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I learned to drive and shift a manual when I was 12, and I never owned an automatic until I picked up my Accord (a family-owned car that was too good to pass up) in 2011. It was fine, though for years I did periodically try to press the imaginary clutch pedal, e.g. when exiting freeways. Drove it around the mountain and desert west and absolutely hated that particular transmissions' performance. But, having had the car for 4 1/2 years now, I find having an automatic for my regular car....all right. I wouldn't get one on a Miata, but for a sedan/hatch/wagon I'd consider it if it's the right transmission (good performance, no reliability issues.) Drove a DSG VW GTI for the first time a few years ago and it was the first two-pedal car I've driven where I felt I wasn't giving anything up over a 3-pedal setup. Drove that same car in the CO mountains a few weeks ago and still thought it was great.
That said, I've never found manuals inherently annoying in stop and go traffic. My 911 is a bit annoying, but not terrible. A car with a light and preogressive clutch and good low-end torque is easy to drive in such traffic, as you can often just sort of troll along just above idle.
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