Ernest is correct, Mint is nice, in fact, it's a beautiful, smooth and, polished distribution. That's what I've been using as my main Linux box for the last 6 or 8 months.
OTOH, Studio is designed for Graphics, Video, Audio design, mixing, and general farting around. You can add all of that to any .nix distribution for free.
If it's small you really want,
Damn Small Linux will run off of a usb or "thumb" drive, as it's only 50MB installed.
Let me tell you, I've seen some posts that don't accurately depict the modern Linux experience. Drivers, for the most part, and especially so with version 8.04, will be installed by the OS as it installs. You also have the choice to use proprietary drivers or open source drivers, and yes, they are automatically installed if you choose.
You only have to be as "geeky" as you want to be, it's a very usable Operating System either way.
As far as using your Windows apps, many do run in Wine, but I like using a free "Virtual Machine" instead. All Linux distributions are able to use VirtualBox and VM free Virtual machines. (I prefer VirtualBox) With a Virtual machine, you will install a wndows OS right inside of your Linux machine, just like it's an application ('cause it is), and then you can install all of your Windows apps and use them as you would normally.
While I am on the subject of installing things, you are not limited to using only Debian applications or "packages". Debian app's/packages are denoted by the file extension of .deb. You can use a program called Alien to install other packages, like .rpm's, intended for Red Hat distributions, as easy as clicking on the file, and others, just like in Windows. Your application universe just got bigger! And all free, too. :O)