Well, it certainly helps having prior knowledge to some other gaming language. I only took one semester of Lingo, but it gave me tons of insight on how Actionscript works. All I really have to do is swap out some of the terms and it's really the same thing. I'm pretty sure this applies to most other languages as well.

I would recommend getting the book Actionscript 3.0: Game Programming University by Gary Rosenweig. It teaches the language in the exact same manner as my college course, which is very effective. It's a very handy book because it's geared directly towards game programmers, so you get right to the material needed to program your games.

You'll have one section dedicated to showing you the concepts and terms of Actionscript with another having actual game examples. The author runs you through every bit of detail on how to write the code, and all you have to do is substitute his graphics with your own.

The book contains games like platformers, turret games, matching games, racing games, top-down adventure games... the whole kit and caboodle. They're insanely basic games, nothing that would earn you high points here, but it just shows you how the code works so that you can use it more effectively.

Here's his website, in case if you have to order the book. Trust me, it's worth it:
http://flashgameu.com/

I'll definitely make more alongside some new concepts. What they are is yet to be known.

But if you want to see true magnificence with a mouse, watch some of Luis' work. A+ stuff.

Yup, a few months ago.