Composting question from a novice

Heather A. has emailed a composting question. Experienced composters, please share your wisdom with a newbie:

First I want to say that I just started to waking up to the realization that I have a huge responsibilty as a citizen and mother to be as green as possible. I am slowly beginning to change some very habitual decisions I have made and its been eye opening. A friend told me about your website and I love it, great job-I am sure I will be visitng often as a resource of where and what to buy.

I have a composting question and just didnt know who to ask, if you dont know the answer its ok but i thought you might be able to tell me where to go with this. I just started composting about two weeks ago. I have an earth machine in my backyard and am adding my food scraps and my "browns" (dead leaves and such) So I am adding to it every week. I imagine it will take me a long time to fill this baby up and if I keep adding to it how will I ever get compost? Everything i have ready says I need to stir it up once a week but if I am doing that and adding once a week it seems like I would never make any progress. This seems so elementary to me but hopefully you can help :) thanks and thanks for the website!

Here's a link to Metro's online composting references. If you are in the Portland area, and you just started two weeks ago, I'd hazard our low temps are going to slow things down mightily. Compost needs heat, moisture and that balanced mix of browns and greens. On the plus side, the cold temps will keep the smells in check! Keep adding and as time, heat, micro-organisms, moisture and turning do their magic, the additions will break down into smaller bits, and ultimately will become compost. It's a long process, but it will happen.

Any other wisdom to share back-yard composters?