No problem, glad you got it all figured out. I know it was a PITA but this is how we all get experience (if it were easy everybody would be doing it). Another way to tell if you're TDC on the compression stroke is to check the valve positions on #1 (of course you need the valve cover off for this though). If you don't have the valve cover off (and don't want to take it off) you can put a compression gauge in the number one hole and watch that to find the compression stroke.

If you happen to get lucky and randomly drop it in "close enough" for the engine to run, then you know you're on the right stroke. Adjusting the distributor a tooth or 2 is easy and doesn't require repeating the entire procedure. Just grab the rotor and articulate it back and forth as you're lifting the distributor. As soon as you "feel" the teeth becoming disengaged, slowly rotate the direction you want until you feel the next tooth begin to engage. Then just drop the distributor as far as it will go. If it doesn't seat all the way don't worry (it's just the oil pump shaft not lining up). Don't force it down, just rotate the crankshaft until it drops the rest of the way. I usually just crank the starter a second for that part.

Sorry I didn't walk you through all this in the beginning, but sometimes I forget not everybody knows these tricks. Tim