LIS5313

Karen Jesina

The Legacy of Laughs

“The Legacy of Laughs–Episode One Poster” by Karen Jesina is a derivative of Comedy by Donnchadh H, licensed by CC BY 2.0. The derivative is licensed under CC BY 4.0.

The podcast “The Legacy of Laughs–Episode One” by Karen Jesina is licensed under CC BY NC 4.0

The Legacy of Laughs is a podcast that explores the history of American comedy, one comedian (or comedienne) at a time. Made for both the history buff and the comedy fan, The Legacy of Laughs is appropriate for all ages, and seeks to educate, illuminate and entertain. I used a laugh track right off the bat to set the tone, followed by an immediate music track reminiscent of the Seinfeld theme, sure to snap the listener into a comedic frame of mind. I recorded myself using my MacBook Air microphone and all audio editing was completed using Audacity.

Audio Credits:

Photo Credit:

February 12, 2026 by Student Posts 0

Who, me?

Mr. Garfield, 2025, Karen Jesina, CC BY 4.0

Who, me?, 2026, Karen Jesina, CC BY 4.0

I love this original photo. It shows Mr. Garfield’s environment, on a rock amidst the greenery of the Garfield Park Conservatory . Yet I felt it would be a good candidate for cropping. In the original photo, the subject is in the center of the picture, creating a more static presence. By cropping in closer to his face and erasing much of the extraneous environment, we are able to detect some level of (imagined?) emotion. His big, bulging eyes look straight at the camera, seeming to express “Who, me?” These eyes fall about 1/3 of the way from the top of the photograph, aligning with the rule of thirds. The yellow lines framing his eyes “pop” a lot more when the photo zooms in, creating more of an intimate relationship between the viewer and the image. I chose to crop using the 1:1 ratio because the square shape fit the head and forelegs of Mr. Garfield while still revealing some of his shell and the rock, while using a rectangular shape would have required more shell or rock, competing with the desired focal point of his face.

January 29, 2026 by Student Posts 4

fast forward


Child driving a toy car, 1930, Unidentified, Flickr, State Library of Queensland, licensed under CC BY 4.0 Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International


Go Ahead, 2025, Andrew R. Codeman, Free Music Archive, is licensed by CC BY 4.0 Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International

The image of a young girl in sunglasses, ready to move forward in her toy car, paired with the upbeat synth/dance music evokes a hopeful inevitableness that we’ve all felt in our youth, and also when watching young children as they move through each stage of life. More than this, though, it’s a reminder that we all face a future whose pace of technological expansion increases by the day. We ALL rush forward into an unknown future, whether we like it or not. The music doesn’t stop. Hopefully, we can put on the shades and steady ourselves optimistically with both hands on the wheel, like this young one. Ready, set…..goooooo!

fast forward, 2026, Karen Jesina, with image from the State Library of Queensland, is licensed by CC BY 4.0 Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International

January 23, 2026 by Student Posts 3

Midlife Maxxing

Fates, we will know your pleasures: That we shall die, we know; ’tis but the time, And drawing days out, that men stand upon. —Shakespeare, Julius Caesar

Life’s not over until the fat lady sings. And I don’t hear her yet.

A midwesterner for decades, my husband and I moved to Florida in 2020. All five of our children are grown and flown, delightful humans and my best contribution to date.

A fiber artist since 1996, I used to publish a knitting blog (called Living and Dyeing) back when blogs were shiny and cool (2003-2008) using Typepad (I’m really dating myself here. Good thing I’m a fun date). I own three spinning wheels, two weaving looms, multiple spindles, countless knitting and dyeing supplies and my knitting goal for 2026 is to make a Dale of Norway sweater. I’ve done some traveling, skiing, boating and I even co-piloted a small two-seater plane from Chicago to Idaho and back. I’ve lived a pretty good life and I’m grateful.

Why, do you ask, am I here? 

Many years ago as my kids became teens, I was an Office Manager in downtown Chicago, on track for a higher level admin job when one of my teen daughters was diagnosed with anorexia. It was serious and required me to be closer to home. I pivoted to a position nearby at a tile store where I catalogued, organized and sold architecturally significant and historically accurate tile to designers and homeowners alike. I fell in love.

There was something about this small detail of the past that was precious and worth saving. The experience took me by surprise and I realized I loved serving these clients by providing them with the information they needed to make the world a more beautiful place.

Suddenly my husband’s employment swept us away to Florida, and I dealt with a health situation which began in 2021. Here I am, alive for now, facing mid-life with hope, excited to increase my digital content skills through this class and hopefully head into a world where I can direct people to resources that educate and bring meaning to their lives. Whether at a museum, an archive or a library, I look forward to “drawing days out” for this next act, whatever time is allotted.

January 14, 2026 by Student Posts 5