I'm starting to understand a little bit.
When is throwing me off is it asks me to select a .kf file from the folder.
How do I use one from the game?
I tried typing "characters\_male\IdleAnims\SETakeNotes.kf" in the box, but it said it was incorrect.
Is there some trick to this I'm missing?
Always look at the Wiki first: http://cs.elderscrolls.com/constwiki/index.php/Anim_Object. There are also alot of good tuts how to start. So you get the base understanding.
As for your question: you can't just type something in what is not in your folder structure. It will be checked.
Either extract what you need from the bsa file (in this case Data\DLCShiveringIsles - Meshes.bsa), using a tool like bsacmd. Or, better, use an existing entry in the cs and copy it by simply giving it a new ID.