Tu hablas? Or not to 'hablas'

Everyday it's becoming more and more apparent that it would 'behoove you' (as on old professor of ours used to say) to know a second language in Los Angeles--preferably Spanish.

I all but failed Spanish in middle school--Shawnelle struggled in high school. Between the two of us, we could probably ask where the library was and muster expressions that bordered confusion and studpidity as we struggled to decipher the answer. Needless to say: we're pitiful.

So Shawnelle has been learning and practicing her Spanish thanks to a cheap CD-ROM she picked up at Fry's. I can't even begin to explain the comedy she generates trying to recite the phrases and vocabulary. Native speakers would cringe, I'm sure, to witness such a massacre. But she's really learning and I'm proud of her.

The late Mr. Desir, our high school spanish teacher, would be proud too.

I think for Christmas I'll treat myself to a spanish-language DVD that's been described as 'sesame street for adults.' You've got to start somewhere...Tu sabes?

--Nee