Let's see, the New York Times is running a series on multiracial Americans, NPR's Tell Me More with Michel Martin is celebrating literary works with a biracial theme in its summer reading series, and - oh, yeah - the U.S. has a president who is the son of a white woman from Kansas and a black man from Kenya. Seems like a good time for a Top 10 List... (Do not read this without your sense of humor fully engaged! If you are biracial, you'll understand.)

Top Ten Signs You're Living the Multiracial Experience

by Elliott Lewis

10. At the family picnic, you tried eating chitlins with chopsticks.

9. You prefer the term "melanin-challenged" as opposed to "high-yellow."

8. You consider yourself a "person of color" but can't decide what color.

7. You've tried compensating for a near-white appearance by acting "super-ethnic."

6. Your "multiracial-radar" works better than your "gay-dar."

5. Your family celebrates Rosh Hashanah, Ramadan, Christmas, and Kwanzaa.

4. In demographic surveys, when asked for your race, you think it's an essay question.

3. Your idea of a well-balanced meal is sushi, enchiladas, and baklava.

2. When speaking Ebonics, you have a white accent.

 And the number one sign you're living the multiracial experience...

 1. You've developed a medical condition which causes your eyes to roll whenever someone asks, "What are you?"

Elliott Lewis is a former television journalist, current law student, author and diversity speaker. This Top 10 List appears in Elliott's book, "Fade: My Journeys in Multiracial America" (Carroll & Graf, 2006). Visit his website at www.lewisfreelance.com.