>does where you're born matter? is it the place where you spent
>the most years? or the place where you came of age and had
>your formidable years?
>
>also, if you're from a town right next to a large city, do you
>tell people you're from that town or from that nearest big
>city?
>
>where you from?

i'm from Chicago.

i didn't grow up here but i've lived here for nearly 21 yrs. that means i've lived here longer than i lived in any of the places where i grew up. it also means living in Chicago has shaped me more than any of the places where i grew up. so to make it simple when ppl ask i say i'm from Chicago. if they care i'll follow-up explaining that i grew up in STL and the Bay Area. if they ask where in STL i tell them the name of the 2 suburbs where i lived. if they ask where in the Bay Area i tell them the name of the suburb i lived in. of course, i wasn't born in any of these places but no one cares where i was born.