Brushes wont display - cannot open new brushes

i'm having trouble getting my brushes to display, and i cannot open any new brushes. it's set on one particular set of brushes, the last i used, and it one change that set at all.
here's a picture to comprehend what i'm talking about: [i made it all by myself *thumbs up*]

can any body tell me why the little arrow wont open my brush sets anymore? nothing happens when i click it.

Try to reset your preferences file (the FAQ tells you how).

if you're running 98/me and have a TON of brushes, you may have hit an os limit on menu items. remove some brushes or upgrade to xp or win2k.