Fine! Fine! I've had this happen to a television in the past, no big whoop that it's happening to a computer monitor. So I hook up another monitor we had kicking around while waiting the few days before heading out and picking up a new one and.. ..same thing (albeit a little less dark). So now I'm thinking it might be the video card itself instead of the monitor going south.
And for added fun, the present video card isn't a separate component but is instead part of the primary motherboard. In other words, I can't just pull the old one out and slap the "new" one in. "New" since I actually have a few video cards to choose from to toss in.
So yes, this has been my fun week off from work. (The sad part is, I actually do find this kind've thing fun)