Lots to report today:

Item The First: Like every well-meaning and loving husband everywhere, I can be a bonehead sometimes. Example A: I forgot to mention that Monday's episode of "How I Met Your Mother" was written by my awesome wife. Well it was! And I forgot to mention it! Which in no way diminishes her awesomeness...but which assuredly diminishes mine. Dang!

Item The Second: In a blink-and-you'll-miss-it moment, Neil Patrick Harris brought "The Good, The Bad & The Pugly" on to last night's episode. You may remember that Neil kindly bought a few copies at the book launch party for himself and family...which already put him in solidly in the "awesomeness" category for me. Seeing him holding a copy on the show now solidifies his awesomeness.

Item The Third: Lot of awesomeness being handed out, today.

Item The Fourth: A few readers have e-mailed asking me if my paintings will be for sale. After stewing it over, I guess they probably could! Awesomeness! But as I said in e-mails and on the forums, it's going to take me a half-dozen practice paintings before I'll even be ready to share photos...so don't expect fireworks before February.

Item The Fifth: A few flummoxed readers have asked what last Saturday's cartoon was all about. Why is Flaco in Kiev? Why is he hopping a train? The answer is that I've been itching to tell a little side story for Flaco, and have decided to tell it on Saturdays. It started two week's ago, and continued this Saturday. It's an experiment to see whether a Saturday-only side-story can work. I'm as curious as you are to see if it can. I'm even more curious to see if Flaco can get to space. He's made it Kiev, already, so he's off to a good start. (Sidenote: curious about the Baikonur Cosmodrome?)