Well, if regretting not getting a bigger tv will wear on you, knock yourself out and get one of these babies to start with. You WON'T be disappointed. The power bill will be a touch much, but, hey, you outdid your neighbor.
We just bought a 50” 1080p Panasonic Viera HD plasma at a good price - about $850. Got a Samsung Blu-ray and are very happy with the set up. We sit about 8-9’ away from the TV and we think it’s a good size for that viewing distance.
The new TV cost less than the 36” Toshiba 4:3 we purchased about 10 years ago (what a beast!). I’m glad we waited to upgrade. This is one item that has decreased in price over the years.
FWIW, Consumer Reports rates some Panasonic and Samsung models highest for plasmas. We got more bang for our buck with the plasma in the size we wanted.
I have read that the biggest regret people have after buying a TV is they wish they had gone larger.