Congratulations on your first smoke. These smokers are petty much hands off once the food and wood go in. If you are used to fussing around with a smoker, moving meat, adding wood, mopping and spritzing, using a SI smoker can be pretty boring. I do my butts and briskets at night so I can sleep. Ribs? Yard work or during spring and summer, I watch a baseball game. Wash the cars, anything to pass the time. Such a simple way to get good Q.