If I want something to go from one point to another smoothly...what's the trick? Is there an easier way to do it than manually placing each step one at a time?

sure but...
I think hes talkin' actual entry.

But since we're talking about your avatar, why is the eye lid transparent? and poor monster, only has one lid, wheres the bottom one?

Short answer... NO
You can just move layers though just have to make a frame for each layer, or you have to make each individual frame a static image
It's never easy, really though its about how much time you dedicate to each frame. A .2sec frame moves fast enough for you to see, but it blends with the next frame. Its all an eye trick. .5 and above give it a slower motion, that the eye easily follows. And can look choppy.

heres a few to look at though Rey
http://www.box.net/shared/soejpkpr8t Changing of the Guard


and http://www.box.net/shared/m7o2t0esnp
evolve

you can bring them into Photoshop, but to see how they were set up, bring them into ImageReady

I told you I'm no good at it.
Actually, I wanted it to be like a sharks eye. They have a cloudy, see-through eye lid that only comes from one side. Theirs comes from the bottom, but hey, it's my monster.
If you would like to do my Avatar the right way. I would be honored.

OK makes sense. I'll see what I can do at lunch, I have to get back to 'real work' now.

if there are other gifs in my portfolio that anyone would like to see, I'll set those up so you can get the psd.
I keeps them all.

The new PS does not come with image ready.

I use the old one CS2

not really... you could TRY the tweening and adjust the relative transparency amounts of each frame

I've never got the tweening right. Always seems choppy or forced or it makes the KB go way up.

I usually just put a short .2 or 0 second frame in between and move the layer myself or make a motion blur layer... but theres plenty of other ways to do it too.
thats what I did here
http://photoshopcontest.com/view-entry/134008/this-is-cleaned-gif.html

No way bud, a proper, full-blown, giffy entry in a daily comp. I know you can do it!

Oh yes , the Tweening. Right. Now I see. The Tweening...
WTF is tweening?

When I go to the pub drinking rounds with my mates and they are drinking really slow....I sometimes order a 'tweeny' or two

One way is to use the 'liquify', it's in the 'filter' tool.

an in-between frame (or frames) fading from one frame to another

Abraham, why don't you use the policemen as tutorial for ReyRey??? That shows how to do it