[Hoiho]

Whew...finally wrapped up my valve adjustment.  Thanks for all the responses and input.

I ended up laying the gasket on the head and setting fire to my bike. 

Correction....I ended up laying the gasket on the head and using one of my wife's knitting needles to coax it into place.  Now I know what to do 6,000 miles from now.  The other thing I'll do is to have more light.  I had good overhead lights in my garage, and the door was open on a sunny day, but it was still difficult to see how the gasket was fitting with the crappy flashlight I was using.  A nice, small bright flashlight should be a big help next time.

Good job. Head torch is mandatory