Maintaining the compost pile has not been that difficult. The worst part is going outside in the cold to drop off every scrap rather than just throwing it in the garbage. Turning the pile is very easy since it only takes up a square yard and there is something inherently satisfying about stabbing it.
There was no unpleasant smell and the kitchen trash smelled a lot less so that was a big bonus. Also the puppy is no longer interested in going after the garbage bag which is tremendously convenient.
The only real difficulty I had was tracking down straw, branches and "brown" waste. By begging my neighbors for scraps I discovered the old lady next to me is a fan of squirrels and had an ample cache of peanut shells that I get to use. The less observant squirrels have been rummaging through the compost which has actually been kinda helpful as they keep the pile turned and they have been hiding other biologic scraps in it. I have also resorted to stealing pine cones from my other neighbor, I hope they won't notice.
I still do not have anything that looks like decent soil, just kinda branchy trash. The person at the gardening center told me that 1) the temperature has been too cold for optimal decomposition and 2) I have been turning the pile too often, not letting the center heat up and decompose the things in the middle. Toward the very end, I notice more soil like texture appearing.
Once there is some kind of soil, I am not too sure what to do with it. I do have a garden area but it is pretty small and there will only be so much I can use. Most of my neighbors have smaller yards as well so over time, the pile is going to exceed need.
I have found no need to invest in worms or other organisms to start the pile, they seem to have found it just fine.
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