Adventures in Knitting

I have known how to knit for quite a few years but unfortunately my "skills" did not expand past knitting in a straight line. That is, I could make a mean scarf but that's about it. So years and and many dozens of scarves later I decided I need to get out there! Meet some new patterns! Some new techniques! I'm a nice person, I deserve to meet a nice winter hat or an adorable baby sweater.
So I did it. I ventured out into the unknown, knowing I may be disappointed and come home, alone. I searched many venues; magazines, the internet, my Mom's long lost patterns. Many things were too involved, being a newbie, I needed something simple - regular needles (none of this knitting in the round stuff), and if the pattern had 15 abbreviations before I got to something I understood - we let that one go too.
Finally I found my match. This baby right here. It takes regular knitting needles and basic skills: knitting, purling, increasing, decreasing, binding off. The only issue has been trying to comprehend the directions. Every company/person writes patterns differently and sometimes I read something and think to myself, "what the hell did I just read? We are knitting and not taking apart a car engine, right?"
Aside from those minor road blocks it has been going very well! I've only had to back track and take out stitches a few times and I can generally see a sweater coming together.
I know you've been waiting in suspense for some progress photos so I won't make you wait any longer:
I know what you're saying, "um, this looks like three teeny scarves with two screwed up sides." You're right, this proves nothing of my new found skills quite yet. I promise though, this is the back and two front pieces of the cute little sweater I will bring with me to California. So I am on a deadline people! I best get myself knittin'!