Cary, your remarks only reinforce what I've been saying all along: bid your maximum whether you're sniping or not. It wouldn't have been so much of an "ouch" experience if you had bid as much as you were willing to spend. At least that way if you lose (and snipers lose, too) you know that somebody paid more for that doodad than you were willing to pay. And as you say, there'll always be another time.