I'm hoping that some of you experience sourdough-ers will be able to help
me:

For the first time this week-end, I tried creating a starter the "real
way", using the method outlined in the FAQ. I used organic unbleached
flour and warm water to the consistency of thick mud and let it sit in the
oven with the light turned on. After 24 hours, the starter had doubled in
volume, but smelled kind of "off" -- not yeasty or alchol-y but kind of
like garbage. I refrigerated the starter because it looked good to me
(even if it smelled bad.)

To see if the starter was healthy, last night I took a TB of it and added
warm water and flour (to the consistency of mud) and let it sit again in
the oven. This morning, it was bubbly (after about 12 hours) but smelled
even worse --like garbage or maybe vomit (sorry, but that's the best way
that I can think of to describe the smell.) Now, it's at room temperature
(73F) and I'm going to see what it's like tonight, after 24 hours.

This horrible smell can't be a good thing -- I would never want to bake
bread with something that smelled that bad. But why would it smell so bad
and yet look like a healthy starter? Should I just assume that something
wen't wrong and try again? I saw one recipe in the FAQ that said a stinky
smell could be because of a too warm temperature -- should I just leave
the starter at room temperature? The house is 73F during the day and 68F
at night (I was worried that it would be too cold at night, hence the
oven.)

I was surprised when the starter had doubled after 24 hours -- the FAQ
made it seem like it would take a week. Was I just lucky or is this
related to the stinky smell?

Thanks,
Jen