
I'm putting this big picture first because it's Russel making his signature face (it's as if he's perpetually asking "what about me, guys?") and because I'm about to post a picture of my box cutter injury. Even though it's stitched up, it might gross you out.
La, la, la....
Do I have to make this space longer in case you decide to wuss out?
How about a nice YouTube video?
Okay, are you ready? I'll lead with the not gross picture.

On Saturday I was trying to get through some kitchen recycling that stacked up over the previous couple of days. Junk mail, magazines, cardboard packaging, brew bottles. Don't act like your kitchen never gets messy. Any way. There was a craft brew bottle with some wax around the neck (some serious WTF design but I love you anyway Cigar City). I was going to remove the stupid wax before tossing it in the glass bin. That wax was tough stuff! When my fingers couldn't peel it off, I went for my super sharp box cutter. You already know where this is going! So like a genius, I held the bottle in one hand and swiped my box cutter through the wax with a little too much force (here's where it went way wrong), right towards my thumb. The blade sunk right into me, so very deeply. I screamed and ran to rinse the cut and inspect the wound. My heart just about leaped out of my chest when I could see the yellow, polenta-like fat layer seeping out of my cut. I am so sorry that I just ruined polenta for you. Even that really delicious polenta from Magpie, where they must use an entire stick of butter in every serving, because how else do they get it to taste so unbelievably creamy and rich? Man alive, I love that polenta! Moving on - I panicked hardcore and then Leon swiftly dropped me off at urgent care. I was certain I needed stitches, maybe even a prosthetic hook thumb. In panic mode I always go to the worst case scenario. Why not? Go big or go home, I say! So I checked in at the front desk and went to sit as far as I could from the other folks lolling about with very vague-looking illnesses. I think I was the only one there clutching three super-sized paper towels in a wad around my thumb as if my blood volume depended on it. I have to say, it was a real soul-searching 20 minutes there. How could I have been so careless? I was embarrassed, mortified and absolutely horrified. My eyes started to tear up and I couldn't stop them.
Before long, they called me back into a treatment room, where the best nurse in the entire world triaged me and joked with me while she cleaned my cut and gauzed me up. Seriously, her sense of humor had me in stitches (pun intended), which calmed me down a lot. I managed to peek under the gauze to get a better look at the cut. It was awful. I could still see the layer of skin and fat I had cut through. I didn't have the stomach to take a picture of it. You're welcome. Or, I'm sorry? Then a nice lady doctor came in and numbed my thumb up proper, stitched me up 1-2-3 and it was over and I was on my merry way.
Here's that NSFL picture. Don't go on. Go back while you still can. This is not the way. Take heed and go no further. Beware, beware. Soon it will be too late.
I changed my bandage that evening since it was still bleeding a bit:

Today it's achy and tender to the touch. I still have to do some stuff one-handed (washing and such) and I haven't tried holding my guitar yet. I'll maybe give it a try tonight.

This photo filter is called "gator skin." I have my wedding ring in the shop for repairs, so I've got this big turquoise thing on for a while. Between this thing and the layer of greasy band aids, I keep thinking this is just my stunt hand. Nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-stunt hand!
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