There's a great next-day effect when you hit big money in a tournie that I dont think anyone really talks about. I call it The Grin Effect.
I'm grinning like a loon now in fact.

Last night, in fact early this morning, I chopped the Big Slick 250 game (I took second and a lump of extra cash). €3,500 for my trouble. Annoyingly I had sold Mike 20% so as usual had to fork over 700 notes to him. :) I also made the worst deal I've ever made with Ken Powell who, in drunken, euphoric congratulations offered me hard currency for a % when I was a shortie on the last 4. I would have been annoyed with myself but he's a mate and watching him playing pitch-and-toss against Mike in the hotel room party afterwards, the "ton" seemed miserly to begrudge!

Which brings me back to The Grin. Waking up this morning, afternoon, I feel like someone dumped in my mouth and stamped on my head. My phone is ringing and the sun is streaming in from behind the dark red curtains and I sit on the side of the bed wrestling my head into the arm of a t-shirt while trying to remember the nagging thing about yesterday. Oh yeah, I won €3500. *grin*

All day I will be doing this. Forgetting and then remembering why, deep inside, there is a feeling of contentment. A peace of sorts in the maelstrom of confidence and self-doubt. At least for the moment.
Remembering that I have 3k in my pocket as I ride home in the GJP landcruiser. But the truth has to be told, no matter how much I need the money (and I do!), the feeling is golden.

Having complained bitterly about my luck in my last entry, I feel ashamed to relate my ridiculous, sick run of outrageous luck. I didnt just get lucky, I was the personification, the very living avatar of Fortuna

All In with K3 versus AA. 456 flop, King, 2.

Q,T on a Q,T,9 board ran into KJ. No problem, I'll just get running Jack, King for a chop.

I get it all in on the final table with Q7 versus KJ and starting singing "Whats that I see coming over the hill, is it a monsta, IS IT A MONSTA?!". I abruptly stop singing when I flop trip 7's and river quads.

It wasnt all plain sailing, I CRAI'ed the super-calling-station second-chipleader (when I was chipleader) who INSTA-called 150k and his tournament with A3. I had A8 and he spiked a 3. I guess I was due that :)

I'm very happy about going deep. Its given me a huge boost of confidence and a well needed shot in the bankroll! Am I proud of how I got there? Yeah. Mostly. I played some steady poker and got more then my fair share of luck, but after the kickings I've had at the start of the year, I aint got no regrets about spreading the pain.

Sorry it was you mate, glad it was me . Welcome to my world... I was juuuust leaving.