Awesome article, JTK !
It does feel like there's too much to learn, as a beginner, and all the different advice on what one should be focusing on just makes matters worse.
I figured it would be better if I chose a particular technology and followed through with it, in order to see some progress. Otherwise, trying different things at the same time would definitely leave me confused, with nothing to show for my effort.
Thank you for taking the time to share your experiences.