Thanks for taking the time to explain this in detail. I have been wanting to get into the actual understanding of Linux commands to a deeper level for years now, but with 2 jobs, 3 kids, 3 dogs and church, what little free time I've had I tend to spend either playing some video games or sleeping.

You are right, I should get up off my ass and continue learning, and I will start today, by not entering commands and scripts that I find in the internet blindly (which is what I've been doing) but actually finding out what each part does before doing so.