How I Met Your Mother 6.08: Natural History

My response to last night's episode of HIMYM, which starts with some thought questions and ends with utter, delighted flailing. Spoilers!

• Marshall is resigned and/or content with his life as a corporate lawyer. Do you think this is as problematic as Lily did? (I...think it makes sense. I hope he continues to kind of rail against The Machine, as it were, but when faced with Lily's massive credit card debt as well as their decision to own a nice apartment and all, what else could he do, y'know?) And what do you think the tag scene implies about his next step?
• To what extent is Lily's reaction to Marshall's career path tied into her own mixed feelings about her artistic career? That is, she's made the decision to be a kindergarten teacher, but is she entirely settled with not being the artist she envisioned while in college?
• Ted and Whatsherface: endearing or annoying? (I don't have much to say about Ted from day to day anymore, but I was equal parts skeeved and touched by his agreement with The Captain to let Whatsherface have her fun. That is, WOW GUYS, way to be patronizing, but I tip my hat to Ted's sense of fair play.) I really don't know what to make of the implication of Ted/Whatsherface--while he's been shown as attracted to her, I don't get actual relationshippy vibes from them. Things I liked about Ted tonight: his fun architectural facts, his enthralled mockery of the monocle, and his gleeful naming of himself, which The Captain dutifully respected. "Galactic President Superstar McAwesomeville." LOL.
• Barney has a dad! I thought this would just be another fun and weird foray into Barney/Robin fun weirdness, and then BAM HEY Barney has a dad! Y'ALL. I expected the touching moment would be, like, the discovery that Barney actually tells the truth sometimes--which, honestly, would be surprising--but NO. His dad's name! Right there! In a file! That was a brilliant little gem of a scene with Barney and Robin, too: genuine and heartfelt and awkward, which is the best kind of Barney/Robin. It's always nice when the show remembers they're real people.