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1. Michelle Malkin » Randy Pausch, R.I.P.

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1. #381304
   On July 20th, 2008 at 3:52 pm, cicerokid said:

   Every single moment is a gift. Not to be squandered or spent selfishly. Thanks for that reinforcement, Michelle.

2. #381309
   On July 20th, 2008 at 4:16 pm, zorro said:

   Live a good life. We all must strive live in His image, then everything will fall in place.

3. #381310
   On July 20th, 2008 at 4:16 pm, Boomer said:

   From the WSJ piece it appears Professor Pausch has embraced his mortality by looking back on an accomplished life and his works will pass on after him. I could see how reading his book looking back at a well lived and accomplished life while contemplating the loss of such an accomplished man with so much to live for can make one look like a manic depressive to those around them. It does make one appreciate all you have in your life even more. Thanks for sharing this heartwarming story that will need to be included in our summer reading library.

4. #381312
   On July 20th, 2008 at 4:22 pm, USCitizen said:

   That is a very moving piece; but it’s also very common for people to shed a tear when they have to leave Texas.

   Thanks for the reminder.

   - USCitizen

5. #381313
   On July 20th, 2008 at 4:37 pm, AlohaGuy said:

   This guy “gets it”. But he’s only 46. I’m tearing up…

   I loved the bedroom as his domain when he was a kid, my parents did the same. And writing on the wall – I’ve seen painting on the wall. It’s all good. Let your kids fly.

   Pancreatic cancer is still one of the killers, Michelle gives a good link for donations, and if i may here and here are worthy of your consideration (as are others).

6. #381319
   On July 20th, 2008 at 4:49 pm, JWS said:

   Unfortunately, pancreatic cancer is a death sentence.

7. #381323
   On July 20th, 2008 at 5:01 pm, rondogg said:

   My boss showed my co-workers and I Pausch’s video at one of our staff meetings. There wasn’t a dry eye in the room when it was over. Thanks for this post Michelle.

8. #381324
   On July 20th, 2008 at 5:04 pm, allrsn said:

   Maybe I am off base. But my mind went straight to our self hating distructive lefties, my emotion was pity. Because of their hate based arrogance they can never find contentment and happiness in their lives.

9. #381328
   On July 20th, 2008 at 5:11 pm, tre said:

   None of us know when God decides to call us home.
   I myself had a reminder of that last friday. I had a wreck on my motorcycle. Thank God I walked away from it, albeit rather stiffly and sorely.

   Everyday is a gift.

10. #381340
    On July 20th, 2008 at 5:55 pm, ajmontana said:

    well I’m just happy there wernt any naked guys roaming around on the plane you were on. once you think you have heard it all, WHAM! some other dipstick surprises you.
    Oh, and I’m nominating soap to buy the 30 books to pass out to his friends… aj’s dollars went to a week long soccer camp for his #1 at the University of Redlands this week.

11. #381342
    On July 20th, 2008 at 6:03 pm, Mookie said:

    I get really nervous when he doesn’t update his blog for a couple of weeks. I bet he gets a lot of that.

12. #381344
    On July 20th, 2008 at 6:09 pm, JDinTX said:

    Thanks for the post. I have seen the video and cried so much, I don’t think I could read the book. Makes me think about trying to get my 7 year old grown up before something happens to me, since I am much older.
    I agree with USCitizen – it’s hard to leave Texas and not cry.

13. #381345
    On July 20th, 2008 at 6:09 pm, kyconservative said:

    I check in on his site frequently to see how he is doing. He is an inspiration to so many. I have seen his lecture, now I will need to read the book. Maybe not on an airplane though.

14. #381346
    On July 20th, 2008 at 6:18 pm, letget said:

    Michelle, when you get home hug and kiss your children and husband. Tears are good for cleansing. All here, I might suggest do the same. Time here is fragile on planet Earth. I can see things changing.
    L

15. #381347
    On July 20th, 2008 at 6:25 pm, Lifeofthemind said:

    Well done

16. #381350
    On July 20th, 2008 at 6:32 pm, katieanne said:

    I have 3 friends battling cancer right now. It is a hideous disease. I am amazed and in awe of my friends and their courage as they fight it. Reading stories like this is inspiring for fellow cancer victims and their families. The book is a generous gift to us all.

17. #381357
    On July 20th, 2008 at 6:59 pm, almeehan said:

    A friend of mine sent me a ham radio message he heard:
    

    ‘Well, Tom, it sure sounds like you’re busy with your job. I’m sure they pay you well but it’s a shame you have to be away from home and your family so much. Hard to believe a young fellow should have to work sixty or seventy hours a week to make ends meet. It’s too bad you missed your daughter’s dance recital’ he continued. ‘Let me tell you something that has helped me keep my own priorities.’ And that’s when he began to explain his theory of a ‘thousand marbles.’

    ‘You see, I sat down one day and did a little arithmetic.. The average person lives about seventy-five years. I know, some live more and some live less, but on average, folks live about seventy-five years.’
    ‘Now then, I multiplied 75 times 52 and I came up with 3900, which is the number of Saturdays that the average person has in their entire lifetime. Now, stick with me, Tom, I’m getting to the important part. It took me until I was fifty-five years old to think about all this in any detail’, he went on, ‘and by that time I had lived through over twenty-eight hundred Saturdays. I got to thinking that if I lived to be seventy-five, I only had about a thousand of them left to enjoy. So I went to a toy store and bought every single marble they had. I ended up having to visit three toy stores to round up 1000 marbles. I took them home and put them inside a large, clear plastic container right here in the shack next to my gear.’
    ‘Every Saturday since then, I have taken one marble out and thrown it away. I found that by watching the marbles diminish, I focused more on the really important things in life.’
    ‘There is nothing like watching your time here on this earth run out to help get your priorities straight.’

    Thanks Michelle for helping us think about keeping our priorities in order.

18. #381362
    On July 20th, 2008 at 7:49 pm, securitymom said:

    Thanks for the reminder of this wonderful book. I’ve seen the video of the lecture, but sounds like the book is a must-read.

19. #381363
    On July 20th, 2008 at 7:54 pm, Blind_Mule said:

    What an inspirational guy, my wife, daughter and I sat an watched “The Last Lecture” together, my daughter perked up when she heard he wanted to be an imagineer and listened intently to him, I saved the video so it can be watched over and over.

    I have told many people in my life things I learned from postitive inspirational people like him. I had the distinct honor and privelage of setting in one of Zig Ziglars Bible studies, setting next to him during the church service and listening to one of his lectures, I also had the monumental honor of meeting Ronald Reagan at a business seminar that I attended that he spoke at after his Presidency he to was extremly inspirational.
    Most peoples child hood dreams are never realized, at the age of 25 most loose those dreams and resign themselves to a J-O-B, something many do not like something they never imagined in their childhood that they would be doing. They let friends and family tell them “that’s impossible” or “you could never do that” little words that make a monumental impact to a child. I remember my mother telling me I could never work for Hallmark Cards when I was 16. I met an art teacher from another school when I was 17 that wanted to see my work, I took it over to his house and he looked at my artwork and said “Those are pretty good, but you could use some more schooling” he offered to turor me for no money all he wanted was to pick out what piece he wanted when we completed his lesson plan I agreed and we went to work 4 days a week for 8 months, I learned so much from him I can never repay him with any amount of money. I joined the Marine Corps when I turned 18, my mother called me one day and said “You’ll never believe it but a man from Hallmark Cards called and said he wanted to meet with you he would like you to go to work for them.” I said “that’s nice mom but I have 2 1/2 more years on my contract, you told me I would never be able to do that anyway.” My dad said my mom got off the phone and cried, what she did’nt know and still does not to this day is so did I. I thought my dream was dashed with a few simple and seemingly innocent words, about 4 years later I was at a business convention and the speaker said something very powerful that has stuck with me since, “DON’T LET ANYBODY STEAL YOUR DREAM” Your dreams are unique to you and no one knows what you able to achieve. I have found out that those who call you friend are not always your friend and will do and say negative things to you to steal your dreams away from you and I really think it is because they really don’t want you to do any better than they do, they did’nt achieve their dreams and their dreams are gone into the far reaches of their memory. I have never and I mean never stopped dreaming, my dream has alway’s been to be an artist, I have never let anyone as hard as some have tried and still try today “LET ANYONE STEAL MY DREAM” that is what I do today, I am an artist, It’s not about money or fame it’s about me achieveing what I wanted to do since I was 7. as a parent my children have been told that Dream, Believe and you will Achieve, the title to a book I read many years ago and I have also told them “don’t let anyone steal your dream” I can’t say it enough. The tears that fall from my eyes as I write is not for me but for all those that have let someone else’s seemingly helpful words get in the way of their dreams.

    God Bless,Randy Pausch and his family and thanks Michelle

20. #381370
    On July 20th, 2008 at 8:37 pm, shooter said:

    My step-dad (of 30 years) has just had cancer removed… for the third time.
    I’m hesitant to get the book for fear of crying way more than you did Michelle.
    But now I feel I must get it, and share it with my mom, and ‘dad’.

21. #381379
    On July 20th, 2008 at 9:26 pm, vsatt said:

    I just logged onto his update page last night. Every now and then he just pops in my mind and I’m reminded how while I’m all wrapped up in the trivial bs of life and telling the kids “not now, mommy’s BUSY,” his family along with countless others are clinging to their last moments with a loved one. Really puts things in perspective.

    When I logged on last night I noticed that there haven’t been any updates in almost a month, which hasn’t happened before. Then when I saw your post here, I held my breath until I scanned all the way down because I thought for sure you were saying he was gone.

22. #381381
    On July 20th, 2008 at 9:32 pm, Marc said:

    Pancreatic cancer is one of the most lethal forms of cancer there is. While tremendous strides have been made in treating other forms of cancer, pancreatic cancer is one of the most difficult to treat.

23. #381385
    On July 20th, 2008 at 9:56 pm, meatpieandtatters said:

    I’m originally from Pittsburgh and heard of this story. The fellow is truly living a rich, rich life. There is a lesson here: it’s not the quantity of the life we lead but the quality and how it enriches us AND others.

24. #381443
    On July 21st, 2008 at 1:06 am, BrianNY said:

    I lost my Dad to pancreatic cancer a year ago tomorrow. I have heard great things about Randy Pausch and the way he is handling his experience. It is still too early for me to read and watch his noble work.

    I had 40 days with my Dad after his diagnosis, and was able to spend every moment with him until he was gone. I will never forget those few remaining days, nor would I ever trade them for anything.

    Slightly different topic, but some of my former relatives indicated that deceased family members were present during their last moments to help take them away. I was present when my Dad died, and just before he did, he indicated that my Mom’s nephew (an avid Chesapeake Bay boater who had unexpectantly died 6 months earlier)was pulling up to sail him away. My Dad also conveyed a message from this relative – wishing us to tell his family that he was finally saying “goodbye” because he didn’t get the chance 6 months earlier.

    If I read this on a political message board, I don’t know what I would think. But since it happened to my Dad, who was as old-school-no-nonsense as you can find, it brought my Faith to an entirely new level.

    I wish everyone could have a last experience like I had with my Dad, with someone they love.

25. #381505
    On July 21st, 2008 at 8:03 am, floridaobserver said:

    I saw the video more than once. Now I will read the book. He is amazing and so is his family.

    I held my darling grandma’s hand when she died and had the other hand on the rail of her hospital bed. I can tell you for a minute that seemed like hours, I there was a noise like a roller coaster that kept on going and the room and rail were shaking as the “coaster” passed and I felt my grandma’s spirit move down her arm and out of our hands and pop like a soap bubble and there was total peace and silence and she was gone.
    I couldn’t talk about it for years and then only told a few close friends.
    God bless Randy.

26. #381880
    On July 21st, 2008 at 1:17 pm, sargeinny1 said:

    Sorry to hear about your father BrianNY. When my father passed away from cancer 16years ago, he said he heard his mother calling him to come home. Freaked us out, but I too became a believer.

27. #381930
    On July 21st, 2008 at 1:59 pm, publiuswarmac9999 said:

    We should never forget from whence we come and whence we go – and the importance of living to the best of our ability in between. God’s mercy and grace are ever present.

28. #382213
    On July 21st, 2008 at 5:40 pm, oldcollegeguy1980 said:

    I read the original article when it came out. It is a moving story.

    After your thoughtfully reminding me of that article with this thread I now have the book on order.

    Cancer Sucks.