What defines a "local" and does it really matter?

Only one screen name per customer. Besides, everyone already knows you. I've asked. There will be a huge par-tay in your honor. It's going to be called Darg-Day Afternoon. You cannot change your screen name. I'll have to send back all the banners, napkins, ballons, and invitatons! :clap_1:

"Darg Day Afternoon"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What's great about memories is that they last a lifetime. I remember waiting on the draw bridge on 331 for what seemed like a lifetime, anticipating being knee deep in the gulf at sunset with a crab net. I remember when the Grayton Store got Pac-Man. I remember street dances in Seagrove on 30-A and the 1st 4th of July celebration at Seaside when they only had the market and a Post Office. I remember when the only goal my friends and I had was to dig out Big Redfish Lake so we could ride the rapids into the gulf. I remember the smell of aloe on little burnt shoulders.

The great thing is that my children will remember digging out Eastern Lake so they could ride the rapids into the gulf. They will remember attending Bay Elementary. They will remember when Alys Beach was just a couple of sand castle looking buildings and Fonville Press. They will remember trick or treating at Seaside. Hopefully they will remember the smell of shrimp and crab boils and not as much aloe.

No matter where you come from or where you are now, we all have memories of this area burned deep into the happy part of our brains or we wouldn't spend time on SoWal. I can't wait to see what future memories await myself, my children and generations to come.

:clap_1: Reading about your memories. Thank you for sharing. That is one of my fav things about this website hearing about the days gone by of Sowal.
My sister and I have been coming for a couple of years and the first time we saw the area on a trip to Destin we just fell in love with it. We tried to go somewhere different this year, but just couldn't do it. , It just feels like home. So to go along with the thead I do feel like a part-time local when I'm there. Thanks to all you permanant locals and natives for making it feel that way.

Walton Native,

I remember using the draw bridge for being late to school. Your thread really brought back alot of memories. One of the funniest memories I have is when my brother and a friend "accidentally" lit Seagrove on fire! We just got where we could openly talk about that one. Another good one involves the Seaside water tower. You will have to pm me for that one. We can not openly talk about that yet:funn: I am very grateful my grandmother talked my folks into us moving here some 25 years ago. Funny thing, some of the people I met that lived here then still do not consider me a local. I always feel "local" until I get around someone that has been here longer.

All Sowal wench duels require permission of the MOFO wench committee and as per Rule 32, Section 1.03 of the handbook, SPAM is now used for hurling. :funn: The winner gets a cake specifically made in a special form

:rofl: Mango you are too much girl!

Ok I'll cancel the barbershop quartet and flying monkeys. I'll put my skywriting broom away. Just when I had mastered the "Welcome to SoWal Dargs" in cursive.

I am very grateful my grandmother talked my folks into us moving here some 25 years ago. Funny thing, some of the people I met that lived here then still do not consider me a local. I always feel "local" until I get around someone that has been here longer.

In 1957, my grandma bought a house on Nantucket.
Until the day she died in 1992, she was always considered an off-islander.
I never have to worry about stuff like this; my life has been one long road trip and wherever I live, I never seem to have the correct accent.
I just brazen it out. ;-)

The only time it matters to me is when I get the local discount on the bar or restaurant bill:clap_1:

In 1957, my grandma bought a house on Nantucket.
Until the day she died in 1992, she was always considered an off-islander.
I never have to worry about stuff like this; my life has been one long road trip and wherever I live, I never seem to have the correct accent.
I just brazen it out. ;-)

Well put:clap_1:

The only time it matters to me is when I get the local discount on the bar or restaurant bill:clap_1:

also well put!!! :clap_1:

I have been a "local" for one week out of 52 for the past 8 years!!!!

I have been a "local" for one week out of 52 for the past 8 years!!!!

ME TOO! I must own something by now for all the money I've spent.

It's like smut; you know it when you see it.

There's the paperwork side of it- got a driver's license that has Walton/Bay/Okaloosa/Holmes/Santa Rosa on it or a home with a homestead exemption on it? You're pretty much a local. Got a Sunpass or an Eglin rec permit? You're getting close.

Part of it is experiences- You've learned how to either evacuate or hunker down, and have learned the sometimes subtle difference between the storms you buy bottled water for and the storms you buy beer for. You've lovingly mulched and wrapped the tender perennials in your garden when we've gotten one of those January cold snaps where the thermometer hits 28F. You've gone to high school football games, and have an opinion on the Freeport v. South Walton Big Game. And you've watched the traffic heading north on the bridge on Labor Day and felt a vague sense of relief that the traffic and congestion was going to settle down to manageable levels until spring break.

Part of it is how you interact with the community- A job gets you a lot of points there. Volunteer work gets you a lot of points too. The snowbirds who come down and volunteer to tutor in local elementary schools get honorary local status. Same goes for the people who work coastal clean up day, or work water stops for the charity runs. Also bonus points for joining a church or civic group, or selling/buying/donating something to sell for local school or charity fundraisers.

Molly is the only local in my family...she has the tags to prove it!!!

Molly is the only local in my family...she has the tags to prove it!!!

:clap_1:

:clap_1:

I think I danced with every local tonight...what does that make me????

...never mind, don't answer that!!!

I think I danced with every local tonight...what does that make me????

...never mind, don't answer that!!!

It makes you FUNN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It makes you FUNN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was thinking maybe it made me a hocal. ;-)

I was thinking maybe it made me a hocal. ;-)

No - but a little rubbed off on you.

I was thinking maybe it made me a hocal. ;-)

No - but a little rubbed off on you.

or a Sohocal ;-)

I was thinking maybe it made me a hocal. ;-)

I want to be a hocal. That sounds like funn.

I want to be a hocal. That sounds like funn.

uh. excuse me. you are a hocal. ;-) a mofo sowal hocal wench with soul.

uh. excuse me. you are a hocal. ;-) a mofo sowal hocal wench with soul.

if anybody but you or someone else on this board called me that, I wouldn't know what to think!!

I think I danced with every local tonight...what does that make me????

...never mind, don't answer that!!!

:roll: :shock:

I was thinking maybe it made me a hocal. ;-)

or a slowcal.....