Becoming Local

Its funny, the way Vegas works its way under your skin. I have been a visitor here many times, mainly in the downtown area - we avoided the strip as much as possible. However, on the rare occassion where a strip visit was needed, I didn't mind the Paris Hilton wannabees, Juan handing out the number to girls who actually wnted to be with me later that night, the folks who all they want to do is give me 2 free show tickets a free drink and diner, for a mere thiry minuted of my time. It was no problem.
Now, though, after one month, I find some of my feelings have changed. As you know I play a lot of poker. The best place to make money at poker is on the strip (due to the vcariance of players), so I visit Caesers and Planet Hollywood a lot (I love PH). Now though, when I am cruising the strip, I am nothing if not annoyed at the crowds, I want Paris Hilton choked, Juan deported and to cram the show tickets up someones...
Well, you get the idea. I drive down the road and think to myself, go home, locals only.
Then I think to myself, why do I fell like such a jackass?
Here are my rules to know when you have become more local than visitor:
1. Restaruant eating actually happens at restaurants, not casino bufffets
2. You actually know that you better get off Main before it converts to the boulevard
3. With dim acceptance you know that there is no such thing as rush "hour"
4. Going along with traffic, you don't say North, South, West, or East, Its North Vegas, McCarran, Summerlin and Henderson
5. Everywhere is 20 minutes away, even your local grocery store
6. Your stop smiling every time you see a rack of booze and a video poker machine inside your Chevron
7. There are reltivley few birthed locals here, everyone is at one point or another, a tourist
8. You swear off the strip, but find yourself more than you intend.
9. Places like Treasures, Scores, Monty's all mean something to someone
and finally
10. You accept the fact that it is indeed a dry heat.

Good bye for now.