[rulekeep]

I'm a sophomore in high school who decided to pick up refereeing HS basketball as a winter hobby/sport. I've got history in refereeing hockey and wrestling (however, not qualified for hockey anymore and there's only one wrestling meet in my town this year), and directing fencing, but my heart lays with being a baseball umpire.
However, in August, it was discovered that I've got some vision problems and I decided that officiating over the winter would make me more confident umpiring with corrective lenses.
I know the basic rules, as a spectator that has gone to the occasional high school game, but I know absolutely nothing in the way of mechanics or more detailed rulings. The rules meetings start on the 3rd. Our season doesn't start until December 12th, so I've got time to learn and I intend to do so BUT I've found that the best advice comes from other officiators and not a book...now that that's all said and done-does anybody have any advice? And techniques I should know? The best shoes? Points of focus?