Great place to be, Thanks

I just signed up a few days ago. I'm almost 24 years old and haven't built any models for about 4 years. That was a Jeep that I bought at a "going out of business sale" and built it in one night 'cause I couldn't sleep. Before that I was 13 when I finished my last model. All of those, most regretably, were smashed or thrown up against the wall. I really wish I hadn't done that, but I did. Now I'm starting again. I don't have a local hobby shop but eBay has turned out the be the best alternative in which I have spent $236 on 10 models. Most were the ones that I wanted to build when I was kid but couldn't which put the price above $30 each. However, before I start to build anything I'm trying to learn everything I can about making them as realistic as possible. Wired engines, perfect dioramas, and excellent detail all the way around. I've seen some of the models that you guys have built and I can't believe that it can be done. Mostly I'm interested in custom (kitbashing) for some and others I prefer to leave stock. Like the ones I built that I smashed. Once I find those again, they'll be stock just like before but this time they'll stay intact. My member name is Greenfrog which came from a lyric, "happy as a green frog in the rain." No more smashing models for me. By the way, don't ever do that. I'm still sick if you can't tell. Anyway, the first project will be one that myself and a friend of mine started on in the 8th grade. We almost finished it but the more we tried to fix all the body work the worse it got. I kept it until a few years back when I tried to do the same thing again. The paint I used melted all the work I put into that one and back in the closet they went. What makes me more sick than anything is that all of the models I ever built, even the ones I smashed, I had until 2 years ago. My wife decided that we could use the room and that since I wasn't home and didn't to model anymore, she'd judt throw them out. A little piece of me died that day. It might sound silly to some but that was a good ten years of my life trashed and was really sad. I never said a word but... Sorry for the long introduction but that's the story. Hope you guys can give me the help I'll need to make these the best. Maybe a show winner or two if I knew when/where to enter. Thanks. Glad to be here.