Randy Pausch

Randy Pausch, the professor at Carnegie Mellon University who inspired countless students in the classroom and others worldwide through his highly acclaimed last lecture, has died of complications from pancreatic cancer. He was 47.

Also a Carnegie Mellon alumnus, Pausch co-founded the Entertainment Technology Center and led researchers who created Alice, a revolutionary way to teach computer programming. He was widely respected in academic circles for a unique interdisciplinary approach, bringing together artists, dramatists and designers to break new ground by working in collaboration with computer scientists.

Outside the classroom, he gained public fame for delivering what would come to be known as "The Last Lecture." On Sept. 18, 2007, only a month after doctors told him that he had three-to-six months to live following a recurrence of pancreatic cancer, he presented a lecture called "Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams" to a packed auditorium at Carnegie Mellon.

The moving and often humorous talk recounted his efforts to achieve such childhood dreams as becoming a professional football player, experiencing zero gravity and developing Disney World attractions. In the process, he shared his insights on finding the good in other people, working hard to overcome obstacles and living generously.

"If you lead your life the right way, the karma will take care of itself," Pausch said. "The dreams will come to you."

The video appeared on countless websites and has been viewed by millions. Appearances on the Oprah Winfrey Show, ABC's Good Morning America and the CBS Evening News followed.

A book version, "The Last Lecture" co-written by Jeff Zaslow of the Wall Street Journal (and a fellow Carnegie Mellon alumnus), became a best-seller upon its release this spring.

"Randy had an enormous and lasting impact on Carnegie Mellon," said Carnegie Mellon President Jared L. Cohon. "A brilliant researcher and gifted teacher, he was a key member of our Human-Computer Interaction Institute and co-founder of the Entertainment Technology Center. His love of teaching, his sense of fun and his brilliance came together in the Alice project, which teaches students computer programming while enabling them to do something fun — making animated movies and games. Carnegie Mellon — and the world — are better places for having had Randy Pausch in them."

Pausch was also a pioneer in the development of virtual reality, including creating the popular Building Virtual Worlds class.

A memorial service at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh is being planned; details will be announced at a later date.

He is survived by his wife, Jai, and three children: Chloe, Dylan and Logan. The family requests that donations on his behalf be directed to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, 2141 Rosecrans Ave., Suite 7000, El Segundo, CA 90245, or to Carnegie Mellon's Randy Pausch Memorial Fund, which the university will use primarily to support continued work on the Alice project.

For more information on Randy's life and legacy, read In Memoriam: Randy Pausch, Innovative Computer Scientist at Carnegie Mellon, Launched Education Initiatives, Gained Worldwide Acclaim for Last Lecture.

Here is the video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ji5_MqicxSo

breakfast

Is it bad to have this for breakfast? Yum..cannoli...better than donuts....ummmm..

I figured it was okay because I had a fresh cherry tomato about an hour ago...that balances it out right??

Gardens

Can I just say... There is nothing better in the morning that a Cherry Tomato picked fresh from the small patch of garden in our back yard.

Came home from taking Princess to day camp, let the pooch out and since we had quite the storm last night with some good rain, figured I had better check on our tomato and cucumber plants. (We also grow herbs but tomato and cucumbers are the regulars.) Well I saw that we had a little bunch of the cherry tomatoes turning red..one especially red one, so I picked it, used the dew from last night's rain to wash it off, and popped it into my mouth.. OH..my...talk about sweet and a great flavor..wow.. Looks like we will be having more by the end of the week and maybe a few cucumbers..I can't wait.

BTY..hubby was reading an article in the NYT this morning about people who like to eat local grown organic food but can't get to the farmer's market. They now have people who will come in build you a garden in your backyard, weed it weekly, and harvest the stuff and leave it on your back porch in a box for you when they are done..LOL!! They are calling them Lazy Locavores.

Here is the article: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/22/dining/22local.html?ex=1374465600&en=5ea9bfd45d9e20d6&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink

I am sort of that..a semi-Lazy Locavore...but I do have to say..I really do enjoy the harvesting part from our little patch. Yummy..

I won..I won..I really won something.

Okay..I am the type to never win anything..ever.....sometimes the only luck I have is bad..

Well those who know me well know that I love me a good smut book. You know the series romance books by Harlequin..etc. I have been reading them ever since I was 12 and Aunt Jean would buy them for me by the "buck a bagfull" at the flea market. It was like she handed me gold when she gave me a bag full of them. LOVE them...LOVE the simple escape they provide, LOVE the happy ending (and okay..I love the HOT scenes too).

Well I have been visiting a favorite author's website daily for some time now. http://jillshalvis.com/blog/ ...and anyway this weekend she had a name that photo contest and I won. I got to win one of her books!!!

I am amazed. I never win anything. I think it was Aunt Jean shining down on me to change my luck and letting me know that romance is always alive in this world.

Happy Monday all.

Teenage crushes or I kissed my husband in front of Rick Springfield.

Well I had to go see honey at work to pick up my car keys which fell out in the truck this morning. We are chatting outside where he was working with Princess watching the lady DJ from MIX 107.7 do her thing.

We are chatting and a van pulls up and out steps Rick Springfield..2 feet from us. Talk about high school flash back. Dang that man is cute..(even if Princess thinks he needs a haircut)..Hard to believe he is 58!!!

Well time for honey to get back to work (reading his book actually) so Princess and I give him a kiss goodbye. After I get my kiss I look over and there is Rick Springfield looking at me and Princess kissing our love..Princess waves bye to Rick and Daddy and off we go..

Hope honey brings home some swag from the show. LOL...

working from home

This is what it feels like some days working from home.

Of course they left out the kid coming in every two seconds, the desk is bigger than mine, and the office is much cleaner.

This is more my desk:

Frickin cool...

Okay. I had been amazed at all these blogger people who could do a picture of their screen..AKA a screen shot.

Well today, I figured it out (using a windows computer).

1. Push the "PrtSc" or print screen button (usually located next to the F12 key)
2. Open your imaging software (or even WordPerfect or MS Word). I used MS Paint.
3. Hit Ctrl+V to paste.

FRICKIN TA..DA!! there is the pic of the screen shot that you took.


You can then save the pic to post, etc..

I am sure that there are many out there who might already know this but darn it...some of us didn't have a clue. LOL