New Beginnings —
Hello to whoever finds themself reading this entry. My name is Samantha Jo. Samantha from the TV show “Bewitched,” and Jo from my mother’s name. I love my name. Call me Jojo, SJ, Samantha, Samantha Jo — just please not Sam. The older I got the more I began to love my name and understand what my mother put into naming me, and into raising me. If she wanted my name to be shortened she would have just named me Sam in the first place. Agreed?
I was born and raised in small-town South Dakota. Depending on what day and what time you ask me, I might have nice things to say about it, but I also might fill you with horror stories. It made me the woman I am today, and for that, I will be grateful. I attended University in South Dakota as well and received my Bachelor's in Science of English Education at the beginning of 2017.
My favorites — color is orange, TV show is Law and Order SVU, TV channel is Investigation Discovery, book is Brown Girl Dreaming, treat is Nutter Butters, game is Skipbo, drink is lemonade, and my favorite one-hit wonder is a tough tie between The La’s “There She Goes” and Tal Bachman’s “She’s So High.”
An entire phrase to sum up my existence is as simple as, Midwest-raised, West Coast made.” I have always been known as my mother’s sun child. I thrive in sunshine and wilt without it. Literally a flower. Staying in a place where it snows never really suited me.
I never want to sugarcoat anything. It’s scary, the idea of moving away from everything I have ever known. Moving away from my family and one of my best friends. Then I have to also put into consideration I think I have stayed this close to them these past years for that reason. I wasn’t ready to leave. Now I am. Those of you who personally know me know that I have had a lot of large transitions recently in life. You also know that when it rains in my life it pours. Except for this time, it is not a thunderstorm — it’s that rain that you open the windows to let in the beautiful smell of growth and renewal.
There are several people in my life that have no idea I am about to make this move to the other side of the country. I am not good with goodbyes and I am not too well with emotions. Let me rephrase that — I am not good with emotions that make me feel something I do not want to feel. And I don't want to feel sad, guilty. I feel as though I have waited 12 years for this moment and now it is less than two months away.
California — Ready or not, here I come.
xoxo, samanthajo.
