So this weekend I went back to Lincoln, Nebraska to visit my family and some old friends, and last night I went to this country bar with Paul, who I've been good friends with since kindergarten. Several of our friends were also there, and after we hung out for a while we all broke away from each other to go off and do our own thing for a little bit.

I wandered around and went to the upstairs section of the bar (by this time I was plenty buzzed) and then I saw it. They actually had one of those mechanical bulls, like you'd see in Urban Cowboy or something.

Well, since my judgment was more than a little clouded, I just couldn't resist. Not so much because I felt some need to prove something or show off or try to be macho or anything like that, but mainly because it just looked like a lot of fun and I'm kind of goofy in that way.

So I went up to the guy who was running it and said something like, "Man, that looks like a lot of fun, but I'm not sure if I should do it." And he was like, "Yeah, maybe you shouldn't."  I started walking away but then suddenly turned around and said, "F**k it, I'm gonna do it!" He kinda shrugged his shoulders and said "Well all right then," and I paid him $5 for the ride and he had me sign a waiver form releasing him and the bar from any legal action should I get injured.

Well, needless so say it didn't go too well. To his credit, I think the operator knew that a) I was sh*tfaced and b) I didn't know what the hell I was doing, so he had it turned up just high enough to where I'd lose my balance but nowhere near the maximum level, which would've sent me flying and would have almost certainly seriously injured me. But when I did lose my balance, to try and stay on I accidentally jammed my left hand really hard into it, hard enough to where I knew I'd at least sprained it and possibly even fractured something.

It was near last call so we weren't there much longer, but part of me was worried that just this once someone might try to start something with me (which almost never happens to me, and I generally get along well with rednecks but there's always that one who just has to be a badass) and since my hand was injured I felt defenseless, but nothing of the sort happened and the rest of the night went without incident.

Paul took me back to my parents' house, and when I got up this morning it still was quite painful so I decided that I should go to the ER and have it X-rayed. And sure enough, I indeed fractured a bone in it. They put a splint on it at the ER but tomorrow I'll have to see an orthopedic specialist and have them put a cast on it.

So I'm back in Kansas City now, and I made sure and called all my work buddies just to get it over with because I know I'll never hear the end of it.  It sounds like I might be off work for 6-8 weeks and I'm a little concerned about what kind of financial impact this might have on me, but I should be getting some form of compensation from the union so I should be all right.

Honestly, I wish I had about 5 grand saved up right now, because if I did I'd seriously consider driving out to the East Coast and looking some of you up. Maybe another time.

But anyway my spirits are good (and the hydrocodone the doc prescribed me certainly doesn't hurt  ;)), and I'm thick-skinned enough to where I can laugh at myself and see the humor in all this.

Really sucks to have to type with one hand though.

Way to go, Urban Cowboy!!  Sorry to hear that you'll be out of commission for a while.  Feel better.

Wanna go to Nebraska for the Mizzou game?

I've been thinking about going up there for it. I bet I could get in a fight with some rednecks!  ;D

I thought cowboys were always drunk!!!
I'm sorry you hurt yourself,Al...but "sign a waiver form releasing him and the bar from any legal action should I get injured" should be enough for you to say no ;)

mechanical bulls


Ah, the only two words that need appear in the story :)

After reading those two words, there is only one question that still matters.

Was it worth it?

So long as the answer is "yes", then the answer to "would you do it again?" (which is a completely different question) doesn't matter.


But anyway my spirits are good (and the hydrocodone the doc prescribed me certainly doesn't hurt  Wink), and I'm thick-skinned enough to where I can laugh at myself and see the humor in all this.
s
Really sucks to have to type with one hand though.


You'll be typing with two hands in two months.  You'll be making yourself (and others) laugh with this story for the rest of your life. 

Now, I ain't you, but if that were me, I'd be thinkin' it was worth it. 

Way to go, Urban Cowboy!!  Sorry to hear that you'll be out of commission for a while.  Feel better.


It's funny, about 2 years ago I went horseback riding in Utah only to get thrown off, which also earned me a trip to the ER. So I'm starting to think that maybe I'm just not cut out for the whole cowboy thing. Then again, maybe breaking bones is just part of the cowboy lifestyle and I'm earning my stripes, I dunno.


Wanna go to Nebraska for the Mizzou game?

I've been thinking about going up there for it. I bet I could get in a fight with some rednecks!  ;D


Not a bad idea, though if we do get into a fight I doubt I could be much help since I have a bum hand right now. Could be a lot of fun, though I'm thinking it could be extremely hard to get tickets. On the other hand, since I have all this free time now I could certainly cruise over to St. Louis some weekend...


I thought cowboys were always drunk!!!
I'm sorry you hurt yourself,Al...but "sign a waiver form releasing him and the bar from any legal action should I get injured" should be enough for you to say no ;)


Well, when I looked at the damned thing through my beer goggles I didn't see it for what it really was: a device which was designed to give a reasonably accurate simulation of trying to ride an angry, snorting 2,000 lb bull. No, when I saw it, it looked like a really fun amusement park ride.  ;D


Ah, the only two words that need appear in the story :)

After reading those two words, there is only one question that still matters.

Was it worth it?

So long as the answer is "yes", then the answer to "would you do it again?" (which is a completely different question) doesn't matter.

No it wasn't.  :-did get back on it and hurt myself again, then all that would prove is that I'm too dumb to learn from my own mistakes. Plus I'm getting too damned old for that kind of stuff. ;D

You'll be typing with two hands in two months.  You'll be making yourself (and others) laugh with this story for the rest of your life. 

Now, I ain't you, but if that were me, I'd be thinkin' it was worth it. 


Typing is one thing, but you know what's a real bitch? Trying to tie my shoes. Seems like I'm doing a lot of trial-and-error here and there to try and learn how to function with one hand and for the most part I'm doing all right, but the one thing I've really been having trouble with is tying my shoes. I was about to give up and just buy some Velcro shoes, but I think I may have figured out a way to tie my shoes by using a pair of Vise-Grips.  ;D

As far as being worth it, well, it is a funny story and all, but it still sucks that I have to miss out on work and try to live on basically half of my normal income for the next month or so, so in that aspect it really wasn't worth it. (Especially since I've been racking up some credit card bills and I was hoping I could finally kill them off this month, but it doesn't look like that's gonna happen now.)  Still, I'm not bummed out by it or anything and really it's just a minor setback.


Anyway, thanks everyone!  :)

we had a softball player break both wrists in a game 2 years ago. that kid must have needed someone (wife or girlfriend) to wipe his butt for him. there are a lot of things we take for granted.  hopefully you're right handed Al. you're lucky some tough lil redneck didn't take advantage of you while you were disabled.  anyways, hope you heal up real quick and next time you go there, ride the bull before you get drunk.

Al_B after 10 beers  > http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0S020smZ89IsE0ANq.jzbkF/SIG=12vptq78s/EXP=1221638310/**http%3A//www.sherpatrek.com/weblog/wp-content/images/urban_cowboy_stetson.jpg

Not a bad idea, though if we do get into a fight I doubt I could be much help since I have a bum hand right now. Could be a lot of fun, though I'm thinking it could be extremely hard to get tickets. On the other hand, since I have all this free time now I could certainly cruise over to St. Louis some weekend...


I figure if anything it's my turn to come out to KC or catch a game in Columbia? I should be able to get tickets to any game in Columbia. Colorado game is on the 25th of October.

SCOREBOARD.

http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s78/AL-B_photos/ouch.jpg

Ouch!

I'll admit, it does sound like fun (and I'm not even drunk).  ;D  I would probably do you one better by breaking my neck instead of just my wrist.

Heck, I'd have made up some really cool story to tell the people at work, like I broke my wrist while I was repelling down a building and crashing through the window to chase the bad guys (like they always seem to do in cool spy flicks).  ;D

If it makes you feel any better, you are not alone:
http://gothamist.com/2008/09/05/lawsuit_says_mechanical_bull_too_ro.php

http://www.juneauempire.com/entertainment/stories/030107/spo_20100301003.shtml

One of my friends from Yellow just called me and said I have a new nickname at work.

Apparently I'm now the "Suburban Cowboy."  ;D ;D ;D

One of my friends from Yellow just called me and said I have a new nickname at work.

Apparently I'm now the "Suburban Cowboy."  ;D ;D ;D


;D ;D

Don't ever google suburban cowboy.. unless you're in to that kind of thing.

;D ;D

Don't ever google suburban cowboy.. unless you're in to that kind of thing.


Which of course meant that I just had to, and so I did.

But, nothing really bad turned up when I Googled it.

Am I missing something?  ???

;D ;D

Don't ever google suburban cowboy.. unless you're in to that kind of thing.
thanks for scouting it out and saving some of us from the debauchery  http://bestsmileys.com/cowboy1/18.gif

Which of course meant that I just had to, and so I did.

But, nothing really bad turned up when I Googled it.

Am I missing something?  ???


Do you have your safe search turned on.. I churned up a lot of gay porn.

Do you have your safe search turned on.. I churned up a lot of gay porn.
  yeah, safe search is on.  completely unintentional  ^      ;D

Do you have your safe search turned on.. I churned up a lot of gay porn.


Oh man, don't tell my co-workers that...I'd never hear the end of it!  :o :o :o

Do you have your safe search turned on.. I churned up a lot of gay porn.



No Thank You,I don't go that way.