First round of 2014 meets

As the saying goes, you gotta play to win. And there were some good gambles on both Orlando Bloom and Cameron Diaz. I sadly did not play but those that did won. Orlando Bloom was particularly painful cause it was my info that I sent to those that did play. On one hand I was very happy to help out a friend/ally, but on the other hand it was painful not to get it myself. 

Bloom and Diaz would have been an extravagant way to start 2014. 

However, let us look at what I did manage to rake in. 

There was a screening with Vanessa Hudgens, the star of the high school musical movies and also in Journey 2: The Mysterious Island starring The Rock. I was going to try her at the event but last minute I found the flight. With only an hour till the flight landed, I RUSHED to the airport. 

I arrive and there were two paps and a grapher. YES! I made it! With about 10 minutes to spare. When she came through the gate she goes "oh damn" as she sees us. But she was cool though her handler was trying to rush her. He goes "we gotta get to the event" and one pap goes "she's not due till 2 hours there's time". 

She did a combo with me no problem. I got her on a magazine. Then as she walked to baggage and I managed to beg her to sign a Journey 2: The Mysterious Island poster.

I did think of going to the event to improve my photo op and get more autographs, but I figured I would save myself the time and effort and simply go home. 

Photo op

Autographs

Photo of her signing for me


Next up, Harry Belafonte was coming to town. I found a train for him and decided I wanted to improve my combo to correct my blunder from December 2013. 

So we arrive and I ask for a photo op and he poses! YES! Success. A grapher asked him for an auto and he says no autos. After he does another photo op I try for the auto and he gestures no with his finger. I thank him and that was it. Partial success as I improved the photo op and not the autograph, but it was the major part of it! So I was pleased. 

Photo op

Video of him rejecting the autograph


To further reinforce "you gotta play to win" I chose not to do his outgoing since he was so rejective of signing. But the other grapher did and apparently Harry hesitated but signed one 


Next up is something different from all the actors, singers, wrestlers, etc. 

Co founder of Apple and inventor of the first desktop computer, Steve Wozniak AKA The Woz! 

In terms of popularity, he is the third biggest name computer wise, the biggest being Bill Gates and the second being Steve Jobs. In terms of important though he is right up there with Bill Gates. 

I meet up with Joresky at the spot, which would mark my first combo hunting endeavor with Joresky in 2014. 

We arrive and security decides to be  saying we can't stand here and it's private property. 110% bullshit but since there wasn't a valid combo on the sidewalk we humor them and stand off the sidewalk into the edge of the street. He goes "if that's what you want to do". 

Shortly after more rent a cops show up. About 5 total. A few minutes later one guy tries to come up to us and tell us we can't stand there. I say "no I think we're staying here, you can call the cops if you want to". A few seconds later I move a few inches away next to a lamp post and I say "we're standing here, that's our final offer". He agrees to that. 

While waiting two old ladies offer us general seating tickets to the speech for FREE. I really needed a bathroom so if nothing more this was a ticket to piss and crap. 

We wait more and finally The Woz arrives. At that point we no longer complied with any rent a cop requests and simply went for what is legal. We walk (with Joresky training behind me) and one guy tried to stop me. His hands touched my coach and I give him a VERY firm but polite "DON'T TOUCH ME" complete with a hand gesture. And touch me he does not as I approach The Woz and ask for a photo op. He says it's ok and he poses for us. We tried to get autographs but he says "on the way out" and we say ok. 

After he was inside I chose not to curse out the security guard since 1) we still wanted autographs and 2) he didn't get grabby with me and did comply with my demand. 

Once inside I piss and crap and we listen to his speech. Towards the end we leave in order to complete our combos and make my time and effort a little more worthwhile. We wait but then Joresky has the brilliant idea to check the front. And how nice it was that it was all glass and we could see him attend a private reception and know exactly when to strike. Of course security guards watch us as we wait. 

He leaves out the front and we approach and his wife (I assume) goes "oh wow you guys waited all this time" he was nice as can be, signed my four photos and chatted with us a bit. 

All in all a great meet. 

Photo op

Autographs