So since I bought my current car, the clutch has felt VERY strange, and I'm trying to pinpoint the problem. I don't know exactly how to diagnose a clutch problem, but I'm thinking it is my pressure plate at this time...

Pushing the pedal in, it gets progressively harder to push until about half way down, where it becomes very tight. After this half-way point, the clutch pushes in with normal ease again. When letting the clutch out (when going from a stop sign, for example) it starts to engage when the pedal is only about a half inch off the floor. Which is strange... It only does this sometimes, too, like after I've had the pedal pushed down for awhile. Other than that, I don't seem to notice it too much. However, it still acts strangely. Sometimes the clutch grabs at about the half-way point, and others it doesn't grab until I let it nearly all the way out.

When I'm doing "spirited driving" I like to still shift slower (let the clutch out easier) because it's easier on the car, however, sometimes although I let the clutch out normally, I get that "GAH" jolt as if I had just dropped the clutch out hardcore (and my stereo proceeds to find its way out of the dashboard and hit me on the hand REALLY hard lol)

Anyway, I would like to resolve this issue, I just don't know exactly where to start, so any suggestions would be awesome! Thanks.