How should I cut my hair?

I'm a 27 year old white guy. I've been to a hair cutting place maybe 5 times in my life. I dread the experience. I have NO clue what to say to the barber/hair stylist and always end up with dumb looking hair that I usually just do myself for free. My hair has looked like a helmet my whole life; it looks completely terrible. How am I supposed to know what to say to a barber to give me nice looking hair? It's become a phobia; I don't even want to walk by a barbershop anymore because I'm so embarassed by my hair and so scared to go in; waste my money; and have it look like crap anyway. There are NO hair magazines for guys. There are NO websites to help me out here. I'm completely at a loss.