You know you're a hogaholic..."

...if you have a "Hogs are Beautiful" poster in your office.

...if yo have vanity plates on your car or pickup that says, "oink", "hog", "pork" or some other hog-related phrase.

...if you have a bumper sticker that reads: "Promote pork, run over a chicken."

...if you have at least one tie or sarf with pigs on it.

...if the first thing you pack for a pork producers' meeting is that pig tie or scarf.

...if you hvae a U.S. Pork lapel pin on your best Sunday, goin-to-meetin' suit.

...if you get a little anxious a couple of days before a new Hogs & Pigs Report is released.

...if your mind automatically calculates a rough break-even price whenever you read or hear the corn and soybean meal market report.

...if the name on your farm sign or business card tells everyone you are proud to be in the pork business.

...if your favorite part of past Super Bowls was seeing the new "Pork - the Other White Meat" ads.

...if you have a pig calendar in your kitchen.

...if you get at least one pig-related item for Christmas every year.

...if you have at least one shelf (more likely a bookcase) devoted to pig souvenirs and knick-knacks.

...if the smell of sawdust brings back memories of showing pigs at the county or state fair.

...if you yearn to see your son or daughter, grandson or grandaughter show 4-H pigs at the county fair.

...if you go to the state fair and never get beyond the swine barn.

...if you know the slogan for the National barrow Show is "the World Series of Swine Shows."

...if you know "Pig Paul's" real name and that he was the first executive secretary of the National pork Producer's Council.  (For you youngsters - his real name is Rolland Paul.)

...if you've managed to sort and load market hogs with a spouse or family member and still be on speaking terms afterwards.

...if you've helped sort and load market hogs, decared you'll never, ever do that again, only to return to the task the next marketing day.

...if your family's summer vacation is attending World Pork Expo.

...if the only two Beanie Babies you have are "Knuckles" and "Squealer."

...if you can walk into a farrowing house to do morning chores and know by the sounds and smells that a sow has farrowed overnight.

...if you've ever watched a litter of week-old pigs run and play - scampering around their mother in the farrowing crate - and smiled at the sight.

...if you've thawed frozen water fountains for more than five consecutive winters and you're still in the hog business.

Now don't misunderstand - addictions of any sort are serious business, and I certainly wouldn't trivialize any of them.  Hopefully, however, an addiction to pigs can have a positive effect on a life.  I feel it has on mine.

This article was taken from Dale Miller's editorial in the National Hog Farmer, November 2000 issue.  In response to his article, the following was posted on their website under letters to the editor.

Signs you might be a hogaholic...

If you clip your pigs

If you have more framed pictures of favorite show pigs on your walls than of family and friends

If you go through Junior Swine Show withdrawal

If you will get up at 5 a.m. and drive hours to watch a show or sale, but you won't get up and walk 5 minutes to your 9 a.m. class

If you know where the "Home of SPAM" is

If you have ever carried a life-size, orange and blue pig across the University of Illinois campus.  (Only my brother and I can qualify for this one.  It wouldn't fit in my car!)

If you have ever driven down the main drag of your college campus with a life-size pig hanging out of the trunk

If you think the best part of winter break is being home when the show pigs are born.

If you will drive more than three hours to AI a gilt

Your vacation consists of the State Fair, World Pork Expo, or National Barrow show

In your family Christmas letter, the paragraph about the pigs and the show season is bigger than the paragraph about your family

You've ever had a dream about winning the Champion Barrow at your state or county fair.

Your champion hog ribbons hang on your desk at school

Your screensaver says, "I love pigs," or if you fight over which boar is set as your willpaper.