MattL,
Greetings, Just thought I'd say hi, and offer some insight based on my experiences here and with X-Cart in general.
1) Sometimes the learning curve looks like a wall... be patient. Once you start to 'get it' you'll feel better, but it can be intimidating at times.
2) Balinor and the other mods and kind folks here are your best friend (and they really know their stuff) listen, learn and ask the board - and you'll find this place is an outstanding resource. However, the traffic and such here is such that mods don't have the time to provide a bunch of individual support. Look where they point and ye shall usually find.
3) Most of the questions you'll have in the first few months have been answered before (I know I'm not the only one who has asked them too
so don't be afraid to go searching through the threads here. It's always a good first step.
4) Read, read read. Reread. Backup. Attempt. Restore
5) There are no stupid questions - well, except for most of mine.
6) Like most communities, the more you put in to it, the more you get out of it.
May your journey be both fun and profitable - and welcome aboard!