So my mom brought up an issue today that I was planning on just ignoring for a while (ca 10 years or so).
I own a piano, a grand piano. It is sitting in my parents living room as it has been for the last few years. I am not taking it with me to grad school because I will not be studying piano any longer and it would cost far too much to move out there. Also, I will be in an apartment out there, and for size and loudness issues, pianos don't generally work in apartments.
She didn't come out and tell me to sell it, actually she said she likes it and wants me to keep it there, but she also mentioned that it's ok for a reasonable period of time. Our concept differs in terms of what is a reasonable period of time.
I told her I'm not going to take it out of their house until I have a semblance of permanance... ie a teaching position at a university. At the minimum, I have 2 years before I'm done my masters, to get a teaching position, I'd need a doctorate on top of that, meaning an additional 3 years ish and I'm planning on working/travelling between those degrees. I have no plans nor any intentions of settling down for at least another 8 years. I'm not saying that it might not happen for whatever reasons, but we can't count on that piano leaving the house during that time.
The whole thing has me thinking about whether I even want the piano anymore. I got it because I had plans of pursuing a masters in performance at that time. Piano, and THAT piano was going to be an integral part of my life. Now, it is not necessarily going to have the same significance. If I move to another city to settle down, am I going to be willing to have it hauled across a continent? Or would this investment serve me better if I just sold the piano and put the money in an RRSP or something.
This is where I stand right now: If my parents don't mind, I would like it to stay at their house for as long as I need before settling down. The piano is old enough that I don't think it will depreciate in value, and it certainly isn't falling apart. I want to keep it, at least as a physical investment. If something comes up, I could sell it as a sort of rainy day fund.
When it comes down to it, even though I won't be a concert pianist I've fallen in love with professional quality instruments, and Petra is certainly that. In a decade, I won't be able to afford that kind of an instrument, and certainly not for the amount that was paid for this piano.
Sometimes I feel guilty that I'll be taking up 5'8"of piano space in my parents house even after I move out, but maybe I shouldn't. My dad seems to have no issue with me storing the piano there.
I want to teach my parents piano so that they will stay used!