Simple. To do something you need to have the passion to do it. If you love it you will find a way to do it. My roommate's job sucks too and yet he finds time to do what he loves.
I have always used jQuery adn jQueryUI for all my javascripting work. I find it easy to understand, code and debug. There are loads of javascript libraries out there but i find jQuery the best to work with.
The best thing about any tutorial is not the content but the way you present it. You could be the best in the field but if you cannot express the same to your audience then it doesnt make any point. And this is why i like Nithin's posts. Simple and very easy to follow.