I'm running a minimal theme (taskbar disappears with no tasks, all other controls by activated labels and hotkeys). I'm trying to find something pretty, entertaining, or useful to place on my desktop. I thought about rainlender or rainmeter, but they are too functional. I've heard about ripple, but its too processor intensive and uncustomizable. Any ideas?

Mkay, let's see... you don't want anything functional, but yet you want customizability. I have a hard time getting my head around that.

Try a wallpaper. You're not likely to find anything more decorative, useless and resource frugal.

LSAfghan

The explorer shell, perhaps?

aurora-0.5

ok tie him to a pole!
I got long sharp sticks to poke him with!

How do you know it's a him? ;)

@OP, btw, my answer was serious. Check out what I posted.