Hee Haw!

I'm ba-ack (at work that is)! Actually I have been back since Friday, but I had such a bad headache that day that I had to concentrate on just being at work and couldn't do anything extra. I am better now and had a nice day off yesterday. I rode the mechanical bull last night at Cowgirls!

Yes, I went to Cowgirls. I have been there twice before and the place is definitely entertaining. Usually I would be snobby and proclaim this place to be beneith me but everytime I go there I have a great time. It is a good place to people watch, the women dancing on the bar are an interesting mix--only a couple are really good dancers and there seems to be a rule about how much skin you have to show. And they have a mechanical bull that people line up to get thrown off of. Usually I just watch, or dance with my friends, but this time I finally got in line myself. My guy friend went first and he did a great job of holding on. I think he stayed on longer than most of the guys. When I went the guy running the bull acted like he knew me or something. He didn't make me sign the waver and just let me go figure it out for myself--he gave everyone else instructions. I had seen it so many times though that I didn't have a problem. I think I stayed on as long as my friend, but I wish they timed us. That would have been even more exciting. As it was, I was shaking with adrenalin when I was thrown off. It seemed like several minutes but it was probably only 30 seconds.

The bull is a big piece of wood that has a light padded blanket and a strap to hold onto, shaped like a rounded wedge. This is the best picture I could find.



It starts out at a 45 degree angle, and trying to get on proved interesting. I saw all sorts of first attempts and many didn't make it on the first attempt. I made it on the first try and didn't look too dumb by swinging my leg over the front part where the bull's head would have been. The rule is that you have to have one arm in the air and the other hand in a glove, holding onto the strap around the bull. The operator starts out slow and picks up speed, bucking harder as it gets faster. It rotates right and left while doing this. Most people ended up sliding off after they slid to far to one side. I swiveled my hips a lot and sort of tried to move with it, but I got bucked off when it really got going and a quick series of bucks knocked me to the side. I am happy to report there were no injuries!

Well, work really starts tomorrow with my first day at my new branch. It isn't open yet, so I am not sure what I will be doing, but it is sure to be busy. No idle computer time like Sunday at a quiet branch.