Welcome, Keith has a good list there, if you have any problems or issues, this part of the forum is good, although some of us my be slow to reply and even slower to offer the solution at certain times. Normally if I see a post falling or not getting the right responses, even if not in my knowledge I usually try my best to help.
As you're a new 3D modeller, well I have to sell myself with my relatively new website and point you in the direction of my tutorials (As my tutorials are general, you will obviously need to understand the terminology and generally how your program works and which of the terminology/tools it has)
So here are my tutorials:
http://seppuku-arts.koetsuaboshi.net/?q=node/5
Click Me! Dolphins aren't Mammals, they're lizards.