I'd like to share an image with you that has become an important icon in my life. It's shrouded in mystery, but I hope to unravel some of its secrets soon.

To really get to the heart of this, I think we need to start with the cakes.

I have come to treasure the birthday cakes my family has made for me over the years. Can they be a little crudely decorated? Absolutely. And that is exactly what makes them so unbelievably great.

Looking at this photo , you might be thinking to yourself. "Aww, that's sweet. His kids decorated a cake." You'd be half right. It's sweet, but it was decorated by my FATHER.

The awesome beauty of cakes decorated by my dad is that they inevitably contain drawings that are either incomprehensible or have NOTHING to do with my life. He's adorable. They're like random, edible cave paintings.

Let's review the imagery on CAKE 1.

A: Not sure. My guess is a musical note, but I honestly can't rule out a turnip or a bear tooth complete with root.

B: A cherry... a pumpkin... a chubby sperm... who knows?

C: I'm going to go with either a boat or a submarine with periscope up.

D: Definitely a house. I do own a house -- it's nice to see one on a cake.

E: This brings us to "The Face". And it's the real reason why we're here. The Face has been making appearances on my birthday cakes and cards for as long as I can remember and it always looks like this.

Before we delve further into The Face, let's quickly review CAKE 2. (Despite it reading "Happy Birth Day Dad," I swear to you this is the handiwork of my father, not my kids. I also swear it's a face.)

A: Boat. Never owned a boat. Don't like the beach. So, a nautical theme does make sense. Over the years there have also been several cats. Again, never owned a cat. Don't like cats. But cats on my cake. CLASSIC.

B: Definitely an anchor.

C: Hmm. A bowling ball? A ghost? I don't have a clue.

D & E: A rare double-shot of THE FACE.

Here's another look at it: