The day began with the usual suspects: morning chores, the rush of routines, and the holy trinity of school, bank, and grocery store.

On the way to drop-off, we spotted three Trumpeter swans gliding above St. John’s Sideroad. As some would say—absolute poetry in motion. They’d taken off from St. Andrew’s Valley Golf Club but pulled a sudden U-turn—one of those blink-and-you-miss-it moments that make you grateful to look up.

The weather? Chef’s kiss. The lighting? A photographer’s dream. After the errand loop, we rerouted—drawn to the daffodils calling from the Aurora Community Arboretum. Sure enough, they’d just started to bloom.

Honestly, life feels a thousand times better when it’s not stuck in the social media vortex. It’s been a family-busy few months, and I finally carved out time to catch up—with friends, with social media posts, and with life. I tossed out a few updates, revived some conversations, and tapped “Like” like it was cardio. But the last few days? I was super-glued to my screen. And the pressure that comes with it? The expectations? Oh boy. It’s a full-time job with zero benefits and unlimited passive-aggressive comments.

If you know, you know—social media drama hits hard and fast. Especially on Facebook. Yes, I manage a political group in Aurora.

Here’s a slice of reality: I go to sleep like a normal person (well, late, but still), and when I wake up, digital Rome is often burning. LOL.

“You should’ve interjected!” they say. Uh, I was sleeping at 5 or 6 a.m. Apparently, I was expected to magically appear in the thread and put out the online chaos. So people get themselves in trouble, and then it’s the admin’s fault.

And of course, there’s always the classic: “This group can’t go any lower!” Really? Because I was literally doing the school drop-off. When I got home, everything was sorted—comment deleted, poster spoken to, complainer quietly shown the exit. But still – admin’s fault.

Newsflash: bad comments can be reported. Platforms delete things. But some folks just want the drama. They probably took a hundred screenshots of the worst comment just to stockpile future outrage. People really do these little “nasties.”

Then there are the drive-by commenters who drop in just to toss an insult grenade. So there I am, mid-toast-and-tea, and a stream of comments rolls in. The last one? Complaining their other comments aren’t being approved. And I’m sitting there thinking, FFS, am I supposed to be some kind of admin ninja, running a 24/7 moderation hotline? That was a bit of a revelation moment—why even deal with the “mean girl”? Ban button: activated. Zero regrets.

And seriously—why would I green-light a comment that’s both a personal jab and a recruitment pitch for their supposedly “positive” group, where everyone apparently sings hymns to the Mayor? Maybe they post other content. But I wouldn’t know—I can’t even see their “united” group.

According to them, my group is the dark side: evil, anti-Mayor, pro-liberal, anti-everything. Listen—it’s a political group, not a luxury retreat. In Aurora POLITICS Unleashed, we discuss Council meetings, motions, and decisions from both the Mayor and Council. Affordability? Always on the radar. Transparency, accountability, and civic engagement? Firmly on the menu.

And then come the disruptors—those who don’t just disagree but come in swinging with personal attacks. That part? Sure, it gets exhausting. But the group holds space for all kinds of views—and that’s something worth protecting. And like I keep saying: it’s not my fault we have a Mayor armed with Strong Mayor Powers, swinging them around like Thor’s hammer—potentially for his own re-election benefit.

Meanwhile, the leadership that’s supposedly “getting things done” has managed to grind Council morale into dust.

Anyway—today was a better day. I was home by noon and got to enjoy a bit of Aurora. Spring is settling in beautifully. We’re in that in-between season where you could almost mistake it for fall—except the frogs are croaking, the red-winged blackbirds are shouting their return, and the fields are dressing up in shades of yellow and blue. Definitely spring vibes.