Is This A Thing?

Dear Listeners,I write to you from my home office (which is...my only office) here in Maine. It's mid-morning on a Monday; a candle is burning; the remnants of yesterday's weird slush storm are dripping down the side of the house; and I already have my desk light on because the day is gloomy. But despite the gray, today is exciting. It's release day for episode 20 of Is This a Thing?, the last episode of Season 1. I wish I were writing this letter to you by hand. (Well, I guess I am technically using my hands to type this, but...you get what I'm saying.) I wish my hand were curled around my favorite pen, and the nib was digging into the paper, and that in a few days, you were pulling this letter out of a wax-sealed envelope. But alas, here I am, clickity clacking away. And that's probably for the best, because it would be hard to add a "Listen Now" button to a paper letter.In today's episode, we talk about HANDWRITTEN NOTES. Are they still a thing? Do people still write and send notes, or are they becoming a thing of the past? We hope you enjoy today's episode. And if you really want to write us a letter...we wouldn't say no. We'll see you soon for Season 2. Keep your eyes on your (virtual) mailbox!All my love, Abby (and Alli, too, of course)P.S. As per usual, here are links to everything we mentioned in the episode:Checkered Fish CeramicsBlackwell'sIn Her Defense by Phillipa MalickaThe Seven Miracles of Beatrix Holland by Rachael HerronThe usual links:ITAT on InstagramAlli on InstagramAbby on InstagramITAT on SubstackOrder Alli’s book!Subscribe on Substack for access to FULL episodes, including this one! We appreciate your support :) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Get in losers, we're going shopping. Beep beep! Or actually, maybe we're not. Because Alli is driving (which she likes) but the parking situation is uncertain, and that makes her nervous, and so...maybe we'll just stay at home and shop from our laptops instead? In case it's not obvious, today we're talking about PARKING ANXIETY.  We also chat about:Lingering coughs, and how coughing is annoying The tempting tendency to pathologize peopleAlli's fascinating and fervent disdain of Rob from TraitorsWhy this season of Traitors doesn't feel as good as last season...and more! The usual links:ITAT on InstagramAlli on InstagramAbby on InstagramITAT on SubstackPre-order Alli’s book!Subscribe on Substack for access to FULL episodes, including this one! We appreciate your support :) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last week we talked about “hate listening” to podcasts. This week, we’re talking about media consumption again—but this time, we’re talking about comfort TV. But there’s one more twist: Abby wants to know if high-stress shows like The Pitt and ER can be comfort shows (because they definitely are for her). We also chat about:Going on a cross-country road trip and the roles each of us would playHow it feels for Alli to hold THE FIRST COPIES of her debut novel!The current and future state of hardcover books...and more!And, of course, here are links to things we mentioned in the episode:LITTLE ONE by Olivia MuenterThe PittHEART THE LOVER by Lily KingGLOSSY by Marisa SeltzerThe usual links:ITAT on InstagramAlli on InstagramAbby on InstagramITAT on SubstackPre-order Alli’s book!Advocacy corner: The state of the country (and world) is weighing heavily on us right now. As such, we wanted to provide some suggestions of how to stay involved. Every little thing counts.Call your representatives using 5 Calls (there’s also a great mobile app)Donate to mutual aid orgs. Here are some suggestions:Food For AllImmigrant Defense NetworkList of mutual aid orgs in MinnesotaProject Relief MaineStay in the know by following these creators:Emily Amick of Emily In Your PhoneAaron ParnasSubscribe on Substack for access to FULL episodes, including this one! We appreciate your support :) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Raise your hand if you've ever opened up your Instagram, Facebook, Tiktok, or [Insert your social media platform of choice] and navigated toward the profile of someone you, well, really don't like.We won't say you hate that person, per se, but you definitely don't like them, and you may not even know them. Yet you often find yourself scrolling through their page to see what they're up to. (By the way, if you're not raising your hand, I don't believe you!! – Love, Abby).Many in the world refer to this as "hate following."In this episode, we discuss something in a very similar vein: "Hate listening" to podcasts, something Alli does on pretty much a daily basis. We also chat about: Our ideal morning routines (and how soggy socks can interfere)Hiring a personal driver for two-year-old Will (note: this is a joke)Throw pillows and commitment issuesCookie Fridays...and more! And, of course, here are links to everything we mentioned in the episode:Busy Phillips on Pod Meets WorldAbby's super cool new mechanical keyboard (I'm sorry that it's from Am*zon!!) Watch What Crappens episode about the RHOSLC finaleWorkhorse by Caroline PalmerThe usual links:ITAT on InstagramAlli on InstagramAbby on InstagramITAT on SubstackPre-order Alli’s book!Subscribe on Substack for access to FULL episodes, including this one! We appreciate your support :) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oh no! You thought we'd abandoned you? Left ITAT behind, and walked off into the sunset? Never! (Well, maybe one day, but not anytime soon.) Today we're back with the first episode of 2026 (which just so happens to be the year of TOO BLESSED TO STRESS). In episode 16, Alli and Abby finally open up the Christmas gifts they got each other and discuss a plethora of random things, including:Claymation squirrels and other package-related drama Alli's feelings about becoming a published author in less than two months (!!) Our thoughts on 2026, the year of the horse Moments we felt most joyful and carefree in 2025 ..and more! There's some great ASMR in this episode. And even better news? Today's 'sode is free for everyone! So grab those headphones and listen in. We're happy to be back in your ears!And, of course, here are links to everything we mentioned in the episode:Gilmore Girls Oracle DeckCulture Study Newsletter: Some Really Hard (But Really Useful) QuestionsThe usual links:ITAT on InstagramAlli on InstagramAbby on InstagramITAT on SubstackPre-order Alli's book! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If there’s one word that really resonates with Abby, it’s restless.Thankfully, she doesn’t have restless leg syndrome (that she knows of), though she feels for anyone who does. But she does for sure have restless life syndrome, a phrase she discovered while reading one of Nora McInerny’s newsletters.In this episode, we explore what restless life syndrome means, how it’s showing up in Abby’s life, and what we can do to combat it. Plus:The best name to call Abby’s brother A deep-dive into the joy and pressure of gift givingOur philosophy on giving books as presents...and more!And, of course, here are links to everything we mentioned in the episode:Jo Piazza's newsletter featuring digital photo framesBad on Paper podcast: Gift Guide EpisodeOlivia Muenter's newsletter: Nora McInerny's Desk TourNora McInerny's newsletter on restless life syndromeThe BrickITAT on InstagramAlli on InstagramAbby on InstagramITAT on SubstackPre-order Alli's book!Subscribe on Substack for access to FULL episodes, including this one! We appreciate your support :) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Subscribe on Substack for access to FULL episodes, including this one! We appreciate your support :)HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASON! Let's get festive with a deep dive into the business of made-for-TV Christmas movies... and whether or not it's problematic to consume them like candy. Check it out:Good Hang with Amy PoehlerDemocracy in Retrograde by Emily Amick and Sami SageThis Might Hurt tarot deckThe Academy by Elin Hilderbrand and Shelby CunninghamITAT on InstagramAlli on InstagramAbby on InstagramITAT on SubstackPre-order Alli's book! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Subscribe on Substack for access to FULL episodes, including this one! We appreciate your support :)Yes, yes, Gilmore Girls fans we know that Stars Hollow is a thing in the world of Rory and Lorelei... but is there a version of it that exists IRL?Check it out:Uncharmed by Lucy Jane WoodBlack Bird Oracle by Deborah HarknessGood Hang with Amy Poehler (Kate McKinnon episode)ITAT on InstagramAlli on InstagramAbby on InstagramITAT on SubstackPre-order Alli's book! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Subscribe on Substack for access to FULL episodes, including this one! We appreciate your support :)Alli and Abby are both obsessed with their pets, but on Episode 12, they discuss if their relationships with their furry friends are parasocial. Check it out:ITAT on InstagramAlli on InstagramAbby on InstagramITAT on SubstackPre-order Alli's book! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Subscribe on Substack for access to FULL episodes, including this one! We appreciate your support :)Fall is in the air, and we're celebrating on ITAT with a conversation about Abby's anxiety regarding seasonal changes year-round. Sound familiar?Check it out:Spells for Forgetting by Adrienne YoungITAT on InstagramAlli on InstagramAbby on InstagramITAT on SubstackPre-order Alli's book! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Subscribe on Substack for access to FULL episodes! We appreciate your support :)On Episode 10, Abby and Alli share the little things that are making them smile amid tough collective times before diving into this week's main topic: dreams with weird, complicated histories and timelines. Is this thing?Friendly note: starting next week, full episodes will be available via subscription only ($5/month) over on ITAT's Substack. You can still access partial episodes on your favorite podcast player. Thank you for cheering us on—and please don't hesitate to let us know with a DM if there are financial hardships preventing you from tuning in. We appreciate your support and want to offer the same if you need it! xoCheck it out:Alli's 20 Little Smiles Substack series@kittenxlady on Instagram@orphankittenclub on InstagramRifle Paper Co.'s Spellbound Halloween notebookAlli's sticker-by-number book (yes, we know it's Amazon and we don't love that, either)ITAT on InstagramAlli on InstagramAbby on InstagramITAT on SubstackPre-order Alli's book! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Subscribe on Substack for access to FULL episodes! We appreciate your support :)This week, Alli and Abby discuss their personal experiences with therapy and compare notes on their tendencies to try to perform for/impress/accommodate them. Is this a thing? We'll figure it out! Check it out:Notes on Your Sudden DisappearanceITAT on InstagramAlli on InstagramAbby on InstagramITAT on SubstackPre-order Alli's book! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Subscribe on Substack for access to FULL episodes! We appreciate your support :)This week, Alli and Abby step back a bit and consider "guilty pleasures" as a big-picture concept. Is this a thing—or, perhaps more appropriately, should it be? ITAT also welcomes its first special guest! Check it out:ITAT on InstagramAlli on InstagramAbby on InstagramITAT on SubstackPre-order Alli's book! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Subscribe on Substack for access to FULL episodes! We appreciate your support :)Is Abby the only person citing things in her personal diary? Is this a thing? Let's discuss. Check it out:Chani Horoscope siteCo-Star appAlli's favorite Flair pensAlli's Desk Tour in Olivia Muenter's newsletterThe Hunting WivesBig FanComedic Timing ITAT on InstagramAlli on InstagramAbby on InstagramITAT on SubstackPre-order Alli's book! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Subscribe on Substack for access to FULL episodes! We appreciate your support :)If you thought exclamation points were all about FUN and HAPPINESS, you thought wrong. On Episode 6, Alli shares the stress and anxiety they cause her—in work and life. Check it out:Hannah Orenstein on InstagramBecca Freeman on InstagramITAT on InstagramAlli on InstagramAbby on InstagramITAT on SubstackPre-order Alli's book! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Subscribe on Substack for access to FULL episodes! We appreciate your support :)Episode 5 brings you perhaps the most hyper-specific and hilarious conversation yet, all about Abby's obsession with niche subreddits. Does Alli share a similar fascination? Listen and find out! Check it out:Alli's Substack post about Reddit Sounds Like a Cult: The Cult of RedditITAT on InstagramAlli on InstagramAbby on InstagramITAT on SubstackPre-order Alli's book! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Subscribe on Substack for access to FULL episodes! We appreciate your support :)On Episode 4, Alli discusses her (potentially bad) habit of setting books aside when she's already read 85% (or more) of them. She thinks it's a thing, but Abby is unsure.Check it out:@clairefromonline on InstagramThe Magic Hour newsletter by Caroline Cala DonofrioErin Sterling's booksITAT on InstagramAlli on InstagramAbby on InstagramITAT on SubstackPre-order Alli's book! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Subscribe on Substack for access to FULL episodes! We appreciate your support :)On Episode 3, Abby introduces Alli to The Shoppies, along with some of her best acquisitions.Check it out:ITAT on InstagramAlli on InstagramAbby on InstagramITAT on Substack Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Subscribe on Substack for access to FULL episodes! We appreciate your support :) Welcome to the first-EVER episode of Is This A Thing?On Episode 1, we consider if sliding into the DMs to make friends is a thing. Check it out:ITAT on InstagramAlli on InstagramAbby on InstagramITAT on SubstackBack Cove Books Olivia Muenter's SubstackSuch a Bad Influence Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Subscribe on Substack for access to FULL episodes! We appreciate your support :)On Episode 2, we consider if Alli's Hotel Candy ritual is a thing. Check it out:ITAT on InstagramAlli on InstagramAbby on InstagramITAT on SubstackAbby's slippers Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is This A Thing? *officially* launches on Thursday 6/12!In the meantime, follow us on Instagram @isthisathing_pod. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.