The three icons that have helped shape my view on society are Bruce Lee, The peace sign, and the heavey metal band Kiss.  The love of the martial arts was developed from watching Bruce Lee every Saturday night with my father. Bruce Lee was a key icon to many people, he was one of the first inspirational martial artist and motivated many Americans to look into the martial arts.   The peace sign became important to me as I dealt with learning to control my temper. The peace sign means many things to many people but as an icon, it supports the essence of peace in the world.  The band Kiss was the source of my release, a way for me to shake off any stress.  Kiss was a one of a kind act, the theatrics, the music, and the showmanship set the standards for many heavey metal bands to follow.

These three icons together may seem odd together, but when you piece them together the way I used them you can understand why they mean so much to me.  I was a tomboy obsessed with the martial arts, I had a horrible temper that could not be controlled.  My father recommended the martial arts to help gain focus and control of my temper.  My instructor had me find a symbol that would represent what I want to feel like.  I chose the peace symbol.  With the help of my instructor and the use of the peace symbol as a goal, I was able to gain control of my temper.  I still had an issue with stress, this is where the band Kiss came in.  The music was my release of stress, I could play the music and let my stress out with every beat of the music. 

 The combination of the martial arts and the belief that peace must win out is what helped me gain control over my temper and to eventually eliminate my temper.  The music from Kiss was my release from stress, from my parents, and from society.  The combination of these three items helped me gain control and focus in my life.  This is why these three items a key icons that have changed and molded my life into what it is today.