Randy Pausch; Last Lecture

To begin I must say that it is a shame that we had to lose someone so inspirational and talented at such a young age. Randy's use of humor and his love of life showed in everything he set out to do ( I can only assume without reading his work). The projects he has worked on and the advancements that will come from his work, will inspire many and teach others to further his creations.

Where to begin to choose from his words of wisdom; brick walls, head fakes, having FUN,loyalty, and never losing the childlike wonder. Each one more inspiring than the other. If I were to choose just one it would be his brick wall analogy, that brick walls are there for a reason, not to stop you but to stop other individuals that do not want it bad enough. The second thing that Randy said that really stuck with me was that if someone makes you mad or you are unimpressed, give them enough time and the will end up impressing you later down the line. I can only state that as close to the actually saying as possible because Randy himself was paraphrasing from "Snoddy" a friend of his that told him the same thing.

I also liked his ideas on indirect learning. The presentation was letting individuals know that there are other methods of teaching. That it doesn't have to be about book learning. Different individuals learn differently. To show that you can teach someone something through an indirect path encourages prospective teachers to think outside the box, and to try new techniques to help their students succeed. As he stated in his seminar, " It is all about the Fundamentals." I can also appreciate how he threw in failure is a part of life as well, meaning that you may not always get what you want in life, but it will lead you on a different path, there again the brick wall. If you practice at something long enough you can succeed.

Finally, I can say that Randy threw me for a loop, when he told the audience that the entire presentation/lecture was a "head fake". I can see how important these things are. The presentation was to his children, and for his family. He made us believe we were there for something else and then he taught us about his family. The best "head fake" there was. His dedication and loyalty are proven by his actions here on earth, and many have and will benefit from his life's work.