Trendysomething in SoMo

Insincere as second language: Using Bieber mania, Selena & trashy TV to brush upon Spanish

"Destilando Amor"
Linguistic enlightenment awaits on Twitter.
The Queen of Tejano music wants you to be fluent.
"Chica Azul (Blue Lady)," from the "Conatus" series in collaboration withConstanza Piaggo is part of the "Cosmopolitan Routes" exhibition at the Museumof Fine Arts, Houston.

It's time to ditch the Rosetta Stone. When it comes to relieving your gringo guilt for not remembering a single conjugation from your high school classes, summer studying in Costa Rica or year-long matriculation at a university in Madrid, you've got to get creative. Take these tips for reigniting the Spanish flame in your corazón (that means heart, P.S.):

1. Sea un Belieber

So there's this chick named Natalia Dominguez somewhere in Paraguay, which I'm pretty sure is the capital of Uruguay but it also might be the name of a taco truck in the Second Ward. In any case, she's a big fan of Justin Bieber, who may not know what a taco even is.

But Natalia's Twitter presence has revolutionized my understanding of Latin American language and culture. Once you start following @Heismydreams_JB, you'll learn how to say such useful phrases as, "I want to marry a sexy blonde Canadian who knows how to sing and knows how to dance," and, "Today I must confess to you that you are my life."

Extra credit: Join my efforts in lobbying HarperCollins to release a Spanish-language edition of Justin Bieber: First Step 2 Forever: My Story.

2. Escuche a Selena

Relive the glory of the 1995 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo by whipping out a compact disc of Selena tracks. Singles from the Lake Jackson native and Tejano queen, like "Amor Prohibido" and "No Me Queda Más," will provide enough knowledge for the equivalent of a masters in linguistics from the University of Phoenix. Keeping a Selena CD spinning in the boombox also makes for convenient impromptu 90s-themed parties.

3. Beba Sangria Swirls

The sangria swirl is a toxic blend of frozen margarita and sangria. See, that's two Spanish words already. A night of sangria swirls invariably leads to a morning at Guadalupana, where you can continue working your newfound vocabulary over a breakfast torta.

4. Mire a telanovelas

The multicultural merits of trashy TV goes beyond guidos. My pick is Destilando Amor, which traces the drama of a tequila magnate family. This means lots of love making in agave fields. The nonstop-drama series broadcasts on Univision.

I'm hoping that soon Chapultepec will air the show at their restaurant, so that we can enjoy the tequila wars over sangria swirls. It'll be like Spanish Over Coffee, but trashier.

5. Visita a MFAH

The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston's strong roster of Latin American art exhibitions makes it easy to brush up on español because the captions are bilingual, meaning you can cross-reference words and grammatical structure. The latest installation from the museum, Cosmpolitan Routes: Houston Collects Latin American Art, is on view through Feb. 6, 2011.

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no more trips to Colorado

Bill to legalize marijuana in Texas filed by Dallas Democrat

Photo courtesy of Texas Original

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Texas Rep. Jessica González (D-Dallas) has filed a bill to legalize recreational marijuana in Texas. House Bill 1208 would legalize the cultivation, manufacturing, transportation, and sale of cannabis.

The bill would allow adults 21 and older to use, possess, and transport up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana for personal use. Adults could also keep up to 10 ounces of cannabis in their residence, as long as it is stored in a secure location.

Smoking or consuming cannabis while in a public place or in a car on a public road would not be allowed.

Gonzalez filed the bill in mid-November, one in a suite of bills that also included expanding insurance coverage for in vitro fertilization for LGBTQ couples; and requiring landlords to disclose all fees before a rental lease is signed.

Her bill was filed prior to an initiative launched by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick on December 4 to ban THC products in Texas entirely.

In addition to legalizing recreational use, the bill also makes provisions for its production and sale including requiring that the packaging be child-resistent and clearly labeled, so that it's not confused for candy.

Businesses looking to grow, transport, test, or sell cannabis would need to be licensed by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. A 10 percent tax would be imposed on the sale of all cannabis and cannabis products. Some of the profits would go towards funding public schools.

If passed, the bill would take effect on September 1, 2025.

Medical cannabis is currently legal in Texas under the Texas Compassionate Use Program, which allows low-THC cannabis to be prescribed for conditions such as epilepsy, MS, autism, cancer, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Some cities have also approved decriminalization for the possession of four ounces or less of marijuana, including Austin, Bastrop, Dallas, Denton, Elgin, Killeen, and Lockhart.

politics marijuana