R.I.P. Randy Pausch

You remember all that buzz about “The Last Lecture” last September?1I found out today that the title of Randy’s lecture was actually “Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams.” I do hope you watched it—it was well worth the time. It’s still available, too.

Randy Pausch, the lecturer, died yesterday. He was just 47 and leaves a wife and 3 small children. I know that he did that particular lecture because he knew that he had terminal cancer, but it’s still disappointing that such a wonderful man is gone far, far too soon.

A few quotations from the lecture:

  • “…when you see yourself doing something badly and nobody’s bothering to tell you anymore, that’s a very bad place to be. Your critics are the ones telling you they still love you and care.”
  • “Experience is what you get when you didn’t get what you wanted.”
  • “It’s not about how to achieve your dreams, it’s all about leading your life. If you lead your life in a right way, karma will take care of itself. And dreams will come to you.”
  • [Quoting a CMU secretary]”This advice is good for the ladies: when it comes to men that are romantically interested in you, it’s really simple: just don’t listen to anything they have to say; pay attention to what they do.” (Cynthia’s note: good advice for men and women!)
  • “If I only had three words of advice, they would be, Tell the Truth. If I got three more words, I’d add, all the time.”
Cyn is a professional geek, avid reader, fledgling coder, enthusiastic gamer (TTRPGs), occasional singer, and devoted needleworker. She's also Rick's wife, Katie's Mom, and Esther & Oliver's Mémé.
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