how to start with bitcoins? - basic questions but I can't find clear answers

Total noob here so please forgive my (probably laughable) ignorace. I've done a search for answers to these questions but don't come up with anything clear or certain. I want to buy bitcoins anonymously person to person using my laptop.

First, how do I actually get a wallet. Is it recommended you set up on TOR before downloading the wallet software? Otherwise it doesn't seem very secure to access some website and download the wallet software when your computer's mac address and ip address are showing for any monitor to gather.

If TOR is recommended, is it easy and safe to install on my computer, and what is the simplest most secure way to do this? I mean, how do I download TOR without still showing my mac and ip addresses to any monitor of the TOR download site?

Now for the p2p transfer. First, if bitcoins transfer from the seller's wallet to mine, and my wallet is on my laptop, does that mean my laptop's mac address (my laptop's unique identifier) is still invisible and unrecorded?

How do I actually "know" the transfer is complete?

Secondly, would TOR be useful in a p2p transfer? I mean, assuming neither the seller or myself were being directly monitored, then what difference would it make to bounce the transmission around the TOR network?

Why do I see the recommendation that I transfer the bitcoins from my first wallet to a second wallet that I control? Isn't the first one safe?

How do I backup these bitcoins on a memory stick and then later retrieve to some laptop and resell?

Sorry for the ignorant questions - I just couldn't find a clear step by step explanation for this type of transaction.