N.b. This will be the first post you can file under general shenanigans, although it is tangentially relevant to winning n00bcoM.
Everyone needs a friend like Ben Farkas. When I married my wife and everyone was showering us with generous gifts of straight cash homie, Farkas gave me (and my wife I guess) my first original Magic artwork. He flew it in – professionally framed and all – from Albuquerque, NM.
When Farkas’ first child was born he ran a Team Sped baby pool. Closest guess won a Beta Mind Twist. This is the same Mind Twist I Twisted the shit out of Mark Evaldi with in the n00bcoM quarters by the way. When I took delivery there was also a nice note written in Sped. Technically my wife owns the Beta Mind Twist…
Two Eternal Weekends ago Farkas walks up to me with a freshly signed Necromancy artist proof because of a fringe Team Sped inside joke. It’s almost like the guy lives to brighten my day with meticulously thought out, strategically timed MtG gifts. He also loves The Big Lebowski, Broken Draft, Killer Whale, Snake Basket, Millstone, decks with one and only one win con, brown liquor and math models. Yeah dudes, everyone needs a Farkas in their life.
It was fucking snowing again today in Mano’s favorite place on earth (Cuse) and I was pretty sure I wasn’t getting any Magic cards in the mail today so for a while the day was Not Great Bob. And then he does it again. A tiny envelope addressed to Jeff Mex (long story which I think has been covered on ATC) is sitting in the mailbox, with the exact and now instantly recognizable thickness and sturdiness that indicates the contents are something I’ll enjoy. I get the instant rush of dopamine through my brain. I think said Fuck Yeah out loud. I raced inside and found some quiet space for the ceremonial opening and to really take this in. God knows what could be in this envelope. As far as we know, Farkas doesn’t even have any Magic cards. But damn dude, another Magical day courtesy of Ben Farkas, founding member of Team Sped, and inventor of I’m sure something over the years… I just can’t think of anything off the top of my head.
I’m assuming the various pieces of 5 Color Jeff White speak for themselves. There’s also a sick as fuck artist proof with sketch on the back of the (Most) Venerable Monk he hauled into Cuse from ABQ almost 6 years back. But maybe the real gem in this pile of unadulterated gasoline is one genuine ticket to Magic: the Gathering I: (https://mtg.gamepedia.com/Magic:_The_Gathering_I) I guess? I mean, who comes up with this stuff out of nowhere?
So cheers to you, Farkas, for being such a miser! When we finally get together for the next Sped Weekend in 2024 or so I’ll be sure to find a way to reciprocate, and to fruition! I’ll have plenty of time between now and then to think up the plan. Keep misin’!
Quest for the Shark 