Denise,
Wear gloves and some kind of eye protection. You can dilute the acid by pouring it into a bucket of water by that doesn't really seem any safer to me (if you do, remember to always add acid to water, never the converse).

I just pour it slowly, and from just above the surface of the water, into a return stream. It will quickly disperse and be diluted from there.

The biggest problem with MA for me is the fumes; those can be very harsh. The easiest way to deal with the fumes is to keep the acid downwind of you.

Don't be scared of it but do keep a healthy respect for what it can do to you, especially to your eyes and lungs.