Love and Romance With Christopher Titus

Admittedly, I don't like Valentine's Day.

Part of it is personal: one of my first romantic breakups happened on Valentine's Day. But most of it is that my philosophy on romantic partnerships is that they're usually fueled by desperation, with minimal effort placed. It's more about "two halves finding a whole" than "two wholes finding a center"

Me, bitter and cynical about love, nah?

But leave it to Christopher Titus, who for three seasons, brought dysfunctional family issues to our television screens, to really heighten the bitterness and cynicism in his 2009 stand-up special  Love is Evol.

In the first half of the special, he discusses his then-recent divorce in bitter, almost brutal detail (at one point, suggesting that what he says may "legally or not legally be true". This is Titus in almost pure form, as he demonstrates not only a willingness to "go there" in talking about difficult subjects, but also in providing a much greater insight into his past. (Such as his father's National Guard service - I'll let you watch for yourself to get the punch line)

However, the second half shows Titus opening up about his new relationship...and here's where the humor sparkles. It's not so much his traditional "two messed up people find each other" as it is "when messed up person finds pretty strong, OK person". I won't spoil it, other than it's well worth watching.

So today, on one of my least favorite holidays, I received a little bit of affirmation - not that "the one" is out there, waiting for me, but that relationships can be work, and that even through the darkest times, there's always hope.