I know how you feel. Seeing as how my job uses Max, when I get home to play with maya for stuff, I feel idiotic.

I don't really have an answer but I will tell you this. Watch a tutorial. I never was able to read a book and then do it in the program.. no idea why.

I find that watching tutorials and then mimicking what they do, teaches me better, almost as if Im standing over their shoulder then doing it for myself.

Anyway, dont feel stupid. It happens to all of us. Even the ones that have jobs in 3D.

D3D