Monday, February 9, 2009



"The brick walls are there for a reason.

They're not there to keep us out.

The brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something."

From "The Last Lecture"

Dr. Randy Pausch

(p 51-52)


We were sitting on the curb of Ring Road in front of Felicitas. Min Gyu sat there staring at the dark expanse of sky with stars that crowned our heads that night.

I remember telling him about my visit to the Dean of Chemistry that very afternoon. How I would be unable to take Biochemistry 300. How my dreams of becoming a medical doctor were being blocked by this man that would not let me register for this course.

With all the liquid courage he could muster from our imbued beers at Felicitas, he told me that he could see me doing nothing else.

Min Gyu... you stood up as my best friend that night.

I never forgot the lessons I had learned from Biochemistry. The Dean eventually took a chance and let me in. It took a lot of convincing and the spewing of many empty and false promises. But in the end... there was a way.


"Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity."

From "The Last Lecture"

Dr. Randy Pausch


There is no such thing as "luck".

There is no such thing as "the best thing".

There is only destiny to fulfill.

When you shed enough blood, sweat and tears. The rest will simply follow. Build your foundations in prayer. Buffer your requests with action. Your blood, sweat and tears are the currency with which you pay for the realization of dreams and the fruition of life's possibilities.

How bad do you want it?

How far will you go to achieve your dreams?


Be the hopeless romantic.

Sing those obnoxiously optimistic songs.

Smile with reckless abandon for each and every convinction.

Then smile for no reason.

Jump into puddles.

Never just simply put popcorn into your mouth.

Always lob it in.

Fart without abandon or discretion.

Burp like you damn well mean it.

Paint this damn world red.

And weep at its sheer beauty.

Love...

Foolishly lose it.

Then cherish its finite traces in your memory.

Follow your heart.

Strengthen it with your mind.

Then let your soul take you there.

But always remember...

Live hard...

... but dream harder.


No comments: