noobery (dumb questions)

[Kneller]

1) I'm picking up tons of stuff thinking that even though it's not useful to me (inferior gear, etc.), I might be able to recycle it into something useful later. Is it so or should I just travel light?

2) Speaking of light, I could use more of it. I ran through a torch in just the first and part of the second level. However, I'm not finding replacements. At the rate I'm going, I'll be stumbling around in the dark before long. What can I say? I like to wander and explore. Is there any way to get a more permanent source of light? And, with how much I like to wander, can I expect to have a problem with food, too? But, I've heard you can craft some kind of glowing gem that lasts forever. However, I ignored smithing on the build and can't really craft anything.

3) Speaking of smithing, my reason for ignoring it is because smithing costs XP which competes with my characters skills and abilities (also an XP cost). I figured that having abilities at my disposal all the time was more valuable than throwing together a trinket once in a while. So, I dumped all my points into melee and evasion, some in archery, and a bit into stealth, figuring it would maximize my survivability and exploration capability. On the other hand, by ignoring smithing and voice skills, I'm not throwing away a resource that might actually be handy. Any recommendations on how to get something out of these areas without significantly nerfing my combat prowess?

4) Speaking of stealth, does holding a light source affect stealth? I've been unequipping it when I've wanted to sneak around (logic dictates that holding a flaming stick makes one more noticeable), but I wonder if it matters.

Thanks.