I just thought I'd poste an update about the wall. Turns out that a wall is going to be built, but I have to do it in the sliding format. When one of my friends came over to help with the wall he asked a question. A simple question, one that leaves me shaking my head at myself. He asked, "iIf you build a wall here how are you going to get anything else up or down the stairs?" I had never even paused to consider the limited mobility that this would provide to the whole basement. I have been looking around, and found a pretty good sliding wall that is only two pannels wide and pretty thick to boot. I think this is my only option, Oh well, having even a temporary wall will keep the girlfriend busy for hours painting and decorating and whatnot, so the wall is not all bad.
As a great man said, The problem with other relationships is communcation, too much communication"