Too Many Apps; Too Little Time
August 2025 Link Round-Up
Greetings from back-to-school land, where my head might possibly explode if I am asked to sign up for one more app where teachers can communicate with me. Hilariously, while complaining about this very thing with friends over tacos last night, I realized there are not just 40 different communication apps out there—it’s more like 400 and counting. Klassly. Band. Talking Points. ClassDojo. Seesaw. ParentSquare. Bloomz. ClassTag. HelloParent. The list goes on.
I cannot believe I am saying this, but I miss the good ole days of plain email bombardment. Remember when teachers haphazardly stuffed wrinkled papers into backpacks? At this rate, I beg you, just have the drones airdrop parcels on my doorstep.
We signed Presley up for swim lessons over the summer and on the very first day, I was told I needed to sign a waiver … in the app.
The app? For swim lessons?
I asked if there was another way to sign, pen and paper style, but the kind lady behind the desk shook her head no.
Sorry, she said, we’re moving everything to the app.
Am I crazy, or have we taken the app thing a little too far? I keep seeing people talk about getting dumb phones, and while I am *super* intrigued by the concept, from a logistical standpoint, how, exactly, do they function in the world? You need an app to get into concerts. To pay for your parking. To get an Uber. To reserve your spot in line at Disneyland. Heaven forbid, if your car doesn’t have built-in GPS, you also need an app to make sure you don’t drive into a lake while en route to your destination1.
My feelings about AI are no secret, but I was intrigued by this podcast conversation where one of the hosts said, "If artificial intelligence—as our online agents—get to a place where I never have to log into an account again, as long as I live, the level of rejoicing I will have cannot be contained.”
I am still a ChatGPT virgin by choice, but should there come a day where a tiny robot could handle the usernames and passwords for the 800 accounts I need in order to get into a comedy show, board an airplane, and find out what the heck is going on at my kids’ schools, I might reconsider. Might.
Anyway. Godspeed to all the mothers during back-to-school season. And if any Gen Z tech geniuses want to crack the code on ONE universal school communication app, just know I’ll be cheering you on all the way to Shark Tank.
And now, onto the links!
Currently reading and/or just finished reading: Wild Dark Shore (OH MY GOSH EVERYONE PLEASE READ THIS BOOK), It's a Love Story, Three Days In June, Run for the Hills, Don't Let Him In (nobody writes a psycho better than Lisa Jewell), Tilt (this gave me earthquake anxiety, but the writing is phenomenal), Praying Like Monks (wowza this book is 🔥— my girl Katie Blackburn never steers me wrong).
Related: you can hear Katie gush all about that prayer book on our latest C+C podcast episode where we talk about all the things: Unscripted Gab Sesh.
At first I thought this was a glitch, but Christianbook is practically giving my book away for free. It's currently on clearance for $1.50, which, yes, means you can get 10 copies (TEN COPIES) for less than $20. Normally this would bruise the ego a bit, but I'm still leaning into this perspective. If you've been waiting for a good sale, this is your moment. You could literally buy Create Anyway for your whole book club or your entire MOPS table for under TWENTY DOLLARS. Insanity.
Presley has already gotten a dozen compliments on her new backpack, and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t wish it came in my size.
A conversation that keeps coming up with friends: None of us had "teach the children not to fall in love with robots" on our 2025 parenting bingo cards.
Calling all 90's babes & Jonathan Haidt enthusiasts — I have never ordered a product so fast in all my life. Tin Can is reinventing landlines for kids, and I cannot wait for Presley to get hers. (When I tell you I am full-blown obsessed with what they're building, what I actually mean is: I am currently stalking the co-founder and trying to convince him to hire me someday. 😉) Here’s my referral link, which gets you $5 off.
My friend Laura has done it again: published a stunning children's book that Presley and I are reading on repeat. The illustrations! The message! If you've got a daughter, you're gonna want to pre-order a copy of Your Worth Never Wavers ASAP.
Looking for a fall bible study? Some friends and I are currently working through this one on Proverbs (and loving it!).
File this under: generative human creativity > LLMs. Forever.
Shameless Plugs: 1) I was so honored to have a poem featured in Issue 25 of Part-Time Poets (my favorite Substack collab ever), 2) I'm not saying I wrote the response to this letter, but I'm not saying I didn't write it either, and 3) It was such a joy to be interviewed for Creative Parenting Club.
Just gonna drop this here. "I have come to believe that our children and young people are now guinea pigs for the capitalist experiment of AI the same way that they were guinea pigs for the experiment of unregulated social media a decade ago."
It won't be cold in Sacramento until October, I rarely wear navy, and I'm definitely in the Nordstrom-anniversary-sale-is-overhyped camp, but even with those three disclaimers, I did buy this sweatshirt during the sale and can't wait to wear it.
This is not a drill! In case you’ve been living under a rock, Taylor Swift has new music releasing October 3rd (!). Imagine my delight when I realized I would be in Nashville with a bunch of Exhale members for the occasion. We are already debating a group outing to get bangs or tattoos (or both?). Either way, here’s a round-up of orange outfit options in progress, should you also be on the hunt: peplum top, washed cable sweater, cropped tank, smocked midi dress, wrap skirt. Looking for something more subtle? Grab some shimmery orange nail polish and call it good.
When Katie Blackburn tells you these are the best chocolate chip cookies she’s ever made, you believe her. My family will now co-sign: they were the perfect first-day-of-school treats!
That’s all I’ve got. What are you reading? Wearing? Cooking? Watching? And most importantly: are you team Jeremiah or Conrad?! (IYKYK)
And with that, I’ll leave you with a little spine poem, created in week 1 of the first ever Create Anyway Cohort (we’re having so much fun!)2:
I think we've been here before,
overbooked and overwhelmed,
(but) even after everything,
don't give up
(on) the creative life—
Take what you need:
if you want to write,
somehow,
(in) a million tiny moments,
create anyway.
Name that reference!
If all goes well, I plan to do another one in January. TBD.
"No it means bear right. This is the lake! No, no THIS IS THE LAKE!" 🤣
Password managers! We use 1password and it makes all those apps/passwords more manageable. I can share with my husband too so he can access things without me.