Summer 1998 Nederland & Zeeland (The Netherlands)

The strange thing is I actually photographed more things on film in my camera while in the Netherlands than than Germany, but I was only there for a day.

I don't even remember what all the things we saw are called, I just remember that McDonald's was about every 2 miles along the highway, and incredibly expensive.

We went to The Zeeland, which has a Sea (it means Sea Land) and beaches. There was also lots of waterways everywhere, like canals.

And, compared to Germany, it's very flat. Also, unlike Germany, I would sometimes see litter on the ground, and the water was brown. Germany was pristine clean, and never any litter.

I also photographed a wedding by pure accident chance.

In 1998, I felt that the Dutch had a weird fashion sense, and all looked androgynous, with the bob haircut, and dressed like "Where's Waldo" with nerd glasses, and rust colored sweaters in the extreme hot summer heat. I often didn't know who was male or female. This seemed strange to me, because I assumed Nederland would be just like Germany... but, I was wrong.

I also wrongly assumed that Dutch folks would speak German to me because everyone told me their language was so close to Deutsch (German). So, when I went shopping, or went to McDonald's I would speak Deutsch, but once they realized I was American because I would speak to Wolfgang in a mix of English & Deutsch they would stop speaking Deutsch and speak only English.

Wolfgang was mostly deaf, and had to wear hearing aides. So, when he would ask them questions in German and they would answer in English he thought this was amusingly funny.

Apparently most Dutch people tend to be fluent in English because most of the movies, music,and television is usually broadcast in their original languages, and usually never dubbed, just have Dutch subtitles. I know they actually have their own country's media in Dutch because I have many songs in Dutch, and have watched Dutch cartoons, and comedies... but, when I was there, I NEVER saw nor heard a SINGLE song on the radio, or in a store, in Dutch. It was usually in some other language, like French, German, Turkish, and almost always in English... altho' I could hear the people all speaking Dutch all round us. I'm told it's part of the whole tolerance neutrality culture of the Dutch.

Anyways, at the time I felt the Dutch spoke incredibly good English that I wouldn't have known they were Dutch if I hadn't heard them speaking it before switching to English... Very impressive!

Today, however, I find not only do most Germans speak very good English, but most Europeans as well. Even older people have all picked up so much English vocabulary due to the internet.

Ironically, I learned to speak most of my own German from the internet. (But, I'm not very good anymore. I still listen to so much music in German.)

I have several other photos, but I can't remember which are mine, and which are Wolfgang's. And, I don't know if I scanned them ALL, and published them if it might offend him, because Germans are generally very Proper. So, if I scanned everything and published them, it might reflect badly upon me as being rude, or selfish.

Taiyuan China 2004

I think this was around 2004, because you can see on the Billboard behind me in the park an ad for "Lord of The Rings; Return of The King" which came out before I got there, and ran the entire time I was there. I got there around January, which makes sense. 

 My niece looks so different now, but you can see her in the photo when she was a child. She now just got a her first degree in Boston. She's been to several colleges & Universities in Boston, and is going to another one again, and so is her husband. I can't keep track.

I still had my maternity weight, which mostly went away by 2005, but I still have bits stuck to me...

Anyways, this is somewhere in Taiyuan. I could walk there from my family's home in Taiyuan. If I remember correctly (which I might be wrong) but I think this building is even older than the Bible.

I loved the decorations on this building and drew many many sketches based on the ancient artwork on it.

Dragon Taiyuan Long by BlackUniGryphon on DeviantArt

Here you can see us with my spouse's teacher from college, and his wife. I learned so much about Chinese art form that day. The old master showed me many of his original works, and taught me that in Chinese the name stamps didn't have any real rhyme or reason in the compositions of the pictures and could often be stamped in a strange place, and was meant to be seen to NOT fit the picture, and to stand out... but, also that many artists also sued stamps with slogans, poetry fragments, or even logos.

I was told to NOT try and go the Western Way (Taoism thought stuff) but go their Way (Tao). 

Wow! I lived in China so long that year you can see my roots from when I darkened my hair.

A common thought about Chinese family is that they don't wear shoes in the house...

NOT TRUE.

Actually, you MUST wear shoes in Taiyuan inside the house. When I first started living in China, most people STILL had the old concrete Soviet Russian style floors which resembled a garage floor (USA). I was NOT allowed to go around barefoot, because of all the coal soot pollution in the air. it's EVERYWHERE! I have asthma, so it was  major problem. I often tried to exercise to help strengthen my lungs. Luckily, in a nation where Communism is slung around all over like cast off litter, you can use FREE public exercise equipment EVERYWHERE.

You must cover everything with plastic, sheets, or towels, and even put your remote controls in a plastic bag covering, or it will be covered in soot in a few weeks and stop working. 

Today, people tend to have better floors, but instead of wearing your regular outdoor shoes inside, you wear slippers, or usually flip-flops. It's customary for people nowadays to have extra pairs of cheap slippers for guests by the front door.

When you first get to the Manchurian region you will be overwhelmed at how much soot is in the air. You never feel clean, no matter how many showers you have. But, after about 3 months you start to get accustomed to it.You will have black soot in your nose, and will need to clean your nose frequently.

Today, Taiyuan is far more advanced, and probably in much better condition than most places in the USA, including around here in Greater Boston. Ever since the bailouts, I've seen street lights go out in Hanover which STILL have never been fixed since 2006. There are whole shopping centers here that are in disrepair and have been abandoned since 2009.

I bought several CDs when I was in China. 
C-Pop & techno.
A popular son at the time was "Super Star" by "S.H.E." because it sounds similar to "t.A.t.U.", and parts of it sound like "Herz an Herz" (Passo Doble/Blümchen).

Google+ Made Some Photos

Google+ has a program in it that does weird automatic things with the photos that I upload.

Honestly I think they are often weird, ugly, or screwy....

BUT... all my folks in my Google+ circles have gone GAGA over several of them, even ones I personally thought were stinky.

So, I always share them, because people like it. You're welcome.

Here is a sample of some of them.

I photographed the Originals of these last year in the Spring. We had a VERY LATER spring in 2014, and it was also cold on the day I shot these. I had 2 different looks.
I also was incredibly ill, and it took a long time to heal from my 2013 surgery. I'd also had a very bad issue with malnutrition, and government problems, as well as extreme mental & emotional stress. (You have no idea, and I don't even really talk about it because it was so bad.)

I've had many many skin problems, including severe psoriasis, dry skin, and skin sun damage on my face & chest. I also had imbalances in oil in my skin. And, I had a major problem with my hair & finger nails. In many of the photos from these sets I couldn't use because either my hair was too thin and you could see my scalp, or my skin looked very bad. I tried EVERYTHING I could with what limited resources I had.

I have since then improved the look of my skin, and also, my hair has grown back thicker since adding some nutrients from May-September. I've mostly used products with Moroccan Argan oil, and/or biotin. I had to get rid of some shampoos tho' because they were severely burning my scalp.

I was so embarrassed by my hair the rest of the year that I wore a big hat every time I went out.

I still have somewhat thin hair, but nowhere near as thins as it was in May 2014.

Makeup:

I don't know if I just have sensitive skin, because some products that bother other people don't necessarily bother me, or whether many cosmetic products are just full of toxic crud... but, as I've grown older many kinds of makeup I just can't stand... the only high-end makeup brands I have tend to be on the cleaner side. (Altho' some MAC products can sometimes bother me.)

Anyways, Urban decay doesn't bother my skin or eyes. So, I often use the products I have from them on my face.

I did these portraits last year using my ultra new Urban Decay NAKED3 palette, which was something I just HAD TO GET... however, I think it's very powdery, had lots of fall-out, and is kind of sheer.... It's the most expensive price on ANY makeup item EVER. (Altho' my newest NAKED palette was close to that price.) I purchased mine directly FROM Urban decay's website.

Accessories:


The cardigan, the infinity scarves, and the Tribal Silver ethnic earrings, as well as the blouses I'm wearing all came from my ex-job JCPenny. For legal reasons I couldn't discuss anything about the company at the time, because they refused to give me hours for months, which kept me on contract with the company, and even after you finally end employment (which is what they did to me by phasing me out due to lack of hours) there was a blurry/vague issue in my contract preventing me from discussing anything about the company. So, I wasn't sure whether that also included mentioning products I'd purchased while working there, such as insider discount pricing. I also was lead to believe they still wanted me back... possibly...

I have mixed feeling about having worked there... I actually have no hate, nor hateful feelings, however, there were several illegal practices which went on there... and, one could also argue whether some things were immoral. (and that is a whole philosophical debate & a whole other can of worms open to interpenetration)

Altho' there is a part of me that is somewhat resentful, I don't feel resentful as a whole. I honestly feel sorry for several of my ex-coworkers.

However, I KNOW I was an excellent worker, and salesman, as well as customer service professional. I'm incredible with customers, and do incredibly well with suggestive sales, even on days when I really don;t feel like doing it... I'm very proud of that side, effort wise. (As to whether sales and money and manipulating people to purchase things is something to actually be proud of is another philosophical aspect altogether.) I was diligent, punctual, on time, consistent, accountable, flexible, etc. All the attributes a "team player" or "worker" ought. 

Yet, the work was incredibly stressful.  The stress itself was built-in systemically. That might sound like an exaggeration, but it's not. Yet, without getting into that (which would take a long explanation) I had to meditate every day just to be able to cope with being there. 

I have a bad foot, and I have some spinal issues. So, I was often in pain the entire time I was there. And, altho' I'm actually good at managing nasty people or customers, or being systemically prohibited from socializing with my own coworkers even just to talk about a flat tire on my car, or bond with anyone, communication was frowned on among my coworkers other then the "How are you?" even tho' no one actually cared about how you were, how you felt, what you thought, etc. they weren't allowed to be human in any natural way to each other, just to the PAYING CUSTOMERS.

So, I had to meditate mantras, chants, and affirmations (in my head) BEFORE I went to work, during my "recovery" duties, and afterwords. I constantly had my old Buddhist prayer beads (I'm not Buddhist tho') with me. I always wore at least 2 bracelets of them, in case one broke, and I would meditate inside my mind, and breathe, otherwise I couldn't handle the pain, or stress. Some workers just didn't even show up to work, and I was often left alone to handle things I didn't know how to do, and tried to just wing-it right on through.

After a while, I got to a point where I had ZERO feelings, like apathy... and that wasn't good either. I realized many people working there were like that. They just shut off whom they were, and were like empty robots. Ergo, I feel sorry for several of them... and no hate at all...

I did this photo shoot, originally for my Pirate Wench cosplay character Marshall Kändiß The Pyrate on the main blog. 

However, I've found not everyone that likes my Pirate stuff likes Boho Chic stuff like I do... 

Altho' my Bohmeina/Gypset stuff is rather popular on Google, Twitter, and especially on Instagram & Printerest. Hence the creation of THIS blog this year. 

THANK YOU!

Xi'An China Traveler

Traveling to Xi'An China.

It was sometime around 2003 or 2004, my daughter was a still a baby, and stayed with my in-laws in Shanxi Taiyaun (up in the Manchurian Region in the North) and I believe it was March or April. Spring came abruptly in China that year, and was VERY hot even up in the North since the end of February, even tho' there had been a ton of snow all January & Early February.

Xi'An isn't really that far away from Shanxi, I believe it's in the Shaanxi province, which isn't that far away. And, I can speak and understand the general dialects of people, because it's similar.

My mother-in-law gave us umbrellas. I didn't understand why, because the forecast was lots of sunshine during the time we went... but, when we went to climb the mountains, and note worthy tourist attraction landscapes, it was SO HOT as if it was summer. The heat, and humidity was so much. It was actually hotter THERE in early Spring, than it was the time I went to Guangzhou which is pretty tropical.

Luckily, we had the umbrellas to shade us from the merciless sun. And, EVERYONE else had umbrellas also. Everyone used umbrellas in the summer in China. I still do.  IN fact the word Umbrella means "opening shade" in Olde Italian.

Climbing the Pyramid of Emperor Qin Shi Huang

The Lucky Shen Shou. if you rub them you are supposed to get luck.

The Court Yard on Qin Si Huang.

I don't know why, but some of my travels end up having terrible dramas. An incident happened with some local bumpkins, in which my husband had a major fight with them. They were sort of like real-life spammers, but pesky short human beings wanting you to buy something. My spouse lost his temper, so badly, and for whatever reason, which I don't comprehend, it embarrassed him so much. I still have no idea what he was so angry about, because the entire argument went down in English. And, it wasn't as bad as all the huffing & puffing, and he even got some cops, who stood there and did nothing...

So, I was forbidden from talking about MOST of EVERYTHING that we did, or happened when I was there... since I wasn't allowed to really talk about it, I have mostly forgotten all of it. Tho' I know I wrote about some of it in a paper journal, somewhere around my house.

I also almost got jumped by a gang of thieves. My spouse told me to wait outside, alone, by myself, because if they saw my face, and that I was a foreigner they would overcharge us for anything. He told me he would be right back, but as the sun was starting to set, I noticed some people standing around, and they seemed suspicious. As, I kept looking around, and noticed the people were closer than they were before, but still standing strangely....

As it started to get darker, the men, started to close in on me, and got nearer, and nearer, and I began to panic. What do I do? Where is my husband? Did something happen to him?
Not only that, but I was holding & carrying many bags of stuff.

Then, finally, my husband came, just before it was dark, and there are no street lights. We scurried of to a Huo Guo place to eat.

Apparently, some other odd thing occurred.... whilest we were on the tour of the many rushed things to "sight-see" in the tour group, we FINALLY got to see see The Underground Terracotta Soldiers. The ones on display are are supposedly the ones left over from a fire, which is why they are plain brown. But, we saw large scale photos of the ones not on display which were painted with lacquers, or paints, and colors. (So, if you watch movies about these things, and they are just ordinary brown, then you know they didn't do their due diligence homework)

But, it was at this point, where we went to the largest most wide open areas, I was very captivated, and  taken by the beauty of these marvelous works of art, and craftsman ship, since each one was unique, and different, with a distinct personality, even the horses were all unique!

I thought it strange that my husband wasn't as into the experience like I was, because he very much wanted to see these also... he is also an artist, and loves sculpture, and so on...

As it turned out, his very first lover, or ex-girl friend, was THERE. Apparently they "saw each other" but no one said anything... Sometimes, I swear I DO NOT understand some things about the older generations' Chinese cultural things... I had met many other women he palled around with, yet I did not understand why he couldn't introduce me, or even say hello to her, or whatever...

He told me about this weeks later... he seemed really bothered, or upset, as tho' he'd done something guilty, wrong, or immoral. But, he did nothing wrong. I told him I didn't see what the big deal was, nor why it bothered him. He says he was bothered because I'm his wife. I still don't understand. We're married, so what's the problem? And, why does it bother him? It's not like anyone asked us to go to a sex club, rob a bank, or do something totally weird.

Also, at that time, whenever I hugged my husband, people would gasp, loudly, and felt shocked about it, that I openly would just hug my husband.

But, the last time I went there, the culture had shifted so much, and so rapidly, that many people would go to the KTV with us and openly grab, fondle, grope, and kiss the KTV singing hookers ("Xiao Jie"). And, for us WE felt that was strange! Actually, a lot of things shock me about China today. Full on depravity.

Anyways, they had good tea in Xi'An.

Chinese Instagram Themes for New Year 001

I have a number of Chinese themed posts on Instagram this month.

My Instagram Profile: @BlackUniGryphon

Enjoy!

#bridal #SLR #photography #Glamshots #glam #glamorous #Chinese #opera #ChineseOpera #BeijingOpera #PekingOpera #Pekingese #bride #vintage #FlushingNY #Flushing #NYC #NewYork 2002 #traditional #costume #makeup

A photo posted by Kandice Zimblemam-Wang 任思麒 (@blackunigryphon) on Feb 16, 2015 at 11:12am PST

My spouse n I, Mr. Wang. #Glam #Glamshots #glamorous #Chinese #bridal #traditional #ChineseNewYear #SpringFestival #Flushing #FlushingNY #NYC #makeup #vintage #photography #SLR #analog #Gypset #Gypsetter #bride #cosplay

A photo posted by Kandice Zimblemam-Wang 任思麒 (@blackunigryphon) on Feb 12, 2015 at 10:00pm PST

#Chinese #ChineseOpera #PekibgOpera #opera #Pekingese #BeijingOpera #bride #bridal #costume #SLR #photography #makeup #Glam #Glamshots #glamorous #vintage #analog #FlushingNY #Flushing #NYC #Chinatown #ChineseNewYear #ChineseNewYear2015 #NewYork #Bohemian #Gypset #gypsetter #cosplay

A photo posted by Kandice Zimblemam-Wang 任思麒 (@blackunigryphon) on Feb 15, 2015 at 12:49pm PST

#Chinese #ChineseOpera #PekibgOpera #opera #Pekingese #BeijingOpera #bride #bridal #costume #SLR #photography #makeup #Glam #Glamshots #glamorous #vintage #analog #FlushingNY #Flushing #NYC #Chinatown #ChineseNewYear #ChineseNewYear2015 #NewYork #Bohemian #Gypset #gypsetter #cosplay

A photo posted by Kandice Zimblemam-Wang 任思麒 (@blackunigryphon) on Feb 15, 2015 at 12:47pm PST

#vintage #SLR #photography #bridal #qipao #FlushingNY #Flushing #NYC #Chinatown #ChineseNewYear2015 #ChineseNewYear #red #2002 #Bohemian #boho #Gypset #gypsetter #Glam #Glamshots #glamorous #cosplay

A photo posted by Kandice Zimblemam-Wang 任思麒 (@blackunigryphon) on Feb 15, 2015 at 12:42pm PST

#ChineseNewYear2015 #ChineseNewYear #umbrella #bridal #qipao #vintage #2002 #FlushingNY #NYC #Flushing #SLR #photography #Glam #Glamshots #glamorous #Bohemian #Gypset #gypsetter #cosplay

A photo posted by Kandice Zimblemam-Wang 任思麒 (@blackunigryphon) on Feb 15, 2015 at 12:38pm PST

#Goddess #ethereal #Nike #Angel #wings #AngelWings #Sky #Chinese #clouds #anime #manga #cartoon #cartoons #art #artwork #robe #robes #HanFu #kimono #purple #maiden #girl #lady #female #figure #WhimsicalWednesday

A photo posted by Kandice Zimblemam-Wang 任思麒 (@blackunigryphon) on Feb 11, 2015 at 11:17am PST

My #artwork #art #goddess #maiden #manga #comics #cartoon #anime #Chinese #ChineseNewYear #ChineseNewYear2015 #dreamy #dreamer #ethereal

A photo posted by Kandice Zimblemam-Wang 任思麒 (@blackunigryphon) on Feb 15, 2015 at 9:29pm PST

My #artwork #art #anime #manga #cartoon #comics #goddess #clouds #sky #robe #robes #HanFu #kimono #purple #dreamy #ethereal #fantasy #Chinese #ChineseNewYear #ChineseNewYear2015 #BlackUniGryphon

A photo posted by Kandice Zimblemam-Wang 任思麒 (@blackunigryphon) on Feb 15, 2015 at 9:26pm PST

#BohoProm #Bohemian #hippie #vintage #silk #qipao #Chinese #dress #gown #prom #1998 #FengHuang #Feng #Huang #ChinesesPhoenix #Phoenix #bird #whimsical #whimsy #peacock #feathers #FeatherEarrings #SeniorProm #jewelry #NewJersey #NJ #90s #GenerationX #freespirit

A photo posted by Kandice Zimblemam-Wang 任思麒 (@blackunigryphon) on Feb 14, 2015 at 12:30pm PST

#BohoProm #Bohemian #hippie #vintage #silk #qipao #Chinese #dress #gown #prom #1998 #FengHuang #Feng #Huang #ChinesesPhoenix #Phoenix #bird #whimsical #whimsy #peacock #feathers #FeatherEarrings #SeniorProm #jewelry #NewJersey #NJ #90s #GenerationX #freespirit #raver

A photo posted by Kandice Zimblemam-Wang 任思麒 (@blackunigryphon) on Feb 14, 2015 at 12:28pm PST