I did a number of basic electronics tutorials and kits without much of it sticking. Mainly because there wasn't anything very interesting on the other side of the project. What got me through the basics into understanding was, http://www.ic0nstrux.com/design-your-own-video-game-console-... in which you learn how to build simple video game consoles.

Now, resistors, capacitors, transistors and everything else had functions that solved problems I was having.