Meme: Getting to Know You

Annegb, in a post at Mormon Mentality, asked everyone to answer a few questions… so I did:

1. How did you come by your handle? — "Silus" is a variant of the Biblical name "Silas"; "Grok" means "to understand fully or completely", and is used in the software world. I wanted to pay homage to my own religious surname, and my deep-seated desire to understand.
2. How did you find the bloggernacle, what drew you to blogging? — I came across a post at Times & Seasons years ago, and I've enjoyed it immensely. I've been moved to tears many times, and have learned much. I've even had my mind changed on a number of fronts.
3. Where were you born, are you LDS, were you raised in the church, how do you characterize yourself? — I was born Spokane, Washington. I grew-up in a home, and not in the Church. And while I attended Church with my sister from the get-go, I wasn't allowed to join until I was 8. My family, however, is not LDS. I consider myself to be a faithful latter-day saint (though others probably disagree).
4. Do you have a college degree? — I attended BYU for four years, but fell-in with a bad crowd towards the end and co-founded a software company. I didn't finish my degree… but had I, it would likely have been in Political Science with a minor in one of the languages I've studied (French, Mandarin, Danish).
5. Are you married? Kids? — Single. No children.
6. Where do you live? — I live in Salt Lake City, just four blocks from the Temple in a loft overlooking Pioneer Park.
7. Favorite:
   • Food — my favorite thing to eat is chili with lots of saltine crackers. My favorite thing to cook is roasted, brined pork chop served on savory French toast and topped with a sweet onion chutney (recipe).
   • Color — orange, though red comes in a very close second.
   • Movie — Phenomenon, Sixth Sense, Swing Kids, Twelve Angry Men, Charade, Lord of the Rings… ad nauseum.
   • Book — Gaia, Seeds of Change, anything by Wendell Berry or Neil Postman, Blankets, The Naked Ape, Lord of the Rings, This Time of Darkness… ad nauseum.
   • TV show — Heroes.
   • Blog — mine.
8. What is your most embarrassing moment? — I was about 14 or so and on a camping trip with the scouts, and we were encamped by a river. I decided I wanted to go skinny-dipping, so I snuck-off to find a nice place on the river for a dip. I found a place that looked good, dropped trou, and walked into the river… but it never deepened. I was out in the middle of the river when I heard guys from the troop approaching so I ran back to shore and got dressed. No one caught me, but I was still absolutely abashed.
9. What's your pet peeve? — drivers who tailgate and people who talk on their mobiles in public — especially those that use their mobiles while going through check-out stands.

And what about you?