This Monday, I observed a personal milestone --I turned 30 years old. While I do not subscribe to most of the over-importance placed on birthdays, I do believe it does provide an opportunity to reflect on where we have been, where we are, and where we are going. So, for this week's editorial, I would like to share some of my thoughts as I embark on the next decade of my life.

This week, my work for The Denmark News took me to four different Easter Egg Hunts. While covering these events, I found myself once again wondering why the tradition was taking place and just what any of it had to do with the East holiday. As a lifelong Christian, I understand the meaning behind Easter Sunday itself but I have always failed to see what the resurrection of our savior has to do with hidden novelty eggs and a giant bunny.

One of the hardest parts of staging a play is finding ways for your actors to connect and understand the material they are presenting. One way to accomplish this is by watching others perform the same show, getting a better idea of how and why things work the way they do. While this can be accomplished by watching recordings, there is nothing quite like seeing a show you are performing in person.

On Sunday, people across the world took part in one of the most well-known and endearing cultural celebrations --St. Patrick's Day. Well everyone is at least somewhat familiar with the variety of traditions associated with the holiday, few realize that many of their origins are not traced to St. Patrick while others are not even from the country of Ireland.

Whether you like it or not, tax season is once again upon us. All across the country, Americans are crunching the numbers and double-checking their math before the approaching April 15 deadline. This time of year can be stressful enough without the additional strain added by nefarious wrongdoers who try to take advantage of the situation.

In today's world, it can be hard to feel any optimism when looking forward to the future of the world and humanity's place in that future. It seems that whenever modern writers, artists and academics envision what the future may hold, they all seem to see a bleak and desolate hellscape corrupted by all that makes man bad and devoid of all that makes them good.

This week, the world will observe a peculiar "holiday" that only comes once every four years. On Thursday, "Leap Day" will be celebrated commemorating the oddity that is February 29. For this week's editorial, I would like to examine Leap Day and some of the traditions that have surrounded the quadrennial peculiarity throughout history.

This week, high schools and communities across the United States are celebrating “National FFA Week”. To commemorate this, The Denmark News has once again teamed up with The Denmark FFA and FFA Alumni and a number of area businesses and supporters to produce our annual special section detailing the chapter’s wide range of activities and initiatives over the course of the last year.

With the Super Bowl now over, I cannot help, despite how hard I may try, but turn my mind to the year's next big national showdown with far more real and long-lasting implications. After a  NFL Championship that felt like a bizarre rerun of 2020, it looks the American people will have to also endure another rematch on the national stage this November.

This past Saturday, I had the pleasure of attending the Friends of Neshota Park's annual candlelit winter night hike. Throughout the last year and a half writing for The Denmark News, I have time and time again found myself impressed with the Friends of Neshota Park and their commitment to a great local park.

Recently, I have once again begun delving into my genealogy. I have long been fascinated with the history of the various branches of my family tree and deeply desired to uncover the secrets therein. This is not the first time I have attempted this undertaking. On multiple past occasions, I have told myself "Okay, let's do it," and began the journey into uncovering my own family history.

This week, reporting for The Denmark News brought me back to The Denmark Historical Museum to learn more about the historical society that calls it home and their impressive collection within. Although I have already visited the museum many times, I am always happy for the opportunity to return and dive deeper into our community's collective past.

This week, I attended the first ever Kris Kringle Festival at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Denmark. One of the event's festive activities was a wagon ride through parts of the village to do some good old fashioned Christmas caroling. 

Last Wednesday morning, children across the reading area were delighted to find stockings filled with treats and treasures courtesy of the mysterious "St. Nicholas". Every year, this beloved tradition is celebrated across our area in the lead-up to Christmas, giving an excuse to begin celebrating early as well as tide over children's cravings for holiday gifts.

Maybe it’s the fact that December is now upon us, maybe it’s the snowy weather, but I cannot help myself from finally starting to get into the Christmas spirit. While many people start observing the holiday season as soon as Halloween is wrapped up, I prefer to wait in order to make the time more special.