannot see that anything positive was accomplished. This came to mind the … Continue reading →

Raise your hand if you have attended a Zoom meeting. Just as I thought just about everyone has attended church service, a meeting, or even a party. Trust me my preference is to be live and in-person but this is … Continue reading →