I remember my first electronics book was a project book with assorted transistor and tube circuits. I steered clear of OP Amps through my younger twenties even.
I recommend some day you’re sitting around at your bench wondering what to make or fix next… day some time to refresh your OP Amp skills.. I could never match W2AEW’s Op Amp video, a great refresher for those who forgot how much we forgot and the newbie!