Quik, Have a look around and take a really good look at the street lamps whwere you live and then have a look on google or wherevever.
You will notice that they tend to be much more slender. At the moment it is very stumpy or squat. This may have been the effect you where after. Try to get the scale of your object sorted before starting to texture it will save you some time in the long run.
The best piece of advice I was ever given is to spent twice as much time studying and looking at what I am modelling as what I do actually making it. Try not to make objects with out some reference just yet and really study it. Have a look at the thickness to hieght, How tall is the wider base in relation to the overall height etc.
Your enthusiasm for modelling is very clear and I am sure if you slow down a little it wont be long before you start to amaze yourself.
I give ip with thos baner fing as it never seems to work for me. I woll now stop wasting mu time.