I have to give up a bookshelf, for the good of my children’s musical futures. Apparently, said bookshelf is in the only corner of our house where a keyboard will fit.

Giving up said bookshelf is causing all sorts of dilemmas, such as:

• Do I really NEED to keep all those Jane Austen and Bronte novels, and the Josephine trilogy? (yes)
• Can I recycle all of Min’s gaming guides without him noticing? (probably)
• Am I actually going to read Barney’s Version, even if I keep it another five years? (no)
• Do I really want my Robert Jordan books if the only place they fit is in the family room, thus publicly acknowledging how many massive, endless fantasy books I read before being thwarted by Mr. Jordan’s untimely death? (undecided)

Really, I hope my children recognize the magnitude of this sacrifice. (Highly unlikely.)