Journal Entry #3

I want to start this journal entry talking about a video we watched in class recently. Randy Pausch's Last Lecture. This "lecture" was amazing in my opinion. The way he talked about how you can help those around you WITHOUT repeating himself, how to achieve your childhood dreams and how to do it while benefiting others. The lecture really spoke to me. It was serious, comical and delivered important points without boring the listeners. Even the stories he told were full of excitement. I don't know if it's because his stories were through video and Paul Loeb's through words, but I found Randy Pausch's attempt at teaching us how to live and lead our lives a much more successful one. The virtual reality projects that Pausch went over and showed the audience were incredible. I really enjoyed listening to him speak of all the programs he helped install and instruct. I almost felt like Pausch would pull through his sickness and not die. He seemed too nice and caring to be dying. The fact that he WAS dying didn't affect him at all, which was equally amazing. He came out and delivered this lecture and didn't show any signs of regret, sadness or anything negative. He truly lived his life to the fullest. I also love how he brought his wife on stage and got the entire audience to sing happy birthday to her. He must have been a great husband and truly loved his wife.
Another thing I enjoyed about Pausch's performance, an aspect I think helped make his point a more effective one, was the fact that all his stories were personal. Most if not all of Loeb's stories are about his friends or people he is acquainted with. Not much of his stories are about things he's done, besides actually writing the book. All of Pausch's stories were about things that he's accomplished in life, how he changed other people's lives, and how he changed programs all around the world. Just another little additive that I think made Pausch's lecture a better and more effective one.
After listening to Pausch's lecture I really want to visit Carnegie Mellon and see for myself the programs that go on there. The virtual reality projects that he briefly showed during the lecture were just the tip of the ice burg. I would really enjoy visiting the school in person, witnessing the things he helped create and change, and see the projects that students work on. I feel Loeb's attempt at a "lecture" almost has a negative affect. After reading all his repetitive stories about other people, I don't feel motivated at all to go out and do something, something that Pausch definitely succeeded in doing.
The fact that Randy Pausch's video "The Last Lecture" has over 11 million views on YouTube only shows that huge amounts of people are being affected and changed by this professors words and insights. I wish I could have gotten a chance to meet this remarkable person before he passed. RIP Randy.