Nostalgia,

That's basically what I've been doing...don't really have much else to choose from. It works well for what it is designed for but it can be highly dependent/variable with the program material. For example, when watching sports on cable the surrounds are largely inactive during the game but really wake up when the latest gee whiz beer commercial comes on. I just feel kinda cheated that I can't use the stereo 5 mode when I feel it's appropriate just because I choose to not employ a center channel speaker.
For the record, I'm using large electrostatics (Acoustat 2+2's) for the front left and right. They image quite well and I've never felt compelled to add a center speaker. Getting a center channel to integrate with the electrostatics would probably cause more problems than it's worth. In addition, my system fires down the longer dimension of the room and we sit back quite a distance so the issues of off center listening are largely moot. Anchoring dialog to the screen (the primary reason for using a center channel) just isn't that much of an issue for our situation.

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Tekdredger