First live cash game experience

digiman

I was in Atlantic City at the weekend and played my first live cash game at $1/2 NL. I sat at the table with $85, max was $300, lowest was $60 I think.
To my left was a monster stack with around $1300 or so and there was a few other big stacks, the average I would say was about $250+, so I guess my first mistake was buying to little chips, but then I didn't have to much money and it probably turned out to be a blessing in disguise.

So I played very tight at the start, wanted to give this image, mucked my first 6/7 hands, not much action until I recieved AA on the button, in about my 20th hand, had around $80 at this stage. I raised to $8, of which I got 3 more callers. The flop was something like 9j4. The monster stack checks, another check, then a woman who made a bluff a few hands earlier goes all in for $30, I then go all in for my $69 or so, didnt want anymore callers as there was 2 diamonds on the board. The monster stack calls me and the other folds.
So no one shows their cards until the river is shown Q (is this normal in live games?) I show my AA, and to my horror the monster stack has made his gutshot straight, but he did have the flush draw as well, and the woman showed her pocket 8s. I can't see how I could have played this better, but then I am no expert, so any opinions?

I then rebuy with $100 after my bad beat. My villan explains to me he had to call, i can see why i guess, no sure if he was getting correct odds but would have been close, paying $69 to possibly win around $140. i start playing a few more hands than normal, raising now and again with different types of cards, and usually just calling low to mid pocket pairs. I pick up QTo and I call, unsure of position but I was second to act on the flop anyway. The flop is AQQ rainbow, I get a check so I also check, hoping someone has the A. An agressive player bets $20 and everyone calls, turn is a T and I have a house, betting is the same as the flop. The river is the Q and I have poker Qs . its checked to me and I then bet $25 with about $130 in the pot. I get my 2 callers which I had hoped for, thats why I bet so little. Both players were a bit shocked (can't see why?) and afterwards both said they would have folded a higher bet, like me all in (~$50). Any opinions on how I played this hand that might have made it more profitable?

2 other main hands to mention.
I get KK on BB and I raise to $8, I get 4 callers, the flop comes all hearts, 478, I bet $30 and get one caller, I put him on chasing a flush with a good kicker as it took him a while to call and just had that feeling. The turn is a heart again, and I think I am definietly beat at this stage as I have to hearts so i just check, he put me all in for around $90 and I fold quick enough and show my damn KK. Villan said nothing and a few people said I done the correct thing, I am not a 100% sure but wasn' taking the risk to call, as all I could beat was a pair, and had no outs if he had a flush.

After this things went down hill a bit, chased a straight and a flush which cost me, was getting good odds on them but they never came up, so I am left with $37 and I am on the button with A9o, I get a raise infront of me of $8 and about 5 limpers so i move all in (still not sure why?) and belive it or not but I get 3 callers, cards are AAT48 and I win the hand, back up to about 150 or so, and I leave after the next set of blinds.

Overall I really enjoyed it, so less likely to get pissed of with the game than when playing online. I was out of dept I think, I mostly play 0.25/0.5 online, but my STT play is really good as I am very consistent money finisher in $10-$30 buy ins.
So what I would like is some comments on these hands, and some advice on how to play better at these live stakes as I am going to Vegas in 3 weeks:D