To Rachel: Yes, that was what I mean, but never mind. My writing is steadily deproving.

And I just couldn't resist.

You Know You're Chinese When...

You unwrap Christmas gifts very carefully, so you can save and reuse the wrapping (and especially those bows) next year.
Yes, and no for the bows. I usually keep the bows for myself. And I don't reuse the wrapping paper for presents?!?!?! *looks scandalised*

You only buy Christmas cards after Christmas, when they are 50% off.
... Depends. The nice ones I get when I see them.

When there is a sale on toilet paper, you buy 100 rolls and store them in your closet or in the bedroom of an adult child who has moved out.
Yes. *lol*

You have a vinyl table cloth on your kitchen table.
... Does the washing machine count?

Your stove is covered with aluminum foil.
Yes.

You use the dishwasher as a dish rack.
I don't even have a dishwasher.

You keep a Thermos of hot water available at all times.
Yes, but it's my mom's idea. Plus drinking cold water at 2am is the pits.

You eat all meals in the kitchen.
Yes, since my house is too small to have a dining room...

You save grocery bags, tin foil, and tin containers.
Sadly, yes

You use grocery bags to hold garbage.
Uh huh. And umbrellas.

You always leave your shoes at the door.
Yup.

You have a piano in your living room.
I don't see why that's so Chinese, given that my bedroom has no space.

You twirl your pen around your fingers.
Tried, but cannot. And I see more people from other races doing this.

Even if you're totally full, if someone says they're going to throw away the leftovers on the table, you'll finish them.
Nope. Not on your life. But I do finish the stuff on my plate even when I'm full

You don't own any real Tupperware -- only a cupboard full of used but carefully rinsed margarine tubs, takeout containers, and jam jars.
I OWN Real Tupperware! But I also have jam jars. And I use transparent ice cream boxes to hold my hairclips and stuff.

You also use the jam jars as drinking glasses.
Over my dead body. We have standards, you know?!?!

You've eaten a red bean Popsicle.
Yeah, and I like them. But I think that's more Singaporean than anything else.

You bring oranges (or other produce) with you as a gift when you visit people's homes.
Only during Chinese New Year

You have a collection of miniature shampoo bottles that you take every time you stay in a hotel.
Among other stuff. Like towels *grin*

The condiments in your fridge are either Price Club sized or come in plastic packets, which you save/steal every time you get take out or go to McDonald's.
Not really. I always finished my packets of sauce.

Ditto for paper napkins.
You can never have enough paper napkins. I know I always run out when I need them.

You never order room service.
But we raid the mini-fridge. My family's weakness is finger food. With that, who needs room service?

You carry a stash of your own food whenever you travel (and travel means any car ride longer than 15 minutes). These travel snacks are always dried. As in not just dried plums, dried ginger, and beef/pork jerky, but dried cuttlefish (SQUID).
Nope. Sorry, no go.

Your parents vehemently refuse the sack of gold coin oranges that their guests just brought just to be courteous. (But they take it anyway.)
We just say 'You shouldn't have.'

Your dad thinks he can fix everything himself.
So does my mom. Come to think of it, the entire family battles to fix something when it gets broke.

You majored in something practical like engineering, medicine or law.
This is true, but not for me.

When you go to a dance party, there are a wall of guys surrounding the dance floor trying to look cool.
When you go to a junior college, there are a wall of guys standing by the canteen wall trying to look cool.

You live with your parents and you are 30 years old (and they prefer it that way). Or if you're married and 30 years old, you live in the apartment next door to your parents, or at least in the same neighborhood.
We'll see. Although I have told them that I will be getting my own apartment asap.

You don't use measuring cups.
HA! We DO!

You feel like you've gotten a good deal if you didn't pay tax.
I feel like I've gotten a good deal when I pay less than $10 =)

You beat eggs with chopsticks.
Not practical. Why use two chopsticks when you can have a four-pronged fork?

Your parents' house is always cold.
I have running nose, so no.

You have a teacup with a cover on it. (or alternatively, you have a collection of colourful plastic covers to put on mis-matching cups.)
Nope.

You reuse teabags.
EW!

Your mom drives her Mercedes to the Price Club.
We don't have a car.

You tip Chinese delivery guys / waiters more.
We don't tip. Period. Unless it's the culture.

You're a wok user.
Yup yup. =)

You like Chinese films in their original undubbed versions.
YES!!! But that goes for anime too.

You have acquired a taste for bittermelon.
Never have, never will

You like congee with thousand year old eggs.
Yes, I do. But I don't like it with salted veggie.

You prefer your shrimp with the heads and legs still attached -- it means they're fresh.
Huh?

You never call your parents just to say hi.
Yeah, I call just to say 'I'm coming home right now.'

You always cook too much.
We have 3 people, but my mom always cooks for 10.

If you don't live at home, when your parents call, they ask if you've eaten rice, even if it's midnight.
DUH. It's a Chinese form of greeting.

Your parents tell you to boil herbs and stay inside when you get sick. They also tell you not to eat fried foods or baked goods because they produce hot air.
It's scientifically proven. And I can feel my sore thoart acting up just by thinking about it.

Your parents never go to the movies.
They do, because they have the senior citizen rate. =)

Your parents send money to their relatives in China.
Don't have any.

You use a face cloth.
Used to until I had to rush for school.

Your parents use a clothes line.
I live in a HDB. Needless to say clothes lines are out of the question.

You eat every last grain of rice in your bowl, but don't eat the last piece of food on the table.
Not true. We eat both.

You starve yourself before going to all you can eat sushi.
We starve ourself before going out to eat.

You've joined a CD club at least once.
What's that?

You know someone who can get you a good deal on jewelry or electronics.
And clothes. And books. And toiletries. And bags. And...

You never discuss your love life with your parents.
Given that they either say "You shouldn't be dating now." and "When are you going to find a guy?" whenever the subject is raised, obviously NOT.

Your parents are never happy with your grades.
But they are horrible.

You keep most of your money in a savings account.
Interest rate too low. Have moved it already.

You've been on the Love Boat or know someone who has.
??? Don't go carnival rides often enough.

Your toothpaste tubes are all squeezed paper-thin.
Heh heh, it's just the satisfaction of being able to fold the toothpaste tube.

You love Chinese Martial Arts films.
I love SOME but not ALL.

You have Tupperware in your fridge with three bites of rice or one leftover chicken wing.
No way! We have to finish all our food (as far as possible)

Shao Lin and Wu Tang actually mean something to you.
Yup. *grin*

You never order sweet-n-sour pork, egg foo young, or chop suey at a Chinese restaurant.
I do order sweet-n-sour pork, because that restaurant is famous for it.

You hate to spend more than $5 for lunch.
Yes. In fact, I cringe when I spend $3.

You have a Chinese knick-knack hanging from your rear-view mirror.
I don't have a car. But they dangle all over my house.

You like to eat chicken feet.
My mom. But she doesn't let me eat because she says that my handwriting is horrible enough.

You suck on fish heads and fish fins
...fish heads only.

You look like you are eighteen.
That's because I am eighteen. What's your deal?

You only buy used cars.
No. I already have a spanking new car somewhere in that dream...

You have more than five remotes in your house.
Given that only have 4 remote controlled stuff (2 TVs, 1 VCR and 1 VCD player), I can only have 4 remotes.

You leave the plastic on the lampshade for ten years or more.
Ewww. That's so unsightly.

You can't bear to throw things away.
Yes, but my dad's exactly the opposite, which results in very interesting spring cleaning.

Your dad washes his hair four times a day, or never at all.
He doesn't have enough hair to wash 4 times a day.

Your unassisted vision is worse than 20/500.
Not yet. *goes and does eye exercises*

You've never seen your parents hug.
We hug all the time.

Your grandmother lives with you and your family. (along with the grandfather. sigh. we have no space in the houes.)
... My relatives actually fought over who got the grandparents to stay with them.

You never order desserts at restaurants.
No. I love mango pudding.

You always have water when dining out.
When you have to pay for drinks that aren't free flow.

You say "aiya!" and "wah!" frequently.
^_^ Guilty as charged.

You hate eating cheese.
NO!!!!

You have a big aquarium filled with colorful fish somewhere in your house.
My parents hate pets.

You use the underside of a porcelain bowl to sharpen your knives.
Because my dad threw away the whetting stone, and we haven't been able to replace it.

You cut your own hair… or had someone in your family do it.
My mom.

You keep fresh garlic and ginger in the kitchen at all times.
Yeah, you know, we use it very often.

You know what the term "lemon" or a "banana" means.
I only know what a lemon means for fic. ^___^

You never drank milk after eating cherries.
??!?!?!?!!

Your parents collect jade jewelry.
And gold jewellery. And diamonds (mom)

You always drink tea after a meal.
No, we only drink tea/milk/coffee before bed.

Sorry for the long post, but I couldn't resist. =)