Thank you, Professor Lastowka

Well, Greg, the funeral is over. We’re back to our lives. The memory of your physical presence will grow more distant with each passing day. But that is how you would want it. “Too much attention on me!” you would say. “Not deserved” you would continue. You would mean it from the bottom of your soul. And we would protest from the top of our lungs. This would be the only point on which we would disagree with the most agreeable soul many of us have encountered. And that is what I will take solace in in the days, months, and years ahead. I will forever be grateful for meeting you in college through our close mutual friend, Gary, for this allowed me to witness first-hand your immense talents accompanied by self-effacement and humor. I will be grateful that your wandering path brought you literally to my doorstep – colleague at Rutgers, office next door, “co-author” (to the extent I contributed anything working with one of the pioneers in the field of cyberlaw), technology mentor (teaching me how to use social media, how to tweet, how to use the RIIPL website (which you built yourself)). I will be grateful to have had you and Carol as role models this past year. Cancer showed up unannounced and (in contrast to your infinite patience) impatiently took your physical body, though (as Carol poignantly said) it did not take your love or essence. I will be grateful Gary and I had the chance to say goodbye one week before your death. You, of course, made a potentially awkward ending smooth. We had a chance to share our feelings for each other and the unique role you played in our lives. I will be grateful that your funeral brought so many of the strands of your life together. At our table at the luncheon were friends from Penn State and from Yale, co-authors, Rutgers colleagues, and cyberlunch travelers. All sharing stories of the Greg we knew – creating professional works of art, penning extraordinary short stories, opining so knowledgeably on so many topics, and never taking yourself too seriously. Greg, you have been a role model for us. We are beyond fortunate to have known you. And in this never-predictable journey of life, your calm, modest, and humorous presence will help guide the way. Thank you for everything. Love, Mike