Newbie! Can anyone help.. Power-Chords?

[Rocklobster]

Knowing nothing about playing guitar, I picked up my first guitar (a Squier Stagemaster S-S-H) (well we all gotta start somewhere! why not start cheap!) maybe a little over a year ago. I've fiddled with it teaching myself some riffs, some chords, and power chords to start off. If I wanted to hear myself usually I'd run it through my Audigy 2 soundcard and just add on a distortion effect (which really sounds crappy), so usually I chose to listen to it 'strings only' accoustically without headphones or anything (being as I'm usually playing at times I require really low volume levels any way). I have a REALLY bad habit of picking the guitar up for a few minutes, playing a riff or two, or a few notes of a song and then putting it right back down. I guess I get discouraged (probably from the lack of being able to hear it sounding good) and disinterested pretty easy. I think I can make some stuff sound good, but other stuff I feel I can't touch. I don't know where I should be after having played a year (but definately not much time invested in it). The determination just hasn't really been there until coming here.

G'z, you guys make it sound so good, and completely effortless, it really encourages me to want to try and put a little more time and effort into this.

Over the time I've been playing, I've developed this nasty habit of playing power chords with my index finger and pinky (2 string power chords). I know most tablature is usually written for 3 string power chords - usually I just drop the top string all together and play how my fingers have been most comfortable/flexible. I can't really seem to get it down pat using my index finger and ring finger like most players I've seen. I feel really uncoordinated that way - but that's probably because I started out wrong. (Not to say there's a right or wrong way to play) but.. accoustically, to my ears, the chord doesn't sound a whole lot less different than a 3 string power chord but I know it's lacking some extra "punch".

I don't plan on doing any gigs or playing live at any time - but I'm learning to play as a hobby and pass-time for myself. After listening to a lot of the audio submissions here on this site I'm amped about picking up a PODxt or similar to try and bring some tone and electric listening ability into my playing.

Here's my biggest concern - Do you think I should do my best to re-train myself power-chords with 3-strings and finger them the right way, or should I continue down the road I'm on, now?

Thanks guys!