Indeed. The key in self-study is patience. I understand that you want to learn everything NOW (especially the more advanced topics), but the truth is that unless you take the courses in the appropriate order, you will keep going back and forth all the time.
I thimk that Dover publications would suit you pretty nicely. Search for their books on ODEs (tanenbaum) and PDEs (farlow). As for QM, you could use Zettil, Ballentine or Griffiths. A search in the forum's previous threads would be a good option too :P
I second Axler, but as already noted he is not good for a first contact with LA. You could try Anton's elementary linear algebra for a gentler approach.
You might like mind matter and quantum mechanics by henry stapp. It's more focused on the mind/brain problem and contains philosophical ideas coming from philosophers, not physicists, but i think that you clould find in there some really interenting parts. You could actually check in the...
Wow you are very patient. Actually as i see it this is the no1 skill a self learner must have. Personally, i prefer to go through all these fields you said (QM, GR, SR, QED) at the same time. You see, since i am not bunded to a university's program, i like to keep interchanging between them in...
If i may interrupt, realizing i am the source of your little controversy, i'd like to say what is my point of view about this matter. I am at pretty the same situation with totentanz (self learner) and i am at about the same mathematical skill level. Two years before, i started to try understand...
I can tell you for sure that the book you're using is the worst choice you could possibly make. A search on the forum would provide you with lots of other far more better choices. Among others griffiths, ballentine, shankar.
Understanding QM needs a serious amound of time. Ok, you're going to be able to handle the exercises of the books you study from, hopefully from the beginning. But if you want a deep understanding of quantum theory, well, that's a different story.