Just a little input, but I suggest using a pseudo-sitter. Someone who might be off with a few other friends a short distance away. If you don't have carpet, don't use anything glass, you're asking to break it. For me anyways, the wall sucks to listen to, and the last time I heard the trial right before salvia, it ended up being a bad trip. Breathe is a great pre-to-during song.
I say if you got the money... and your parents are cool with it... so that means it wont get taken away by your parents... that you invest in a nice high quality glass bong.... like a BlueDot or a RooR(both at least $90)... because when it comes to pleasureable bong smokin... and both come in pretty thick glass(my bluedot is 6mm thick) which makes it less likely to shatter when tipped over... and they have a nice base... makin it even tougher to knock over.... nothin really tops either brand...1' tall is more than enough for a bong... anything taller than that i consider a "show" piece and is only used for showing off and such
http://www.weedcity.com/shop/product.asp?P_ID=899&strPageHistory=related I like this one much better...you could put water, and ice in it