I lean toward the philosophy of "low rpm first, then anything else". I rarely go above 2500 rpm at the top of my pulses, usually running 1500-2200 rpm. Of course, I have the 1.5L engine, so as you said there will be places where you NEED more rpm for more power. That's a good thing, it means your engine is actually the right size for efficiency rather than for power.
You might look at MAP on the gauge for accelerating instead of TPS if your TPS is jumping around.
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11-mile commute: 100 mpg - - - Tank: 90.2 mpg / 1191 miles
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