I learned programming with QBasic. I found it suitable and awesome. Once I understood the basics, it was a cake walk to pick up the syntax idiosyncrasies of modern languages like C++ and Java.
The best way to learn programming (or anything) is to have a mini-goals. Something you want done because it'd be cool to see, or useful in some way. That way, you'll have the drive to keep going past obstacles (and weird things that just don't make any fucking sense

). Also, once you get this done, it'll be neat to behold or useful in some way and it'll make you happy.
You can't just learn for the heck of it. That just sucks and doesn't work. Make yourself tons of minigoals and you'll pick up things by doing them.
Jam it back in, in the dark.