The personal website I shamelessly copied
Being completely new to the mechanics of creating, registering, hosting and maintaining a web site I opted to shamelessly copy someone who I thought would know how to do it right - Kevin Rose of Digg fame.
Respect to the man - with all his tech skills, he chose the simplest and easiest way imaginable.
I could think of worse ways to start than learning from someone at the top of the game.