Ok... Now you can have a plan that costs.....nothing.... Slow down and Breathe... and know that this will be a fun trip
1) Hang out the koi dealer of your choice... To name only 1 or 3 in the bay area would automatically eliminate some good ones that might be a fit for you.. So find a good one you are comfortable with. Better still if your chosen "sensei" is there already, or likes that dealer. Borrow the books from your sensei, or at the koi dealer....if you start working there. I loan mine out all the time.
Where to learn about Kohaku? Everywhere lil'dude
.. This web site is a good one. Other such as, Gasp
, Koiphen and Koi Shack have categories for some of these things in their archives.. go read up there too....Also you can start a thread or two here and ask for people to help with their ideas and posting... Often alot of people will and have posted pictures of their own koi.
Don't worry so much about "doing it just right" that it paralyzes you into inaction. Just do it.