Chess is so confusing

For an amateur player like me who isn't all that good but still decent none the less, I find that chess is becoming more confusing by the day.  For example, I know there is an old skill of the past (even today used by masters) that masters had which involved awesome OTB calculating abilities.  Of course those skills would only be used at the oppertune time, however, even those skills, should not really be studied at all for the most part by amateur players like myself.  Then there is the concept of chess openings, how much is too much time spent on opening study for a beginner or beginning amateur as I would call it.  

At the beginning stage there are more important things to learn first, before you decide to run.  One book, is not enough, to really learn about chess either, simply because chess is so complex.  And, it's hard to get good at chess, without a maerer guiding you.  

There is another chess skill, that is being employed today that is used by a lot of amateur players.  This skill gets them wins, so they use it.  It also helps them think outside the box.  However, in my opinion, reinforced by the thinking of Jeremy Silman, as he has the same opinion as my feeble chess mind, that computer analsys is a skill best left to the masters.  Turn it off, unless a master is doing it for you.  That is all.  I may not have a good chess rating, but I understand some things...

Remember, no book is good.U must take your botebook and pen and create your book useful for you.

If you dont really like to read books, just play wth players of your level. You win some, you lode dome. That is dtill fun.