Hi Fudgey,
The D80 is a great camera, but might be slightly daunting if you aren't used to manual camera control.
I would suggest having a good read of the user manual, because that's the only way you are ever going to be able to get to grips with what this camera can do.
If you don't have a manual, you can download it via this link. (but it doesn't let you subsequently print it off). To download a printable copy of the manual, you would need to register the serial number of your camera on the Nikon website.
http://www.nikonusa.com/pdf/manuals/...80_noprint.pdf
In a nutshell, you need to put the camera into shutter priority mode, which will let you set the shutter at whatever speed you decide. But, this directly affects the aperture, so the faster the shutter speed, the wider the aperture will become, thus reducing depth of field. (just a fact of photographic life I'm afraid).
If you are new to DSLR's, I would strongly recommend getting hold of a copy of "Digital Photography For Dummies". The dummies books are a fantastic resource for explaining things in a down to earth way. (I have several myself).
Regards
Mike.