Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness

I haven't lifted since '95 when i took weight lifting for gym class in high school, but i've been doing my homework and feel like i am ready to start again. after some online research, i've made up a rough plan that would work legs, shoulders, chest, back, abs, and arms. seems like a no brainer there, but i wanted to create a thorough and efficient system. i'm starting from scratch, and so far it's been a very independent endeavor, but i hope my practice will evolve with more experience and feedback from others.
more personal details - in my introduction

sources of influence are:

VBB blog: Training for muscles - and numerous other threads on this site.
http://www.exrx.net/index.html - their exercise and muscle directory
stronglifts.com - specifically:
"5x5: a simple but effective method to build muscle and loose fat while getting stronger"
strenght training FAQ
weight ligting FAQ
how to build muscle - for #3. and pistol exercise
home gym - for the curmudgeon in me
home gym at it's simplest - one barbell
chin up form - trapezius
push up form - scapula/shoulder joint
ab form - very important, i've had back issues
more ab form - rather than buy their contraption, i got creative and just use my pull up bar (lowered) or the horizontal support attached to the legs of my bench press.
more form
high intensity training
indole-3-carbinol and zinc's relation to testosterone - nothing real respectable here, but it got me started on researching this aspect of nutrition
body weight exercise - in support of

right now i'm doing all this at home since it's cheaper than a gym; i'm working with:
pull up bar - http://www.doorgym.net/
bench press with barbell and plates
stability ball

i'd like to hit each group i've identified twice a week - three sets, 8-12 reps:

legs:
dead lift - http://stronglifts.com/how-to-deadlift-with-proper-technique/ - low back, glutes, hams, hip extensors
front squat - http://stronglifts.com/7-benefits-of-the-front-squat/ - quads (don't have a rack)
pistols - http://stronglifts.com/how-to-master-the-one-leg-squat-using-box-pistols/
lunges - http://stronglifts.com/dumbbell-lunges-technique/
calf raises - eccentric on stairs.
i was thinking i could alternate the routine when doing legs: dead lifts, pistols, and calves one day; then front squat, lunges, and calves the next.

shoulders:
overhead press - http://stronglifts.com/how-to-overhead-press-with-correct-technique/
prone reverse fly - transverse abduction for lateral and posterior deltoid
posterior delt row - http://stronglifts.com/how-to-perform-the-barbell-row-with-proper-technique/
lateral delt row - http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/DeltoidLateral/BBUprightRow.html
supine posterior row - http://stronglifts.com/how-to-do-inverted-rows/
i would only do one set for posterior and one set for lateral on a given day.

chest:
incline press - for upper chest
flat bench press - http://stronglifts.com/how-to-bench-press-with-proper-technique-avoid-shoulder-injuries/
close grip push ups - feet elevated on stability ball, with one leg off option
i thought i would alternate between incline and flat on these days

back:
chin up - palms out leading to wide grip eventually
supine row - http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/BackGeneral/WTSupineRow.html
some shoulder and leg exercises should also target the back

arms:
lying tricep extension - http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/Triceps/BBLyingTriExt.html
bench dips - http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/Triceps/WtBenchDip.html form
pull ups and chin ups - http://stronglifts.com/how-to-do-pull-ups-and-chin-ups-with-proper-technique/
push ups - weighted and various positions

abs:
reverse crunch - http://stronglifts.com/the-reverse-crunch-get-your-six-pack-abs/
leg lifts - http://www.ckfa-kungfu.com/training/ckfa_ab_exercises.htm#llraise
pelvic thrust - http://www.ckfa-kungfu.com/training/ckfa_ab_exercises.htm#vlthrust
i was also taught by a guy trained in Active Isolated Stretching: the Mattes Method to do crunches with my heels together, feet pushing into the ground, and pulling towards my glutes. this eliminates the psoas and engages the abdominals; see "more ab form" in my influences above...

questions:
i've read that 8-12 reps is good, but whats the difference between that and the 5 reps recommended in the 5x5 method?
what about doing drop sets of progressively more weight and less reps to failure, or progressive loading?
8-12, 5x5, reps to failure, progressive loading... whats the difference, they're all pretty intense?
is it just that mixing up those different approaches would help get me over a plateau, or do they each have a specific function?
is there a difference between romanian dead lift and regular dead lift?
would i be better off doing lunges with dead lifts?
i was thinking maybe legs/back one day, chest/shoulders/arms another, and abs on either one or both depending on how i feel.
or maybe legs/shoulders, chest/back/arms with abs blended in both? maybe bicep/calf/shoulder/tricep, back/chest/ham/quad?
i would like to set up a split routine, but i'm unsure what would be the most effective approach and i really need some suggestions?

any other feedback is greatly appreciated. i hope this doesn't seem too contrived, i just want to be sure i'm doing it right. thank you all.

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i was just reading DV's blog and i think i'm starting to understand how to split a workout

back and shoulder/bicep exercises share some muscles, as do chest and tri. Since so many of the lifts engage the arms, I'm gona try following your lead here, and see how it goes. I also got inspired to throw in a specific tricep exercise: lying tricep extension

i also found some weight training workout sheets that will help me get organized. they have an empty vertical column for the muscle groups, and an empty horizontal columns for the days. great for my frankenstein routine
http://www.corriehaffly.com/projects/blog/forms/weight-training-worksheet.pdf - 7 horz
http://www.corriehaffly.com/projects/blog/forms/weight-training-worksheet-v2.pdf - 5 horz

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http://www.bodymindcentering.com/
http://bodyweightculture.com/