Barilla Pasta Report & New Do...

To be fair I gave it a full 24 hours (and then some) for the full effects of the pasta to run it's course. I've mixed feelings about this pasta and confusion about what it's done to my tummy. I made a 1lb box (kids love spaghetti) and cooked it al dente. In my wok I made 3 lbs of chunked chicken breast cooked in chicken BBQ marinade (Lupo's). When the chicken was done I drained the pasta and added it and more marinade to the chicken. I cooked for 5 more minutes. Note: This is one of my favorite dishes, when made with the value brand (Walmart) spaghetti. Taste: Bland, very much like cardboard and I had a great marinade that should have helped disguise the flavor. Texture: As much as I cooked it, it was still a bit tough and does NOT referidgerate well. I was able to eat 1 cup of spaghetti. I could have eaten more but I'm a good protein girl so I ate mostly chicken. (3oz incidentally) Now, for the gas factor. I have to be honest here, and maybe I should have taste tested and come to my own conclusions before posting this "great find", but can we say "Dear Lord what IS that SMELL?" That bad, you ask? YES! I was up most of last night, uncomfortable and FULL of the raunchiest, foulest smelling gas I've ever experienced. Today, I was moving around ALOT, getting hair done, nails done, shopping etc, trying to move the gas around and get it out. Honestly the only carb I had today was Half a pita. (Around 12g carbs) And I know from previous experience that the pitas do NOT cause gas for me. (They are ww) And constipation, if you can believe that! I showered this morning before I went to have my hair done and again tonight because the gas smell is just lingering like only DSers could believe. Typically carbs don't affect me this badly. Even the regular Enriched White Flour Spaghetti cannot compare to this stuff. I won't be using this particular type of pasta again, as the side effects were not worth the mediocre taste. IMO... Onward and Upward. I knew that if I didn't get myself up this morning bright and early and head to the stylist, I would procrastinate and talk myself right out of getting my hair cut. I wish I had... First, the stylist was younger than me, probably fresh out of school and had the worst, shaggiest hair cut, I'd ever seen. Who am I to scoff at someone elses sense of style? So I explained even before the combing began that my hair is falling out so she would not be alarmed. I tell her I'm looking to take it up to my shoulder and could we go slowly and start with something simple that could be altered if I didn't like it. "Huh?" was her response. "Nevermind", I say, " Take it to my shoulders and I'll let you know what to do next." And so she begins. It's okay, not too bad. Then I tell her I really want some layers. She thinks this is a bad idea. It iwll make my ends look thinner. I said I need volume and layers will give me that. She disagrees again. Reluctantly she frames the hair around my face. I want my longest layer Below my cheek bone. It ends up right around my eye. Shes straddling my legs and blocking my view of the mirror the whole time, so I don't know what she's done until it's too late. She announces "Now I left your bangs long enough to brush to the side." BANGS? DID SHE SAY BANGS??????????? Did I ask for bangs? I feel my control slip a notch. The tears burning the back of my eyes. I've got bangs. I haven't had bangs since the 3rd grade. Long story short, she gives me some layers in the back, not anywhere near where I asked. So when I describe my new hairstyle, I'm also describing the worst possible outcome I could have imagined. I can sum it up in 2 words. Dorito Head. That's what it looks like. I'm even too embarrassed to post a pi****il it grows out. When I pull it back in a twistie I have a little NUBBIN where my pony tail used to be. I did ask her about an overall color and she told me she'd never seen anyone's hair fall out like mine was. She would not put a color on my hair because she knew it would only make it worse. Yes I paid her. No I won't ever go back. And yes, I believe I'll live. Among the many other things (self-inflicted) that I had to deal with today, I just HAD to add another. I quit smoking. Before you cheer me on, let me explain. I had planned to do it much sooner. And I should have but just yesterday afternoon I got my new Rx for the Nicotine patch. This morning I woke up and stuck one on, knowing that it was just a matter of seconds before I went into serious withdrawl. I kept myself busy until the cravins abated, moderately. After 2 hours of wearing the patch, it began to peel off. I again procrastinated about putting on another one, knowing that I would need 1 a day for the next month and the Rx was for only 30. I needed it so I did it. That one lasted 10 minutes and began to peel off again. Instead of going through the whole box this first day, and being without any at the end of the month, I lit a smoke. Immediately the world was a better place. It's so hot that when I sweat the patch just peels away. I've decided not to expect too much of myself in such a short time and that waiting until the fall when things are a little cooler will be easier on me. Mentally more than anything else. That's my day in a nutshell. It's been long to say the least. LeeLeeTheSmokinFartinDoritoHead

Aww Lee, I am so sorry! I've had some bad haircuts in my time and I feel your pain. On the other hand, even if you do look like Dorito Head (and I'm not sure what that would look like) I bet you are the cutest Dorito head around. In any case, all of these things will pass with time, even the gas (d'oh, I can't believe I just typed that). In the mean time take care, it can only get better from here! Laura

Well, that's about the best signature line I've ever seen. You won't need a bell around your neck for warning! And I appreciate the review of the pasta. Doesn't sound like something I will need to try. I've had a dorito head adventure or two myself. I once wore a hat all summer to disguise my mother's idea of a "pixie" haircut. Somehow that sort of thing sticks with ya... At least the pasta will go away fast. As far as your hair, how bout rubbing in some gel and being real spiky? or cool or bedhead or whatever that look is. Maybe you can just be really weirdly cute all summer. Wear your new miniskirts and no one will be looking at your dorito head! Wishing you a better day tomorrow... Starr

Dear TheSmokinFartinDoritoHead You are such a great supporter on this board. You help out so many people. I wish there was something I could do to make you feel better about your new do. I recently had my hair highlighted and layered. It was pretty disasterous too. I look like a zebra. My layers looked like a mullet. Does that make me a dorito head too ? I spent so much money at the hair dresser's I didn't want to go back. I had my DH bob my hair chin length. It's better. At least I'm not a zebra striped mullet head. It's all one length now. I can let it grow out a little and then think about a style. I feel for ya' about the smoking thing. I've read that nicotine (sp?) is the most addictive drug there is beating heroine and cocaine. I can't even beat food addiction. Keep tryin'- You'll make it.

well, did you watch DESPERATE HOSEWIVES? Remember the skit about the chewing gum in the kids hair ,and shaving it off and then the b^(*h at the health spa giveing the mom preference for child care session thinkin he had cancer. nothing said, just a assumption by some one else. got a kerchief or two, need a little advantage in a line or too.

Given her lack of skills, the best thing is that she didn't try and color it! I'm so sorry Lee! I know how much it sucks to get a bad hair cut. My mom once let my father's BARBER give me a perm. I looked like I had helmet hair. Really. It was a perm like my grandmother has a perm. 6 weeks is all that separates a great hair cut from a bad one -- and by that time, given how great you already look, people are going to be watching something other than your hair anyway! But next time make sure you go to a stylist who's learned precision hair cutting. And get references! hugs Dorito girl. Just try tapering off the smoking... and get one of those counters that tells you how much money you're saving. Think of it as a new clothes budget! Ezpy

I have had farts like that, too--aren't they awful? Not sure what to say about your hair except it will grow back--maybe you can get a cute straw hat for the rest of the Summer?

oh did this post bring back memories , i must have beeen about 28 or so and my hair was down to my butt my sister talked me into a "change" just a lil one she said shaping and such...well we had just moved to a new very lil town and we went into the "BEAUTY" parlor ( more like a milking parlor) well the woman was ancient and she proceded to cut my hair DRY all i could see was my sisters face in the mirror behind me and she kept mouthing the words "im so sorry" well i thought she was teasing me to make an even longer story short i left the place in tears my sis drove me to the nearest big town she went into a salon and asked them if they could help me because i would not get out of the car ...... i ended up with a cut to my EARS because i had chunks of hair missing! it was awful i am now 43 and have not had a real cut since that time but i am going today because i cant stand it my hair is now thin and flat and scarggaly and i have been stuck in the 80's hair mod for so many years but i did not care because i liked my big thick hair so i am going to take the plunge today because i cannot stand FLAT hair on my oh so round face. wish me luck.... drena 1/25/05 286/195/135

Ok I know the last thing you need to hear is my laughing but I can't help it. I would be willing to bet it doesn't look half as bad as you think it does. thanks for the tip on the pasta, just goes to show you that there are no easy ways to better health....this is going to make us work at it. Hang in there with the smoking. I did it, I know how hard it is. Take it one day at a time, and promise yourself when you wake up in the morning that you WILL NOT smoke for the day. Before you know it, you'll have it licked. Hang in there Dorito Head, Sharon

Lovely LeeLee, I refuse to call you Dorito Head because someone as pretty as you couldn't possibly look like that, so there!!! Give your hair a few days to work with it and I'll bet you can make it work for you. Right now it's a huge shockeroo. There's so many products out there you can try. Put on some volumizing mousse and scrunch, scrunch away at it until it's dry - even scrunch the bangs - you may like it more that way. Just keep on playing with it, gently of course, you don't want to cause more "fallout". We love you just the way you are - from the inside - out. So cheer up chickie-bee : You're still a hot mama! Love ya Maureen