Okay, days of reading. My brain is mush.
Please clarify:
Two weeks ago I flashed EB16SC29_DXC.tar through Odin.
I am superclean, bloatware free, froyo goodness.
A few days later I patched 2.9.1 through CWM.
The next day 2.9.2 was released so I patched that as well, repeating the process from the first patch.
So if I understand correctly, my ROM, which is my phone's operating system, is superfrankenclean 2.92.
Now, kernals... it's just not clicking.
The kernal is the thing that makes the ROM run? I need a visual... is this like an interpreter, say, or a bridge between apps and the OS? How do I choose a kernal? What is considered best? What do I have now vs. what is available and why?
Thanks. I want to understand the whys behind the whats. I know I can flash now. I know I can root. Now I want DNA details.

Yay!