OK! Thanks for the help everyone! I'm pretty sure I hosed up the LCD now. I went and kicked the S*** outta the neighbor's dog for about 20 min, then came back and tried again.... I remembered that I saved a "I know this s*** works" file for this chip when I finally got it running. It's set for 4mhz. I was using a 12 crystal, so my ten second pause lasted only 3. Fair enough. I switched to an 8, 5 seconds, cool. Switched to a 4.00, and 10000 = 10 seconds... fabulous! Added the code for the LCD, LED still blinky blinky.... awesome! Added the LCD to the circuit.... LED still blinky blinky, contrast and backlight still work, but no other activity from the LCD.....

#CONFIG
__config 10000111100001
#ENDCONFIG

DEFINE LCD_DREG PORTB
DEFINE LCD_DBIT 4
DEFINE LCD_RSREG PORTB
DEFINE LCD_RSBIT 3
DEFINE LCD_EREG PORTB
DEFINE LCD_EBIT 2
DEFINE LCD_BITS 4
DEFINE LCD_LINES 2
DEFINE LCD_COMMANDUS 1500
DEFINE LCD_DATAUS 44

LED VAR PORTB.1
CMCON = 7
TRISB = 0 ' make portb output. probably already done in lcd defines, but good habit to set all port dir.

High LED
PAUSE(1000)
LOW LED
LCDOUT $FE, $01

START:
LCDOUT "HELLO FKD"
LCDOUT $FE, $C0, "UP WORLD!"
HIGH LED
PAUSE(1000)
LOW LED
PAUSE(1000)
GOTO START
end