There's no such thing as a stupid question. The use of a sourdough starter is an old way to add leavening (wild yeast) into bread products. Using sourdough involves a little more planning than conventional cooking, but I don't think that is a handicap. There are ways to make up your own sourdough starter, but one of the easiest is to get it from someone who already has some. I have some dried flakes of my sourdough starter in the freezer, and if I ever lose my starter for whatever reason, I can start a new batch with one of those flakes. It just takes the flake, some water, and about a tablespoon of flour in a cup or small bowl. Stir it occasionally and keep it covered in a warm place. The kitchen counter is probably just fine. I use just a saucer as a cover as it shouldn't be air tight. It can take two or three days before the wild yeast starts to work again and bubbles will start to form (carbon dioxide). Once that happens, you probably want to use a larger container and add some more flour and some more water. My starter container in the refrigerator holds at least a pint, maybe a bit more. But if you like waffles or pancakes, you will never taste better ones that they are when made with sourdough. I also have a disc with sourdough recipes, and a piece written by my brother on the care of your starter. So if you want to make some of the best biscuits you ever tasted, give me your address by PM or something and I will send you some stuff. The starter I have originally came from a very well known San Francisco bakery that is now just a memory. But the starter is still working.