The comet & the tornado : reflections on the Legacy of Randy Pausch, the last lecture, and the creation of our Carnegie Mellon dream fulfillment factory

__An intimate look at Randy Pausch (author of the blockbuster The Last Lecture) from his friend and colleague__It is impossible to pinpoint the moment Randy Pausch became a household name, but when he died, millions of people who either read or watched his last lecture on YouTube felt as if they had lost a friend.One man who actually __did__ lose a close friend that day was Donald Marinelli. Affectionately referred to as “the Tornado" in the last lecture, Donald was the whirlwind of energy and creativity who co-founded the Entertainment Technology Center (ETC) at Carnegie Mellon University with Randy. Donald recounts his remarkable journey from Carnegie Mellon's drama department, through the years building the ETC with Randy, to today, as he helms the center on his own and leads its worldwide expansion. Central to his story are the six years he and Randy shared an office, their differences and commonalities (they both fought cancer), and their priorities, as well as the philosophy of the ETC. Most poignantly, Don reveals what he learned from Randy, whom he describes as “a comet who burst upon the scene like an astral body . . . illuminating his secrets for living life to the fullest for millions of folks who needed such guidance."

An intimate look at Randy Pausch (author of the blockbuster The Last Lecture) from his friend and colleague

It is impossible to pinpoint the moment Randy Pausch became a household name, but when he died, millions of people who either read or watched his last lecture on YouTube felt as if they had lost a friend.

One man who actually did lose a close friend that day was Donald Marinelli. Affectionately referred to as “the Tornado” in the last lecture, Donald was the whirlwind of energy and creativity who co-founded the Entertainment Technology Center (ETC) at Carnegie Mellon University with Randy. Donald recounts his remarkable journey from Carnegie Mellon’s drama department, through the years building the ETC with Randy, to today, as he helms the center on his own and leads its worldwide expansion. Central to his story are the six years he and Randy shared an office, their differences and commonalities (they both fought cancer), and their priorities, as well as the philosophy of the ETC. Most poignantly, Don reveals what he learned from Randy, whom he describes as “a comet who burst upon the scene like an astral body . . . illuminating his secrets for living life to the fullest for millions of folks who needed such guidance.”

This volume is Donald Marinelli's personal memoir, cataloging his nearly 30 years spent working in Carnegie Mellon University's drama department and also his reflections on the time he spent working side-by-side with CMU computer science professor Randy Pausch. The author provides a look inside their working relationship and friendship. Together, Marinelli and Pausch founded the Entertainment Technology Center (ETC) at Carnegie Mellon. Students enrolled in the ETC learn interdisciplinary skills in art and technology, and are prepared for environments where artists and technologists work hand-in-hand, such as theme parks, interactive museum exhibits, website design and development, and the creation of video games. Includes an interactive DVD containing a virtual interview with the author, during which users can ask the author any of some 200 questions related to the material referenced in the book and then listen and watch as he gives his answers From Don Marinelli's early days in the drama department through the period he spent building the ETC with codirector Randy Pausch, to today as he helms the center on his own, this is Don's story of innovation, friendship, and his own battle with cancer Marinelli offers an intimate look at his friend and colleague Randy Pausch--author of the blockbuster "The Last Lecture."