Would you believe I hadda go to the other side of the planet to wind up in a place where I could ride a mechanical bull? Yup. There's a western-style bar in Ebisu (which is in Tokyo). Granted, it may not be the most authentic western bar there ever was. The music was all club-techno and J-Pop, the food would have been about right for a Denny's, and their token white guy in a cowboy hat and boots was, in fact, from New Zealand. But they did have a mechanical bull. And every sunday they fire that bad boy up.

I gotta admit, it sounds pretty ridiculous to have tried riding a mechanical bull for the first time in front of a bunch of the most attractive of all my co-workers. But I have seen Stir Crazy about a half-dozen times. And I figured if Gene Wilder could do it, so could I. Especially after a wee nip of courage. Or two.

In history, there have been a number of famous bull riders:�@Tuff Hedeman, Cody Lambert, that guy Luke Perry played in 8 Seconds. I will never join their hallowed, and often bull-trampled ranks. After a quick 5 seconds I was tossed like a rather large scarecrow. But so was my manager, and he bought the drinks that night.

In the end, isn't that what's really important?