Notification options

[Tom Charlesworth]

I'm using pidgin under ubuntu, as a client to Yahoo.   My problem:  I 
stare at my screen(s) all day coding, with my headphones blasting away, 
and I have a single tabbed window with multiple idle conversations, I 
Never see  when someone types  into an existing conversation, and I 
don't see new conversations show up.   The minimized icon turns a light 
blue, which I don't see, and the audio notification gets lost in the 
music I'm listening to.

I would like to see a pop-up that stays on the screen, and doesn't fade 
away.
I would like to see the light blue minimized icon flash in Red.

I'm sure there's a way to do this, either standard configuration, or a 
plug-in, but I haven't been able to find it.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

-tom