More elegant way to create intermediate dialogs?

["iefjud874508dS" <webforumsuser@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi All,
 I have several situations where the user selections an operation where they 
need to make additional decisions before the action completes and they return 
to the original page.  This really becomes a Modal Message Box that I can 
populate with button choices or drop-downs, etc. as needed.   Unfortunately, 
this is messy.

 The way I've done this in the past (pre CF8) was:
 1. CF form triggers a JavaScript call which calls a second form that presents 
the options.
 2. User selects options from second page, javascript then calls a third CF 
action script that does operations
 3. third form completes and returns to the first form.

 All told, 3 CF forms and 2-3 sets of JavaScript.  Ack.  Ick.  Yuck.

 Any examples of a *simpler* way to do this?   Has anyone used AJAX for 
something similar?  If so, any sample code you could share?

 Thanks!
 /russ