From a friend of a friend who lives in LA:

Subject: Fw: You know you are from Louisiana.....

> > >>1. You can properly pronounce Lecompte, Lafayette , Ponchatoula,
> > >>Natchitoches, Opelousas, Shongaloo, Tangipahoa, Pontchartrain,
> > >>Avoyelles, Times Picayune, Lafourche, Ouachita, and Atchafalaya, and
>you
> > >>know that New Orleans doesn't have a long "E" sound anywhere in it.
> > >>
> > >>2. You think other people who complain about the heat in their states
> > >>are sissies.
> > >>
> > >>3. Newspapers make the best table cloths when setting the table for a
> > >>Crawfish Boil.
> > >>
> > >>4. Your idea of a traffic jam is ten cars waiting to pass a tractor or
>a
> > >>sugar cane truck on the highway.
> > >>
> > >>5. You've had to switch from "heat" to "A/C" all on the same day.
> > >>
> > >>6. You know that the true value of a parking space is not determined
>by
> > >>the distance to the door, but by the availability of shade.
> > >>
> > >>7. Stores don't have bags, they have sacks.
> > >>
> > >>8. You've seen people wear bib over alls or LSU shirts at funerals.
> > >>
> > >>9. You think everyone from a bigger city has an accent.
> > >>
> > >>10. You measure distance in minutes, not miles.
> > >>
> > >>11. Little Smokies and anything on a Ritz Cracker are something you
> > >>serve only on special occasions.
> > >>
> > >>12. You go to the lake because you think it is like going to the
>ocean.
> > >>
> > >>13. You listen to the weather forecast before picking out an outfit to
> > >>wear each day.
> > >>
> > >>14. You know cowpies are not made of beef.
> > >>
> > >>15. People you know have used an LSU or Saint's football schedule to
> > >>plan their wedding date.
> > >>
> > >>16. You have known someone who has a belt buckle bigger than your
>fist.
> > >>
> > >>17. A bad traffic jam involves two cars staring each other down at a
> > >>four-way stop, each determined to be the most polite and let the other
> > >>go first.
> > >>
> > >>18. You aren't surprised to find movie rental, ammunition, beer,
> > >>pickledpig's feet, and bait all in the same store.
> > >>
> > >>19. Your "place at the lake" has wheels under it or 8 foot pilings.
> > >>
> > >>20. A Mercedes Benz isn't a status symbol. A Chevy Silverado Extended
> > >>Bed Crew Cab is.
> > >>
> > >>21. You know everything goes better with ' Tabasco '.
> > >>
> > >>22. You learned how to shoot a gun, bait a hook before you learned how
> > >>to multiply.
> > >>
> > >>23. You actually get these jokes and are "fixin'" to send them to you
> > >>friends before "makin" groceries, or "goin by your Mama's.
> > >>
> > >>24. Red beans and Rice are ALWAYS served on Mondays.
> > >>
> > >>25. Po-Boys have nothing to do with one's economic status.
> > >>
> > >>26. Katrina and Rita are no longer acceptable names for new born
> > >>babygirls.
> > >>
> > >>27. AND THE "F" WORD is now pronounced FEMA.
> > >>
> > >>Finally, you are a 100% Louisianan if you have ever had this
> > >>
> > >>conversation:
> > >>
> > >>"You wanna Coke?"
> > >>
> > >>"Yeah."
> > >>
> > >>"What kind?"
> > >>
> > >>"Dr Pepper"

Or from "Nawlins" when you can correctly spell "TCHOUPITOULAS ST" although its pronounced "chop-a-too-lus" & know where its at.

Sounds like Maz has been to Louisiana pretty often.

So Maz: in "Nawlins style" (Where yat and howse ya mama.)

Next we need to get into the cajun style.

And when you're from New Orleans, you know that Chartres is pronounced CHART-ERS, and you get confused when tourists ask you about "shart-ruh" street.

Most of these apply to Texas as well (except perhaps the pronunciations: we have our own, like Mexia and Buda) The weather items are the same, especially for old-time residents like me. I love the shade/parking space one. Plus!!!! WE HAD DR PEPPER BEFORE YOU DID! But then, you make the best **** accordions on earth.

...and yuh know ya BEEN to Louisiana when...

1) You've got several empty "go cups" in ya backseat floorboard from the daiquri drive-thru.

2) Yuh learned the correct pronunciation of "Louisiana" -- Loo-zee-ana.

3) Yuh got some sun... and some bites, too.

4) All yuh coolers roll.

5) All yuh coolers are full of meat and fish instead of the beer that used to be in 'em.

6) Yuh stop off in Opelousas for one last bowl of gumbo at the Palace, and then one last drive-thru at Jim's or Kiki's.

7) Yuh know ya better have a full tank between Alec and Shreveport.

8) Yuh listen to either KRVS, KVPI, or KEUN until it finally fades to snow.

9) You're tired, buzzed and happy -- and planning the next trip already.

10) Yuh get home and notice yuh missin' a hubcap and yuh got love bugs smashed all over the front of your vehicle.

~R!CK

...you hear, "don' you be eatin' da dead ones!"

An' you know what dey wuz tawkin 'bout.

AR

...you've been to a Fontenot-Fontenot wedding.

I read that on a t-shirt about "you know you're from Ville Platte if...". I mentioned this to a friend from VP and they said something like "we went to a Fontenot-Fontenot wedding last month." The was it was phrased...THAT was funny.

I always loved the drive-thru daiquiri places. Don's in Opelousas is my fave. Only in Louisiana man.

Also, everyone needs to visit the Jerry Lee Lewis house in Ferriday, LA where the Killer's sister runs the place. The garage is a drive-thru liquor store (no walk-ins). You have to see it. I'll confess, I bought some Jack when I drove-thru.

Rob

Rob -- yeah yuh right -- "Don's" is what I meant instead of "Jim's." One gallon of Koochie Pop an' two cups, pleeeeze...

Jim's is the drive-thru seafood. Check out the crawfish fried rice there -- holy cow.

And the Palace has the best fried chicken I've ever gotten greased up with. Occasionally you'll see Hadley Castille in there. He's one of the coolest Opelousas icons... aside from all the waitresses that have worked there for 20-some-odd years.

Down da road, but still in Da O' is Ray's Diner (yuh prolly already know) which has some excellent gumbo. Get a table near the door and watch some folks pay for gas. Watch how many lottery tickets are sold! Ha!

I'm jonesin' me -- for some St. Landry Parish, bro.

R!CK

Yeah Rick, Don's is a "must-stop" for me whenever I get the chance. I've been to Ray's a...what a place and you-right 'bout the lotto tix. Have never seen Mr. Hadley at the Palace but I've been there a time or three. I'll check-out Jim's the next time around.

There's a dac-shack on the west side of Ville Platte that is worth the stop. Right where the e-w highway lanes come back together. Ask for that extra shot.

Rob

New Orleans is in Louisiana??

...you look forward to squirrel season more than Christmas.

...you look at any animal and wonder how it would be in a gumbo.

...you get gratons and boudin for breakfast and it makes you want a beer.

...hearing bullfrogs bellow makes you hungry.

...you think mal au coeur, frissons, and tete dure are english words.

...seeing alligators makes you hungry.

...you drive through the rest of the country and wonder where all the meat market are.

...you've never heard of a "cake and punch" wedding reception.

...boudin is the centerpiece at EVERY wedding.

...seeing ducks in a park makes you hungry.

...you've seen someone dance with a foot in a bucket with a mop at a wedding reception (might a been me).

...you slow down at a road killed deer and wonder if it has some undamaged parts, because...it makes you hungry.

You circle every road kill with chaulk on your way to the store. When you come back, anything without a circle is fresh.

Yuh hongry bwoy?



R!CK

You see those ground hogs in Ga. and wonder? Gumbo or Bar-B-Que

... a former governor is telling of his recieving a new cell number, and you KNOW it had nothing to do with a telephone.

AR

Yea you are right and you also know that the only difference between him and the politicos now in office is that he got pros a cuted and them not yet.

you immediately know how to answer the question, "ya want that dressed chere?"

AR