How to make four-star Pad Thai - THE RIGHT WAY

Pad Thai is a noodle-based meal that contains a blend of all the senses of food: sweet, sour, spicy, and savory. The sweet chile paste and snow peas gives the dish an unusual but delectable flavor and crunch. The lime juice contributes a citrus-y, pungent taste. The hot sauce that is mixed in at the end produces a spice factor that is tolerable to the average consumer because it is a very small amount. And finally, the soy sauce that is mixed with the chicken gives the Pad Thai an enjoyable, enticing flavor that keeps you coming back for more platefuls of this delicious menu item. The last time I made Pad Thai, I was impatient and boiled the noodles instead of setting them in hot water from the tap. The recipe clearly says to "place noodles in a bowl of very hot tap water and allow to soak for 25 minutes until pliable, but not mushy" (Pad Thai Recipe By: Soyaki193). The recipe was basically telling me to keep the noodles in the hot water long enough for them to soften, but to still have a stiffness to them. The noodles that I had boiled in the past turned to a paste when i cooked and stirred things into them. This time, I soaked the noodles according to the directions and drained them after 25 minutes. They seemed unusually stiff to the touch. I came to a fork in the road and I had to make a decision. I was afraid I hadn't soaked them for long enough, but I was also scared that if I put them back in the hot water, history would repeat itself. I continued on with the recipe's directions, hoping for the best. After mixing eggs, the chicken, and peanuts into the pan, I added the noodles in handfuls at a time, stirring in the sauce with each addition. The final product turned out surprisingly well, and tasted amazing, too!

For the sake of my sanity, please tell me you've messed up a recipe before too. Am I the only one!?