The usericon meme

Snagged from taldragon . :)
"Comment on this post. I will choose seven userpics from your profile and you will explain what they mean and why you are using them. Post your answers (and this explanation of the meme) in your own journal so others can play along."

	I use this symbol to represent my ethnic identity. It is a yin-yang, but instead of being black and white, I colored it yellow and white, to represent that I am of half Asian and half European descent. Overlaid on the yin-yang is the Chinese name which I chose for myself when I took a Chinese class. It is composed of three parts: my mother's family name; the word "little," which my teacher said was frequently part of girls' names; and the word for "peaceful/serene," which I asked for and which some may recognize from the logo for the TV show "Firefly"/movie "Serenity." According to my teacher, this is also the word used in library signs telling people to keep quiet. Considering the Asian yin-yang symbol and the Chinese name, I think this icon underrepresents my Western side, but I couldn't think of a good way to balance that. I use this icon when discussing topics relating to culture or ethnicity.
	This is Mao from Cooking Master Boy! It's an anime about a boy who sets out to be China's best chef ever, basically saving the world through cookery. It's fairly entertaining, but watching it always made me hungry for Chinese food. I use this icon when I post about cooking.
	A red panda, Ailurus fulgens. I have a special fondness for them. I used to think baby harp seals were the cutest animals in the world... until I saw pictures of red pandas. I generally use this icon for cute stuff.
	A banded sphinx moth, Eumorpha fasciata, with wings spread to reveal the full pattern. Moths hold special meaning for me as creatures of subtle beauty and elegance where one might not think to look. I use this icon when discussing the natural world.
	A red wolf, Canis rufus. Wolves were my first favorite animal, even before dragons. Red wolves are smaller than gray wolves (Canis lupus), and their range includes the southeast US, where I grew up. It's hard for me to explain why, but for me the wolf means solace. I use this icon when talking about my feelings, especially if they're tending toward the maudlin.
	I wanted an icon to represent issues of faith and spirituality, and a candle flame was the obvious choice to me. The strangest thing about this picture is the difficulty I had finding a photo I liked to iconify.
	This is my most recently added icon. I thought it was funny and fitting: I am often distracted from the task at hand by some fun thing to play with. If I recall correctly, the person who made it made several other similar icons with different sayings; but she seems to have deleted her LiveJournal account.

All my usericons are listed here. Where I could, I've tried to give credit for the source of the image. I can't remember where I found the wolf picture.