If you are unfamiliar with a joiner, always get a lesson from someone who
knows.

First, with face jointing, get somethign like Grrrippers, which are very good
paddles. Take light cuts. Move slower than you think. If the paddles are too
tough, then a quick lick on your fingers will give some traction. If the
jointer is set properly, you rteally need to push forward from the back edge
for most of the cut (but go slow, becasue you want to make sure your fingers
are nowhere near the cutter head. Pull whenever possible, it's much safer.

If you are squaring up stock, you are already only taking a light cut, since
the face on the fence is already jointed, or both faces are. I don't buy the
notion the fence need only be square on the outfeed side. The tables need to be
square to each other or they are not aligned anyway.

When jointing small pieces (by that I mean narrow, not short, never joint short
pieeces), use the fence. It's a right handed instrument, expecially then. Place
your right pinkie draped over the fence, and guide the piece with your left
hand. WHen you are 6" or so from the cutterhead, swing your left arm AROUND the
guard and keep pushing, then lift your right hand up and place it, pinkie first
back on the fence past the guard. There has never been a piece of wood worth a
hand.