When I first got to Israel, I was involved in several confusing moments because I reverted to Talmudic Aramaic when I should have been using Modern Hebrew (most amusing: not long after getting to Jerusalem three years ago, flustered because I had just realized that I had been pickpocketed, I went up to the waiter of the cafe and insisted–using a perfectly reasonable phrase for wallet theft in the context of tractate Baba Metzia–, “I don’t have any pockets! I don’t have any pockets!”)

Nowadays, though, when I learn Talmud, I find it confusing that late Antique Aramaic words mean slightly different things than they do in Modern Hebrew. Oh, right.

In other news, I had been feeling a little crispy around the edges. So I’m posting this from the beach. My toes really like wet sand. Also, there’s a skateboarding competition going on right now, which makes me happy (though less than visiting the ocean, natch) in a totally different way. Those kids can take AIR.