VITA
I’m Salem Collo-Julin, and I am/like/believe in/wonder about Chicago, writers, artists, neighbors, collaboration, performance, non-stages, anti-venues, hope, nomads, the filipinas, the irish, the americans, the natives, the visitors, mess, insight, help, booster-ism, cheerleading, activity, comedy, nightmares, family, friends, nonsense, Iron Maiden, Carson McCullers, comic books, Nelson Algren, Faulkner, Lorde, cummings, hooks, BBQ, baseball, south side , hockey, football, magazines, crossword puzzles, Lil’ Manitoba, vinyl, records, freeform, dancing, karaoke, cats, dogs, ghosts, trouble, safety, mobility, space, and autonomy.
I’m a member of Temporary Services and a keyholder “alumnae” at Mess Hall. I collaborate in The Free Store and True Crime. I help run Half Letter Press and Groups and Spaces. I started the GoChgo e-mail list. I believe that love and freedom are not scarcity economies.
Here are some vital statistics -
born September 5, 1974, Chicago, IL. Still lives in Chicago, IL but at least in a different neighborhood. Doesn’t play any sports on a regular basis but sure would like to. Suspects that hand/eye coordination may be limited to screen/keyboard or possibly spoon/bowl juggling at this point in life, however, was on the swim team once. Writer/artist/performer/organizer, depending on to whom you are speaking. Older than some, younger than some. Gendered, mostly. Has love/hate relationship with most humans but still deals with them on a daily and infrequently intimate basis.
My mailing address -
P.O. Box 09351, Chicago, IL, 60609-0351
My general busy-ness –
My line of work and things that I do can be found in the 2nd column, under “Collaborators and Activities” as well as “Half Letter Press”. People and places and projects and things that I love and/or deem important are under the “VIPs” page. Those who wish to directly send me money as a sign of their love or encouragement can contact me at salem a t temporary services dot org to facilitate said transaction. Portions of the document sometimes known as a “c.v.” are available for the finding. Updates are infrequent, mistakes many, regrets are few.
An image –
My answers to the “Proust Questionnaire” (will be continually updated) –
1. What is your idea of perfect happiness?
2. What is your greatest fear?
3. What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
4. What is the trait you most deplore in others?
5. Which living person do you most admire?
6. What is your greatest extravagance?
7. What is your current state of mind?
8. What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
9. On what occasion do you lie?
10. What do you most dislike about your appearance?
11. Which living person do you most despise?
12. What is the quality you most like in a man?
13. What is the quality you most like in a woman?
14. Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
Dude. Soon. Well, raise my rent! Are you going to liberate us girls from Male White Corporate Oppression? Fear of a Female Planet? I just want you to know that we can still be friends.
15. What or who is the greatest love of your life?
16. When and where were you happiest?
17. Which talent would you most like to have?
18. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
19. What do you consider your greatest achievement?
20. If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what would it be?
21. Where would you most like to live?
22. What is your most treasured possession?
23. What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?
Quoting Charles Schulz (writing in “You Don’t Look 35, Charlie Brown”):
There must be different kinds of loneliness, or at least different degrees of loneliness … The most terrifying loneliness is not experienced by everyone and can be understood only by a few. I compare the panic in this kind of loneliness to the dog we see running frantically down the road pursuing the family car. He is not really being left behind, for the family knows it is to return, but for that moment in his limited understanding, he is being left alone forever, and he has to run and run to survive. It is no wonder that we make terrible choices in our lives to avoid loneliness.
24. What is your favorite occupation?
25. What is your most marked characteristic?
26. What do you most value in your friends?
tolerance, willingness, ability to laugh loudly
27. Who are your favorite writers?
28. Who is your hero of fiction?
29. Which historical figure do you most identify with?
30. Who are your heroes in real life?
31. What are your favorite names?
32. What is it that you most dislike?
33. What is your greatest regret?
34. How would you like to die?
35. What is your motto?
