It’s Monday, Feb. 22 and it’s almost showtime for the Florida Legislature. After a year of sitting on the sidelines as a global pandemic blew holes through every small-government safety net they had knit, Florida legislators prepare to return for their 60-day legislative session starting March 2.

It’s Monday, Feb. 15. Happy President’s Day. It seems Florida has become ground zero. When it comes to the B.1.1.7 variant of the COVID virus, also known as the ‘”U.K. variant” which is the more infectious version of the virus, Florida is now the nation’s hotspot. When it comes to the reemergence of Donald Trump, after his historic defeat, second impeachment trial, and Pyrrhic acquittal victory, Florida is also closest to detonation.

It’s Monday, Feb. 8 and Super Bowl 55 may not have lived up to the hype, but Florida — with an assist from Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski — again demonstrated the value of old people power.

It’s Monday, Feb. 1. and by this time next week, a divided nation will have joined together for a needed diversion: Super Bowl 55. Florida will be center stage and the first-ever COVID-restricted crowd will get something memorable as their game day souvenirs: N95 masks. Fans would be wise to wear them.

It’s Monday, Jan. 25, and we have a new president. “At this hour, my friends, democracy has prevailed.” With those words, Joe Biden began his term as the 46th president of the United States. But while violence was averted and democracy prevailed for the moment, the news of the week demonstrated there is an enormous amount of work still needed to preserve it.

It’s Monday, Jan. 18. Florida legislators returned to the Capitol last week. Pro-Trump protesters did not. As a bitterly divided nation inaugurates a new president this week, and the former president now makes South Florida his permanent home, Florida will also remain home to much of the nation’s story.