A few questions from a beginner.

A little background information. I'm approaching 35. I'm 5' 8" and 190lbs. I used to be a really skinny kid, the kind that could eat like a horse and never gain weight, but then about 23 I started forming a gut. I really never worried about it because at 18 I was 125lbs soaking wet holding a brick. I kind of liked the change. But now I want to get more muscular. I do have some more muscle on me so don't think I'm 75lbs overweight. It's working muscle and my forearms are the best thing I've got going heh. I've read you can't loose weight and gain muscle, so I'm focusing on muscle first. I downloaded a HIT type program and have done part of week one but officially start week 1 of 12 this Monday. I just went over some exercises and how it works having no clue what weight I could lift. I think I'd look great at 190lbs but without the fat heh.

I bought some protein powder. It says how many grams are in a scoop but for the life of me I can't find a scoop size. I've been putting in 2 to 3 mountainous table spoons per glass. How big is a scoop? EDIT: I found the scoop in the container. Now I feel silly, I just had to dig around a little more.

I read about how you need rest. I am a lineman by trade so it can be often a physical job. Is work going to interfere with muscle gain? The way people word things it's like you have to be still except for the time you exercise. I'm sure this is not the case but just for clarification heh.

Once I'm done with the 12 weeks I want to do a cutting phase that's also 12 weeks long. Does 3 days of interval cardio and 2 days of full body split sound like a good plan?

Let's say I get my body exactly the way I want. How do you put it in a stall pattern?

well first of all and simply put to gain muscle you have to eat over your maintance calories.  The cleaner you eat the less fat you will put on.  To loose fat you must use more calories you put in either by cardio, eating less or both.  I guess you could just eat enough to maintain your body but most people will never reach exactly the way their body wants look.  I mean why would settle for anything when you know you could improve.
 
What does you routine look like?
 
Your body should tell you when your work load is to much.  Sleep is important for the rebuilding of muscles, but it's not like you have to have 7-8 hours a day.
 
 

No the leg press is not the same as doing squats.

The thing I downloaded is MAX-OT. I see that you guys have a thread on here so that should tell you what my routine is. The first one he posts is what I'm doing.

Is the aftermath of leg day always that brutal? If it is I'm going to have to switch it to Thursdays so I can function through the rest of the work week. As the program suggested I did them on Monday after work and wasn't able to walk properly until Thursday which wraps up my work week.

i've never done the max-ot program before, but from what i can remember it was supposed to be pretty brutal.  follow the warm up reps to a t.  remember that just because your muscles are sore does not mean they cannot be trained.  EAT BIG TO GET BIG!

No the leg press is not the same as doing squats.