• The "living room" is called the "front room."
• You don't pronounce the "s" at the end of Illinois.You become irate at people who do.
• You measure distance in minutes (especially "from the city"). And you swear everything is pretty much 1/2 hour away.
• You have no problem spelling or pronouncing "Des Plaines."
• You go to visit friends or family down south and laugh when they complain about the traffic.
• Stores don't have sacks, they have bags.
• You end your sentences with an unnecessary preposition. Example: "Where's my coat at?" or "If you go to the mall I wanna go with."
• Your idea of a great tenderloin is when the meat is twice as big as the bun, "everything" is on it and a slice of dill pickle is on the side.
• You carry jumper cables in your car.
• You drink "pop."
• You understand that I-290, I-90, I-94, and I-294 are all different roads.
• You know the names of the interstates: Stevenson, Kennedy, Eisenhower, Dan Ryan, and the Edens.
• But you call the interstates "expressways."
• You refer to anything South of I-80 as "Southern or Central Illinois."
• You refer to Lake Michigan as "The Lake."
• You refer to Chicago as "The City."
• "The Super Bowl" refers to one specific game in January 1986.
• You have two favorite football teams: The Bears, and anyone who beats the Packers.
• You buy "The Trib" and not the Tribune.
• You think 45 degrees is great weather to wash your car.
• You picnic or ride your bike in the "forest preserve."
• You cried when Bozo was canceled on WGN.
• You know what goes on a Chicago style hot dog.
• You know what Chicago Style Pizza REALLY is.
• 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.
• You have ridden the "L."
• You've been looped in the Loop.
• You think your next-door neighbor is a cousin to Tony Soprano.
• You can distinguish between the following area codes: 847, 630, 773, 708, 312, & 815.
• You have at some time in your life, used your furniture or a friend's body to guard your parking spot in winter.
• You respond to the question "Where are you from" with a "side." Example: "West Side," "South Side" or "North Side."

  AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST....

• You know the phone number to Empire Carpet!

Aw Come On ... (from John M. of Skokie)

• Going west to Milwaukee (on I-94) doesn't confuse you.
• You know why they keep water in a "crib."
• You don't care if the "elevated" does run underground.
• You laugh at the word "bubbler."
• You crave REAL Italian beef.
• You've never met Hubbert but you drive thru his cave twice a day..

Diehard Dedication ... (from K.B.)

• Every year, you solemnly swear: "This season the Cubs will win the World Series!"