Slow working progress - 3ds Max

I'm finding 3ds Max really difficult to get to grips with, but unlike Flash, I am still enjoying it. It's much more of a challenge than I first anticipated, so I haven't produced much so far, although I have been going in most days to try and get used to the program. I've decided to make a lair that is quite elegant and grand. In the last seminar we were focusing on lighting. I combined the previous weeks seminar on materials with this weeks to make a lamp. I didn't get a chance to place the actual type of lighting where I want it, but I will work on that next week. Here is the lamp created, how it took me 3 hours I don't know, I really need to pick this up quicker as I don't have remaining weeks like other groups to finish it. Very time consuming!!