A Step Into The Unknown

I remember being a little boy, desiring to have one of those telescopes (Tasco if I recall) that I saw in the Sears/Service Merchandise catalogs. The thought of looking up into the night sky and seeing the heavens and the celestial bodies in them intrigued me. However, I was never given a telescope due to other things grabbing my interest. However, the time has finally come for me to give it a go. As of last night, I have ordered my first telescope of any kind: a Meade ETX-80AT-TC. Now, I understand that Hubble-like images are out of the question, but that doesn't matter to me. Last night, I grabbed a star map and headed outside to see what I could make out with my naked eyes. After about 20 minutes, I realized that I have my work cut out for me. So to all you who have taken the step into amateur astronomy, I'm here to join the club.