I'll be honest: I'm as Americanized and out of touch with my ancestors' culture as one can be. Many people in the United States are; it's simply the natural outcome of generations of people assimilating into a new environment and culture. But I've nevertheless always maintained a certain pride in my heritage and carry around an awareness of it that is always present. I believe many Italian-Americans feel this way. We may have lost a lot of customs when our ancestors came to the New World, but one thing we never lost is pride in our identity.

1. You know a ton of bastardized "Italian" words like "Madonn'" "Va Fangu" and "Paesan'"

2. You have an appreciation for the music of Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett and Louis Prima

... and the lifestyle they represented.

3. Your last name ends in a vowel

Any of them except "Y."

4. At least one of your family members had a recipe for sauce that required simmering it for 48 hours straight

And repeat!

5. You know what the Tarantella is

6. You're parents began serving you wine with dinner at age 11

7. You're way more proud of your heritage than most of your friends, even if you don't have any specific reason to be

It's unabiding.

8. What other households called "yelling" your family just called "talking."

9. There's nothing more heavenly to you than taking that first bite of cannoli

10. You talk just as much with your hands as you do with your mouth

11. You might have a quick temper, due to your hotblooded Southern Italian ancestors

12. You know the standard Jersey Shore, Mafia and food stereotypes don't represent you, but you're fun enough that you can laugh at them

13. Because many Italians have such varied ancestry, the physical features of your family members fall all over the spectrum

Anything from this...

... to this.

14. You love espresso and cringe when people pronounce it "expresso"

15. If you haven't been yet, you dream of one day going to the old country