Arkies and Okies

So this is a weird thing about me, but I like to know things about states. For example, the state nickname for Minnesota is The North Star State and people from Maine are called Down Easters. I did not even have to Wikipedia those for verification; I just, for whatever reason, know them.

So I know that people from Arkansas are called Arkies, and people from Oklahoma are called Okies. These names were derogatory terms from the Dust Bowl when people from those states migrated in large numbers to California and were looked down upon (justifiably, I would assume) by the cosmopolitan Californians with which they then lived.

Well, people from Arizona have a nickname too: it's Zonies. Yup, not even making that up. I came across this the other day when I was asked at an in-service training, "Are you a Zonie?"

That got me thinking (always dangerous): Am I? I mean, so few people are actually from Arizona originally, that how long does it take to be "from" here?

That's always been interesting for me; I've lived so many different places that it's hard to say where I'm "from". I usually say Baltimore, or Maryland at the very least, but sometimes, when it suits me, I would say North Carolina - you know, throw in a few y'alls, and tell people I was from NC, and suddenly I'm a charming southerner.

I don't think two months necessarily qualifies me as a Zonie, but I'm working on it.

peace and love from the grand canyon state,

pb