According to IM Jammo, openings aren't that important.

The fact the Topalov claimed to "win" the openings in most of the games in his recent match with Anand while losing the match suggests Jammo might have a point.

Look on the opening as a path to the kind of middle game that you find comfortable (or leads to position where you need practice!)

If you do lose a game in the opening, send in the crash investigators! Learn why, and how to play it better next time.

Writers regularly encourage beginners to study grandmaster games. The problem with that advice is that most beginners have no prospect of understanding the games, and the lessons beginners need to learn - pins, forks, skewers, just don't occur very frequently in grandmaster games, or they are so well hidden that beginners will not see them.

I have been watching some games between players rated 1500-2000 or so on FICS, and they are good for beginners because players do fall victim to forks, skewers, pins and so on.

Games where some lunatic FM gets stuck into a GM can be fun to watch too.

Whatever you do, it should be fun.