Jase, welcome and good on ya for not mucking about and getting straight into it. There is nothing wrong with that. I would encourage any starter to consider leaving the well-trodden paths or skipping what others might consider essential steps whenever they see fit.
That is how you discover
new territory. That is how I got into the hobby. If one day I do decide to go into AP myself, I'll probably get as much advice as I can, then do the exact opposite wherever possible
