"I thought you didn't like talking to people."

"I don't like talking to my friends and family. Strangers I have no problem with...."

- Cheryl and Larry David, "Curb Your Enthusiasm"

Days in new job - Forty Different libraries worked at - Three

Job aspects muddled through without training - All of them

Customers out for an argument - One Smart alecs out to beat the system - Too many...

Yes, Constant Reader, (and I'm sure Stephen won't sue for mimicking his style) sad as it may sound, they're some tragic individuals out there who try to exploit the library service for the excellent service that it provides. Whether it is failing to return the latest exploits of Jack Bauer on DVD (Season 6 review on its way soon- and I'm sure you've heard the excellent cast rumour for Season 7- which I won't reveal in case some of you haven't- all I will say is that the show suffers from shaking up all its old faces) or those stressed out folks on a spooky island (the massive S3 now available!) or trying to talk their way out of massive overdue fines , it falls on us, the trusty staff, to track these grumpy guts down and try to make their life a happier place once again. Give them the time to get it all out of their system.

And here's where I put my double-standard head on.

All because sometimes I love being a fly in the ointment. All because I simply want to understand my position and where I stand in relation to the greater order of things. If that takes time for me to sort out, fine. The problem for the service provider is I ask the questions that no-one expects, for instance that only an insider would know. I know very well what happens if I tow the line, tick the appropriate box and go "baaaa".

I get screwed over.

To avoid all this takes time. It's time the service provider doesn't have. I have just had a rather bruising encounter with the JobCentre where I overheard the deputy manager referring to me saying "if he wants an argument about it, sit him down at a free table and I'll sort him out". Just part of the rough transition of life that limbo provides. When you're in work, fine. When you're out of work, fine (up to a point where you want to be in work). The problem is in between. The benefits people want you to disappear because you've got a job, you're new employers expect you get everything you can from benefits. You see. Limbo.

So what I'm saying is if you get a sales or service person who allows you the time to work everything out to your satisfaction, make sure you let them and the managers of the place know. Those people are like gold dust- they're worth holding on to.

TV Watch(feeling very unoriginal 2day)

Since last couple of blogs, I have caught up on both continuing series and a new discovery. Delighted to say that the new discovery is The Wire.

How's this for a recommendation? A few months back, I was browsing through the box sets at the library and came across S1 and 2 (of course the third series is out now and the fourth has been on HBO). A complete stranger came up to me while I was reading the box blurb and said "Don't want to influence you or anything, but Best. Series. Ever". You can't get any better than that, can you?

Just like me preaching to the masses about Carnivale - Best. Series. Ever. As a result, I am looking around expecting dodgy packages to be dropped from upstairs flats and talking to my dogs and homies getting worried about the "re-up". Of course, that's what makes the series so raw with its attention to detail- language and story arc. It's really well crafted how for Series 2 , they focused in on the docks story while still overseeing the drugs issues and the characters from Series 1. Some brutal deaths , some unexpected deaths and some wonderful performances - Bubbles, Stringer Bell and Omar ( how the costume department picked out that court outfit I'll never know.)

Dominic West as McNulty is of course, simply wonderful - another fly in the ointment, a person who gets results, but a person who treads over every superior in his way to get those results. Also never clocked that he was in "300" - another film that just looks the dogs. And the actress who plays his ex-wife is hot.

Looking forward to Series 3 and 4.

The continuing series is the phenomenon that is Curb Your Enthusiasm.

Why this isn't totally massive I will never know - maybe it's just too unsettling for some people to know that someone like Larry David exists in real life, who gets the bird no matter what he does, whether for good reasons or not. Season 3 has contained the quote at the top of the blog - now you know I could have replaced that with Susie Essmans tour de force at the restaurant opening on car washes, but hey I don't want to be barred. For someone who Larry has to prompt to adopt the explosive character of Jeff's wife, that phrase is a doozy.

My favorite episode of the season has to go to the "Corpse-Sniffing Dog", though. The couple they have dinner with are used as a story punchbag (the wife in particular goes through the mill) , the dog is rescued in a nice way with the whistle at Jeff's expense and Larry gets Jeff's daughter drunk. Priceless.

Heroes Update(Flying Man!!)

After the collection of quality episodes that was on my first collection DVD (Collision, Hiros. Seven Minutes to Midnight and Homecoming), the recent fine run of form has filled up my second disc. We have "Six Months Ago" , with the Sylar genesis storyline ; "Godsend" , so many good moments here , the first hint of Kenseis' sword , more priceless moments between Hiro and Nathan (best double team on the show!) as well as the stunning New York bomb vision and Chris Eccleston showing up at the end ; "The Fix" with some genius Claude sarcasm throughout ; "Unexpected" with the Superman flying scene , a nasty betrayal by Isaac and another good teamup with Ted and Matt.

But all that is knocked to the side with the unstoppable juggernaut that was "Company Man". Proof indeed that you can create great drama with so little of the main cast (just Claire, Matt and HRG). The standoff in the kitchen is jawdropping , the flashbacks slot in perfectly and the firestarter finish - well, need I say more? Deserves every mark of its top episode of Season One status. Awesome throughout.So just four more weeks for the genesis season - I expect more spooky developments , a refreshing change with "Five Years Later" and just how do you stop an exploding man? I'll find out on December 5th....

My tune of the week is locked in my head now and won't come out till Christmas. I've always been a fan of kids TV themes and the latest quality tune direct from the Cbeebies stable is Space Pirates , on here Sat mornings.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/spacepirates/songs/

Believe me, once you hear it there's no escape...

Taking my pills, thrills and bellyaches, Sis x