I'd like to nominate myself as the guy who should ask all the dumb questions over the next year or so.
So - after figuring out where my transmission fill plug is located, I removed it and what I think is transmission/gear lube came out immediately - so I'm assuming it was full. But it was pretty thin and the color of 9 month old baby vomit (see also, sort of like a banana milkshake color/consistency). Is this a type of tranny fluid, or is it some fluid that should have been replaced 10 years ago?
a lighter color would indicate the possibility of water contamination. drain it all and replace. let the drained fluid sit and see if it seperates