My wife and kids bought me a smoker (WSM) about 10 years ago when I was saying I would like to get one someday. I learned to cook on it by reading the Virtual Weber Bullet site http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/ and reading through the cooking topics.
I then started getting in with the Utah BBQ Society, became a KCBS Certified BBQ Judge, and enjoy judging as well as cooking my own BBQ.
After I retire I would like to enter some of the local BBQ competitions. There are some great cooks around here.