"I'd love for someone to show me a polishing job where I cannot honestly find a single flaw. It's just the nature of the beast.
That said, to strive for perfection will always be of benefit, even if it drives you nuts in the meantime! "
Oh, it's definitely driving me nuts--even if nobody else is complaining. Like you implied, I guess that's a good thing. FYI, I noticed the same scratches, if not worse, on some brand new polished aluminum wheels so I felt a little better--only a little, though.
I'm still open to more ideas...