Hope you all have had a fabulous weekend so far. Here are a few links to check out during your down time this Sunday:


Facebook recently announced that Pages will switch over to the new Timeline layout that is currently on most profiles on March 30. If you have a Facebook page for your blog (which I hope you do) here's how the new layout can actually help your blog.


If you're thinking about starting a second blog, read this first.


Liz Henry at The Six-Year Itch explains why she refuses to call herself a mommy blogger. 

Photo by Rachel Kramer Bussel
Image via Creative Commons

In my latest article for Clutch magazine I discuss ways adults, particularly women, can help empower teen girls to have a more positive and healthy self image. While I think we should offer words of encouragement, we also need to walk the talk and be good examples of self-confident women. This means, as I state in my article, not complaining about our weight or waistlines (something I'm very guilty of) in front of young girls and having an active lifestyle. I have learned that one of the best ways to feel good about my body is to focus on what it can do instead of how it looks (which is why I ran 13.1 miles in below freezing temperatures last month).


Last year, after being weight obsessed for months, I got rid of my scale. I decided to replace my goal of "lose 25 pounds" with "complete a half marathon." And I did it!


After my race I knew I would need a new fitness goal or I'd get fixated on my weight once again. But I couldn't think of one. I thought of nine! And I'm posting them here so you all can help keep me accountable. Here goes...


1. Make weight training a habit.
I hate lifting weights. It's boring, it hurts, and too many of the machines require that you stick your butt up in the air for all the gym rats to see. But alas, I know strength training is good for me. Studies show it takes 21 days to form a habit. So I'll consider this goal accomplished once I do weight training three times a week for three consecutive weeks. (Keep in mind this will probably take me until the end of the year.)


2. Conquer my fear of Body Pump.
From step to spinning to dance aerobics, I love group fitness classes, except for one class -- Body Pump. I hate this class. Why? Because it's a weight lifting class.  Well, it's a torture chamber disguised as a weight lifting class. But I'm determined to one day become a Body Pump regular. One day.


3. Run a 10-minute mile.
I'm a tortoise on the trail.


4. Complete a 5K in 30 minutes.


5. Complete a 10K in an hour.


6. Complete a half marathon in 2.5 hours.
Yes, I actually plan to put my body through that again.


7. Do 50 push ups without taking a break.
21-year-old Javacia could do this. 31-year-old Javacia is lucky to do 5 push-ups without stopping.


8. Obtain my group fitness instructor certification, again.
I miss being a certified fitness fanatic!


9. Obtain my personal trainer certification.
This has been a dream of mine for over a decade.


What are your fitness goals?

Photo by Mark Hunter
Image via Creative Commons

Ask me about my websites and I will most likely tell you that I'm a lifestyles blogger. But lately I've realized that for me "lifestyles blogger" is the answer I give instead of saying "Frankly, I have no idea what my blog is about!" Now, I'm not saying this is the case for all lifestyles bloggers. In fact, pretty much all my favorite blogs would fall under that category. But even lifestyles blogs, the good ones at least, have focus, something I've struggled to find in my 3+ years of blogging. 


In last month's issue of Upscale magazine Angel Laws, founder of the internationally recognized celebrity blog ConcreteLoop.com, offered a few tips for finding your niche. She recommended making a list of five things that really interest you then mixing up a a couple of those into a topic that has your personal touch. 


I am very interesting in women's issues, faith, fitness, race matters, and maintaining healthy friendships and relationships.  I've always wanted to have a blog about feminism, but one that all women would feel comfortable visiting and one that also explored my Southern values and how I work to reconcile them with my feminist ideals. My plan is to slowly move my other blog, GeorgiaMae.com, in this direction. 

As for this blog, I decided to to follow the advice of Jeff Goins. I'm currently taking his free blogging tutorial Intentional Blogging (which I highly recommend). He suggests a three step process to discovering your niche. First, choose your subject based on your passion. Next, choose a theme, which is a particular area of concentration within your topic. Then you'll decide on your objective. What do you want to accomplish with your blog? What's your goal? 

Here's my objective for this blog:

To help women writers achieve their goals as I share inspiring (and sometimes funny) stories of my journey to make my own writing dreams come true. 

Ta-da! I have a niche. 

So why is it so important to have a niche? I think it can be liberating. In the past I have felt so stressed about my other blog because I felt it necessary to post commentary on EVERYTHING going on in pop culture and news. But that pressure is eased when you have more focus. And Jeff Goins says "The rule of thumb is this: The more narrow your focus, the more you broaden your audience."

Believe it or not, it's also easier to come up with ideas. I once feared establishing a niche because I thought it would be limiting, but I believe having a niche inspires you to be more creative as you think of all the ways you can explore your topic. Taking just a few minutes to brainstorm ideas based on my objective for this blog I came up with dozens of ideas. Here's a sample: 

• Business cards for bloggers and writers
• How to cover events as an independent writer
• The art of guest blogging
• How I used my blog to help me fall in love with my hometown
• How to make a media kit
• What to wear to a blogging or writing conference
• Signs you’re a real blogger
• Signs you're a real writer
• How to throw an event to promote your blog

As my closest friends (and my students) know, I'm a major Hunger Games geek. I've been counting down the days until the premiere of the upcoming movie inspired by Suzanne Collins' novel. (Only 17 more days to go!)

I'm a writer and nerd so, of course, I had to read all the books in The Hunger Games trilogy before the movie. If you haven't, I encourage you to do the same. Yes, it's Young Adult literature, but it's very well-written with a compelling plot and complex characters. And even if you're a blogger, journalist, or essayist, I truly believe that reading non-fiction can help your craft as the art of storytelling is so essential to all forms of writing. 

I'm also a girl with a passion for fashion so, yes, I've been wondering, "What will I wear when I go see the movie." And here's my answer:

Get it here

The feminist in me could not resist. You see, The Hunger Games has a Twilight-esque love triangle and just as Twi-hards sport Team Edward and Team Jacob gear, there are plenty of t-shirts out there boasting Team Peeta or Team Gale. But Katniss is the hero of this story so let's celebrate her instead. Girl power!

But, just for fun, here are some other examples of Hunger Games-inspired fashion, all from Etsy.com in honor of National Crafts Month. 

The Girl Who Was on Fire

Boy Shorts

Buy these here

Custom Painted Vans

Check these out here

I Heart Cinna

I think I'm gonna buy this one too

Hunger Games Inspired Peep-Toe Pumps!

Available here

And now the boys...

If you love the boy with the bread, click here

And if you like the bad boy type, check here

May the odds be ever in your favor...

image via

"You must write every single day of your life…You must lurk in libraries and climb the stacks like ladders to sniff books like perfumes and wear books like hats upon your crazy heads….may you be in love every day for the next 20,000 days. And out of that love, remake a world."    

-- Ray Bradbury

Photo by David Hetre
Image via Creative Commons

Happy Sunday!


Hope you all are having a great weekend.


Here are a few stories you should check out as you're relaxing today:


Last Sunday was all about the Oscars and while Viola Davis didn't take home the Academy Award for Best Actress, according to The Daily Beast, she did win big in another way as she made a political statement with her lovely natural hair 'do.


And Essence reveals that Davis' choice to sport her natural hair instead of a wig was a very empowering moment for the thespian.


And while we're on the topic of minority issues, check out these two articles on how the black community is embracing Pinterest and the top 10 African Americans to follow on Pinterest. (No, unfortunately, I didn't make the list. But feel free to follow me at http://pinterest.com/writeousbabe.)


If you're visiting my blog because you're procrastinating on a piece you're supposed to be writing and feeling your passion for words is waning, please read Jeff Goins' wonderful post on how to fall back in love with writing.

Photo by Alejandro Mallea
Image via Creative Commons

March is here and I’m so excited because Spring Break is just around the corner (one of the many perks of being a teacher). I’m also excited about my goals for the month. Here are my March Intentions:

Guest blog.

Write more articles for Clutch. For real.

Write and submit an essay to one of my favorite publications.

Post at least Blog Like a Girl Q&A.

Start a new workout regimen.

Go out on another girl date.

Spend Spring Break in Louisville and write about my trip.

Straighten my hair (not with chemicals and it will just be this way for two weeks).

What are your plans for March?