Beginning Swimmer and the Butterfly or …?

I'm basically new to swimming and I have two questions. I've included more background/basic info below if it's needed. 1. Is it a terrible idea to try to teach myself the butterfly? If not, what are the best resources I might consult? I've found some TI videos and thought I'd start with those (I find these especially appealing because they seem to emphasize using the core muscles.) 2. If it is a bad idea to try the butterfly on my own, could I do a breaststroke with a dolphin kick? I've always enjoyed swimming, but due to joint problems I've recently started using it as my primary fitness regimen. I've been swimming two or three times a week for about a month - mainly head-up freestyle, and I've been getting outpaced by little-old-ladies (no offense to the little-old-ladies, in fact they're the one who have inspired me to work on my technique). I want to be a good, strong swimmer. I don't envision myself ever swimming competitively, though I suppose that could be cool eventually. I plan to take a swimming class, but the one in my area that seems most suited to my needs doesn't begin for about a month. I did my first face in the water freestyle today. It did not go well. Turning and breathing was far more complicated than I imagined. I also tried the *** stroke, but the kick felt awkward. After some internet searching, I feel like I would like the butterfly, but I keep reading about how complicated it is.