re: First time Bonsai owner, need advice

Do yourself and the tree a favor and find out as much as you can about it. There's nothing magical about it, it truly is just a tree in smaller form. However, because the soil usually drains fast it does need more frequent watering but can also suffer from root rot if you water it too often when it's more humid out (such as summertime). It may or may not need direct sunlight, again each tree has specific needs, just like certain plants in a garden do. I've been raising and training these trees for 10 years now and they can be cool to work with, but sometimes also a pain in the arse. Your local bonsai group can help a lot as one poster noted.