Crazy Science Project: Sourdough bread starter - attempt #1

I am making pizza dough today using the recipe from the Joy of Cooking (mine is the 1997 edition).  I started looking at the different recipes and dreaming of yummy home-made bread when I came across the sourdough starter recipe.  I was intrigued.  It looked so simple yet crazy - you need to "feed it" and leave it on the counter for at least 3 days maybe even 5.  This is so weird and wonderful I just have to try it.

This is what 1/2 cup flour and 1/4 cup lukewarm water look like.  I mixed it and then kneaded it on a clean counter.  A "clean counter" means no flour - it was like rolling really thick paste on my counter top.  I think a 1/4 of the dough stuck to my hand and was washed down the sink.

This sticky ball will now be left, wrapped in plastic wrap with several holes poked into it with a knife, for 12 hours.  It then needs to be fed - I will post feeding pics tomorrow.