Hello!

I am Matt, the new Present Group intern. This year I came to realize that the place I live (Maine) is quite nice, and if I were to spend too many more summers in place, I would wake up one day and find myself retired there. So I set out on a search for new places and ways. I did my share of asking around; I queried friends, enemies, frienemies and a gaggle of left handed mittens that had been abandoned in the gutter. I came across many good suggestions (the mittens of course suggested Ottawa) but could not make a decision.

At a loss, I had resigned myself to do things the old fashioned way: chance. Now chance is generally not something to mess with so I wanted to make sure I did it right. I figured that the combination of a spinning classroom globe, a throwing dart and a bottle of whiskey ought to yield a significantly indeterminate location.

On my way to the whole spinning globe/spinning room conundrum I was however blessedly interrupted. It was not by a person or animal, rather the interruption came in the form of a clean looking wooden box. In bright friendly letters it said very plainly, “I want you to have this”  It was very clearly a gift, for me! After a little research I realized I had found issue 17 of The Present Group’s art subscription (I Want You to Have This). Several emails later I had an internship in Oakland.

I have been interested in social entrepreneurship for some time and I am happy to start work here at Present Group HQ. We’ve got the wholesomeness of community supported agriculture without excesses in the kale department. Plus mail always felt kind of like a present to me, so to work for a place that sends presents through the mail…

I am told we will begin today by cutting sparkles.