Salaam!

I use the shi'a tradition of raising my hands three times while saying Allahu Akbar on each raise. Then I kiss the floor and touch my forehead to it whilst saying astaghfirullah x3 silently.
Then, in congregation if leading I turn round to the people and say assalaamu alaikum warahmatullah (sometimes as we don't yet have a set tradition)

Peace be upon you.

I'm in complete agreement with your post and I'm glad to find someone who thinks like me. Although I have changed the wordings in my salat, and I hope to keep changing it every once in a while, it still consists of rakahs with the traditional pattern of 2-4-4-3-4.

Salaam!

I keep my rakaat to 4 or 2 depending on time and mood. I think it's perfectly acceptable to do so as God knows sometimes I'm so tired, but I try to aim for 4 always with intention beforehand.

I do Salat al-Fajr before sunrise, Salat al-Wustu at midday and Salat al-Isha after sunset. I reserve Dhikrullah (meditation on Allah's qualities) for after midnight when possible. I also practice this in jama'at with two, three or sometimes four others here in London. We have a very cheap space for this and we call our group Masjid Ahl al-Qur'an.