heh, you can do what I did. When I first joined the board, I was pretty dumb (this was back in Oct 2000), but I didn't let anybody know I was dumb about a whole lot of things. I simply answered questions that I knew the answer to, and I read other people's answers to questions - which I then repeated in my own words for when the question gets asked again, heh. By answering questions you appear smart. By asking intelligent questions, you don't ruin that image. But if you have a question which you think probably everybody but you knows - go search for the answer on the web.
Then you can hop onto the IRC and be cool. Be mature, don't ask anybody for any favors, don't tell people that you're smart, or that you're dumb, or anything about yourself besides stupid stuff like age or gender. But for sure talk! Make a couple friends, and ask THEM your stupid questions if you need to. heh, sometimes I ask some of these members questions in private I'd be ashamed of asking on the webboard cause I'd look so dumb!
Sure, you may not know everything, but it doesn't hurt if other people think you do.
heh, and don't worry about the fact that you've already spilled the beans and that we all know that you're a self-acclaimed dummy. If you lie low for awhile, we'll all forget all about you.