So the sailors had their first experience with sashimi straight out of the ocean; José Manuel caught a tuna and they sliced that baby up and ate it with soy sauce right there. Which reminds me that I was going to get a tube of wasabi to send with them, but I forgot. Oh well.
Normally, I would be jealous because tuna sushi is one of my very favorite things, but coincidentally I happened across a magazine article the other day about the dangers of mercury poisoning, and did you know that just one serving of tuna can put you over the FDA’s recommended “safe” level of mercury exposure FOR THE WHOLE MONTH? And mercury poisoning is a really nasty thing to get; an uncle of mine has been struggling with it (from dental fillings) for several years. Of course, it’s unlikely that one meal is going to cause problems, I know that, but then I got to thinking about parasites. Worms or larvae or whatever might be in a tuna. Well. Some people worry about killer storms and shipwrecks, but I worry about foodborne illnesses. Guess we all have our little quirks and manias, eh?
Somehow I felt compelled to share this information with my mother-in-law, and now I have her convinced that she's suffering from mercury poisoning (fatigue! depression! hair loss!). My in-laws do eat quite a lot of fish, and often the larger fish like tuna or halibut that tend to have higher mercury levels. Funny, after talking to her about it, I felt less concerned about the whole thing. It's like a joke my father-in-law loves to tell:
Wife: Why are you tossing and turning?
Husband: I can't sleep because I owe our neighbor Fulano $500 by tomorrow and I can't pay him.
Wife: Is that all? (goes over to the window, opens it, and yells out) HEY, FULANO! My husband can't pay you your $500!!! (closes window). There, now HE'S the one who can't sleep.
Anyway, if anyone’s interested in reading more about mercury poisoning, you can check out a recent study, a chart that details which fish are likely to be contaminated, and a website about mercury in the environment. Like you needed one more thing to worry about, right? Glad to oblige.
1:45:41 PM 
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