By BETHANY IMONDI, Breeze Summer Correspondent, I love waking up on Sunday mornings, especially in the summer. I love the warmth the sun spreads into my room and the knowledge that a large stack of the Sunday paper is waiting to accompany my breakfast.

When I was younger, the only thing I read of the paper was the comics. Now I read nearly everything.

In reading this past Sunday's newspaper, I came across a column: "Learn the basics of being a true Rhode Islander."

From "Unique Rhode Island life forms" to "Rhode Island Expressions," it all rang true to my local ears.

The list recognized Rhode Islanders as those who like "gravy," not pasta sauce, and those who share directions via landmarks, not street names. I spent some time thinking about other unique Rhode Island items and more. Here is what I came up with:

You know you are from Rhode Island when summer officially begins with the first sight of Del's Lemonade.

Thayer Street is the destination of choice of a Saturday night.

You go out of state and people look at you funny when you ask where the bubbler is.

You go to Waterfire to meet with friends, not to see the fire.

The Six Degrees of Separation Theory shrinks to three degrees.

You love seeing Rhode Island license plates beyond the borders.

You know where all the Dunkin' Donuts are in the closest radius.

The beach bus is already packed with teens after the first stop.

Before Providence Place Mall, Emerald or Warwick Mall was the place to go shopping.

No local Starbucks are closing in the immediate future because Dunkin' Donuts already established itself as the state's coffee shop.

Schools in some communities actually start school prior to Labor Day weekend.

The closest you will get to coffee milk outside of the state is coffee ice cream.

The minute you leave the boundaries is the minute you crave bakery-style pizza and cannot find it anywhere.

When the New England Patriots recently lost the Super Bowl, black was the color of choice the next day.

You send anyone searching for the atmosphere of a genuine Italian community to Federal Hill.

At some point in your life you could speak a little Italian, but only when angry.

Anytime Rhode Island is referenced on television, you perk up too late to know why it was mentioned.

Meredith Vieira is one of the state's biggest celebrities.

Bellevue Avenue in Newport is Rhode Island's version of the Hamptons.

High school football in Texas puts our state to shame on Friday nights.

We love fireworks too much in July to care that someone could be setting them off illegally.

The diminishing dog days of August are spent at one of the dozens of local beaches that haven't been closed by high bacteria levels.