About Grasshopper

Who am I?     Though I use the online moniker "Grasshopper", my "real life" identity is Christopher Bradford. I live in Springville, Utah and work as a web architect. My wife Lucy and I have five boys and a girl. Somehow, I find the time to read a lot, and I have participated on numerous discussion boards and as a regular commenter in the Mormon Blogosphere, affectionately known as the Bloggernacle (a term I coined).

What do I think I'm doing, commenting on Mormonism?     Well, I'm a lifelong member of the LDS Church, so that gives me some minimal qualifications, I guess (as if you need any to blog). I don't know how many valuable insights I have; my knack seems to be more for asking annoying questions in my church meetings (which is probably why they asked me to teach the Young Men, so as not to disrupt people's naps in Elders quorum). I also like to read a lot and tease out connections between and implications of various ideas.

What appeals to me?     Different, and often apparently opposing, aspects of Mormonism appeal to me. On the one hand, I find myself drawn to the boldness and vision of the early days of the Church (especially Joseph Smith and Brigham Young). On the other hand, I enjoy the complexities of modernity and the humility that modern views force upon me. I tend to gravitate toward the intellectual side, and find that active participation in the Church helps to ground and balance me.

What's with the image on the left?     I was looking for an avatar for IM and an online discussion board, so I Googled for grasshopper images. As soon as I saw this weathervane, it brought to mind the horizontal angel weathervane designed for the Nauvoo temple. Since the Nauvoo period and the temple are particularly meaningful for me, I knew this was the image I had to use.

Do I always talk to myself like this?     Only since I started blogging.