I only have a stance that could be classified as sitting about a quarter of the time. Sitting is in no way a necessary stance for a good hip belay which dependent on the stancing available. A single non-locking biner through the harness loops clipped to the rope going to the climber is all that is require to make the belay 'omni-directional'.
If the rope is anywhere near your kidneys you aren't doing a hip belay, you're doing a stomach belay. The rope should stay down on your hips (just under your harness loops), it should never be above the top of your hip bones.
I teach well-stanced hip belays in all sorts of stances - sitting, standing, and everything inbetween depending on what's available for the best stance. A munter is a suck thing to do to a rope; I would never use one for anything whatsoever except in a rescue scenario.
Depends on how you tie them, the way we always did they are entirely comfortable.
Phillip has seen the green harness enough so we'll spare him, but sometimes I still have to skip a harness if I'm just visiting or wander onto the scene of someone working a problem as a tourist. Last time I was in the New York with my wife and daughter it wasn't a climbing trip, it was an NYC / Broadway trip, but I talked them into a drive to the Gunks and a walk on the sulky trails and around the grounds of the Mowhonk Mountain House. In the course of the walk we stopped watched some folks working a roof problem and I eventually asked if I could have a quick ride on it. They looked at me quizzedly and said, 'but you don't have any gear...?' - no problem. Barefoot, tied in to the end of the rope, and no chalk to do it. Comes in handy sometimes and is also plenty comfortable to fall, hang, and lower in.
Phillip, you should come out with me sometime and give the new route a look...
that's pretty cool joseph, i can't believe you did that barefoot. i would have had to slather chalk on my feet though.