Yep Jake, guilty as charged! I figure anybody who sees my nearly 400 positive feedback points and early bidding strategy knows they better really want what they're about to bid on!
I tend to study the "market" for items I'm bidding on so I don't feel sleazy (in an instant gratification kind of way) about the amount I'm offering. It seems like I eventually get what I'm after at the price I'm willing to pay if I'm patient.
I've also noticed that when something considered "rare" that I want goes for a really high price on eBay, they start coming "out-of-the-woodwork" with sellers hoping for a similar prices for theirs and saturating the market, driving down the price. Take original orange hood badges for example of this effect.
Ok, ok, I know, next stop... "Hi, my name is Darryl and I'm a compulsive eBay user..."