Thanks! I agree about removing the belts - now that I'm comfortable with the way everything spins around, I'll certainly take them off the next time I do the job.
For anyone who might be looking for other resources, here are some that I found helpful:
Lastly, California Cycleworks has a posted a set of instructional videos on youtube about various ducati maint. projects. Their video series (2 parts, I think) on valve adjustments presumes that the belts are OFF (they've actually removed the entire cylinder head), so even if you can't follow them step-by-step it's still nice to see an expert go through and explain the process. I also highly recommend the store itself (good prices, great customer service), too. Here's a link to part one of the valves:
Ducatitech.com "HowTo" Adjust your Valves (Part 1)Cheers,
Dan