diff --git a/fedireads/activity.py b/fedireads/activity.py
index 1bbf1b0b7..1099ec7c0 100644
--- a/fedireads/activity.py
+++ b/fedireads/activity.py
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ def create_status(user, content, reply_parent=None, mention_books=None):
 def get_status_json(status):
     ''' create activitypub json for a status '''
     user = status.user
-    uri = 'https://%s/user/%s/status/%d' % (DOMAIN, user.localname, status.id)
+    uri = status.absolute_id
     reply_parent_id = status.reply_parent.id if status.reply_parent else None
     status_json = {
         'id': uri,
diff --git a/fedireads/models/activity.py b/fedireads/models/activity.py
index 009d369e5..087ddcf1e 100644
--- a/fedireads/models/activity.py
+++ b/fedireads/models/activity.py
@@ -3,8 +3,10 @@ from django.core.validators import MaxValueValidator, MinValueValidator
 from django.db import models
 from model_utils.managers import InheritanceManager
 
+from fedireads.utils.models import FedireadsModel
 
-class Status(models.Model):
+
+class Status(FedireadsModel):
     ''' any post, like a reply to a review, etc '''
     user = models.ForeignKey('User', on_delete=models.PROTECT)
     status_type = models.CharField(max_length=255, default='Note')
@@ -19,8 +21,6 @@ class Status(models.Model):
         null=True,
         on_delete=models.PROTECT
     )
-    content = models.TextField(blank=True, null=True)
-    created_date = models.DateTimeField(auto_now_add=True)
     objects = InheritanceManager()
 
 
diff --git a/fedireads/models/book.py b/fedireads/models/book.py
index e4b73dbe2..8beb382ba 100644
--- a/fedireads/models/book.py
+++ b/fedireads/models/book.py
@@ -1,9 +1,12 @@
 ''' database schema for books and shelves '''
 from django.db import models
+
+from fedireads.settings import DOMAIN
 from fedireads.utils.fields import JSONField
+from fedireads.utils.models import FedireadsModel
 
 
-class Shelf(models.Model):
+class Shelf(FedireadsModel):
     name = models.CharField(max_length=100)
     identifier = models.CharField(max_length=100)
     user = models.ForeignKey('User', on_delete=models.PROTECT)
@@ -14,14 +17,12 @@ class Shelf(models.Model):
         through='ShelfBook',
         through_fields=('shelf', 'book')
     )
-    created_date = models.DateTimeField(auto_now_add=True)
-    updated_date = models.DateTimeField(auto_now=True)
 
     class Meta:
         unique_together = ('user', 'identifier')
 
 
-class ShelfBook(models.Model):
+class ShelfBook(FedireadsModel):
     # many to many join table for books and shelves
     book = models.ForeignKey('Book', on_delete=models.PROTECT)
     shelf = models.ForeignKey('Shelf', on_delete=models.PROTECT)
@@ -31,13 +32,12 @@ class ShelfBook(models.Model):
         null=True,
         on_delete=models.PROTECT
     )
-    created_date = models.DateTimeField(auto_now_add=True)
 
     class Meta:
         unique_together = ('book', 'shelf')
 
 
-class Book(models.Model):
+class Book(FedireadsModel):
     ''' a non-canonical copy of a work (not book) from open library '''
     openlibrary_key = models.CharField(max_length=255, unique=True)
     data = JSONField()
@@ -56,14 +56,17 @@ class Book(models.Model):
         null=True,
         on_delete=models.PROTECT
     )
-    added_date = models.DateTimeField(auto_now_add=True)
-    updated_date = models.DateTimeField(auto_now=True)
+
+    @property
+    def absolute_id(self):
+        ''' constructs the absolute reference to any db object '''
+        base_path = 'https://%s' % DOMAIN
+        model_name = self.__name__.lower()
+        return '%s/%s/%d' % (base_path, model_name, self.openlibrary_key)
 
 
-class Author(models.Model):
+class Author(FedireadsModel):
     ''' copy of an author from OL '''
     openlibrary_key = models.CharField(max_length=255)
     data = JSONField()
-    added_date = models.DateTimeField(auto_now_add=True)
-    updated_date = models.DateTimeField(auto_now=True)
 
diff --git a/fedireads/models/user.py b/fedireads/models/user.py
index d396d38af..a7b0ca11b 100644
--- a/fedireads/models/user.py
+++ b/fedireads/models/user.py
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ from django.dispatch import receiver
 
 from fedireads.models import Shelf
 from fedireads.settings import DOMAIN
+from fedireads.utils.models import FedireadsModel
 
 
 class User(AbstractUser):
@@ -33,11 +34,15 @@ class User(AbstractUser):
     name = models.CharField(max_length=100, blank=True, null=True)
     avatar = models.ImageField(upload_to='avatars/', blank=True, null=True)
     followers = models.ManyToManyField('self', symmetrical=False)
-    created_date = models.DateTimeField(auto_now_add=True)
-    updated_date = models.DateTimeField(auto_now=True)
+
+    @property
+    def absolute_id(self):
+        ''' users are identified by their username, so overriding this prop '''
+        model_name = type(self).__name__
+        return 'https://%s/%s/%s' % (DOMAIN, model_name, self.localname)
 
 
-class FederatedServer(models.Model):
+class FederatedServer(FedireadsModel):
     ''' store which server's we federate with '''
     server_name = models.CharField(max_length=255, unique=True)
     # federated, blocked, whatever else
diff --git a/fedireads/views.py b/fedireads/views.py
index 1ad12aa9e..a0d733e8d 100644
--- a/fedireads/views.py
+++ b/fedireads/views.py
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ def home(request):
 
     # books new to the instance, for discovery
     recent_books = models.Book.objects.order_by(
-        '-added_date'
+        '-created_date'
     )[:5]
 
     # status updates for your follow network