Tale of Two Cards

I know that to build my bankroll, and the experience I need playing live, I need to put in the time and study. Yesterday I dealt two tournaments and played in the first one. I didn't last long and that was alright with me. Remaining focused and playing cards is hard to do when you know your working as well. I had a crazy table on the first tournament I dealt and it seemed I could not get anything right. Just not one of my good sessions. When I started the second tournament it was better and one of the players told the others to leave me alone as I was having a bad day. It turned out alright and I just suppose I needed to get myself into the swing of getting the cards out and paying attention. After everything was done I was asked to deal the live game. I did that and when I was relieved of those duties I decided to have something to eat and then go home. Finding out my wife had a party to go to and I would be home alone I decided to stay and get into the live game. I put in my one buy in, that I normally do, and just watched the table. After a period of time I got KK and I bet them. I am trying to be more aggressive when I have the cards at the pre-flop. I will usually limp along with every one else to see what the flop brings and then start firing away. Since most of these players will call anything to see a flop I am not worried about not building a pot. Flop, turn and river did not produce a flush possibility, straight. I felt I was good and kept firing away at the pot. It turned out to be a pretty big size pot. I did win at showdown. During the middle of all of this I had 99's and won with these as well. My chipstack was well over 1 1/2 the buyin at this point. I was ready to go home since my wife had let me know she left the party. I started racking my chips and even told the dealer not to deal me in. The player across from me, a friend and dealer I work with, looked over and told me that I should stay and at least see two more free hands. I felt it was no harm to see a couple of hands before I go. What could happen? Well, the first hand is KK's and now I must bet them. I raised and then I got 3 followers. We ended up seeing the flop, turn and river and the flop was J10Q. The end result was a very big pot and I did not win. I leave the table instead of 1 1/2 the buy in to 1/2 the buy in. I should have made a better decision about what I was looking at and what the other two players were telling me. I didn't do that. It was my fault for playing the cards and I should have folded after the betting on the flop. Of course I was playing to a straight as well if an Ace would have hit. There we go chasing and that is something I like to do if the price is right. Actually I should have picked up my racks and taken them back to the podium a bigger winner. I am reading a magazine "CardPlayer" that I picked up at Wildhorse last week. It is interesting reading and I was struck by what Matt Glantz had to say. I will try to quote this. "What most players don't realize in poker is that we should not attempt to be the best, so that we can beat the second best or the third best. We should try to improve our game in all areas so that we can pofit off of our opponent's mistakes and they can not profit from us in the same manner. The truth is the best players don't make money from outplaying other great players. The best players make money from playing sound poker and taking advantage of spots in which others are making mistakes". Thanks Matt Glantz for your thoughts. It just hit me reading that last night. Have a fun day......