Hi
I need to mention that one of your original posts said "point and shoot". A G6, which I just bought, can certainly do point and shoot, but it's considered an enthusiast camera, meaning that it is below a SLR with interchangable lenses, but above a true point and shoot.
I've been tempted to add a camera and have been looking at Canon Digital Elph S500 which is truly a pocket camera.
Take your $1,000, spend $400 on a digital like the S500, work with digital images for awhile to get used to digital vs. film and then, if you want to progress to more, spend $500 and get a camera like a G6 or other Powershot.
And with the 2 cameras you have one that you can throw in a pocket or purse that will produce spectacular images and one that you will have to carry on a strap or in a carrier where you have much more control over the variables for the pictures you take.
Livingston