Randy Pausch

I just discovered on the internet that Randy Pausch has a bit part in the new Star Trek movie which I went to yesterday. SEE HERE Randy died 25 July 2008 of pancreatic cancer. He is survived by his wife and his three children. Randy is now famous for his Last Lecture, an inspiring address he gave at Carnegie Mellon University where he was a professor of Computer Science. His Last Lecture found traction for many reasons I think. Perhaps foremost was the positive way he handled his terminal disease. His Last Lecture summarized his efforts to acheive his childhood dreams and in so-doing Randy communicated a host of principles and values for living a successful and positive life. Among his childhood dreams is one about Star Trek. Randy wanted to be Captain Kirk. In his lecture he crossed out "be" and put in "meet" and he met William Shatner. A bit part in the Star Trek movie is particularly nice. Randy's larger legacy may well be the Alice Project which he founded and which keyed into another of his dreams, to be a Disney "imagineer." If you have not seen Randy's Last Lecture then you've missed something important.
Now I have to go back and see the movie again because I want to see Randy achieving one of those childhood dreams ...