Maineman,
Don't mind all those people teasing you... it's only in fun and FReepers love to tease goodnaturedly (unless you are a troll). Assuming that you are not a troll but just a newbie, here's your answer:
If you are logged in, you can click on the "ping" link in your login menu and see links to all the posts you have made or to posts that people have made in answer to your posts. That gives you a handy way of finding your past posts or knowing when someone answers you. Unlike some other forums, nothing comes to your email box, you just have to keep checking your ping list.
Another use for pings is that it is a way for FReepers to point out good articles or posts to friends. A FReeper can amass a "ping list" or a list of other FReepers who have asked to be on their list.... then when they want to announce something or point to something, they do a post to all the names on their "ping list". That post will then show up in your pings if you are on the list because someone has put your name on the post. Many ping lists are set up by subject matter.... for instance you can be on a "UFO ping list" , the FReeper who has that list will alert you to posts about UFOs.
Hope this helps.... HAPPY PINGING
OMG.. 40 something replies added while I was typing my answer.
Got to learn to type faster!!!!