As most of you have already seen, 2025 was the year I broke my Bill Gates curse and finally scored a combo from him. But in October 2025 I also broke yet another curse!
Back in 2013 I tried Carlos Santana at an event. I would see him go in and out several times, but I only managed to get a signed 8x10 the first time I saw him. Couldn't get the op and he didn't do anything more the other times he was seen.
Fast forward roughly 8 years later I had hotel info and his check in time at a hotel. So I blended inside the hotel and waited. He comes in with his wife and handler, and I try asking for a photo op but to no avail. One and one and nada! At this point I quickly exit the hotel since security saw what I was doing.
Next up it's 2023 and I had an incoming flight on him. It was very low key, and I only told one other person. It was an evening flight coming in and I thought to myself surely only 2 people at night, I'd be ok. But no. He landed with his wife and there were people with him. He completely denied the photo. His people said no. I then tried to get my vinyl signed but still nothing.
Now back to 2025. I was at Chiller Theater and Chill Out. Impromptu info came for Carlos Santana. He's not getting any younger, so I thought I better do this. I left Jersey earlier than I was initially planning to and head to the venue. He left the venue quickly with security, so I had to rush to the hotel and beat him there. Which happened to be in the exact same city and exact same hotel as my previous hotel encounter with him.
This time I decided on a different strategy (perhaps foolishly, perhaps not). I wanted to wait till he signed for graphers then piggyback on that and say I had nothing to get signed I want the op (indeed I didn't have anything to get signed because this wasn't planned). After he signed I tried to ask for the photo op. He was agreeing and his bodyguard was cock blocking me. I manage to get in a position for a selfie, but he isn't truly posing despite agreeing to the photo op. Yet another FAIL! Invalid op! So close yet so far! You can even see the bodyguard photo bombing me.
For those keeping score, my score is now 0-4 photo op wise, 1-3 autograph wise.
But 2025 I would have yet another chance at Carlos Santana. He had an early morning flight not too long after my last encounter. I was dreading this setup. And incidentally, the exact same airport as my previous airport encounter with him. So, I failed twice in the same hotel. Cosmically speaking this means I'm going to fail twice in the same airport. Right? Especially in the early morning. And to boot, he may even have shades on even if he agrees to the photo op.
Wake up around 5:20 am, go to the airport, get my free parking spot, walk inside the airport, truly dreading what's to come. So now we are 2 people waiting at the airport. Debating what to do. Wait here? Go through security try at the gate? Decided to wait and see him first. A little after 7am I see him, his wife, and the same bodyguard who was cock blocking me at the hotel.
Now here is where the combo Gods shined upon me. The cock blocking bodyguard goes through TSA the normal way, whereas Carlos and his wife go the fast way. So here I have a dream setup presented to me by the combo Gods. Carlos walking on public property with no security and no bodyguard! Just him and his wife. AND no shades! Again, dream scenario, dream setup!
Waited till they parted ways and the bodyguard was out of sight. Then approached them as they walked. Asked Carlos for the op and to my bafflement he stopped and did ops! This time I got a valid selfie! I couldn't believe it! I did try to get my vinyl signed after the op but he said he was done. Followed them a little more to plead a little more but to no avail.
FINALLY, I broke my Carlos Santana curse!
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