Had I seen this thread in time -- I would have told you the same thing I've been telling all my friends for a number of years (being WAY EARLY) to the flat screen game... (I paid $6500 for my first one, a Panasonic 50" Plasma Monitor)....
That monitor is like 7 years old now - and is still our main "TV" - it's not 1080 (didn't even make 'em back then) and it's STILL A GREAT PICTURE.
I always told them (My Friends - well my one friend...
) - "It doesn't make any difference which one you get - because they're so much better than anything you're watching now... that you'll love it no matter what. It's not like you have a wall of them at your house to compare."
I personally prefer - and have several - Panasonic MONTIORS rather than the TV's... since we use cable (Comcrap) we use their box for the tuner - and we use our stereo for the surround sound... so no reason to pay for internal speakers and tuners we're not going to use anyway.
I have friends that have various LCD's - and Plasmas - THEY ALL LOOK GREAT!