Welcome Calla and thanks for the intro. Please don't be afraid to participate whenever you are ready. It's not necessary to know anything about philosophy other than we all have one and it's all slightly different than another. Enjoy the community and make yourself at home.

Spending some time reading the forum threads will improve your knowledge of philosophy, both its methods and its many versions. But don't hesitate to join a discussion; no one is going to bite your head off.
John