You know you're from...
Stolen from quasigeostrophy. Google for "you know you're from [your state] ", post the list and bold the ones that apply to you.

You know you're from Tennessee if...

1. You measure distance in minutes. I do in Chicago, but not so much here.

2. You've ever had to switch from ''heat'' to ''air conditioning'' in the same day. Not yet in Tennessee.

3. Stores don't have bags; they have sacks and you ''tote 'em'' not ''carry them.''

4. You see a car running in the parking lot at the store with no one in it, no matter what time of the year.

5. You use ''fix'' as a verb. Example: I am fixing to go to the store.

6. All the festivals across the state are named after a fruit, vegetable, grain, insect, or animal.

7. You install security lights on your house and garage and leave both unlocked.

8. You carry jumper cables in your car ... for your OWN car.

9. You know what ''cow tipping'' is.

10. You only own four spices: salt, pepper, chili powder, and catsup.

11. The local papers cover national and international news on one page but requires six pages for local gossip and sports.

12. You think that the first day of deer season is a national holiday.

13. You find 100 degrees Fahrenheit ''a little warm.''

14. You know all four seasons: Almost Summer, Summer, Still Summer, and Christmas.

15. You know whether another Tennessean is from east, west, or middle Tennessee as soon as he opens his mouth.

16. Going to Wal-Mart is a favorite past-time known as ''goin' wal-martin'' or off to ''Wally World.''

17. You describe the first cool snap (below 70 degrees) as good chili weather.

18. A carbonated soft drink isn't a soda, cola, or pop--it's a Coke, regardless of brand or flavor. Example: ''What kinna coke you want?''

19. Fried Catfish is the other white meat.

20. You understand these jokes and send them to your friends from Tennessee.


OK, that didn't work too well. Let's try Chicago.

You know you're from Chicago if...

You know what the phone number for Empire Carpet is! (588-2300, baby!)

Your living room is called the "front room." (pronounced fronchroom)

You don't pronounce the "s" at the end of Illinois, and you become irate at people who do.

You measure distance in minutes (especially "from the city"), and everything is pretty much 15 minutes away.

You have no problem spelling or pronouncing "DesPlaines."

Your school classes were canceled because of the cold weather.
Your school classes were canceled because of the hot weather.

You've switched from heat to air conditioning in the same day.

Your grocery stores don't have sacks; they have bags.

You end your sentences with prepositions: "Where's my coat at?" or "If you go to the mall, I wanna go with," or "Come by and pick me up."

Your idea of a great sandwich is when the meat is twice as big as the bun, it has everything on it, and a slice of dill pickle is on the side.

You always carry jumper cables in your car.

You drink "pop," not soda or even worse "coke."

You understand that I-290, I-90, I-94, and I-294 are all different highways. Not to mention 88, 80, 57...

You know the names of the interstates: Stevenson, Kennedy, Eisenhower, Dan Ryan, and the Edens, but you call them all "expressways." Well, I did until I moved back from the west coast. Then they were all "freeways."

You refer to anything south of I-80 as "Southern Illinois." Close. I'd say "anything south of Cook County."

You refer to Lake Michigan as "The Lake."

You refer to Chicago as "The City."

The "Super Bowl" refers to one specific game in a series of 35 played in January of 1986.

No matter where you are, when you hear the term "Downtown," you immediately assume they're talking about downtown Chicago.

You have two favorite football teams: The Bears, and anyone who beats the Packers!

You read "The Trib."

You drive to the North suburbs by taking "The Outer Drive" even though no such road exists.

You think 35 degrees is great weather to wash your car! Afraid not. 35 degrees is not great weather to do anything. Hence my earlier list -- as in, Tennessee!

You know what goes on a Chicago Style Hot Dog.

You know what Chicago Style Pizza REALLY is. Oh god -- that sounds good right now, too.

You know why they call Chicago "The Windy City."

You understand what "lake-effect" means.

You know the difference between Amtrak and Metra, and know which station they end up at. (Do note the preposition.) And Pace! I even know how to ride the Pace bus system.

You ride the "L."

You can distinguish among the following area codes: 847, 630, 773, 708, 312, & 815. I've lived in 708, 312, and 773.

You respond to the question "Where are you from with a "side." Example:"WEST SIDE," "SOUTH SIDE," or "NORTH SIDE." South side (south suburbs, actually) originally; near-west side more recently.

You wear gym shoes, not sneakers.

And, the CHICAGO CLASSIC: You have at some time in your life, used your furniture to guard your parking spot in winter.