Finally I own a welder
Here's the machine:
Screwing around just pushing the puddle, then cut my scrap for a couple short lap welds
Then a butt weld on some different scrap
Filled some holes
Then found a good piece to do a steel "skill drill" as outlined on weldingtipsandtricks.com
All of this was here and there over the course of the last week or so.
I wish I had remembered the skill drill sooner, my biggest issue is consistently feeding my filler wire. Might have to step down to some tighter fitting gloves, but don't really want to for safety's sake.