Haha, yeah, playsand is the greatest when you've got desert critters. As far as getting him to eat more of his veggies, you have to be just as stubborn as the beardie and always give veggies before bugs. If he's hungry he'll eat whatever you put in his cage, he might just have to do a little fasting before he realizes that the fun food comes second. Also, if you get him some of the pellets and he turns his nose up at it, soaking them in a little fruit juice (peaches, pears, apple, etc.) usually gets their attention pretty quick.

I've learned a lot from working with fussy babies at my store... can't wait until my eggs hatch!

Emo is very very cute! Beardies were just made for the camera
Like most herps, they change their coloring depending on their mood and body temperature. Bright coloration usually indicates warm and happy, while they show their darker colors when they're sleeping, stressed out, or cold.