Ganesha, the multi-purpose deity

Ganesha is a Hindu deity that I've see a lot of in yoga rooms and certain types of restaurants. I thought he pretty cool looking as deities go, so when Vanessa and I came across this one for sale in Albuquerque (taken from an Indian temple being demolished) I snapped him up. Since then I've been researching the history and symbolism of Ganesha and all of his accompanying doodads. Most sources generally agree that he is:
1- The Lord of Success
2- Destroyer of vanity, selfishness and pride.
3- Remover of Obstacles
To my surprise there are many different interpretations about the symbolism. Here are a few interpretations from one of many sources:
Ganesha's head symbolizes the soul, which is the ultimate supreme reality of human existence, and his human body signifies earthly existence of human beings. The elephant head denotes wisdom. In his upper right hand Ganesha holds a goad, which helps him propel mankind forward on the eternal path and remove obstacles from the way. The noose in Ganesha's left hand is a gentle implement to capture all difficulties. The broken tusk that Ganesha holds like a pen in his lower right hand is a symbol of sacrifice. The rosary in his other hand suggests that the pursuit of knowledge should be continuous. His fan-like ears convey that he is all ears to our petition. The snake that runs round his waist represents energy in all forms. And he is humble enough to ride the lowest of creatures, a mouse.
So welcome to our home, Ganasha. I appreciate you removing any obstacles which may pop up. Perhaps you could do something about our current drought, which is an obstacle to all kinds of things...