Well, the way I started was just by hanging out in IRC for 36 hours a day. Not exactly a boost to my social skills, but chance may have you encounter someone who can in a word "apprentice" you.

Don't worry about becoming elite. The Word elite is like having a black belt. You can be a blackbelt in 3 months in one school, and 8 years in another. Completely different meanings. It's better to just retain your newbie status indefinitely, because until you have a PhD or two.. you're a newbie.


I'd still try to get into college, or a tech school or something. Education is what seperates man from well... lesser man. (arrogant assumption).


P.S. Buy 300 computer books. You might eventually read 1 of them. That or go to your local CIS lab, and take a few arm fulls, they won't notice.