Nate Beaty's Brainfag

Random mail gifts rule the school

posted in Home Jabber on August 12, 2005

I just received the coolest gift I've ever received in the mail. At the zine symposium I ran across a fellow who had this great little case for brushes and I blurted "Hey, I've been looking for something like that everywhere! All you can find at art stores are these big clunky plastic organizers with compartments.. I just want something small and long and thin like that -- what is it?"

"It's a watch case."

"Wow, I want one. Where do you get those?"

"Well, I'll keep my eyes out and send one if I find another."

I don't think much of it, we exchange zines, and then start talking about drawing with nibs, and how he modifies his nibs so they don't catch as much. I convey how I've been wanting to try drawing with nibs again. When I first started cartooning, I used nibs on shitty paper, which is a terrible idea. I soon gave up on shitty paper and moved to bristol/brush/rapidograph, and have since to play with nibs again.

A few days later I get an email from the same fellow saying he'd found another case and checked if my address on brainfag was correct. I write back "Sure, I'll send you some brainfags in exchange!" and again forget about it, not thinking anythine would come of it. (Most people just don't follow through with such things, ya know?)

Then a padded envelope arrives from Bellevue, WA, from a "Billis". I tear it open trying to figure out what it could be, and DAMN, it's a PERFECT brush case, and FILLED WITH BRUSHES AND A NIB! What a cool fucking gift! Thanks so much Billis! Some Brainfags are soon on the way!