I live out in Louisiana, but love the SP. So, I get a digest email from a Yahoo Group called Model_Railroads_Of_Southern_California. You not going to get the modeling advice that you get here, but what you do get is a list of up coming layout tours, swap meets, and layout owners looking for operators.

As to the swap meets those are perfect places to pick up items you need or want. By going to the layout tours you can figure out where your true interests are. You going to see layouts from many eras. Eventually one era  will catch your interest.

Don't be shy.  Us in the over the hill gang do not mind you asking questions.  There are no dumb questions.  If you get around  to these events first, get some ideas, ask a lot of questions you will end up saving yourself a lot of time and money. You might even find a good modeler wanting to unload a layout cause his interests or health has changed and he would like to see that layout go to a good home.

There are also modular groups in all scales.  Those are big in California.  You join, you operate, you learn how to build modules to a set of requirements, then you build your module. You bring it to the next meet to join the rest of the modules. This is a learning process that can be good for you before you build a layout.

The possibilities are endless.  Yet, for this to happen for you, you have to get over your shyness.

Den