Tons of Hair Issues. Please read!

hi paradigm x
judging by your description, you are a guy right, i think. well you are lucky to have this kind of hair because you could do an infinite amount of style. you might want to try some japanese or korean male hairstyles. believe me, they have, i think, one of the most coolest hair style around, form the out of bed spikey look, to the irregular parting on the side. i suggest your try out of bed style which is wild, yet it can be tamed, to look subtle. you could also try that Mike Shinoda look. i really dont know where these website for japanese or korean hair styles but replying to you makes me want to search for one.
hey you're indian/irish background
it what i call Pan Asian looks. Very nice. You can colour your hair in many different shades. If you want subtle colour stick to shades that is closes to your natural hair colour. Since you have light brown skin you might want to try chocolate brown, reddish brown, golden brown, copper blonde, or dark bolnde. With these colors it matches with you mixed ethic background. You might even look natural in it. besides you dont have to touch up that often with these colours. If want to go wild then go blonde with your regular roots showing. i think they look great and you dont have to touch up as often. maybe you could go for higlights, it is more easier to maintain. try dark blonde highlights, or brown or maybe red. choices are endless, you just go to chose one. oh and do go to a professional hairstylist. they are a hell more expensive then doing it your self but the results are great, or so they say ;)
for hairsyling, you can try loreal special fx line. i tried the radical gel and to me it has one of the most hardest gel. my use to be relaxed hair could be spiked and last the whole day. there is one brand especially for men called UNO from shiseido company, has all the different styling product that you need. It snopn greasy and it doesnt smell. so hope i help you a little on these subject. other people here will help if your post is interesting enough some just leave yoo hanging by a moment

yeah their hairstyles are little bit too funky but you can improvise you know. Dont go to wild. but the messy look is nice. you might try the messy spike look, where you just apply an almond size gel on your hand and then apply it all over your head then apply a pea sized drop of gel on your fingers and start pulling your hear into spikes. it doesnt have to be straight, just spikey yet mesey. experiment a little. see which kinda spike shapes that looks cool. you might want to invest in a clarifying shampoo because to much gel will make your hair greasy. some of the gels are hard to wash out. why dont you try some hair gum, it has a very strong hold but it wont make your hair stiff. pomade are good for messed up looks. try to find hair paste to mould your hair. hair paste is like a pomade except its less greasy and has more hold. pirices? sorry i cant really tell you because i lived in malaysia so prices are different than the country you are living in.
if you have a very dark hair its not possible using semi permanent because semi permanent wont lighten your hair enough to have a different shade. use permanent. the colours are more vibrant and natural under the sun. they also last longer than semi if you are using the right shampoo. hope i shed some light on you.

Well I'm still learning too. You should read my story on my hair experiences. I started using gel, mousse, hairspray and pomade when I was 10. Crazy huh. ;)
Well brands that I know works that I read works is sorted according to catagories.

Gel
Loreal Special Fx Radical Gel
Jason Hi-Shine Styling Gel
Goldwell Definition Stlye and Shine Gel
NU-U tm Freeze Gel

Hairgum or Pomade
Loreal Special Fx Out Of Bed
Loreal Special Fx Remix
Physique Precision Pomade
Magic Move
Uno Strong Hairhold Gum
Uno Hard Wax
Wella Design Mousse Wax ( or something close to it :) )

The only brands that I tried is from Loreal and Uno. I tried Wella Hairmousse and it works perfect, so the other line must work. Loreal products definitely works, especially the Radical Gel. I had my hair chemically relaxed so I could do spikes and boy do the Radical Gel works. My hair was so hard, it was actually fun head butting my friends and watch them scream in pain
Uno products are from Japan and its kinda new, I'm not sure if it reach your shores where ever you are :), but the products are made especially for men, with real men using it. So my ego and pride doesn't go down hill when I buy them :) It makes your hair soft and healthy looking after using it.
Wella also makes good products which I am using now.
Go to a salon and ask them for advice on products other then what I stated. Its nice to have a guy for change in here that I could share my knowledge with which I gathered form being in this site : )
Good Luck

Gee thanks man. he he I am blushing
Well its nice to help somebody that needed advice instead giving advice to somebody who doesnt need it
Well I am not really sure want to say when you go to a stylist. I mean I used to one of those people who used to think that home colouring is a better deal that salon colouring that is why I used to colour my hair at home. Now I am a changed man, but I have still havent got the time, cash or hair (still to short and still got that "fried" hair on the ends ), but I did consult my friend when he wanted to do highlights. Don't worry about what to say. Hairstylist are humans so they understand what you want but they might interpreted it differently that you did. You can either describe in great detail or just bring a picture of colured hairstyle that you want and show it the your hairstylist. He or she will understand. The process is pretty cool I think. It might be different from what you may experienced but its like this ok.
Dont wash your hair 2 days before colouring. I read that the hair will received the colour better if it has some its own natural oil on it.
When you are about to go to the stylist dont put any gel or stuff on your hair but if you accidently did put some the stylist will wash your hair first before colouring
The stylist will part your hair into different section the he or she will placed an aluminium foil under the hair and start to apply the colour.
After that the stylist will just wrap the foil around your hair.
After that they might put you under a drier or light of some sort for hair. This so the colour will absorb more easily
They usually leave on for like 30 minutes or something and then they will rinse. After rinsing they apply some conditiners that are made to make the colours lock inside you hair.
After voila you have newly coloured hair
After colouring you cannot wash you hair two days after. This is so that the colour will stay in the hair
If you want the colour to stay vibrant use speacial shampoo and conditoner. Keep you hair out of the sun or use a hat or use a product contaning UV protectors. You do want the colour to last right :)

You have to remember that colouring do damaged the hair just a little bit but using the right products can make it even better then before. Just ask the stylist.
Oh yeah, you dont have to stick to just one shade of colour. Todays style uses more than one shade of colour on the hair so the hair have more definition. Because you want spikes I suggest the spikes are in a lighter shade, but stick to the brown family if you dont want to shock anyone
These will make your spikes look spikier. I saw it in a mens magazine and it looks cool. Damn all this talk aobut colour makes me wanna go out and colour, but remember dont rush yourself into this. You dont want to. Trust me the guy who coloured his hair 4 times in 2 months and straighten it 6 times in less than 2 months. You will end up with fried hair, which sucks
Hmmm instant messengers....
I'm not sure... I am living in Malaysia and you are in Canada. I am like a day earlier than you are. Plus my 3 a clock in the morning is your 3 a clock in the afternoon. So it might be hard for us to be online together, but nevertheless I have MSN Messenger
You can messenge me at claribuzz@hotmail.com or claribuzz2@yahoo.com. Instant message me at MSN or just contact me here. I hang out here all the time. Ok hope you have more understanding of hair colour and style from someone who already makes mistaked from it.

P.S American Crew makes great stuff for men go check it out. They have those pomade stuff that I was talking about.

see what you can learn here =)

Nothing if the stylist and yourself take very careful measures
But you might experienced a little dryness but like I said using the right products will make your hair look even more radiant and healthy.