-You Know You're From Chicago if......
-You - correctly - don't pronounce the "s" at the end of Illinois.
-You become irratated at people who do.
-You measure distance in minutes.
-You have no problem spelling or pronouncing "Des Plaines".
-Your school classes were canceled because of excessive cold.
-Your school classes were canceled because of excessive heat.
-You've even had to switch from "heat" to "A/C" in the same day.
-Stores don't have sacks, they have bags.
-You see a car running in the parking lot at the store with no one in it no matter what time of the year.
-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."
-You can locate Illinois on the United States map.
-Your idea of a really great tenderloin is when the meat is at least twice as big as the bun and accompanied only by ketchup and a dill pickle slice.
-You install security lights on your house and garage and then leave both unlocked.
-When asked how your trip was to any foreign, exotic place, you say, "It was different."
-You carry jumper cables in your car.
-You know what the numbers I-80, 55, and 90 mean.
-You realize that I-290, I-90, I-94, and I-294 are all different roads.
-You refer to any interstate highway as "the Tollway" or else "the expressway."
-You know the given names of the interstates, i.e.: Stevenson, Kennedy, Eisenhower, Dan Ryan.
-You refer to anything south of I-80 as "Southern Illinois".
-You refer to Lake Michigan as "The Lake".
-You refer to Chicago as "The City".
-No matter where you are, when you hear the term "Downtown" you immediately assume they are talking about Downtown Chicago.
-You find yourself referring to the central business district of any city you happen to be in as "The Loop."
-You have two favorite football teams: The Bears and anyone who beats the Green Bay Packers.
-A brawl over which Chicago baseball team is better breaks out every year at your neighborhood block party
-Even though you live 3 hours south, you still buy "The Trib."
-You know what goes on a Chicago Style Hot Dog.
-You know what Chicago Style Pizza is -- and feel pity for those that don't, and with good reason!
-You know why they call Chicago "the Windy City".
-You understand what "lake-effect" means.
-You know the difference between Amtrack and Metra, and know which station they end up at.
-You have ridden an "L" (elevated train).