Making my comeback, avoiding getting stacked

[epic]

Lately, I seem to have a problem getting stacked a lot. A little history about me:

I used to play $25 NL online for a while, going so far as paying my rent/bills/etc. playing. I usually went back and forth between $25nL and $50 NL, depending on my BR at the time. I played at Poker Room and various Pokertime affiliates (which were, admittedly, very soft for a long time). I did really well over the 6-7 months I was playing regularly.

I stopped playing when I entered the "real world" and didn't really have time. I recently thought I'd give it another go since stars and tilt are both easily accessible for US players.

I did do a lot of reading here, at 2+2, and over a few decent books I have before I started playing. I started off ok, but ultimately, ended up busting out. Just when I'd start winning again, I'd bust out again.

For some reason I just can't seem to win consistently. I've made my share of bad moves, but ultimately I just can't seem to get my good hands to hold up (yeah yeah, everyone says this).

My brother and I have discussed this and he insists that I'm "sitting with too big of a stack and am giving people reverse implied odds to stack me." That's his reaction every time something like the below happens:

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.02 BB (6 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

UTG ($2.20)
MP ($1.90)
CO ($2.12)
Button ($2.44)
Hero ($1.68)
BB ($4.32)

Preflop: Hero is SB with K, K.
UTG calls $0.02, MP calls $0.02, 2 folds, Hero raises to $0.14, 1 fold, UTG calls $0.12, MP folds.

Flop: ($0.32) 2, 8, T (2 players)
Hero bets $0.34, UTG raises to $0.68, Hero raises to $1.54, UTG calls $0.86.

Turn: ($3.40) 6 (2 players)

River: ($3.40) 9 (2 players)

Final Pot: $3.40

Results in white below:
Hero has Kh Kc (one pair, kings).
UTG has 8s 8d (three of a kind, eights).
Outcome: UTG wins $3.40.

I only sat at the table with $1.50. I had been playing this table for about half an hour and had a pretty good read-pretty much maniacs. Lots of action, people playing Ax like it's the nuts on every street.

First: Am I just gonna be paying the guy off in this situation every time, or can I ever justify letting go of KK in this situation (I wasn't really thinking set here, more along the lines of A4/A10, based on previous hands)?

Second: Is sitting down at these micro tables with that amount too much? Too little?

I don't have PT (only the trial version), so the only real "stats" I am currently using are my stars stats.

I'd like to thing I'm staying reasonably aggressive (about 25% pots won without showdown, 53% at showdown).

The problem seems to be that, despite my aggression, late position play, etc., I seem to keep losing big pots where I either get busted by someone's draw/lesser hand or I get money in where I appear to have the best hand and have already been outdrawn (like the above).

Admittedly, though I'm not TERRIBLE at pot control, I could probably improve here.

Stars is obviously quite different from PR, but still appears to be quite fishy.

Anyone got any generic advice for:

-avoiding getting stacked
-pot control
-adjusting to the game now, coming back from a 2 year absence from the online game?

[Chopper]

i go broke here everytime.

and you SHOULD be sitting at a table with as full a stack as they allow...if you think you are able to beat the others...anything else is leaving potential money on the table.

imo, you also shouldnt be worried about getting stacked yourself...if you arent getting stacked some...you arent going to take them, either.

[Fnord]

My Grandpa used to tell me "You ain't playing Euchre right if you don't get Euchred sometimes."