I was so moved by this lecture - it gave me pause -- and made me take a deep breath -- If you ONLY have 10 minutes (then take a peek at the Utube excerpts) -- However if you have a bit more time...I recommend sitting down, with your beverage of choice, and watching it full length (link at the bottom of post)...
Quoting:
"Randy Pausch is a married father of three, a very popular professor at Carnegie Mellon University and he is dying. He is suffering from pancreatic cancer, which he says has returned after surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. Doctors say he has only a few months to live.
In September 2007, Randy gave a final lecture to his students at Carnegie Mellon that has since been downloaded more than a million times on the Internet. "There's an academic tradition called the 'Last Lecture.' Hypothetically, if you knew you were going to die and you had one last lecture, what would you say to your students?" Randy says. "Well, for me, there's an elephant in the room. And the elephant in the room, for me, it wasn't hypothetical."
Despite the lecture's wide popularity, Randy says he really only intended his words for his three small children. "I think it's great that so many people have benefited from this lecture, but the truth of the matter is that I didn't really even give it to the 400 people at Carnegie Mellon who came. I only wrote this lecture for three people, and when they're older, they'll watch it," he says. "
If you have 10 minutes -- There are a number of versions floating in Utube --
I finally had a free hour and a half to watch the full video.
Amazing stuff. If you're expecting to watch a man deliver his own eulogy, think again. This is a celebration of a life well spent and I even managed to learn a bit about computer science as well.
I downloaded a copy Alice 2.0 in another tab while watching the vid and I'm looking forward to playing around with the software when I get an opportunity...
Required viewing for anyone who needs to be inspired to get more out of his own life...
Awesome! Wow. This is a required watch for everyone who wants to devote the time.
What a wonderful guy. Brave and inspirational. I find it amazing at how at peace he is with his situation. That, in and of itself, is extremely inspiring.
He's done more in his time here than many do in a full life.
Absolutely great. He is a great person to really help the people who make up the future of our world. This should be shown to kids throughout the school systems in this country.
Just watched the full version on the ETC website and I am glad to know people like Randy Pausch exist. I only hope I can muster the courage Randy clearly possesses when I hit my next brick wall. So without further ado, I'm off to the tool shed for a bigger hammer.
"I have experienced a deathbed conversion ... I just bought a Mac."
Thanks so much for posting this valuable presentation. It transcends everything and is relatable to everyone regardless of race, age, gender, nationality, etc..
Watch Primetime at 10:00pm, Wednesday, 4/9/08, for a story on Randy Pausch.
quote:Episode Detail: The Last Lecture---A Love Story for Your Life - Primetime Diane Sawyer profiles Randy Pausch, a 47-year-old Carnegie Mellon University computer scientist with pancreatic cancer whose September 2007 "last lecture" (titled "Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams") was seen by millions on the Internet. Pausch discusses how he has spent his time since, and how his illness has focused his mind. Sawyer also interviews Pausch's family, and gets reactions to Pausch's message.