Sarah I am laughing.
I can't understand how or why, but I never saw the part of your post that already told the meaning of Kenzoku as soul mate! LOL. So weird, I read your post through a few times before I did the google translator search. What is that all about????? Tell your sister's friend! I have heard people say that when you are a native-English speaker who does not read or write in Japanese/Chinese, and you get a tattoo of a Japanese or Chinese symbol that you think means "Peace," you often wind up with a tattoo that means "Silly dog" or something!
There is a whole website of people displaying their tattoo with the Japanese/Chinese symbol, and they tell what they thought it meant, and they below that it tells what it
really means. You have to laugh!
Philip, I've asked a few people lately to share with me what they have come to learn, about why that date you mentioned, that is fast approaching, does not mean "dooms day" but instead new hope and new beginnings, for all of us. The reason I was asking the question, is because my boyfriend is very worried about that date. He is sensitive, and he 'senses' the changing energy -- just like so many of us have been noticing it. But he doesn't know how to interpret the feelings he has, and so, with the media influencing his ideas, he's interpreting his 'feeling' as a negative.
But, the Mayan elders, from what I've been learning from others lately, are telling us that they did
not end their long-count calendar on that date, because that is the day the world ends. Instead, it is the end of an astrological age. The long-count calendar is simply a calendar that keeps track of this particular age -- the Age of Pisces, the Fish. The new age that begins on the 22nd is the Age of Aquarius, which is what the hippies were all excited about in the musical "Hair." For instance, in the Bible Jesus is quoted as saying "I will be with you until the end of time," but various scholars have said that this word "time" is a poor translation from the Ancient Aramaic that the New Testament was written in. Translated correctly, he says "I will be with you till the end of the Age." At that time in human history, an "Age" referred to the procession of the equinox -- which takes 62,000 years. Our earth is returning to a spot in relation to its respective location within the local universe, where it completes a cycle, a very long cycle, which is what the Mayan calendar was documenting in ending it on that date. The reason Jesus is with us to the end of this "Age" is because Jesus is water, the fish, and that is Pisces. There is another influence in the Age of Aquarius, which is Air. I read a little list of the differences between "Water" influence and "Air" influence and it was pretty interesting. For instance the element "Water" means emotions, the heart, and the element "Air" means spirit connection, intellect. But as far as how this looks in every day? One example on the list was that people move from drinking alcohol (water/liquid) to smoking pot (air). I thought that sounded interesting and right now in the States, many of our States are legalizing marijuana right at this exact time -- funny huh?
I really do believe that there is a change in consciousness, that that is the 'end' we are experiencing -- the 'end' of the kind of mentality that made the Reagan era of the 1980s possible, the greed of the "Me Decade." That is the 'end' that is drawing near. So many people in our world are worried about the environment, about taking care of the animals instead of abusing them, about ending the deforestation of the Amazon, about stopping all these silly wars, and so on. I do think more people are feeling like that, than the ones who are excited about continuing to be "pillagers" of the earth. There are only a few people making those decisions, and the rest of us are saying "We don't want another Gulf Oil Spill!" How many people felt just awful about the oil spill? I was so upset about it, and everyone I spoke to felt just sick about it. I think we are the majority! And we will prevail!!!
I know exactly how you are feeling because this is how my boyfriend fears, that the end is near, but I believe we are going to be pleasantly surprised by the kind of 'end' that we will soon witness. It is time for a shift. We all knew that if we continued on this path it would be impossible to sustain life; preservation is key now, from plant and animal life to human life, to air and water quality, and soil quality. And I believe that shift is fast approaching, and we witness these positive markers of change every day. It's coming!!
Hang in there and remember the positive feelings you get from visiting our family here on this board. I think we represent a positive shift, and we're not alone in the way we feel.
What you shared about memories, and faces, and photographs, is lovely!
You have a way with words. I really enjoyed this.
Also I see what you mean about commercial vs. fine art, but no matter who is asking you to produce this art, or what is done with the finished product, it is all fine art to me! As far your idea that you would resent what people say about talent is a gift, I know just what you mean! I have an artist friend who refuses to say he has 'talent' and goes so far as to say there is no such thing as talent. Because he worked hard. I have said to him, you DID work hard, you honed your craft. But your starting point, before the hard work, was already advanced -- like the little boy in your video, Philip, our young Tanishq. Yes, he works hard, he studies constantly. But I am 35 years old and if I dedicated twice as much time to the very same studies, I wouldn't be 1/4 as far along as he is, at the age of 8!
We don't take away his hard work, his rigor, when we notice that he was born gifted. He is special. Well you are special too! I studied psychoanalysis very rigorously, but I also just 'sensed' people and knew who they were, from a young age, "I was born that way." So yes I studied to use theory to back up my natural intuition, but I remember how I was as a little girl and I know I always simply 'understood people.' If someone appeared charming and smooth I could still see the anxiety underneath. I was never fooled by the surface appearance. This can make you unpopular. But it wasn't about judging -- it was about seeing. You can't un-see what you see and you can't un-know what you know. Your baseline abilities with art are superior to my abilities if I study painting and sculpting technique for decades. And Tanishq's comprehension of physics is superior to grad students, professors! In some areas. He is special.
I think it's magical considering our abilities, and it's not easy to understand. But could Mozart have composed complex compositions at the age of 5, merely because he worked hard?
How much time had he had, to 'work hard,' at the age of 5 ! ! !
It's exciting stuff indeed.
Thanks for all you bring to our discussions, Philip, you are a true Renaissance man and very thought provoking! And your posts always make me smile and think. With love to you Philip, Sandy, Sarah, and everyone!!! Love you all, Michele
Good luck with that!!! Not to demote the intelligence of monkeys, of course. I respect their fine minds quite a bit! 
, one of the world's very worst!!!) I came home one day and was complaining to a dear friend about the day I'd had; I was talking about eggplant parmesian. She said "Michele, you're a waitress." 
How to change or enhance fate often associated with gem and the 4 elements, we are created from molecules and not surprising that natural elements can alter our path. Michele, crystal is your matching gem, my friend were introduced to sapphire, I don't remember what is mine and don't go for material influence.
Languages are so fascinating.
Creativity come from the creator who created us. So, if you are not talented, your role is to nurture and support the gifted. 
