Hi,
I'm new and Arduino is sooo easy for a professional programmer with about 3 dozen languages!
I would suggest that the instructions for the blink test include the simple addition to edit either value after the initial test. So I tried a longer pause, a shorter blink, a longer blink, and a shorter pause. In 4 tests. It is so quick and easy! But now I have absolutely verified that I AM doing something. Took less than 2 minutes.
Happy coding!