The secret...

Ok, Ok... I can't keep a secret very well. I'll start with a little background first, though.

Seth and I are both state employees. Clerk Typists, to be exact. Because state employees tend to get shafted in many ways (which I won't get into here), the title classifications haven't been reviewed for something like 50 years. The governor and his associates, in partnership with the Union, recently redid the classification scales and such so that it better represents not only our current jobs, but also so we better fit in with other state employees around the country. This is enabling all of the affected employees to get a lump sum bonus as a way to pacify the fact that considering the cost of living and all, our wages suck nuts.

So I had planned on taking this bonus and putting it toward bills because that is the sensible thing to do. I was talking things over with Seth, though, and he suddenly says, "Sara, I'm going to be using mine for a snowboarding season's pass. Why don't you use yours for a spinning wheel?"

*gasp*

What an awesome idea!

So I need your help and recommendations. You can even solicit this post to other people you know that spin and who don't come here to get their thoughts as well. I would appreciate any advice on this that I can get. I would love to get a wheel that is easy enough for a beginner, but that is able to transition to more advanced use as I learn what I am doing. Something slightly more portable would be good, but not absolutely necessary. I would like to spend no more than $350 (because I'm not sure how much of the bonus I will have left after they take taxes out). Halcyon has a gazillion in their catalog, but since I don't know anything about spinning, I don't know what would be best.

I'm so excited about getting my own wheel... I just want to make sure I make the right decision about which one to purchase. I am hoping to get many years of use out of it.

Thanks everyone!