Graphics, Java, CGI

[spober at manvax.cc.manhattan.edu]

I'd like to expand my skills into writing CGI scripts, and 
learning a graphics program such as Adobe Photoshop.  I know a 
little C, but unfortunately, most  of the CGI books are written 
for Perl, and I'm not finding that so easy to learn.

I'm interested in hearing how others, not naturally adept at 
programming and such, have picked up such skills.  I see a lot
of courses in the NY Metro area in learning HTML, but that's 
not what I need - I want to go a bit further.  And there seems
to be a huge number of places offering intros to Photoshop, but
I wish I had some way of figuring out which of those places do
a good job at teaching it.  

Advice sought!
//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\
 Stacy Pober			   Internet: spober at manvax.cc.manhattan.edu
 Information Alchemist		   http://www.manhattan.edu/library/mclmenu.html
 Manhattan College Libraries	   Phone: 718-862-7980                    
 Riverdale, NY 10471	     	   Fax: 718-862-7995                    
\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//
Wouldn't it be nice if ignorance were painful? - S. Wright