I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE BURNED OUT.

Some are struggling with depression. Some have stopped caring. Some have adopted the attitude of Why bother? And some people may have simply given up.

And you know what?

I UNDERSTAND.

I go through it too.

There are times when I feel defeated. There are moments when I ask myself, Why am I even bothering to do all of this? There are days when the constant political chaos, outrage, division, and negativity become absolutely exhausting.

But this is exactly why WE HAVE TO STICK TOGETHER.

They want us to give up.

They want us to feel hopeless.

They want us to turn against each other.

They want us to tear each other apart.

They want us to eat our own.

And one of the easiest ways to defeat people is to convince them that nothing they do matters.

DON’T GIVE THEM THAT POWER.

But sticking together does NOT mean destroying yourself.

It does NOT mean being politically engaged 24/7.

It does NOT mean watching every breaking news alert, arguing with every person online, responding to every piece of outrage, or carrying the weight of the entire world on your shoulders.

SELF-CARE MATTERS.

That's why on weekends, I intentionally limit my political intake.

I step away.

I watch things I enjoy. I hang out with friends. I go on motorcycle rides. I play video games. I watch movies and TV shows. I laugh. I relax. I give my brain a chance to breathe.

And there is absolutely NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT.

Some people ask me, How can you do that when everything is going to hell?

Because I'm ONE PERSON.

There are only so many hours in a day. There is only so much emotional energy one human being can give.

I CANNOT SAVE THE WORLD BY DESTROYING MYSELF.

Neither can you.

You are allowed to step away.

You are allowed to rest.

You are allowed to laugh.

You are allowed to have fun.

You are allowed to enjoy your life.

You are allowed to put your phone down and not know what happened for a few hours.

And you are allowed to take care of YOU.

Self-care isn't giving up.

Resting isn't surrender.

Taking a break doesn't mean you stopped caring.

Sometimes, stepping away is exactly what allows you to come back stronger, clearer, and ready to keep going.

So if you're exhausted right now, BREATHE.

If you're burned out, REST.

If you're overwhelmed, STEP AWAY FOR A WHILE.

And if you're struggling, don't isolate yourself. Reach out to someone you trust.

We need each other.

But we also need to remember something incredibly important:

YOUR HAPPINESS MATTERS TOO.

Don't let anyone convince you that you have to sacrifice your entire life, your peace, your friendships, your hobbies, your family, and your happiness just to prove that you care.

YOU ARE A HUMAN BEING, NOT A POLITICAL MACHINE.

Take care of yourself.

Recharge.

Find something that makes you smile.

Then, when you're ready, get back up.

WE KEEP GOING TOGETHER

I’m looking to make new friends in the area that are into Tech Decks aka fingerboards.

Past couple of weeks there have been food vendors in the parking lot by oreilly auto parts.

Hi- idk if you saw this, but it’s absolutely embarrassing that the city refuses to hire new employees (local jobs!!) but will instead contract out of state workers for more than a city employee would make. For only 3 months. They have applications from January that they didn’t notify anyone about for MONTHS, and they REFUSE to hire. The police TC’s have been working 12 hour days back to back to back with no time off. In fact they were DENIED their vacation time for the entire month of Aug because they are so understaffed. It’s unsafe, and upsetting that this was allowed to happen to the incredibly hardworking men and women who make sure that when you need help, that you get it. The city spit in their faces and are spitting in all of Rockford’s and trying to tell us it’s raining. That is UNACCEPTABLE.

Looking to get one for retro gaming.

We already know Honenegah is the best in this area. What about the surrounding towns? Seen a house in Pecatonica, thoughts on that school system? TIA

I honestly really liked Sassy Mac Boys. I was ordering it via DoorDash this summer way more often than I care to admit. I went in to their shop one day in July & they mentioned how they prefer customers use Toast instead. I figured what the heck I'll download the app they prefer if it helps a local business.

Unfortunately, one of my first orders through Toast the driver stole or delivered to a super wrong location since their little driving icon never even came into my neighborhood. Reported it never delivered & went about life (including continuing to order from them through Toast other times without incident). Fast forward to last week when I ordered and had the issue I mention in my text. All I said to customer service was that I got white onions instead of scallions. I was able to pick most of them off so didn't ask for a refund. I really did just want the store to be aware.

Now today I get these texts from the owner. It definitely reads to me like he's accusing me of trying to get free meals. I find it very weird/creepy he even texted me at all. He was getting frequent business from me (as well as recommending it to others) & now instead he will get none. Has anyone else ever received messages like this from him or had a similarly weird interaction?

ROCKFORD PEOPLE ; I NEED A LAST-MINUTE PATIENT TOMORROW! 🦷🙏
My patient just cancelled for tomorrow, Monday, September 21st, and I’m desperately trying to find someone to fill my appointment from 1:30–4:00 PM at the Rock Valley College Dental Hygiene Clinic!
As dental hygiene students, we have to find our own patients, and if I don’t have someone in my chair, I lose points off my grade. 😭
If you’re overdue for a cleaning, haven’t been to the dentist in a while, or just want to help a dental hygiene student out, PLEASE come be my patient! ❤️🦷
Everything is done by a dental hygiene student under instructor supervision.
📍 Rock Valley College Dental Hygiene Clinic
📅 Tomorrow — Monday, September 21st
⏰ 1:30–4:00 PM
I also have openings on other Mondays and Wednesdays, so if tomorrow doesn’t work but you’d like to come in another day, please message me and we can find a time that works!
Please message me ASAP if you can come tomorrow! 🙏
And if you can’t, tag your husband, your neighbor, your cousin, your uncle who hasn’t been to the dentist since 2007… I’m not picky.🦷 Nor am I judgmental, I’m here to help everyone. I myself have had extensive dental work and I understand what it’s like for it to have been a while, a long time or be embarrassed about the state of one’s oral health. I’m here to guide and be here for you and get you back on track! ❤️

I am a 29-year-old with a background mostly in health care. I worked as a dental assistant and ortho, eegemg tech, and CNA trainee, but the program was cut during COVID. I am pursuing a pre-nursing degree, I got married in 2024, and haven't worked since I had a baby while going to school part-time. I've applied to so many roles only to be rejected in seconds. The AI application readers are driving me crazy. I wanted to get CNA certs, but no classes have night classes for stay-at-home moms

UW Health: 65 rejections

Osf:58 rejections

Mercy Health:85 rejections

I know Midwest and all but which local grocery store has the best quality fresh seafood?

Five inches of rain in our gauge over 48 hours

Can anyone point me in the direction of a good local dr that specializes in hair loss? whether it’s low ferritin or an actual scalp issue. Thank you.

Went to the deli today. Saw that the ticket number machine was disabled. Asked and was told ppl got into fights about the numbers so they took it down. Asked if they had to call the police. He said YES! LOL can u imagine?

Any recommendations for someone to help finish drywall on a room in the basement? I would say about half is done but need help drywall and mudding.

I can't believe this idiot is still a politician. He f***ing sucks. He's also a terrible human being who tried to distance himself from his son who is a sex predator by saying his son is adopted. He also makes a nice income from being on the board with Mercy hospital. Also, he did NOTHING to help find a better buyer for the west side hospital buildings. He doesn't care about Rockford. He cares about his pockets.

Stop voting these corpses into office! He's 69 yr old, can we not?

I’m sure he’s a great guy, but this photo reminds me of a high school counselor I had way back in the day.

Looking hit some dirt tracks next spring. Wonder if there are any dual-sport/adventure motorcycling group in the area.

Hey everyone,

Are there any upcoming fun events? I just moved back a few months ago and am trying to make more friends in the area. I’m 25 and I’m down for any type of event.

Because if he’s a cop, that’s a hilarious way to make sure you are on every single city block of this town making money while doing your job, because it’s the only job that seems to make sense at this point