I'm mostly of a mind with you here. I love "you're welcome" though mostly because my three year old loves saying it. He will find teeny things that he can do that will solicit a "thank you" so that he can say "you're welcome".

I began saying "my pleasure" a while ago. It's not having the impact I had hoped it would, but I keep on keeping on.

and bud is... I'm ambivalent. I WANT the intimacy that would come with someone actually thinking I'm their bud, but I doubt it. It's that fear of insincerity. That same fear that led us to reduce usage of "you're welcome". Should I fight this feeling?

Maybe you want to address the "Thank YOU" response, too?

where we differ is I have no problem when my thanks aren't acknowledged or they're of coursed. Unless it's my kid. Then I check to see if something's wrong.