I really don't know why I seem to have ended up with my Mifune avi.
The only explanation that's immediately coming to mind is there was a member here ( [MENTION=2701]Tallulah[/MENTION] ) who had an avi of Catherine Deneuve in the process of removing her sunglasses, and her subject line read "...And you are?" It never stopped being funny to me, every time she posted. It was kind of like having someone take off their glasses to look at you (in that cliche way) when they responded. I think that's why having Mifune in the process of removing his pipe appealed to me as an avi. (I realize he's not in the process of removing his pipe here- I lost the original avi picture, and settled for this when I couldn't find it.) So mostly it was an incidental choice to copy Tallulah, and it just kinda stuck.
Before this I think I mostly relied on abstract-ish black and white photos of plants, or something. I mean, there's some reason I don't use female avis. But I don't know how to explain it other than to say it's the same reason I don't slap on a bunch of blue eyeshadow and walk out the door wearing a bunch of doilies every morning. I'm not that girl. I'd have to search long and hard to find a picture of a female that doesn't seem too doily-ish for me (especially one that fits the 'taking off glasses'/'smoking pipe' effect), and it isn't worth it to me. I'm just, happy with my Mifune.
Eta disclaimer: and I don't mean to be offensive. If someone relates to Doily Power, no matter what gender, they should feel free to fly that flag. It's just not me. Most images of women are just way too doily-ish for me.