Saturday, June 13, 2009

I am a Chicagoan after all...



I was afraid after living in California and Ohio for many years that I might not know my hometown stuff anymore.
I knew them all...........I am redeemed in my own eyes.
See if any of these strike a chord with you.

You Might Be From Chicago If:

1. The 'living room' is called the 'front room'.
2. You don't pronounce the 's' at the end of Illinois . And, you become irate at people who do.
3. You measure distance in minutes (especially 'from the city'). And you swear everything is pretty much 1/2 hour away.
4. You have no problem spelling or pronouncing ' Des Plaines '.
5. You go to visit friends, or family, down south and laugh when they complain about the traffic.
6. You understand that no person from Chicago can be a Cub fan AND a White Sox fan.
7. It's 'Kitty corner' not 'Katty corner'.
8. You know the difference between The Loop and Downtown
9. You eat your pizza in squares, not triangles, and you never refer to it as 'pie'.
10. You own celery salt.
11. You understand that the primary is the official local election.
12. You have drunk green beer on St. Paddy's Day.
13. Stores don't have sacks, they have bags.
14. You end your sentences with an unnecessary preposition. Example: 'Where's my coat at?' or 'Can I go with?'
15. 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.
16. You carry jumper cables in your car.
17. You drink 'pop'.
18. You understand that I-290, I-90, I-94, and I-294 are all different roads.
19. You know the names of the interstates: Stevenson, Kennedy, Eisenhower, Dan Ryan, and the Edens.
20. You call the interstates 'expressways'.
21. You refer to anything South of I-80 as 'Southern or Central Illinois '.
22. You refer to Lake Michigan as 'The Lake '.
23. You refer to Chicago as 'The City'.
24. 'The Super Bowl' refers to one specific game in January 1986.
25. You have two favorite football teams: The Bears, and anyone who beats the Packers.
26. You buy the 'Trib', not the 'Tribune' or the 'Times', not the 'Sun Times'.
27. You know that despite being on the lake, there is no such place as the Waterfront.
28. You think 45 degrees is great weather to wash your car.
29. You picnic or ride your bike in the 'forest preserve'..
30. You cried when Bozo was canceled on WGN.
31. You know what goes on a Chicago style hot dog.
32. You know what Chicago Style Pizza REALLY is.
33. You know why they call Chicago 'The Windy City '.
34. You understand what 'lake-effect' means.
35. You know the difference between Amtrak and Metra, and know which station they end up at.
37. You have ridden the 'L'.
38. You think your next door neighbor is a cousin to Tony Soprano.
39. You can distinguish between the following area codes: 847, 630, 773, 708, 312, & 815.
40. You have, at some time in your life, used your furniture...or a friend's body, to guard your parking spot in winter.
41. You respond to the question 'Where are you from?' with a 'side'. Example: 'WestSide,' 'SouthSide' or 'NorthSide'.
42. You know the phone number to 'Empire Carpet'!
43. You know what a 'garache key' is!

36 comments:

  1. Ummm...very interesting. #41 sounds a lot like Houston, we have the same NorthSide, SouthSide, SunnySide, etc. LOL

    I'm just stopping in to say hi and to let you know I was here.

    I hope you have a nice weekend.

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  2. Oh Yae! I'm still a Chicagoan, too! I didn't know that was why I now end my sentences in prepositions. I miss Chicago style pizza even though I didn't have them much in the last 10 years. Do you know they have Chicago style hot dog stands here? I was almost tempted to buy one. I will one of these days. This brings back so many memories.

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  3. I like #24 - the super bowl!! I remember the great "The bears" skits from saturday night live.

    In Ohio, we had the browns. Not the same fun now either.

    And, your pizza is fabulous.

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  4. how interesting, each area seems to have its own unique language and terms. In Utah we say crick instead or creek, harse in stead of horse and other interesting local terms. Will have to think more on this subject. Scrud is used instead of more colorful swear words. etc.

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  5. I'm from WI & lived in Chicago. I can relate to everything on that list....except for the Packers (them be fightin' words)

    Now in IN, they call BAGS, SACS. I say NO, NO, NO. They're bags!!!

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  6. Love it! Guess all areas have their own language -- being from the south originally, I know all too well that there are some words and phrases that follow you for a lifetime! And even though I don't have that much of a southern accent anymore, those words and phrases mark me anyway and it never surprises me when someone asks, "are you from the south?"
    Great post, Peggy!

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  7. It's nice to see a list like this from somewhere else! Living in the South, I receive lots of lists that begin, "Here, we like our tea sweet. And cold."

    Have a good weekend!

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  8. Hope;

    "Sweet tea" is something that I have heaed of...but there are so many other words and phases that you hear in the south that are just so charming to me!
    In Chicago everything is hard sounding....but it's what I'm used to !

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  9. deligirl;

    thank you for visiting once again...always look forward to your comments! Have a great weekend!

    Lisa;

    Nice to meet you and thank you so much for commenting!,

    You right about fighting words...it doesn't matter who the Bears play..... except if it's the Packs...then it's all out war...but a fun war!

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  10. Hi Peggy! Thanks for stopping by my blog! I can always use good hugs! I like your blog!

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  11. Here in Maine we say door-yard for the yard, didn't realize we did until friends from Texas asked what that was! Its amazing how different yet alike our lives are in so many areas of the country. Enjoyed the post.

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  12. I can answer yes to 21 of your questions... and I'm a native California from Los Angeles, currently living in small town< Utah. What does this all mean? Yikes!

    It is true that if one took the tie to learn local phrases and dialects, it would be possible to pinpoint to a large degree where people are from.

    Fun, fun post!

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  13. Kay;

    Make sure your hot dog stand offers celery sait for their dogs!
    I have always missed the hot dogs and the pizza. Our pizza down here is gross! Glad you enjoyed the memories!

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  14. Fun list.... can't wait for Blogher - it has been over 10 years since I've been to CHicago!

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  15. Loach;

    Glad you like....I wonder how many of our bloggers know why they call Chicago the windy city?

    Mom;
    Very interesting question, i wonder if we all did take the time to study the different locals in our country and learn what we could about their different sayings and fav.foods and so much more, would we be more understanding of others? hmmm
    you have me thinking now!

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  16. Banteringblonde welcome.

    I lived away from Chicago for a long time...something alwasy made me come back though. Must be cause it's home to me.

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  17. Lin;

    I've heard of crick instead of creek before but have not heard of a horse being called a harse...cute!
    Happy Anniversary!!

    Joanne;

    I got plenty of hugs available,
    thanks for coming by and leaving a comment! Always nice.

    Cheryl and Ashton;

    Maine...I love the way you pronouse words up their in Maine...I remember the movie" Baby Boom" and thought how beautiful Maine is.

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  18. Wow tht was interesting Peggy - just goes to show how different cities are. Pizza in squares well I never, lol!

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  19. LIlly;

    Glad you're back, missed you!

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  20. Same everywhere isn't it? I know in Australia it's often like this, and I recognized so many similarities. However I will support my fellow Aussie, Lilly, and say "pizzas in squares?!" :))

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  21. It's neat how certain areas of the world all seem to have certain habits and tendencies that fit just so perfectly and will give everyone such a chuckle but yet you can so relate to it! Again, the same with areas in Canada.

    Thank you very much for dropping by, it is a pleasure to meet you, Peggy.
    I always appreciate new visitors.

    I read about some of your struggles in life and I really admire you and your family. You are a strong woman and similar to me in so many ways.
    I struggle with Epilepsy and trying to get it to grips so I can live a normal life without dropping in the most awkward places and hurting myself and days it can be so frustrating as the millions of medications I take do not seem to help at all.

    Hang in there Peggy... you are an inspiration to us all!

    Hugs♥

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  22. Braja;

    I know your off today finishing up your surgery. God speed my frined...and yes...square pizza...thin style and still cut from a round pizza pie shape...the same but smaller pieces and easier to eat! Yum, now I'm hungry for pizzs and it's only breakfast!

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  23. I enjoyed the revelations you put in your post. To all people from the windy city: Howdy from the cornfields of Brookville, Ohio. Where we call dinner "supper" and dinner "lunch" depending on the time of day it is. And crazy old people, male or female, "old goats."

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  24. Fun post. My husband often says "You can take the girl out of England, but you can't take England out of the girl." I think the same can be said for the Girl out of Chicago :) Have a great week.

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  25. Interesting...I would love to visit Chicago and go to an Oprah show! My son thinks Chicago is the neatest [as in coolest] city!

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  26. Hi I am visiting via Darsden's site, we have a few other common bloggers!
    I have some dear friends who live here, but are from Chicago, and every thing you say fits them to a "T". See you again soon! tink

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  27. Yep, I'm still a "Chicagan" too! Once is always.

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  28. Mare;

    I tried to get on Oprah two different times. Tisk maybe you and I could go!

    Tink;
    Thanks for coming by, we do have mutual friends.

    Dogwalkmusings;

    I'm glad you can relate!

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  29. Denise;

    I guess we are all a product of our upbringing!
    Love to hear your list!

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  30. Abe;

    I have lived in Ohio for 18 years....and I didn't know about auper and dinner and lunch..oh my!

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  31. Sorry about the paypal icon mess up, Peggy...it's up now. sorry 'bout that ....

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  32. After working in Chicago for a few years, living in Naperville and having my first at Hinsdale hospital, I can definately relate to 89 percent of the above. This list was so much fun for me to read, I must have held on to more of my wonderful memories than I thought I did.

    Now I want some real Chicago pizza!

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  33. p.s. Hope you are feeling well, I think of you so often! You are in my prayers!

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  34. I loved Chicago. I had some of the best food somewhere near where you took that photo.

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  35. Thank you for the Hug... it's good to know you... I understand the struggles in life and I know how difficult some of those hurdles can be sometimes but we just won't let those get in the way, will we!!?!!
    Take care, my friend!♥

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