Rear main seal replacement, any how-to's on how to remove a transmission? Options

[6strngs]

so basically I've got a pretty bad oil leak that I'm 90% sure is from the rear main seal. so I'm going to be replacing that sometime, like this weekend maybe. I was wondering if anybody could give me some general directions on how to remove the (manual) transmission as I've never done it before. also, are there any other seals or gaskets I need to replace while I do this, or are there any things that are recommended I do while this is out?

[6strngs]

well, I got it out. I went out and searched for a axle puller but couldn't find one. so I eventually just set up the pry bar, stood on it (and I weigh about 180 lbs) and then had to start bouncing on it and it finally popped loose. afterwards, I tried for a good while to remove the transmission and I'm finally close. it kept hitting the crossmember and being supported by it, but I finally wiggled it loose, and it's about to drop, when I see that the shift cables are preventing it from doing so. I tried to disconnect them earlier, but couldn't so I hoped there would be enough slack in them that they wouldn't need to be disconnected, but I was wrong. now I have to figure out how to disconnect the shift cables from the transmission. I've tried everything I can think of but they're still stuck.