How to plan for 2014?

Happy New Year Everyone,

Here we are at the start of a new year. Started the year off to a good start with the ubiquitous New Year's traditions with family and friends, a toast at midnight, lucky grapes, money in the pockets, lucky dinner with greens, Hoppin' John black eyed peas and lucky pork, a clean house, laundry all washed, and a freshly trimmed Einstein, my dog (a trimmed dog is not necessarily good luck but it goes along with having everything in order). This is the first year we've done so many luck rituals. I hope one of them pans out.

Here I am now trying to plan on how to make the most of 2014. I asked myself, "what am I missing and what can I do better?" These are big questions. I have a plan for the big life goals but I am stuck in a quandary when it comes to my comic book life.

Having only recently joined CGC, I am building up my CGC Registry Points. Right now I'm at a meager 1,119 but it is inching up. I just realized I do not have anything pending from CGC so I need to submit some moderns and early 1960's issues from my complete sets of Avengers and Uncanny X-Men. As it takes quite a bit of pocket change to do this, I will be submitting sporadically with the most economical options. But my biggest realization has been that in all my 20 some years of collecting comic books, I did not have an autograph from Stan Lee. Let's be honest, I don't have very many autographs period. I only just went to my first comic book convention this past fall in Baltimore. Being a Marvel zombie, my main goal in 2014 is to get Stan Lee autographs. Stan Lee's birthday just passed and I feel it's important to get this done.

The next questions are how and where? I live in DC and I'm from Chicago so I'm willing to venture to comic book conventions in Chicago, New York, Philly, Baltimore and Pittsburgh. Where would I be able to get an autograph from Stan Lee directly? I can't seem to find any info for Stan Lee's schedule. I have already started angling the comic book convention websites but it seems to be too early. What am I to do?

Well, since patience is a virtue that I will be attempting to improve, meaning that I don't have much, I just purchased my very first Stan Lee autograph today: Uncanny X-Men #148 Signature Series 9.8. I couldn't help it. This is the first and last one I am purchasing this year. I want all future Stan Lee's to be obtained directly.

I hope to run into some of you guys along the way.

May 2014 be prosperous and full of good fortune for everyone.

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