Vera Goes To Los Angeles, California For BlogHer Conference

Yesssss!!! It’s time for the BlogHer Conference, and I am pumped!

This year is my third consecutive time attending the BlogHer conference, so it goes without saying that I love this conference. It has been worth it every single time, and I expect this year to be the same. I have come a long way since I first attended the conference. The first time I attended the conference, I did not know anyone. It felt like I was dizzy and playing pin the tail on the donkey … on a frog. Frogs don’t have tails. But I went, and I survived. Most of all, I loved it.

It was in my first year that I got to be in a paid video round-table discussion, sponsored by Stayfree. I remember I had heels on that day as I ran toward the room where we would be recording. After running in heels for a while, I decided to get serious and switch to my flats. Thankfully, I had them in my bag. I have since learned to not bother packing heels for these conferences.

In my second year (last year), I got to be on a paid panel, sponsored by Prudential. I. Loved. It. I talked about money and being a blogger and all that fun stuff. During that panel, I promised to register Verastic as a business. And I did. Thank you again, Prudential! Also, last year was extra special because I was two-in-one. I was six months pregnant with Ada Verastic, and people barely knew.

This year is EXTRA SPECIAL. Not only am I going for my third time, but I’m also going with my boo – Ada Verastic. I plan on using Ada Verastic to win favors for myself; she’s my good luck charm. Her father, on the other hand, has plans of just “walking around” the hotel and feeling himself. At this point, I don’t know if he plans on attending any sessions, and I paid the full conference price for him to attend oh! In addition to walking around, waking up and having breakfast is all he currently plans on doing with Verastic’s money. He will soon be fired from his unpaid position as Manager. I’m really excited about this year’s BlogHer conference; I started planning it while I was still pregnant. Oh, and I’ll also be partnering up with a few brands. Yay me. Details later.

It’s a five-hour nonstop flight from Baltimore to Los Angeles, and just like when Ada Verastic and I traveled to Austin, Texas, my packing is different again because I have a little human being with me. I bought some cookies for me to snack on during our entire time in Los Angeles, and one-third of it has already been eaten, so this should be fun. Below is my luggage containing my “property” and Ada Verastic’s own.

Oh!! One thing I’m so excited about? I got my nails done!!! You may not understand, but before I had Ada Verastic, I used to let my nails grow really, really long. The picture below is an old picture of my nails, no tips/extensions.

But I have been cutting them down since. However, she’s 9 months now, and I am ready to go back to being vain. I made my nail appointment two whole weeks in advance, and I just could not wait to get in there and do the darn thing. Yes, I know I could have done my nails regularly after having Ada Verastic, but I didn’t do them because I would have had to keep cutting them, and I love them long. And below is what they look like now. I shared the picture on Instagram.

 

The before and after. A girl is back to getting her nails done. They’re short now, but looking forward to letting them grow very long again #ICantKeepCalm

A photo posted by Vera Ezimora (@verastic) on Aug 3, 2016 at 10:58am PDT

Stay woke with me on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter where I’ll be keeping you updated with my shenanigans in the West Coast. I will also be keeping a video diary, which I’ll be sharing with you after the conference, and I promise to try my darndest to go live on either Periscope or Facebook.

Last year, I attended the Blogalicious blog conference (while I was 8 months pregnant), and I made a new friend, Abi (from Raising Smart Girls). I convinced her to come to BlogHer16, so I’m uber excited to see her again; we have kept in touch since last year. It’s different when your conference friend is Nigerian. I can say things like “I cannot come and die” and she’ll understand. She can also say “Tati thousand” and “Sharrppp babe!” and I’ll totally get it. Can’t wait to see you, Abi!

If my excitement isn’t coming through in this blog post, then I don’t know how else to say it. Thank you, BlogHer for making my heart go Paulina-Paulina.

Paulina-Paulina = EXCITED/HAPPY.

P.S. I don’t know who Paulina is, or why the excitement/happiness of the heart is called Paulina-Paulina. But that’s what my mommy calls it.

P.P.S. Interestingly, in the first paragraph of last year’s Vera Goes To BlogHer post, I complained about not having a close blogging buddy. Look at me now!

 

Thank You, BlogHer For The BlogHer Conference