I did not use those passages as proof of prayer to Jesus but rather to demonstrate the tremendous focus Paul had on his relationship with the resurrected, ascended Jesus - the living Jesus. If he enjoyed this relationship, in which Jesus spoke rather directly to him (e.g. his conversion on the Damascus road) then it stands to reason that Paul also conversed with Jesus.

I think you and I are viewing prayer rather differently. To me, Biblical prayer is conversing with God - not always asking him to do stuff. Since Jesus shares in the nature of God (1 Tim 3:16) I do not see why we cannot converse with him. He is so central to my faith as a Christian that I cannot imagine NOT conversing with him. I would hardly call my marriage a happy or successful one if I did not converse with my wife, thus how can I call my Christianity happy or successful if I do not converse with the one in whom I have placed my entire hope?

When I am asking God to work, to direct, etc, I direct those requests to the Father, because Jesus taught us to do so. I do so in Jesus’ name because my salvation and justification before the Father is through Him. In a sense, such petitioning (distinctly different from the disciple to teacher conversations) are to the Father through the Son by the Spirit.

But hey, I’m not trying to convince you that the way I see the Word is the way you should.