The best way to learn, at least after you've read about it, is to build it.
You have the resources to help you out if you get into a corner (I consult the Mouse and the Panther fairly regularly), so now you have to find a task where you can apply them.
There are a hundred Freshmeat records for web applications that track CDs. Why? They're useful, and they're good first projects. Start your own. Or a book database. Or an online survey. Or some mechanism where people can send me flowers, candy, and money.
From there, you might spawn a hundred interesting ideas of improvements and enhancements and further projects.
