The BBC did a series called "The Secret Life of Machines", with the aid
of some chaps who produce illustrative cartoons in "New Scientist"
magazine. Tim Hunkin I think the name is.

One programme about the quartz watch showed the oscillator driving a
counter driving a logic chip and eventually the power into a set of
strip lights. Arranged in the familiar 7-seg pattern, they showed the
time.

I thought this was a cute way of building a very big digital clock.
Instead of driving the LEDs of a seven segment display, the  decoder can
drive the LEDs of opto-coupled triacs switching the mains.

I think controlling the power into filament strip lights may be easier
than the more efficient flourescent ones.

You could put them into a black box with 7-segs cut out and behind that
a translucent diffuser - white, red, green, or even blue!

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Quote of the day: "Huh, and _she_ calls _me_ a slob?
Every time I go for a piss, the sinks full of dirty plates!"
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