Shifting Head Scratcher.....

Here's a good one guys.....please help!
Middle of moving and stuck for ideas.
i've got a 1996 K1500.
New tranny 2 years ago.
Recently tho - I have been having trouble with the shifting column.
Tilt steering.
I can shift from Park to REverse just fine, feels normal. but keep shifting to Neutral the thing feels stiff and doesn't feel like it "seats" yet you feel the transmission move into neutral.
The same if you keep shifting into Drive. Stiff/not "seated" in the column but the tranny engages properly.
Worse getting into 3,2,1. Actually scared to go there in case I can't shift it back. Sometimes I even need to use 2 hands to try to gently ease the shift column into Park again.
Is it a problem with the linkage in the steering column possibly, the linkage under the truck into the tranny, or the cable inbetween? :banghead:
...thoughts??? ideas???
hope to hear from someone soon...
THANKS!