Hi Lee
In your living room it doesn't matter where the mount is pointing, on startup just use Warm Restart, you can then slew the mount anywhere, you let it bypass Align Mount. Most people get trapped by the Synchronisation and Additional Align menus, practice these in your living room, if you get Additional Align Rejected messages, you have not followed the manual correctly.
When you input, it is important that you follow the manual correctly, one of the most common mistakes is to input your UTC and date in the wrong format.
The Gemini Polar Alignment procedures are reasonably accurate and they will get you close although a Drift Alignment is the best way. You can see how close you are by looking at the A and E numbers on the hand controller, they will start off quite large when you do a Cold Start but get lower after your Additional Align's. Make sure you at least 4 - 5 on one side of the Meridian before you cross over and do further aligns.
On your intial startup, you only need to be within about a degree or two of the pole, gemini will guide you in then.
Cheers
JohnG
