Will you please talk to me about antianxiety meds?

If you have experience with meds for anxiety, would you please share some observations, cautions, and recommendations?

Does my ideal medication even exist? That would be something that
• you can take as needed, not have to keep up with all the time
• just takes the edge off and leaves you functional
• doesn’t put you to sleep or make you an unsafe driver
• doesn’t have addictive properties
• doesn’t interfere with other types of meds (e.g., Lipitor)
• doesn’t cause or exacerbate insomnia
• you can stop taking without having it mess you up (very important)

I don’t like taking any meds, and I know that sometimes the cure is worse than the disease. I also know that fluther posts are no substitute for medical advice. I’d just like to see what others’ experience has been.