How many Nomads does it take to Change a Light Bulb?

Today I faced another challenge. A light bulb in the laundry closet went out. This is no ordinary light bulb though. It's one of those elongated tube type bulbs. (Do they have a name?) Anyhow, the darn thing wouldn't come out. I did manage to get the bulb out of the socket, but there's this frame around the whole thing which I couldn't get it out of. The only option seemed to be to take the frame apart, but that seemed like too much effort just to change a light bulb. I wrestled with the bulb for a few minutes, turning it this way and that. Then I messed around with the frame and its interiors hoping that something would budge (w/o breaking it), and that I would not get electrocuted. It almost seemed easier to bust the bulb or break off its ends to get it out. Then again, that wouldn't help me get a new bulb back in. Anyhow, I didn't spend much time on this since I had just finished working out and was eager to eat dinner. I am feeling like a retard lately though. I am an engineer; I should be able to figure this stuff out. Now it's bed time, so I will tackle it again this weekend.