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+1 for getting better eyepieces.
I've got the same scope and its eyepieces are very poor. Good eyepieces really improved things immensely. The 114EQ works very well with good eyepieces down to 10mm typically, while below 10mm will quickly deteriorate the image based on viewing (there is also a lens built into the bottom of the focuser tube which is already magnifying the view, so 10mm is around the practical limit IMO for this scope). Try to get an eyepiece around 20-24mm for a wider view of larger items and to help you get around the sky, and get a 10 or 12mm for a closer look once you've located your viewing target.
I also found out of the box the primary mirror needed a good clean (not just from dust but on close inspection it seemed to have a slight residue from factory cleaning). But you may want to hold off trying to clean it until you get comfortable with collimation to re-align after re-assembly.
The dot finder the 114EQ comes with is pretty much useless, I attached a telrad instead which is infinitely better. The scope also gains much by being left outside for an hour or so after dark before you start viewing so the temperature of the scope and the air inside the tube can settle and acclimatise.
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