I'm not upset. I'm grateful for the responses (if I weren't, I wouldn't be here. :P ). And trust me, I don't take offense, getting criticized is a natural part of being a writer. No offense taken.
If you want to be a better writer, become a better reader. Read every day, try to read a minimum of one book a week. Fiction's a good place to learn how words are put together. Don't think you have to read classics, either - I'd put a Terry Pratchett novel up against Charles Dickens for 'learning to write' any day.
Also practice, and let someone who is a good writer read your work. Writing is the most important skill you can develop. If you write well, many professors will give you slack on your opinions. I have had very liberal professors give me 100% scores on essays attacking positions they hold dear, due to the skill my work showed.
Good! Freepers are a tough bunch but you at least have the comfort of knowing that when they give compliments, they mean them. People who give few but meaningful compliments are infinitely preferable... in my experience, patronizers and flatterers are usually looking out to screw you. :-P