Beware!

Flying Objects and Prickly Plants AHEAD!
So, walking through campus earlier this week, I had to duck and dodge...the flying discs! Not such an easy task with 10 or so frisbees zooming this way and that! Of course, I would have loved to kick of my shoes and join in. But, alas, I had a class to get to.
Then, our truck was in the shop (yes, already) and I needed R to pick me up after class.
I told him to meet me by the tennis courts. This is where I usually meet him on the days he drives me to class. Little did I know that I would have the wonderful pleasure of dodging tennis balls. Well, not really, but I had to at least pretend like I was interested in the game. Do you see what I see? Yes, those are shirtless, attractive, athletic young men (playing tennis)! And, the view was even worth the dirty looks R gave me when he finally pulled up!
Finally, I am seeking gardening advice regarding this cactus that is very dear to me.
I "picked" a small cactus (about as long and thick as a finger) about 10 years ago, on a summer visit to New Mexico. Little did I know that I would drag it around with me once I left home for college. Yet, here it is. Starting about 5 years ago, it started blooming, and now every spring I get 4-5 beatiful yellow flowers. Somehow, it has also managed to survive being left in the rain, hail, and 100 degree 100% humidity summers of Mississippi. Can you see the new growth at the tops of several "branches?" Yeah, every spring, it grows another "branch" high/tall/long.
The issues I have are:
1. This pot is about 8 years old, cracked, and just not holding up. How in the heck do you replant/transplant a cactus this big? (That is, without significant blood loss.)
2. What is the proper way to plant a cactus? Should the new pot be shallower than this? What kind of dirt do they prefer? (This is just potting soil mixed with Mississippi dirt--what's left in the very bottom.)
3. All the plant parts that are in the pot are brown and ugly. Is that b/c of watering habits, a pot that's too deep, or what? I don't want to cut and replant all the "good stuff" and end up with 20 cacti--I like just the one.
On another note, my biochem test is over. OVER. Yes! I felt good about it, but really, you just never know. Now I just have my Statistics final on Tuesday. That, and the million pages (20-30) I have to write for my thesis. I think I'll now have more time for blogging, and it feels good to be back!