These books have some main lines and explain some ideas around openings. Just a little bit of each opening and how to play it, a few lines.
1st one i'm using currently and the second one I have read before
http://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Chess-Openings-Sam-Collins/dp/190460028X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1306131220&sr=8-1
http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Idiots-Guide-Chess-Openings/dp/1592577768/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1306131323&sr=1-3
Estragon,
That is what I wanted to know. I already knew not to get stuck into memorizing the opening, but I do want to improve at it. You offer some solid tips on how I might approach that even without adding to the library of books I still haven't read yet ;-). Thank you.
My opening strategy for White, (not opening theory), is to simply start with 1.e4. If I have any chance at all to get in d2-d4, I will do so. That's it. The end. 
With e4 and d4, both of my bishops are free to develop. I don't like d2-d3 at all, and avoid it whenever possible, as d2-d3 either blocks my light squared bishop, or creates a hole for Black's knight at d4. I can't stand d2-d3.
Below are a few examples of really basic move orders that adhere to opening principles that allow both e2-e4 and d2-d4, placing both center pawns aggressively in the center, fighting for the center and maybe even taking away center squares from your opponent. This is not passive play!
1.e4 e5 2.d4 (Center Game)
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.c3 dxc3 5.Nxc3 (Goring Gambit)
1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.Bc4 cxb2 5.Bxb2 (Danish Gambit/Fully Accepted) For the sacrifice of two pawns, White's compensation is two well placed/developed bishops targeted kingside. It's fun! Attack!!
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Bc4 (Scotch Gambit)
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Bc4 Bc5 5.c3 Nf6 6.cxd4 Bb4+ 7.Bd2 (Scotch Gambit/Giuoco Piano)
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Bc4 Nf6 5.e5 (Scotch Gambit/Two Knights Defense)
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 (Philidor Defense)
1.e4 c5 2.d4 (Smith-Mora Gambit) If your tactics are as good or better than your opponent, this gambit will work just fine against the Sicilian. All games at our level are decided 100% by tactics, not opening theory, anyway. Also, gambits permit rapid development of pieces, exercise the tactical muscles and teach both initiative and attack.
More examples of e2-e4 and d2-d4. There are many opportunities!
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 (Caro-Kann)
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 (French Defense)
------------------------------------------------------------
1.d4
If my opponent plays 1.d4, I prefer either the Old Benoni Defense with 1...c5, or the Modern Benoni Defense: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5.
For a real wild ride, there is the Benko Gambit, which is tricky for White to play accurately at fast time controls: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 b5 (!). It takes White away from the comforts of the Queen's Gambit Declined: 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6, or something equally as familiar, like the Nimzo-Indian Defense: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4.
--------------------------------
Just from playing, you will see other move orders after 1.e4, but it just comes from playing experience, not memorization.
1.e4 d5 (Scandinavian Defense) 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3, and Black needs to spend a tempo to move his queen somewhere - Qa5, Qd6, Qd8 - or the extremely annoying and dubious 3...Qe5+ ?! 4.Be2 Qg6 ?! 5.Nf3 Qxg2 ?! 6.Rg1 Qh3 7.Bc4. Look at how many tempos Black has spent moving only his queen. I had a guy play this line recently in a blitz game.
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 f5 (Latvian Gambit). And yes, this happened in a recent blitz game as well. White follows with 3.Nxe5 Qf6 (early queen) 4.d4! I get to play d2-d4 once again.
So, I suggest looking into ALL of the ways that you can get in both e2-e4 and d2-d4. It makes developing pieces that much easier, opening lines for attacking chess. And best of all, it is extremely fun and exciting chess. 
I think you should try to find out a style which fits you, and aim to get into a position to maximize your playing potential.
I personally played tons of games, blitz/bullet/turn-based, and by playing so many times I see patterns and reoccuring positions where one could remember a general plan and stick to it...perhaps a piece goes there to support a pawn advance, or targeting a weakness...in my opinion, experience is great to cover up your lack of opening theory. Like Estragon said, going through Master games will be helpful as well.
I think you should try to find out a style which fits you, and aim to get into a position to maximize your playing potential.
I personally played tons of games, blitz/bullet/turn-based, and by playing so many times I see patterns and reoccuring positions where one could remember a general plan and stick to it...perhaps a piece goes there to support a pawn advance, or targeting a weakness...in my opinion, experience is great to cover up your lack of opening theory. Like Estragon said, going through Master games will be helpful as well.
+1
Playing experience trumps everything else.
Oh...by the way, an easy way to build up a repertoire is to use a opening consistantly. Like Musikamole said, playing experience trumps everything else...playing an opening many times no matter what, win or lose, will help you understand which ideas are good and which are not, as well as give you a feel for the positions and variations.
I, for one, played against e4 on the Black side of the Ruy for about a year, switched to the French for another year, Scandanavian Defense for half a year, and the Sicilian Dragon and Sveshnikov for a year. I know the inside-outs of them, both as white as black...if you lose, remember the ideas and threats your opponent created and use them when you're playing the other color. If you win, remember what you did and play it. By playing in this way you are exposed to many different positions and it will help you later on in deciding your main openings. Sort of a guess-and-test period, if you will.
Reading chess.com articles help alot as well...I find GM Magesh and Gm Arun's column extremely helpful. You'll find tons of their articles focusing on both sides. Eventually you will get a feel for the game, as well as the theme for each position. For example, GM Vinay Bhat used to have a column detailing his own games, and he played the French quite often...that year, I switched to the French and followed his articles to find out what was useful, and applied it. Even though I rarely play the French in Blitz/Bullet (which is what I usually play), the concepts are still deeply engraved into my mind.
Also, learn thematic moves. For example, Fischer emphasized controlling d5 in Sicilian battles. IQP positions are all about blockading the pawn and removing it as the defender, and controlling key squares and setting up outposts for the attacker. Attack a fianchetto-ed bishop by pushing the a/h pawn. Kingside attack when playing black in a King's Indian Defense. All these themes you will learn as you play these openings and research them.
So don't worry about it...practice makes perfect. ;]
Oh...by the way, an easy way to build up a repertoire is to use a opening consistantly. Like Musikamole said, playing experience trumps everything else...playing an opening many times no matter what, win or lose, will help you understand which ideas are good and which are not, as well as give you a feel for the positions and variations.
I, for one, played against e4 on the Black side of the Ruy for about a year, switched to the French for another year, Scandanavian Defense for half a year, and the Sicilian Dragon and Sveshnikov for a year. I know the inside-outs of them, both as white as black...if you lose, remember the ideas and threats your opponent created and use them when you're playing the other color. If you win, remember what you did and play it. By playing in this way you are exposed to many different positions and it will help you later on in deciding your main openings. Sort of a guess-and-test period, if you will.
Reading chess.com articles help alot as well...I find GM Magesh and Gm Arun's column extremely helpful. You'll find tons of their articles focusing on both sides. Eventually you will get a feel for the game, as well as the theme for each position. For example, GM Vinay Bhat used to have a column detailing his own games, and he played the French quite often...that year, I switched to the French and followed his articles to find out what was useful, and applied it. Even though I rarely play the French in Blitz/Bullet (which is what I usually play), the concepts are still deeply engraved into my mind.
Also, learn thematic moves. For example, Fischer emphasized controlling d5 in Sicilian battles. IQP positions are all about blockading the pawn and removing it as the defender, and controlling key squares and setting up outposts for the attacker. Attack a fianchetto-ed bishop by pushing the a/h pawn. Kingside attack when playing black in a King's Indian Defense. All these themes you will learn as you play these openings and research them.
So don't worry about it...practice makes perfect. ;]
That took a lot of discipline. You really got to know the themes and threats. Well done.
Also looki into the key parts of openings i.e.
how they interrelate and what to do if you do or don't have an edge in them
I have been studying a good amount, practicing the tactics trainer, playing a limited amount of standard live games and correspondence games, playing at the club, and starting to play in tournaments.
I was always told at my level not to focus too much on the openings, so I haven't. Today I had long time NM friend glance at some tournament games. He said, "dude, you need to work on some opening basics." I always just develop and castle as quickly as I can. I don't even know how to play against d4, so I often find myself opening it like a ruy lopez or giocco piano (example of knight and bishop placement)...maybe sometimes I thow a c5 pawn in there and hope they take so I can develp my bishop. Pretty sad I know.
I'm a freakin' mess. I thought I was developing naturally, supporting the center with pieces and pawns. My NM friend said "seriously look into knights before bishops unless you have a good reason otherwise." I feel pretty dumb.
What I want to do is take each game that didn't start 1.e4 e5 and figure out some basic ideas on how to handle it. I know there is no way I can get caught up in this line or that line at this point. If I play 1. e4 and they play 2. c5, the sicillian, I want to go back and beef up on what I should be doing against that response. If someone opens with the London, I have no idea what to do as black other than mindlessly throw pieces and pawns at the center and castle. If someone opens with the knight, all I think to do is throw a pawn in a center square its not attacking.
Does anyone have any ideas or a basic primer on how I can learn to play the opening more respectfully. I'd like to survive the opening against somewhat stronger players so I can focus on other areas of my game.
Even weaker players sometimes drive me nuts with the opening. The only reason I win is because my skills might be better than theirs out of the opening.
Thanks for any ideas or advice.
Brian...