thanks for your help guys!
i just tried both techniques posted here (compression and external splicing) and they both worked pretty good.

wow two new techniques in one day. awright.. time to get on over to the modelling threads!

although i do have one more thing about the "smooth proxy tool" in 4.5 ... why is it that when i do create proxy, meaning my real poly is transparent over the smoothed one, when i scale or rotate my "real" poly, the smoothed one under it doesnt move at all? plus when i delete the "real" poly, the smoothed one remains there but i can't click it? yep newbie stuff.. tomorrow's gonna be my 4th day working with maya. hehehe. =)

thanks again!