Hi Luke,
to IceInSpace!
By "using it properly", what do you mean? Using star charts is a great way to get started to know where things are in the sky. However sometimes you'll want some more detailed charts and maps to find those obscure or fainter objects that are within the reach of your great 10" scope.
I started with a 10" dob and absolutely loved it. I observed some beautiful things in the time I owned it, and when I combined it with some DSC's, it was a treat to use and I observed many more objects in a given night.
Have you gone along to any astro society meets? That would be a great start to meet some other amateur astronomers, get help collimating (if you need it), and to see how they use their scopes.