Jess Blankshain (sad girl autumn version)
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profjessblankshain.bsky.social
Jess Blankshain (sad girl autumn version)
@profjessblankshain.bsky.social
11K followers 930 following 1.8K posts
Associate professor, mom, triathlete, dog person, Swiftie. US foreign policy, civil-military relations, & bureaucratic politics. Personal views only. Posts before 9/23/23 are imports from the other place.
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profjessblankshain.bsky.social
As I said, some of us were more worried about beating the rain than others 🤣
A screen shot of half marathon race results with an overall time of 2:24:08 and pace splits of 10:20 min/mile through 5K, 10:33 through 10K, 10:47 through 10 miles, and 11:00 at the finish
October 12, 2025 at 8:42 PM
profjessblankshain.bsky.social
Furlough can't keep us from morning PT! @theomilo.bsky.social and I beat the nor'easter at the Newport Half Marathon this morning (one of us by a somewhat more comfortable margin)
Two people in running gear stand on the beach early in the morning The same two people (one now holding a toddler) sit on a cement wall in front of the ocean holding up medals with ribbons for me that say 13.1
October 12, 2025 at 6:13 PM
profjessblankshain.bsky.social
Furlough Day 4 (we're not counting weekends) soccer snacks
A kitchen counter with a white ghost shaped snackle box filled with fruit, cheese, pirates booty, harvest peas, and chocolate oat bars. The transparent ghost face lid hangs off the side.
October 6, 2025 at 8:57 PM
profjessblankshain.bsky.social
Furlough Day 2
A shelf with LEGO interactive Mario, Luigi, and Peach sets
October 2, 2025 at 10:31 PM
profjessblankshain.bsky.social
By the time shutdown ends I will be 80% pumpkin spice
A large container of pumpkin pie spice coffee creamer and a black coffee mug with a bat face in front of a coffee maker and mug tree
October 2, 2025 at 12:57 PM
profjessblankshain.bsky.social
Need to keep your kids busy for a few minutes so you can dissociate in peace? I highly recommend a sticker scavenger hunt.
Close up of a child's hands checking a box next to one of six paw patrol stickers on a green sheet of paper
September 6, 2025 at 11:16 PM
profjessblankshain.bsky.social
This was after the stylist did it so it will never look like this again 🤣
A women in a black sweatshirt stands in front of a bunch of hair care products. She has wavy strawberry blonde hair with long bangs.
August 27, 2025 at 2:47 AM
profjessblankshain.bsky.social
Ok in practice it's more folklore Taylor but I'll take it #LivingForTheHopeOfItAll
Taylor Swift looking over her shoulder in a photo from the folklore album shoot
August 27, 2025 at 1:07 AM
profjessblankshain.bsky.social
Finally took the plunge on the Taylor Swift reputation tour haircut I've been considering for a year #LookWhatYouMadeMeDo
A photo of Taylor Swift from the reputation tour wearing a scaled black body suit with shoulder length wavy hair and bangs
August 24, 2025 at 1:02 AM
profjessblankshain.bsky.social
I blame you for manifesting these, which have made it into Costco
Screen shot showing three bags of Pure Protein popped crisps: purple (sweet chili), red (hickory barbecue), and green (sour cream & onion)
August 6, 2025 at 2:29 PM
profjessblankshain.bsky.social
I remember playing this but AIM was definitely how I learned speed
Screen shot of the box for the Mario Teaches Typing computer game with Mario in a cape running over a computer keyboard
August 4, 2025 at 4:01 PM
profjessblankshain.bsky.social
The other day Kid 1 broke his dominant wrist. Full arm cast. Tonight he asked me for the new paint by sticker books I'd ordered last week. I was about to tell him he wouldn't be able to do them but at the last second I stopped myself and just handed him a book. Anyway, kids are pretty awesome.
A boy sits on a messy kitchen floor with his arm in a cast propped on a pillow. He has a book open on his lap and is placing stickers in the outline of an astronaut.
July 30, 2025 at 10:43 PM
profjessblankshain.bsky.social
Or an early afternoon stroller ruck. 4 miles with weighted backpack - going to feel that one tomorrow!
A sleeping baby in a stroller with a sunglasses emoji covering the face. A 40 oz tumbler with bunny straw topper sits in the cupholder.
June 28, 2025 at 7:52 PM
profjessblankshain.bsky.social
Ok first a little self care
Over the shoulder photo of a baby wearing Sesame Street pajamas and holding Pride Puppy open to the first page
June 28, 2025 at 12:34 AM
profjessblankshain.bsky.social
Anyway dreams really do come true
A hand holding a pint of Ben & Jerry's Phish Food with a spoon in it
June 27, 2025 at 2:54 AM
profjessblankshain.bsky.social
Congratulations to the Naval War College class of 2025! We love a chance to wear our silly hats and robes. @lindsaypcohn.bsky.social @theomilo.bsky.social
Three professors in academic regalia with a white tent, the bay, and a line of fellow professors in the background Two professor in academic regalia stand in front of Luce Hall with graduates and their families in the background
June 16, 2025 at 2:40 PM
profjessblankshain.bsky.social
Excellent piece from an amazing colleague @heidiurben.bsky.social
Blaming the soldiers themselves, most of whom are junior in rank, is warranted insofar as they should know better. But the real blame lies with their leaders, who demonstrated a stunning lack of situational awareness and careless disregard for one of their institution’s guiding professional norms. They failed to prepare their soldiers to act like professionals in the presence of their commander-in-chief. and their actions raise questions about whether they are equipped to steer their organization through the divisive political moment the military finds itself in.
June 12, 2025 at 1:12 AM
profjessblankshain.bsky.social
As usual, read @stevevladeck.bsky.social www.stevevladeck.com/p/156-federa...
Even as someone who thinks the federal government has both the constitutional and statutory authority to override local and state governments when it comes to law and order (see, e.g., President Eisenhower sending troops into Little Rock to enforcement Brown), it seems to me that there is something deeply pernicious about invoking any of these authorities except in circumstances in which their necessity is a matter of consensus beyond the President’s political supporters. The law may well allow President Trump to do what he did Saturday night. But just because something is legal does not mean that it is wise—for the present or future of our Republic.
June 10, 2025 at 12:44 AM
profjessblankshain.bsky.social
Have to stay fully informed on all the recent Supreme Court cases
A copy of the board book Pride Puppy with the title spelled in rainbow letters and an illustration of a puppy in a rainbow bandana leading a pride parade
May 30, 2025 at 11:14 PM
profjessblankshain.bsky.social
How did they even get a sharpie??
A vintage Disney mug with Mickey and Minnie driving a red car, covered in black marker scribble
May 23, 2025 at 1:09 AM
profjessblankshain.bsky.social
Update: we have jokes
A magnetic whiteboard on a brown door with a black marker. The top days "MONDAY" in purple. The bottom says "in our folklore era" in black and green. The middle says "What does a social scientist call Teardrops on My Guitar? An instrumental variable" in black in different handwriting.
May 20, 2025 at 11:52 AM
profjessblankshain.bsky.social
Figured out the repressed memory my kids' freeze-dried berries were triggering
A pink and white cereal box with the text Special K red berries, a bowl of cereal flakes with freezer dried strawberries, a tape measure labeled "lose an inch from you waist in two weeks" and an ad for a free workout DVD by mail
May 10, 2025 at 5:50 PM
profjessblankshain.bsky.social
A thoughtful discussion of the tensions inherent in being an academic while also a civil servant under military leadership www.nytimes.com/2025/05/08/u...
Civilian and military professors at West Point have the freedom “to inquire, express professional views, teach and learn” in their classrooms and academic disciplines, according to Army regulations. But they are also “servants of the nation,” Army policy states, and subject to the president’s orders and the political pressures that come with being part of the vast federal bureaucracy.
May 9, 2025 at 1:33 AM
profjessblankshain.bsky.social
#MomHack for protecting your personal supply of half and half in the office
Photo of a mini fridge door holding a can of seltzer, a tangerine, and a capped baby bottle filled with white liquid
May 5, 2025 at 4:24 PM
profjessblankshain.bsky.social
For weeks, kindergartner has been asking me about bears every time we enter our neighborhood. When I asked why, he said there was a sign by the road that said no bears. Over the weekend, we finally got him to identify the sign.
A white sign with black and white text reading "neighborhood watch warning the neighbors of this community are organized against crime" with an image of a dark figure with a hat and turned up collar in a red struck through circle
May 5, 2025 at 2:02 PM