Randy Pausch

Carnegie Mellon Professor Randy Pausch recently gave a presentation titled, "Achieving Your Childhood Dreams."  What makes the presentation amazing (aside from how entertaining it is) is that this is a man who was staring down cancer.  He knew it when he gave the presentation.  Yet it is amazingly hopeful.

He was a geek, like me.  He loved video games and learning through fun.  He loved his family.  He has a thousand stories about the people he's met.  And he passed away today, July 25th, 2008.  You should watch the video.

"I mean, the metaphor I've used is... somebody's going to push my family off a cliff pretty soon, and I won't be there to catch them.  And that breaks my heart.  But I have some time to sew some nets to cushion the fall.  So, I can curl up in a ball and cry, or I can get to work on the nets."

Randy Pausch (Oct. 23, 1960 - July 25, 2008)