It’s here! The Bucket List items are on the list and the first has been completed and scratched off, so I hereby bring you “The Bucket List Blog” for 2015!
If you read the introductory installment, you know the first item of business was a trip to Walker Stalker Con New York/New Jersey (#WSCNYNJ) at the Meadowlands Exposition Center Dec. 13 & 14 of this past year. The main attraction? Meeting Norman Reedus, aka Daryl Dixon of AMC’s hit show, The Walking Dead. What’s all the hub-bub you ask if you don’t tune in? Well, I’m admittedly a big fan of Reedus and the show. Daryl is my favorite character [and it doesn’t hurt that he’s easy on the eyes]. I’ve enjoyed reading interviews Reedus has done and getting a glimpse into how he embraces the differences in people. I also admire the consideration and attention he bestows upon his fans when meeting them.
Riley, my 9-year-old son, thinks Norman is cool because he shoots zombies with a crossbow and rides a motorcycle. It’s that simple. What little boy doesn’t think that’s neat? And he’s never really met anyone “famous” before.
So, here’s how it went:
We (Riley, my sister Kelley and I) got ourselves a room at the Holiday Inn Secaucus for the weekend of the event, allowing us to get into the venue bright and early Saturday morning with the VIP crowds – courtesy of our media badges. (Major tip here: If you want to go to a Walker Stalker or Comic Con-type event and have ANY interest in meeting the celebrities in attendance, if you can afford it, VIP is the way to go. It absolutely gets you through the autograph/meet-and-greet lines faster.) That being said, we weren’t the only people there with “Meeting Norman” at the top of our agenda.
Chocolate Zombie by John Zuwiala of Haute Chocolate Cafe
We made our way straight to his table and had a pretty decent spot in line and to “Norman watch” as Platinum VIPs and Norman Reedus VIPs (there are numerous VIP tiers) got to meet the most popular The Walking Dead star in attendance. After three hours of semi-patient waiting, it was our turn. And we came bearing a gift courtesy of John Zuwiala, owner of West Reading’s Haute’ Chocolate Café: a chocolate zombie skull sculpture. It was amazing, and appropriate: Reedus has admitted in interviews to eating a chocolate bar nearly every night before bed (told you I was a fan).
I was nervous to see how it would go. More for my son than for myself, really. Would he be as cool as we anticipated? As personable? Luckily for us, he absolutely was. Riley, admittedly, was a bit overwhelmed with the experience, especially after the long wait (after all, he won’t do more than 20 minutes waiting in line for a Disney ride). And I have to say having Norman Reedus hold your hand, call you cutie, thank you for your gift and hug you is pretty amazing – as is having him drench you in Silly String. I think you could say Norman’s a big kid at heart. Luckily, Riley recovered a bit later when I went for my photo op with Norman and was a bit less star-struck. He got high-fives from Norman and loved every second.
Photo by Thomas O’Mara | Riley and Steven Yeun discuss pizza
But, kids being kids, they’re ever-changing at their age, right? What did Riley come away with from the experience? A new favorite actor from the show. That’s right – even after the silly string battle and high-fives with Norman, it was Steven Yeun, who plays Glenn, who stole his heart upon having an intense – albeit brief – conversation about their favorite pizza types and toppings, Steven is now tops on Riley’s list.
It’s definitely an experience we’ll talk about for years to come, and one we hope to experience again at another Walker Stalker event in the future. Bucket list mission #1 – COMPLETE!
Nikki M. Murry is the editor-in-chief of Berks County Living and a huge fan of Bruno Mars, Norman Reedus, Derek Jeter and Gwen Stefani. She enjoys travel, is active in dog rescue with SNORT – Short Noses Only Rescue Team, and lead by the love of her son, Riley, 9, and his endless interests and outlook on the world around him.
