There's a lot to this phone, I'm still cruising along the edges of what it can do and I have had it for a month. I just use the stock UI and it looks nice enough to me, have to download a background app and get yourself a nice background that you like that doesn't interfere visually with the icons.
I don't use much in widgets, Just the accuweather one and the verizon usage one. Everything is an icon other than that. There is a great app called Smart Shortcuts that allows you to arrange similar app icons under another icon. There's a little bit of a learning curve to working with it but the instructions for everything is online. This app allows me to arrange all the music and reading icons/apps under one main icon. I just click the main icon on my front page and it just brings up those icons. Its incredibly useful and keeps your phone clean. You can also add bookmarks and folders to those menus.
For example I'm a bit into real estate (agent, property management) and I can add all my real estate apps, and website bookmarks (example Florida Statutes) to one menu. Don't have to go all over the place just to find what I need.
For a clock I use Digital Clock Widget (play store). I just fits nicely in the upper corner of a screen, and you can customize it.
Just remember, I have found for this phone, much more so then my old Droid 2, that you will have to find an app for lots of things. The Droid came with enough useful widgets and apps that there was little I had to add just to make it easy to use. It seems for the Note 2 that you have to go find things that to me should be normal and included. I just don't like most of the included stuff, too big, bulky.
Ah the S pen. I still know so little about it.
