My first day in this apartment in San Francisco my roommate at the time had a sushi making party. We all sat around in a circle and made our own sushi rolls. It was pretty yum.

Oh, I forgot, Connie. You need the seaweed wrappers too.

Anyway, you just lay the seaweed wrapper down on the bamboo mat (which is loosely linked so it can roll up). You spread your sticky rice on it. Put your yellowtail down. Add a slice of cucumber and then slowly roll it up tight. You seal the ends of the wrapper with rice vinegar (I think - it's been a while). And then you slice up your roll.

Seska, is your partner flying to Houston as in Houston, Texas? If so, M.D. Anderson is the place to be

Houston, Texas, yes - and I believe M.D. Anderson is where they're going. Good to hear it's a good place. I know nothing about American hospitals/clinics, but I know they used to live in Houston and they go back for their medical treatment because they consider it the best in the world. So that's got to be a good thing! Thanks for the reassurance.

How to make sushi video tutorial.

(Though this is cone style sushi instead of a roll. As a plus, it has a poodle.)

You seal the ends of the wrapper with rice vinegar (I think - it's been a while)

Water.

The most important thing is using a really sharp clean knife to slice it -- the knife gets gummed up after just a few cuts, and if it's dull, you crush rather than slicing. Other than that, it's easy and you get the feel of it after just a few rolls. Rolling a joint is much harder to get right, IME, and there are happy cheery how-to-roll-maki tutorials all over the intarwebs.

The key to home made sushi? A really, really sharp knife, and a towel soaked in hot water. That sticky rice makes clean neat slicing a challenge! I like to marinate some carrots in rice vinegar, water, and a little sugar for a couple hours beforehand. So very nom. Mmmmm, now i want sushi!

Sits in the really-likes-sharp-knives corner with the lovely erin_o.

I am getting all interested in making home-made sushi now!

You realise this means I will whine at The Girl to make it, on account of how I'm not allowed near kitchen utensils, yes?

Mmm. I could get some really good salmon. We live near an actual fishmonger...

Yesterday I played Texas Hold 'Em with my new neighbors. I hadn't played in years. I was this close to losing all my chips after a few rounds, but I had one big, lucky win, and from then on, I cleaned up. I had little idea what I was doing, but hey, it was fun.

Good to hear it's a good place. I know nothing about American hospitals/clinics, but I know they used to live in Houston and they go back for their medical treatment because they consider it the best in the world.

Definitely. Ranked #1 in cancer care in the U.S.

I did a research program there the summer before college. I studied XIAP and ERK2 as predictors of survival in chronic myelogenous leukemia.