Nope, not rude at all.
I don't record my cadence, either. Even when riding slowly, I maintain a steady cadence (cadence is not related to speed, it is related to the gear ratio you've chosen).

I agree that the Nuvinci does feel "different" than the more mechanical Shimano hubs - not bad in my estimation, just different. I've not noticed the "disconnected" feel that you've experienced. If I want to pick up the pace, I spin up a bit and adjust the gearing to suit my comfortable cruising cadence, and it feels pretty seamless to me. I've done some pretty steep hills, and the hub has worked fine for me. I suspect that the efficiency is a touch lower in the lower range, though it could be a cadence thing. If I'm grinding up a really steep grade in the lowest gear setting and cannot maintain my spin (out of saddle, etc) I do feel a little drag in those circumstances.

Because of this, I am inclined to guess that the lower cadence that you maintain is what might be contributing to your experience. I'll try it on my bike on the flats and will report back.

For general info on this thread, I have been out lately in our cooler air, and can report that I do not notice any difference in the hub's operation in the 5-15 degree F temperature range. This has been an area of curiosity with folks on other forums, wondering about if cooler temps affect the viscosity of the fluid.