The following is a selection from The Most Romantic Movie Proposals of All Times via mad dog. And me being me, of course I have some comments about them...!

Walk the Line: When June Carter (Reese Witherspoon) told Johnny Cash (Joaquin Phoenix) that the only time he was allowed to speak to her was when they were onstage, she probably didn't have a public proposal in mind. "I have asked you 40 different ways, and it's time you came up with a fresh answer...You're my best friend. Marry me," Johnny says to June, mid-duet. He tells her--and the audience--that he won't finish the song until she says yes. Cue the kiss.

- Seriously, I don't think a girl - well, at least me - could say no to a guy that had the persistence to asked the 40th time and the gut to propose on stage. But to some extent, I would rather a more private proposal... I mean, what if I am not ready?! And if I have the slightest feeling for you, I wouldn't have the heart to hurt or embarrass you by saying no in front of everyone. So in a way, by proposing in the public, I think you are actually cornering me to say yes.

Sweet Home Alabama: What woman's heart didn't melt when Andrew (Patrick Dempsey) took Melanie (Reese Witherspoon) to Tiffany's--after-hours, no less!--and got down on one knee right in the store? As if that weren't romantic enough, the scene really entered fantasyland when he gestured to every diamond around and said, "Pick one." Average guys didn't stand a chance after that one.

- Okay, in the fantasy world, I don't think I could reject Patrick Dempsey's proposal. But hey, if you have the gut to propose, please follow through by picking the ring that you think would suit me the best. Seriously, I think that part is super not romantic but materialistic. It's like 'Ha, I have got rosebuds, who can say no to that?' Well, think again, I don't want a guy who don't care enough to pick the ring. Because I do think picking the ring is an important part of the proposal. It doesn't matter how many caret it is or whether the clarity is good or not but the work you have put into it. The fact that you have money does not mean everything.

Love Actually: The English flick was filled with more romantic gestures than even Cupid could stomach, but the most aww-worthy of all occurred when Jamie (Colin Firth) proposes to his summer housekeeper in the restaurant where she worked.

"Beautiful Aurelia," he said in broken Portuguese. "I've come here with a view to asking you to marriage me...Of course I don't expecting you to be as foolish as me, and of course I prediction you say no, but it's Christmas, and I just wanted to...check."

"Thank you," responds Auriela (L]]> Thu, 12 Feb 2009 09:55:16 -0800 http://virb.com/strausser/posts/text/1084855 http://virb.com/strausser/posts/text/1083270 Ameli]]> Wed, 11 Feb 2009 17:41:10 -0800 http://virb.com/strausser/posts/text/1083270 http://virb.com/strausser/posts/text/1082088

Let me take you to
My secret place
High above the earth
Into out of space
Only God knows where
Only God knows how
I will take you there
Somehow


If this was the last day of your life
What would you do to make things right?
Cause this is the last day of your life
Who you gonna call to make things right?

I love you
Shine on

All that's beautiful is before your face
Now you're in the heart of a secret place
There's infinity in a grain of sand
An eternity in the palm of your hand

If this was the last day of your life
What would you do to make things right?
Well this is the last day of your life
Who you gonna call to make things right?

I love you
Shine on
Shine on

]]> Wed, 11 Feb 2009 01:24:28 -0800 http://virb.com/strausser/posts/text/1082088 http://virb.com/strausser/posts/text/1080767 From Mad Dog-

Rules:
It's harder than it looks! Copy to your own note, erase my answers, enter yours, and tag twenty people.
Use the first letter of your name to answer each of the following questions. They have to be real...nothing made up! If the person before you had the same first initial, you must use different answers. You cannot use any word twice and you can't use your name for the boy/girl name question.

1. What is your name : Janice

2. A four Letter Word : Jail

3. A boy's Name : Jayden

4. A girl's Name : Janelle

5. An occupation : Journalist

6. A color : Jade

7. Something you'll wear : Jersey

8. Something you'll do : Jelly-making

9. A food : Jello shot

10. Something found in the bathroom : Jif cream

11. A place : J]]> Tue, 10 Feb 2009 10:03:04 -0800 http://virb.com/strausser/posts/text/1080767 http://virb.com/strausser/posts/text/1080766 Argh... How lucky was I when I was complaining about the 25C sunny day when I was in Switzerland last summer... I wish we could all go back in time and undone everything that we could do without e.g. Economic crisis, bush fires, etc. Because as of this moment, even 30C seems nothing. But can anyone tell me how can I survive in a 50C weather when I almost had a heat stroke in a 40 degree C day?

I couldn't understand why people would do such horrible things, if it were true that someone ignite the bush fire in Victoria intentionally. It had cost nearly 200 innocent deaths across Victoria to date. Fire fighters and volunteers have to labour day and night to control the blaze because of stupidity. It is people lives, flora and fauna that we are losing. Millions of dollars we have to pay later for reconstruction. Haven't we had enough bad things in the last half year? First the economic crisis, and then the bush fires...

I have never in my life wish someone to die, but I do wish whoever caused this fire to bury in hell. And I sincerely hope that none of my friends or their families suffer any loss from the bush fire... Unfortunately, an email has already been sent out by the Vice Chancellor at uni that we have confirmed at least one death in our community :(

Mate, stay safe and strong!

]]> Tue, 10 Feb 2009 10:03:03 -0800 http://virb.com/strausser/posts/text/1080766 http://virb.com/strausser/posts/text/1068622
Watch Ten Chick Flick Cliches That Are Not In "He's Just Not That in Funny Videos  |  View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com

I wanna watch this!!! Hands down, guys, this is the best trailer ever. Even it's targeting guys, it's working on me as well... I laughed my arse off when I was watching it.

]]> Tue, 03 Feb 2009 18:09:09 -0800 http://virb.com/strausser/posts/text/1068622 http://virb.com/strausser/posts/text/1055899

And while I was re-documentating my travelogue, I dug this out from three years ago and realised that I have actually satisfied a lot of the wishes! (Striked ones are what I have done!)

??tasmania??, camping????????????, ??, yoghurt, salmon?
??new zealand, ????, ?????, ????
????sydney, ?????????, ???????????sydney opera house, town hall, qeb?architecture?
???adelaide, ??????german town?
??alice spring??ululu?
??fiji, ??????????sun bath, ???

??07???europe exchange...

???effle tower??????, ?????????gothic architecture? ?paris library, paris opera?????arterial road?focal point, ???paris?bolevard, ???????hausmann??plan paris, pros and cons???????cafe????????, ????????paris?metro?
??????????, ?????????????????oktober fest?celebration, ????, ????beer? ????, ?leipzig, ?bremen, ?hanover, ?stuggart! ?berlin philharmoniker?concert, ?boys choir, ?bach, mahler, beethoven???????????, ???????german?????, ???????????????
?????, ????mvrdv design?architecture??????????????, ???design, ???
??????, ?????????, ?????architect design???church? ?market??, ???????
???greece, ???????????
?????, ???winter??????, depress??????:
?sweden?ikea??stockholm??????gdp???????design atmosphere?
?copahagen?city bike???, ?????public transport, ????finger plan????
?finland?????, ???christmas card??????? ?sauna??sibelieus academy, ?hiking, ??filandia????
?norway?marine system?canoe, ?tuna, salmon, anchovies?
???????alps, ?????fondue, ??? ??????????district?
???italy, ?venice?canal??????, ??????????????????pasta, ?wine?
???????tube????cambridge, oxford??????london???????big ben????????traffic, ????double decker??aquarium, ?closer?????, ?notting hill??suburb,??, love actually???????scotland?callanish stone??????
???ireland, ??dublin?promenade???, ?mall??big spender, ???st patrick's day?pub????beer?
?austria, ?wien orchestra?concert, ?vienna???, ???, ??????? ??sound of music???????1001 nacht?
?luxemburg,morocco, Liechtenstein, compare and contrast ??????
?eastern europe: prague, poland?????europe??holocaust?

?souvenir??.... ???????postcard, ????flags, magazine,? newspaper?

Although I didn't manage to do all those things, my year in Europe had given me so much more than I have ever expected, even without mentioning the depth of it...

]]> Tue, 27 Jan 2009 16:43:40 -0800 http://virb.com/strausser/posts/text/1055899 http://virb.com/strausser/posts/text/1048936

Baby says I can't come with him
And I had read all of this in his eyes
Long before he even said so
Why go, I asked
You know and I know why
And it'll be just as quiet when I leave
As it was when I first got here
I don't expect anything
I don't expect anything

Take care
I've been hurt before
Too much time spend on closing doors
You may hate me, but I'll remember to love you
Goodbye
Don't cry
You know why
And it'll be just as quiet when I leave
As it was when I first got here
I don't expect anything
I don't expect anything

All the waves of blame arrange as broken scenery
As they steal your best memories away
What if I was someone different in your only history?
Would you feel the same
As I walk out the door
Never to see your face again
Never to see your face again

And it'll be just as quiet when I leave
As it was when I first got here
It'll be just as quiet when I leave
As it was when I first got here
I don't expect anything
I don't expect anything
I don't expect anything
I don't expect anything
I don't expect anything
I don't expect anything to change when I leave

]]> Fri, 23 Jan 2009 05:53:35 -0800 http://virb.com/strausser/posts/text/1048936 http://virb.com/strausser/posts/text/1043903 RULES:
1. Put your iTunes, Windows Media Player, etc. on shuffle.
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG NAME DOWN NO MATTER HOW SILLY IT SOUNDS.
4. Tag 10 friends.
5. Everyone tagged as to do the same thing.
6. Have Fun!

IF SOMEONE SAYS 'ARE YOU OKAY' YOU SAY?
??? - ????

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOURSELF?
??? - ???????

WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL?
Dixie Chicks - Favourite Year

HOW DO YOU FEEL TODAY?
The Black Keys - Your Touch

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE'S PURPOSE?
Coldplay - Green Eyes

WHAT'S YOUR MOTTO?
Maroon 5 - Wake Up Call

WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?
Jesse MacCartney - Come to Me

WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?
The Chemical Brothers - Close your eyes

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN?
Jonathan Pryce - What a waste (Miss Saigon OST)

WHAT IS 2 + 2?
Keane - On a day like today

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BEST FRIEND?
Lily Allen - Smile

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?
Joshua Radin - They Bring me to you

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?
??? - ?

WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
Michelle Branch - Intro

WHAT WILL YOU DANCE TO AT YOUR WEDDING?
??? - ?????

WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?
Lenka - Skipalong

WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST??
Spice Girls - Tell Me Why

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST FEAR??
Brett Dennen - Wrong About Me

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET?
Keane - Try Again

WHAT DO YOU WANT RIGHT NOW?
Snow Patrol - Open your eyes

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?
Lea Salonga - The Money is yours

WHAT WILL YOU POST THIS AS?
??? - ??

]]> Tue, 20 Jan 2009 22:23:27 -0800 http://virb.com/strausser/posts/text/1043903 http://virb.com/strausser/posts/text/1033630 Three friends have tagged me for this popular yet, on some level, annoying game... because all I have in my head is the desperation to get my student visa done as soon as possible - and not 16 things that you might not know about me... anyway, due to popular demand, here we go:

1. Chocolate-based dessert is the last thing I will choose from the dessert menu - they just don't impress me - not that I hate chocolate.
2. Next place i.e. after I have finished my degree by god knows when, I want to go is somewhere in Latin America.
3. Personal space/solitude is very import to me.
4. If you don't reason, don't bother talking to me about authority or seniority.]]> Thu, 15 Jan 2009 05:54:38 -0800 http://virb.com/strausser/posts/text/1033630 http://virb.com/strausser/posts/text/1026254

   "Hey, what's the first thing you did in the new year?"

   "Oh, Yuen and I shared two shots of Tequila."

The Ditty Bops - Summer Rains: You wouldn't think it will NOT make the top of my list right? This album was all I have talked for the whole year.
Favourite tracks: Summer Rains, Skinny Bones, and The Weeds are Winning. By the way, why hasn't the Ditty Bops won the Grammy yet?!

Jay Brannan - Goddamned: One of the very few male artists I actually put on my Favourite music list. I love his soul to bits.
Favourite tracks: American Idol, A Death Waltz and At First Sight.

Lenka - Lenka: It's the Melburnian blood in me that is calling, although Lenka is from NSW... gotta support Aussie musicians no matter what, right? Just kidding - I could have cast my vote to Silverchair, but I decided this vote belongs to Lenka after I have heard Live Like You're Dying the first time.

Rachael Yamagata - Elephants... Teeth Sinking into Heart: There's really no reason, just a very versatile album by Rachael Yamagata that I happened to like very much.
Favourite track: Horizon

Joshua Radin - Simple Times: I seem to have a thing for acoustic guitar this year... finish reading the entire post before you want to comment on this... and very easy on the ears. Anyway, <
favourite track: Sky.

Greg Laswell - Three Flights from Alto Nido: It's the guitar again, and his voice.
Favourite tracks: Comes and goes (in waves) and Days go on.

Coldplay - Viva la vida: To not give the Coldplay album a place on the album of the year would be like a smack on the face to the band. I like them, so I don't really want to give them that but it's still taking me sometime to put it at the top of the list.
Favourite tracks: Cemeteries of London and Viva la Vida

Dido - Safe Trip Home: You ask me where I'd go tonight I'd go back to tonight last year.
Favourite track: Quiet Times

Various Artists - Vicky Cristina Barcelona Original Sound Track: Of course, it was Barcelona and the movie... well, and my new found obsession of acoustic guitar...
Favourite tracks: Barcelona and Entre Do Aguas

Katy Perry - One of the Boys: To be frank, I wasn't very impressed by Katy Perry the first time I have heard her album, but I guess everyone does like it for a reason - it's not bad as a pop album, I guess it's just not my taste anymore. But Thinking of You does have a calling power to put this album back into my list of Top 10 Album of the year. But what is wrong with people and Hot n' Cold?!
Favourite Track: Thinking of You

1. What makes her really excited?
   FREUD, FREUD and FREUD
   Kidding. (Well, not only that) Hmm... art, good movies, good coffee without cream or sugar, strangely, good music recommended by me, pumpkin salad, DIETING... and the list goes on...
2. If she become real famous in this life, for what do you think it will be?
   Art and her big heart
3. What is so unique about her? What defines her?
   She's the most emotional and most empathetic person I have ever known... and also once the most impulsive person I have ever known... but at least she acts on her heart which makes her absolutely adorable :)
4. What makes her happy and satisfied?
   Smart guys... LOL But really, I think this question is very similar with the first one. How could something that makes you excited not makes you happy and satisfied? If not, that's just sad.
5. What is she best at, where almost no one could compete with her?
   Her knowledge about Freud. PERIOD. No one could compete with her passion about Freud.
6. Creatively come up with a "business" where she will succeed at
   All-round dieting-psyho therapy services!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

and the following is done by Min for me...

1. What makes her really excited?
   Good food, good life, politics, red and green and travelling
2. If she become real famous in this life, for what do you think it will be?
   for being the first HK ppl who know so much*
3. What is so unique about her? What defines her?
   Her energy n lust in knowledge
4. What makes her happy and satisfied?
   Good food, good life, knowing that she can have a good life with good food
   n being successful in wt she is doing
5. What is she best at, where almost no one could compete with her?
   i was gonna say procrastination.. but okay.. multi-tasking??
   she is also so good at Defining herself
   supporting her v emotional right- brained frd imimi
   n picking good music
6. Creatively come up with a "business" where she will succeed at
   Wing is a natural- born leader to me; her ability to multi-task makes her so competent
   So i think she can be a CEO or sth, seriously.
   (com' on if u can deal with my tears u can deal with all sorts of ppl!)
   song tat screams Janice lo: Dancing Queen, ABBA (lol, dun ask me y it just does)

Ask me where I'd go tonight I'd go back to today last year.

buying air tickets last minute
going to Copenhagen without any notice
sleeping on the lawn
being woke up by the sun at 3 a.m.
singing in the rain in Amsterdam
throwing snow at each other
biking everywhere
worrying about not being able to get to the airport in a small Latvian town that speaks no English
amazed by the beauty of Tallinn old town
cooking and baking like there is no tomorrow
picking falling leaves off the ground
cooking at the kitchen at A-huset
watching Friends during dinner inside studio
going to the middle of the earth...
the little tea shelf we share
post-2 a.m. falafel delivery
9-hour road trip to Stockholm
using winter as an excuse
diarrhoea through Sweden and Norway...
eating free crap from Willy's...
sending postcards
train-ing to everywhere
dinner parties
Sunday brunch
one-week straight barbeque
birthday parties with people from different continents
the sound of other languages
Northern lights
stars
seeing guys going commando in the middle of Dublin
riding a camel
eating Apfelstrudel
touching Berlin wall
punting in Cambridge
bouncing up and down at University Green in Oxford
shop till I drop at Bicester
try getting two Swedish girls out of Primark
blue sky and green lawn in Fife
tea and scone in Edinburgh
chasing the train like mad in Gaude de Lyon
pretending to be able to speak Spanish at Spanish custom
being interrogated at Moroccan custom
The coldest new year
standing for the entire length of a musical
watching two musicals on one day
waiting for a night train for two hours at 2am in a Czech town
spending 500 NOK in a day without even trying
biking in Belgium with a Belgian waffle in hand
travelling alone in Europe
swearing in Italian in Milan
sleeping in a car for two hours in Bergamo...
home-made Italian food................... molto buono!
fondue in a Swiss home
mini-hiking in Switzerland
boating in the Z]]> Thu, 20 Nov 2008 03:13:18 -0800 http://virb.com/strausser/posts/text/939526 http://virb.com/strausser/posts/text/891536 I promised you some new music... and here you are something that I've been listening recently and think can keep you from boredom for a while. (Some of these are old-time favourites, but I happened to be listening to them again.)

Tracks:
Lenka - Live like you're dying
Mindy Smith - Fall for nothing
Joshua Radin - One of those days
Jont - Another door closes
Greg Laswell - Comes and goes (in waves)
Emilie Mover - Ordinary Day
Brett Dennen - There is so much more
Other Lives - Black Tables
Sia - Sunday
The Rescue - My Heart with You
Corinne Bailey Rae - Like A Star
Laura Izibor - From my heart to yours
Ivy - Edge of the Ocean
Kate Nash - Merry Happy
Travis - Love will come through
The Clientele - (I can't seem to) Make you mine
Jamiroquai - Seven Days in Sunny June
David Morales with Tamra Keenan - Here I Am (Kaskade Radio Ed.)
Ozomatli - Can't Stop
Stevie Wonder - You are the sunshine of my life
Stan Getz & Joao Gilberto - Fly me to the moon
The Monotypes - Dead Streets
Beck - Everybody's gotta learn something
Butterfly Boucher - Never leave your heart alone

Albums/Compilations:
Am]]> Sat, 25 Oct 2008 03:41:19 -0700 http://virb.com/strausser/posts/text/891536 http://virb.com/strausser/posts/text/884468 It's Elementary: Kids Offer Livable Streets Advice to 44:

At the American Academy of Arts and Letters in Washington Heights, K-5 students from Hamilton Heights Academy and P.S. 28 (along with at least one parent or guardian) added a livable streets flavor to the 'If I Were President' display.

Photos: Brad Aaron'

(Via Streetsblog.)

I never said what I do is rocket science.