I'm thinking it would be good to have some kind of object for a head, such as a computer or plasma torus lamp. do you have any advice (maintenance, dire spells, foods to avoid putting in ports, etc.)
Oh of course! These old CRTs are pretty resilient so you don't really have to do much to maintain them, but they are very prone to heat so it's wise to keep them in cool, dry locations. As for food, uh... You're really not supposed to put any food inside your monitor but I would say greasy, oily food is probably the worst because it could have adverse effects on the circuitry!
I hope your journey goes well and that you don't die during the process! π