1) Self thought from copy pasting code and changing out parts until it works, moved on to books later. What was always most important for me was to have a goal in mind, something that you build towards or really want to accomplish, with brute force and excessive Googling if necessary.
2. Read my first programming book when I was 15, on ASP of all things but I had been learning HTML on my own prior to that, following tutorials online. My school also offered a short course on Turbo Pascal.
3. Got my first job as a Flash programmer when I was 18 and I'm soon turning 27, employed as a Full Stack Developer (don't hate) without having a CS degree. I do have a bachelors degree in Media but it's essentially worthless and has nothing to do with my work.
Having been in a similar situation as Notch, also ending in a very similar way, all advice I can give is to make the best of the time you have and don't waste it on contempt and hate. I wish that I had been able to have a more understanding attitude than I did.
What if the text communication became available after ~1 minute? It would take some of the frustration away if you could instruct someone after a while (or call him names).