Jasons last sentence said it. If your camera has manual settings that let you adjust shutter speed and aperture, use it!. Once you learn how each setting can help/hurt your image, you will be a much better photographer. Start digging on the web and you will find a wealth of info that can help teach you, but the best was is just to go out and take pics (of anything) and play with it, see what works and what wont. YOU can take decent pictures in less than decent conditions by using manual, even when your camera cant when on auto.
I have a Canon DSLR that has more bells, whistles and buttons than a person could use. 99% of the time, I shoot on total manual mode (and no wimpy auto-focus either)...I just dont like the camera to do my thinking for me.