What is Humor?

It occurs to me that I have not been very funny lately.

I'm sure some of you think I've never been very funny ever.

Which brings up a funny story.  When Rob and I were engaged, I was talking to his father, Vaughn, on the phone and I said that I thought Rob was hilarious.  Vaughn asked, "Does he think you're funny, too?"  I paused.  I genuinely didn't know, but I'd always considered myself to be a somewhat funny individual, so I was hopeful that Rob thought this, too.  I said, "I'll ask him."  I turned to Rob, "Do you think I'm funny?"  Rob got all thoughtful and looked out the window and before he could say anything I responded to Vaughn, "No, he doesn't."

We've laughed about this a lot.  Every time Rob has tried to say that he thinks I'm funny, I always respond with his lengthy pause, look-out-the-window face.  You can't fake that kind of response.

Since that initial moment, and the discussions it has prompted, Rob has declared me to often be witty.  And goofy.  And he says those are the same as funny.  I still don't believe him.  Both of us often come back to the same conclusions:  he is funny and I am other-than-funny.

This is okay with me.  I can just be Tamra.  I don't need the stage and the laughs.

(Bitterness.)

Just kidding.  I'm not really bitter.  This is what is interesting to me:  I do think I'm funny.  I'm just not funny the way Rob is funny.  Rob is a Humor Whore.  He NEEDS the laughs.  He craves it.  That sounds like such a burden to me.  I don't care if you think I'm funny or not.  I think I'm funny, and that's really all I care about.