From the editor: You might be from Cincinnati if ...

A cloud was hanging over the city Tuesday morning, and I’m not talking about the much-needed rain that moved through the area.

The Bengals dropped to 0-3 after the Washington Commanders upset the men in stripes in front of a national audience on Monday Night Football.

“It’s like a rite of passage, watching the Bengals lose on Monday night,” I heard one dejected fan say. And the stats are on his side: the Bengals' all-time Monday Night Football record is 14-26 .

It got me thinking about other common experiences we share as Cincinnatians. So in the interest of lightening the mood after a rough night at Paycor Stadium, I present for your reading enjoyment a roundup of those Cincinnati badges of honor – with a little help from my friends.

You might be from Cincinnati if …

You call it “Kroger’s” even though you know better.

You can name more players from the Big Red Machine than current Reds players.

You can list the ingredients in goetta.

You've lost friends debating whether LaRosa's is real pizza or just bread with sauce.

You grew up saying “please” if you needed someone to repeat something, but now you’re self-conscious about it because your friends who didn’t grow up here think it’s weird.

Little Kings Cream Ale was the Friday night beverage of your youth.

Hearing the name Fiona conjures up a hippo, not an ogre.

You can do the Ickey Shuffle.

You know what a Charterite is, but you’ve never actually voted for one.

You can’t remember your own phone number, but you’ll never forget 347-1111.

Or 444-4444.

You describe distance by how long it takes to get there instead of miles.

You get a little emotional as you drive through the Cut in the Hill and get your first glimpse of the city skyline after being gone for a while.

Speaking of the Cut in the Hill, you know where that is (along with the Norwood Lateral and Cross County Highway) even though you’ll never see a sign that marks it.

You thought the Kwik Brothers were actual twins.

You got a free toy from Johnny’s Toys on your birthday.

You have feelings about Jerry Springer – but they’re complicated.

You’ve watched a Reds game with the TV volume down and the radio on to hear Marty and Joe.

You're in a group photo from the Uncle Al Show.

Your parents shopped at Swallen’s.

You mark the city’s eras by the names of the stadiums and the tower at Fourth & Vine. (See also: You still refer to Heritage Bank Arena as Riverfront Coliseum.)

You can complete this radio station catch phrase: “97X (BAM!) – The future of …”

If not, then you surely know where to find “The lunatic fringe of American FM.”

You bought your grandparents’ house.

You were one of the cool kids because you had a season’s pass to Kings Island.

You’ve made a late-night drive to Mount Lookout just to get a cheeseburger at Zip’s.

You hold multiple degrees from prestigious universities, but when someone asks where you went to school you reply with the name of your high school.

You can name more than two members of 98 Degrees.

You’re feeling cheated right now that this list didn’t mention anything about chili.

OK, fine. You have no use in your life for people who say, “That’s not real chili.”

Special thanks to the following people – some former Enquirer colleagues – who contributed to this list: Viki Vidas, Gabrielle Downey, Gregory Korte, Maggie Downs, Tina King, Stephanie Cooper, Monica Royal-Fisher, Dan Saxby, Ernie Wallace, Jason Hodges, Brian Love, James Kellaris, Dave Bennett, Melvin Mooring and Amy Goldberg Svihlik.

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My inspiration for this list is the late Guy Clifton, a colleague during my time as editor of the Reno Gazette-Journal. Guy, who passed away earlier this month , was one of the friendliest and sweetest humans I’ve ever had the pleasure to work with. Perhaps best known for the many years he covered the Reno Rodeo, one of Guy’s other claims to fame was a series of popular columns he wrote under the headline, “ You know you’re a Nevadan if … ” You can still find the book version on Amazon . Rest in peace, Guy.

Enquirer Executive Editor Beryl Love writes a biweekly column that takes you behind the scenes at The Enquirer. Occasionally, he shares his thoughts on local issues, particularly as they pertain to a free press and open government. Email him at blove@enquirer.com. He can’t respond personally to every email, but he reads them all.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: From the editor: You might be from Cincinnati if ...