I have art and first editions. They're not particularly valuable, but they are art and first editions. I'm a museum member. I bought antique furniture in high school with my allowance. I bought my first house when I was 23. My father was the only child in a whole family. Sadly, none of then had any money, but they all had sets and sets of china and silver. I therefore have all the china and silver I could possibly want. The set from my grandmother even includes cream soups. I have a lawn mower, a small tiller, a chain saw, a circular saw, a jigsaw, a cordless drill, a palm sander and a home equity loan. I have a 401K.

I still don't feel like an adult. Maybe it's the lack of matching luggage.

Brenda, insent!

Is it too much overkill if I use another supervisor from that same library for my third rec, or should I go for a more diverse base and use a non-library friend?

Don't sweat the fact that two are from the same place (after all, all those fresh-faced just-out-of-undergrads are probably getting all of theirs from the same place). Think instead about whether they'll be able to shed some light on different aspects of what you're offering them. A rec that's all about your badass book knowledge is different from (and complementary to) a rec about how great you are at pulling together complex projects -- even if they come from people who sit right next to each other all day.

Kathy -- good for you! Lots of Admissions-ma.

Despite all of the debt and the 403B I still don't feel like an adult. Must be lack of good furniture, matching luggage and a decent amount of flatware.

Must be lack of good furniture, matching luggage and a decent amount of flatware.

Don't forget the "timeless" $3500 suit! t /unhelpful

I bought antique furniture in high school with my allowance. I bought my first house when I was 23.

Those are like the adultiest things ever.

I forgot to say before that having kids has definitely made me feel, if not naturally like an adult, that I have to be one whether I want to or not. To have a tiny little person depending on me and Stephen for everything made me consider a lot of decisions more carefully, and try to be better prepared for a lot of emergencies. I think that's kind of a given when you have kids, though.

It is pretty sad that I didn't really feel like a "grownup" until I was about 37 or so. Hell, technically, I'm rapidly approaching middle-age-dom!

There's a story in my family about my father trying to join the "young adults" group at church when he was like 30, and the group was for high school/college. Oops.

Cindy, if you can afford the piano, go piano. It's not as portable, but the sound is infinitely richer.

My mother is buying this as our family Christmas present, either way. My instinct is to choose the keyboard, because it's less than half the price, and I don't want to take advantage.

Would the sound still be infinitely richer with a spinet piano, Corwood?

I had an old upright player piano, growing up, but the player mechanism was broken. The spinet pianos are constructed differently, and I have an impression that the sound suffers due to their compact size, but I don't know if that's accurate, or just a personal prejudice.

On the other hand, I'd rather look at a spinet piano in my den, than a keyboard. On the third hand that I ought to have sprouted by now, I can more easily move the keyboard to another room or even down cellar.

I'm going against everyone and say keyboard. - if you get someone that really wants to play , you can get a piano when they want one. and my main reason - getting rid of a paino or organ , even for free seems to be really difficult around here, unless it is in perfect shape. Also - I'm going to add the expense of a regular piano tuner. You want one, really. Plus , ther eare things they can do with the keyboard - like plug it into the computer and ( with the proper software) 'write ' their own music. and soundeffects might capture there interest in music as well.

That's good to know, beth, and good point about getting rid of the piano. When we sold our last house, we had to put in the p&s that we were leaving the old upright there (that had been left their by the previous owners). I think tuning a spinet is complicated, too.

My comment on the keyboard would be to find out if it's got weighted keys. On mine, you can turn on a setting that will detect the weight you use to press the keys and respond accordingly, like a piano. Much more like using the "real thing," and easier to prepare for possible future "real" piano playing.

I'm thinking if it's $400, it should have that feature, but you may want to check to be sure.

That's a good point, Ailleann, because it is such a different experience to play with the weighted keys. All I know is she saw it at K-Mart (which surprised me, because it's re-conditioned; I wouldn't think a budget chain like that would sell a re-conditioned instrument); it's a Yamaha (which is a good name, they even make grand pianos), and that it has 88 keys.

Maybe I'll look at them both. I do play piano, and guitar. I miss having a piano in the house. The kids were all a little more interested in guitar lessons (and I don't blame them, I like it better, too), but I learned guitar first, and even though I learned from a serious guitarist, and learned much more than chords, I think it handicapped me, when I went to learn the piano. I think they'll learn more about music learning the piano, first. I've suggested we start with a couple of years of piano lessons, and then move onto guitar. They all seem agreeable to that plan.

There's a story in my family about my father trying to join the "young adults" group at church when he was like 30, and the group was for high school/college. Oops.

Adorable!

Our church started a 20s and 30s group, last year. Friends asked us why we weren't joining. I was 37 or 38. Scott was 40 or 41. I said I didn't want to be drummed out in a couple of years and Scott was too old. They now specify in the announcements that you don't have to be in your 20s or 30s, but I think most of the couples around our age feel the same way.

I'd start a Middle Aged group, but who the frak wants to join something like that?