Pterodactyl-Off

I am the ultimate pterodactyl!!  Many of you are aware of the wide array of noises I make, such as "the guinea pig" and other squeaks, "awkward dinosaur" (imagine garbage disposal + fish), and several unnamed clicks and growls.  If you are aware of these, you are also probably aware that the most beloved sound is "the pterodactyl."  It has awed and confused many a listener, and I have yet to meet another individual who can both make this noise and is willing to do so in public.  Last night, while surprising Nativers with an assortment of these noises, assistant director Maya tells me she can be a pterodactyl.  Obviously, we decide to have a pterodactyl-off.

Maya goes first, exhaling and vocalizing a Jurassic sound while moving her hands in a pterodactic style.  I find this quite a cute display and prepare to show her how I am more prehistoric than she.  My hindrance (often the case when people expect me to produce this sound) is laughter, but after a minute I pull myself together.  I take one deep, relaxing breath and exhale.  Then as I inhale again I produce my [in]famous screech.  Immediately, Maya says, "You win."  I am the ultimate pterodactyl.  I am full of pride for the remainder of the evening.  [Maya and I also decided to join forces for future competitions.]

To further update you readers...

I am continuing to learn about Israel's political situation, the history of Zionism, what time to say the Shema (and tangential discussions in Masechet Brachot [a book of Talmud]), Heschel's ideas about rationality and spirituality, what is written in ketubot (marriage documents), selections from Deuteronomy, and conversational Hebrew.  (Mia, if you are still checking, I know this paragraph is not grammatically correct, but it was so much easier to write it this way.)

The past few days have wonderfully been full of free meals, including tonight when I went to a learn-with-rabbinical students class.  Julia, other Conservative Yeshiva students, and another woman met at Hebrew U for a fun session, led by a couple Ziegler students.  We had an activity to demonstrate the development and topicality of rabbinic texts over several generations and studied a daf (page) of Talmud concerning the strengths of pieces of nature, man, emotions and actions, and tzedaka (justice/charity).  Julia and I plan on getting more Nativers to come for the following Wednesdays.

I think I have officially decided to stay in Israel during break and see more of the country that I do not have time to see on open weekends.  I will hopefully travel Europe for a few weeks some summer between years of college.

Trivia: The pterodactyl-off may be my greatest accomplishment to date.