I was talking to someone about this website the other day and they asked, "what is Gaudy Language?"
I immediately thought about all the changes this site has undergone over the past several years and all the goals I hope to reach in the coming years. This morning I thought about the conversation again and thought: why not share this journey with readers?
Gaudy Language actually started almost a decade ago as a poetry website, where I would write down all my poems and deep thoughts (haha). At the time, I just wanted to share my thoughts with the world. Later, I changed my web host and decided I wanted to create a political blog. At the time, there was a lot going on politically and I felt like I spent most of my time yammering about things going on in the news so it was an easy switch. But after a few years, I got tired of focusing on politics. (In fact, I got tired of bingeing political shows, listening to political pundits...all of that.) Instead, I decided to go back to what I love- art and the people who create it. And that's art of all kinds- on the canvas, in performance, in sound, etc. I just wanted to celebrate the magic of people and the wonderful things we can create. (I'm still interested in current events, but I feel less inclined to write about it.)
When the COVID-19 pandemic rolled around, I decided that I not only want to work on the blog, I also wanted create a podcast focused on people living their dreams. It became a series of interviews called The Gaudy: Insights. I didn't know how to get people on, so I started off with my friends, Chaya Lev and Karthik. I then expanded to people I didn't know.
I felt like such a weirdo sliding into peoples' DM's and asking them to be on my show or contacting their PR teams like hiiiiiiii, would your client like to be a guest on my podcast? Everyone was surprisingly nice, although I'm sure a few of them were thinking who the hell is this woman? But by reaching out and expanding my comfort zone (and trust me, it was definitely a leap out of my comfort zone putting myself into that level of vulnerability) I was able to talk to people from all over the world- India, England, Canada, Israel, and all over the US and share their stories. I spoke to comedians, authors, artists, musicians, choreographers, jewelers, and so many others. And they reinvigorated me every with every interview. There's something amazing about listening to someone actually go out and live their dream.
So where does Gaudy Language go from here? I want to continue sharing helpful content for entrepreneurs, artists, creative professionals as well as hobbyists. I've had some amazing guest articles submitted and I look forward to more of those. I want to build up an active forum for people to discuss their work, provide tips, and share their projects. I want to continue doing interviews for The Gaudy: Insights and share even more wonderful stories. Eventually, I'd like to create a YouTube channel. Ultimately, my goal is to help artists realize their dreams. One day, I'd like to help others fund their projects.
Ultimately, I want Gaudy Language to be for everyone what it has always been for me: An artistic home, a place for everyone to share their voice.
