Jim Carrey and Jenny McCarthy

"We broke up."

It's not exactly a fun phrase to utter. In a breakup's aftermath, you generally try to minimize the number of times you'll have to tell people that yes, you failed at romance once again.

I recently blogged about the chain of communication following an engagement.

But Jim Carrey and Jenny McCarthy's recent split got me thinking about how news travels post-breakup.

Carrey and McCarthy announced their breakup via Twitter, which is incredibly impersonal but also incredibly smart.

A blanket announcement on Twitter or Facebook lessens your likelihood of having an awkward face-to-face conversation with each of your friends. It also lessens your chances of being invited to an event as a couple and then stuttering while admitting, "We're not dating anymore."

At the same time, condensing complex emotions into a 140-character update can undermine the seriousness of the relationship you once had.

Please share: When you've broken up, do you make an official announcement or simply wait for the topic to come around in casual conversations?