Monthly Archives: April 2024

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Average Joe is Above Average

One of my favorite pastimes is to watch televisions shows that people aren’t really talking about. And when I say people, I really just mean my timeline(s) on social media. It’s hard to get me interested in a series because it has to keep my attention over a long period of time. I like shows that are unpredictable with a lot of twists and turnes. Average Joe fit the bill.

I want to share why, but be warned there will be some slight spoiler alerts ahead. 

Average Joe is a television show about a plumber who lives in the South with his wife and daughter. His daughter has just started to date and is becoming more invested in her social circle. The first episode finds Joe dealing with the death of his father and the grief that comes along with having to settle his father’s estate. Joe is a stressed out man and it’s very

apparent within all the episodes. He’s just trying to do the right thing and keep food on the table for his family. He loves his wife, but he also wants to make a change in his life. The family is solidly middle class but like most families, they have some financial stressors that make it hard to get ahead. The most notable being that a member of Joe’s immediate family has an autoimmune disease that affects her ability to get around at times and it requires expensive medications to manage symptoms.

How it begins

Joe is minding his business when a quick turn of events within an hour turns his life upside down and makes him a wanted man. The situation is quickly complicated by the arrival of his best friend and the involvement of another friend who works in law enforcement. Without giving too much away, I can honestly say that each episode left me on the edge of my seat. There wasn’t a slow build like many thrillers have. The action started in the very first episode and it stayed that way for the entire series. 

As the show goes on, the intensity increases. Joe and his family have to leave their home because they fear for their lives and are trying to figure out their next moves. It’s interesting to watch Joe and his wife attempt to shield their daughter from the chaos until they discover that she has a significant role to play in finding a resolution. In many ways, the situation is a coming of age for her as she advocates for herself and tries to help her parents in the midst of a situation that seems impossible. Her parents give multiple directions and directives to her and she ignores many of them in true teenage fashion.

One thing I liked was that the supporting cast was solid

Each person had their own role to play and the power of working together was highlighted. Life rarely happens as expected and fiction mimics reality. There were so many ups and downs but I found myself rooting for Joe in each episode because his heart was in the right place. Needless to say, there are multiple storylines that make this show more intriguing. One particularly interesting one is the relationship between Joe and his best friend. We are able to see some of the nuances of relationships, the temptation of greed and how it can affect the ones closest to us. 

All in all, it was a show I’d recommend watching if you like murder mysteries and being surprised. I give it an 8/10 for originality. Check it out sometime.

AVERAGE JOE SEASON ONE

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Couples Shouldn’t Share a Bathroom

And I think that most people would agree. There are certain times where personal space matters more than others. No one wants to be interrupted while attending to business and I can imagine that it probably happens frequently whenever two or more people have to share the same bathroom. Ask any adolescent that has gone through puberty if they’d like their own bathroom and the answer would most likely be yes. There’s just something nice about not having to share a bathroom with others.

Growing up, I had a totally opposite experience. From 1996 to 2001, we were a family of six (6) living in a 1200sq ft house that only had one bathroom. Six people, one bathroom. It was quite a time. As you can imagine, it was tough to have that many people getting ready to go out to the town, but each person needed to take a shower. I think I learned great negotiation skills through those tense moments where we had to figure out who would get dibs on the bathroom. It was an exercise in patience and compromise that I never want to revisit in that manner again.

Fast forward to couples stuff

Living together is a big step for most couples and it often means that a partners are sharing a bed and bathroom. Usually, it’s in the bigger bedroom of the house or apartment and it comes with an attached bathroom. Couples are immediately having to have conversations about preferences and shared space as they get adjusted to the feeling of having someone in their space with them all the time. Sharing a bathroom just comes with the territory. Personally, I don’t think that this situation is ideal and here’s why:

Relationships need space to breathe

Think about it. You tend to think more positive thoughts about your partner when you can spend some time apart. There’s some truth to the fact that absence makes the heart fonder. Sharing a bathroom can feel very smothering and there are just some things that happen that are guaranteed to make you lose the rose colored glasses that you might see them through. Bathrooms tend to be a reflection of our habits and personality and relationships can feel complicated and get stagnant when we get too familiar.

Space and time become more important as you get older

We become more set in our ways and our peace matters more than money. It’s hard to make adjustments after we get over a certain age. People are getting married at older ages and with that comes different expectations of relationships. Separate bathrooms can help you not to lose yourself in the midst of your relationship. You get a chance to get a sink, shower, tub and toilet to yourself to use when you’d like without any feedback from your partner. It can easily be your escape from stress and from the cares of the world. It may also be an experience you want for yourself without any feedback from your partner. 

So, the next time you’re looking for a new place with your significant other, try getting separate bathrooms. You’ll thank yourself later.