M.J. Rymsza-Pawlowska
@mjrp.bsky.social
a historian currently writing a book about how visitors, newcomers, and outsiders came to dominate Washington, DC and another book about how we do history now.
https://linktr.ee/comingtowashington
https://linktr.ee/comingtowashington
Pinned
M.J. Rymsza-Pawlowska
@mjrp.bsky.social
· Oct 28
At some point I’ll probably start performing my professional self over here but right now I’m too tired! Anyway, stay tuned if you want (eventually) to hear my hot takes on Washington DC, the history profession, and the News Of The Day!
I guess that time is now! hi, my name is M.J., and I'm writing a book about where you get your ideas about Washington, D.C. and what that means for our democracy! I am writing *another* book about how Americans are engaging the past (and probably what that means for our democracy)
this is like 25% of people in academia actually
And also if you manage to project “asshole” on a job interview, when you are presumably on best behavior, then that’s a you problem!
December 19, 2025 at 2:35 PM
this is like 25% of people in academia actually
interdisciplinarity has become a retrenchment strategy
December 19, 2025 at 1:59 PM
interdisciplinarity has become a retrenchment strategy
what scam is this
December 18, 2025 at 4:38 PM
what scam is this
cool runnings, everyone in the theater slow clapped while they walked the bobsled to the finish line and then cheered and I was so moved by the whole thing I wept uncontrollably and was really embarrassed because it was for someone’s birthday party and my whole sixth grade was there
Raising the always fun question: What are your most memorable theater-going experiences?
Mine also include The Matrix, Blair Witch, and being way too stoned in Belgium when Fellowship of the Ring was sold out so we sat in the back row for Mulholland Drive instead.
Mine also include The Matrix, Blair Witch, and being way too stoned in Belgium when Fellowship of the Ring was sold out so we sat in the back row for Mulholland Drive instead.
It was hands-down one of the most memorable theater-going experiences I can remember, a collective 30-minute butt-clench/armrest-grab for the final climb. And we knew he lived! Wild.
December 12, 2025 at 11:47 PM
cool runnings, everyone in the theater slow clapped while they walked the bobsled to the finish line and then cheered and I was so moved by the whole thing I wept uncontrollably and was really embarrassed because it was for someone’s birthday party and my whole sixth grade was there
truly sorry to say that I am eventually going to have to read this for research for my book about terrible people who come to d.c.
At least 40% of the book is just tortured descriptions of her surroundings.
December 4, 2025 at 4:16 PM
truly sorry to say that I am eventually going to have to read this for research for my book about terrible people who come to d.c.
seems clear as day that there wide open lane for some brave administrator to stake an institutional anti-AI position and guaranteed they'll see a spike in enrollment
December 3, 2025 at 4:58 PM
seems clear as day that there wide open lane for some brave administrator to stake an institutional anti-AI position and guaranteed they'll see a spike in enrollment
Dunno why exactly but I feel instinctively that this is a thanksgiving movie
November 28, 2025 at 1:59 AM
Dunno why exactly but I feel instinctively that this is a thanksgiving movie
the key to understanding this guy is that he came up as maureen dowd's assistant
Shawn McCreesh is guilty of many crimes, but his jokey smarminess and mixed metaphors are foremost among them.
November 22, 2025 at 4:07 PM
the key to understanding this guy is that he came up as maureen dowd's assistant
nothing makes smoke come out of the top of my head faster than reading this mckinsey nonsense talk coming out of university admins
November 18, 2025 at 8:55 PM
nothing makes smoke come out of the top of my head faster than reading this mckinsey nonsense talk coming out of university admins
why is there suddenly a copilot icon on my Word document and how do i get rid of it
November 12, 2025 at 2:31 PM
why is there suddenly a copilot icon on my Word document and how do i get rid of it
looking forward to bingewatching guiteaum wambsgans this weekend
Matthew Macfadyen’s riveting performance as Death by Lightning’s Charles Guiteau carries a fascinating meta layer in all the ways it recalls his turn as Tom Wambsgans in ‘Succession.’
No One Does Delusional American Strivers Like Matthew Macfadyen
Matthew Macfadyen’s riveting performance as Death by Lightning’s Charles Guiteau carries a fascinating meta layer in all the ways it recalls his turn as Tom Wambsgans in ‘Succession.’
www.vulture.com
November 7, 2025 at 5:31 PM
looking forward to bingewatching guiteaum wambsgans this weekend
the nyt could just choose not to platform this shit
November 6, 2025 at 1:45 PM
the nyt could just choose not to platform this shit
Reposted by M.J. Rymsza-Pawlowska
The #1 lesson from yesterday’s blowout:
Humanities majors killed on the job market
1) Mamdani- Africana Studies
2) Spanberger -French
3) Sherill - Global History
Humanities majors killed on the job market
1) Mamdani- Africana Studies
2) Spanberger -French
3) Sherill - Global History
November 5, 2025 at 3:59 PM
The #1 lesson from yesterday’s blowout:
Humanities majors killed on the job market
1) Mamdani- Africana Studies
2) Spanberger -French
3) Sherill - Global History
Humanities majors killed on the job market
1) Mamdani- Africana Studies
2) Spanberger -French
3) Sherill - Global History
and a history major! 😊
I genuinely hope this gives film students some swagger. Mamdani’s videos are impeccable—just immeasurably better than Cuomo’s AI slop—and the videographer is a genuine film nerd. That shit works!
Selling Zohran | Defector
On a cool Sunday in November, a few days after Donald Trump’s re-election, Zohran Mamdani stood on a street corner in Jamaica, Queens, holding up a hastily drawn cardboard sign that read “DID YOU VOTE...
defector.com
November 5, 2025 at 4:10 PM
and a history major! 😊
Amazing watching the CNN consultant class trying to wrap their heads around Mamdani and just totally being unable to comprehend a politics that isn’t built for and around cynical operators
November 5, 2025 at 4:52 AM
Amazing watching the CNN consultant class trying to wrap their heads around Mamdani and just totally being unable to comprehend a politics that isn’t built for and around cynical operators
Reposted by M.J. Rymsza-Pawlowska
would love to see our professional organizations platforming public historians and not popular ones
November 3, 2025 at 8:00 PM
would love to see our professional organizations platforming public historians and not popular ones
Reposted by M.J. Rymsza-Pawlowska
When I got the chance to write this article, I wanted scholarship that put the preservation of the White House in context. I see three themes in the story:
1. Reification of expertise
2. Growth of executive power
3. Use of DC as a testing ground
(thread) 🗃️
1. Reification of expertise
2. Growth of executive power
3. Use of DC as a testing ground
(thread) 🗃️
White House Architecture Was an Honor System. Trump Noticed.
For 125 years, informal norms constrained what a president could do to one of the nation’s most famous landmarks.
www.theatlantic.com
November 3, 2025 at 5:08 PM
When I got the chance to write this article, I wanted scholarship that put the preservation of the White House in context. I see three themes in the story:
1. Reification of expertise
2. Growth of executive power
3. Use of DC as a testing ground
(thread) 🗃️
1. Reification of expertise
2. Growth of executive power
3. Use of DC as a testing ground
(thread) 🗃️
its like that one white house correspondents dinner never ended for him
TAPPER: Obama's comments came within a day of Trump hosting a Gatsby-themed Halloween party at Mar-a-Lago while SNAP benefits are set to run out. Your response?
BESSENT: I believe President Obama played a record amount of golf of any president, so I'm not sure why he's out there throwing stones
BESSENT: I believe President Obama played a record amount of golf of any president, so I'm not sure why he's out there throwing stones
November 2, 2025 at 2:30 PM
its like that one white house correspondents dinner never ended for him
this is wild but he also sounds like every other developer here
November 1, 2025 at 2:16 PM
this is wild but he also sounds like every other developer here
I get such a high when I catch one of these — honestly the highlight of my working day lol
October 29, 2025 at 4:04 PM
I get such a high when I catch one of these — honestly the highlight of my working day lol
sorry @washingtonpost.com but no Washingtonian considers this an "obscure board" and our (nominal) hometown paper shouldn't either.
October 28, 2025 at 1:34 PM
sorry @washingtonpost.com but no Washingtonian considers this an "obscure board" and our (nominal) hometown paper shouldn't either.
Ha ha ha ha sob
October 26, 2025 at 10:29 PM
Ha ha ha ha sob
I am in Danish!
politiken.dk/kultur/art10... umps-store-planer-for-USA%E2%80%99s-250-%C3%A5rs-jubil%C3%A6um?shareToken=TUXQGOAFKsKg
politiken.dk/kultur/art10... umps-store-planer-for-USA%E2%80%99s-250-%C3%A5rs-jubil%C3%A6um?shareToken=TUXQGOAFKsKg
October 23, 2025 at 2:20 PM
I am in Danish!
politiken.dk/kultur/art10... umps-store-planer-for-USA%E2%80%99s-250-%C3%A5rs-jubil%C3%A6um?shareToken=TUXQGOAFKsKg
politiken.dk/kultur/art10... umps-store-planer-for-USA%E2%80%99s-250-%C3%A5rs-jubil%C3%A6um?shareToken=TUXQGOAFKsKg
Exactly how I feel and it’s only Tuesday 🫠
October 7, 2025 at 9:41 PM
Exactly how I feel and it’s only Tuesday 🫠