What is a good next step?

So I understand the 555 timer now and the 4017 counter... what is a good next project to learn more stuff?

david

How about learning Operational-Amplifiers if you don't know about them?

Good idea - Op-amps are REALLY useful things

And they have a wide area of application.

Op-Amps are great little things. Before you move on, you might want to consider one more step. I like to document what I have learned in a notebook. Looseleaf of course 'cause I'm always learning new stuff. I have some tab dividers and have sections for formuale, different ICs with schematics, transistors, etc. For instance, the 555 section has notes on everything from pin-outs, circuits, astable & monostable operation, a table of capacitor/resistor combinations for accurate pulses, things I learned here, and some circuits.

or maybe advance with the digital ones?
but still i think it is better to learn some analog devices and then some digital.