I have a Blackjack II and have really liked the phone so far (although I really want a Sony Xperia X1 when it releases).  Recently I mentioned to a couple of friends how much I liked the BJII and they went out and purchased them.  They liked them also, but wanted a home screen with smaller icons so they could better maximize their real estate. 

Here is the Windows Default Layout (notice that the mail/messaging notifications are below and it is necessary to scroll down to get them).

Here is the layout after I changed the home screen around a little bit.  I changed to smaller icons and moved around a few of the items so my mail/messaging is above the profile.

I have posted the new home screen here.  If you want to try it out, save it to the XML file to your device in the Application Data\Home directory then go into your settings and change the home screen to "Default with Small Icons". 

Warning, I have not taken the time (nor do I have the ability) to internationalize the XML file so if you are using a different language than US English you should open the XML file and change the name to be appropriate for you. 

Also, if you want to move things around in the home screen, it is quite easy.  Just open the XML file and reorder the <plugin> elements to match your liking.