Bob - I certainly hope that being part of CiC helps you towards that goal and that you will enjoy taking part in the discussions on here.
I hope what you'll find is a group of fellow enthusiasts who are willing to offer advice, guidance and advice in a constructive and helpful manner. What I don't think you'll find are the sort of people who are precious about their knowledge and not willing to share it, or who believe it is beneath them to try and help a new colleague learn and develop.
I look forward to seeing some of your images being posted up. If you need any help in that respect, then please do read this thread - HELP THREAD: How can I post images here?
And in terms of getting the best out of feedback, you might find the following helpful - How to Get Effective Feedback for your Posted Images