Eh, don't give up.
The circuit you're starting with doesn't sound very easy and may not be the best place to start.
I am also a rank beginner. I have an ambitious project but I have broken it into small pieces, each of which is an exciting adventure of experiments.
My first circuit was to make an lone LED light up. I should have burned the LED up but didn't, only because my power supply is too weak or perhaps the LED has some kind of overload protection. So I got smarter. it didn't take long to get a 555 chirping, and then run the pulses into a counter, and then hook LEDs up to the counter to make a useless binary connter thingy. Fun!
Your first stop is "Ohms Law". Google and read. There is probably nothing more important for learning electronics. Ohm Law was used in this thread to determine the likely demise of your components.
Then look at voltage dividers, which are 2 resistor circuits. They will help you apply Ohms law.
It really helps to have a knowledgeable pal, however. I am fortunate in that one of my friends is a mad scientist.
To continue experimentation there are a few tools you simply must have such as a prototyping breadboard and a collection of common goodies. In fact, my friend had me get 4 small prototyping boards (about $1.50 ea) and a larger one (about $4.) Now my lame 555/counter circuits are on two of them and I am failing at using phototransistors on a 3rd
Don't give up.