Tap into lynda.com! - Props, for instance...

Hey folks, don't forget your automatic access to this site as a source for a ton of tutorials that may ease your Maya anxiety. Come on, admit it--we all have it to one degree or another ;)
Here's a sampling of something pertinent for those of you wishing to break free from just using polygon primitives. (remember: you do not need to do this... no extra marks for fancy props!)