I can’t help but crack up (haha) every time I look at that book cover. Kathryn, sitting at her computer, holding the burned meatloaf. Ooh … I can relate. I once put cookies in the oven, then thought I’d run up to the attic REAL quick to find something. And of course when I got up there, I totally forgot I had cookies in the oven. Oops.

So, I gotta ask Kathryn. What’s with the burnt meatloaf?

The burnt meatloaf reference was just a phrase that made me laugh, but it also refers to those moments in our life when we make silly mistakes, like burning the meatloaf, and instead of crying about it, we should just laugh at ourselves. It makes life a lot more fun!

Tell us about your new book. Why is it called Cracked at Birth?

Well, when I first started writing my column, the editor asked me to come up with a column name. My husband actually came up with “Sunny Side Up” because the columns really just try to get people to laugh at all the strange and unexplained phenomena in life and not take life too seriously. Then, when I was developing my Web site, I recognized that sunny side up is also a way to cook eggs and I just started brainstorming along the whole egg theme. When I came up with “Cracked at Birth,” it just sounded funny to me and also kind of explained my slightly cracked view of life — so I went with it.

Fun! Hey, I saw that your website was one of the top 10 in the Writer’s Digest Best Website competition in 2003. Congratulations! So, what’s it like running a business from home?

Well, like anything, it’s got its plusses and minuses. It’s nice to be able to work from home and contribute to our family’s bottom line, but it’s also challenging because you have to work around your child’s schedule. I learned early on that I could only juggle so much and that has helped save my sanity.

I think it’s important for each mother to determine her comfort zone. How much can you handle? Do you like to be busy all of the time? Do you mind working at night after the kids go to bed? How much money do you want your business to make? These are all important questions you need to consider before you just dive in and start a business.

Can you tell us a little more about your marketing communications business?

Originally, I started out doing both the writing and designing of marketing communications materials, like brochures, fliers, direct mail pieces, etc. I quickly learned that I got flustered trying to handle the whole project, so I decided to focus my efforts on the writing and now outsource the design. This has worked out really well for me.

The percentage of moms working from home continues to grow every year. Do you have any suggestions for women who need to help out with their family income and want to try to work from home?

Just to try and determine what YOU need to make it work. Everyone has different needs, goals, time constraints, and stress tolerance levels. I think a job should be fun and fulfilling. If you find yourself working into the wee hours of the night, not enjoying the work, and most importantly neglecting your kids on a regular basis to get the job done, then I think you need to reassess the situation and come up with
a better balance.

I’m constantly reminding myself that my decision to stay home was to be with my kids and that is the most important thing, so when they get off the bus, I get off the computer and totally engage in being a mom. Raising those little human beings to be successful and happy is our main job and we need to keep sight of that.

Someone once said to me, “You’re only as happy as your unhappiest child,” and I totally believe that to be true. So I try to have fun with my kids, make them laugh, and if they’re happy…I’m happy!

That’s so true! Thanks, Kathryn! This has been such a refreshing experience to talk to someone with such a great outlook. I really enjoyed your book, and I wish you all the best as you continue seeing the Sunny Side Up of life.

P.S. Don’t forget to stop in Kathryn’s website and drop her a note! 🙂

OK, I just read this on Spunky Homeschool, and I about fell out of my chair. Some lucky moms are going to get paid to BLOG. Yes, you read that right. There’s a company called ClubMom.com that reaches out to 2 million moms, and they’re looking for moms who blog to pay them a minimum of $500 to $1,000 per month (plus gifts and bonuses) to blog about things moms want to read about.

Yeah. This is for real.

You’ve got until March 30th to give this opportunity some serious thought and prayer, if you think this is something you might like to do. Here’s the scoop (copied with permission from ClubMom.com):

1. Help Us Showcase the Best Mom Blogs ($1,000/month):
ClubMom is seeking a Mom blogger who can launch the “Best of the Mom Blogs” daily Blog!

There are many amazing Mom bloggers across the country, some of whom are starting to grow engaged audiences. ClubMom wants to bring these unique voices and the blogging medium to mainstream Moms across the country. Our 2 million+ members are very interested to hear from other Moms with compelling voices and stories. By showcasing the “Best of the Mom Blogs” daily blog on Clubmom.com, we want to get Moms excited about blogs.

The winning candidate will create a daily round-up blog which consists of descriptions and links to the best blog content written by moms or of interest to moms. Candidate will be responsible for researching and reviewing the latest Mom blog posts on ClubMom as well as in the blogosphere and determining which blogs to feature on the site and in the newsletters. We are looking for someone with personality, insight, and an ability to develop themes and stories regarding what is happening with Mom bloggers across the country. This represents an exciting opportunity to educate and interest millions of moms on blogs as well as to help existing blogs get attention from millions of moms.

Applicants should have a passion for the Web and media in general, understand how moms across the U.S. use the Web to find information and support, have experience writing a blog, read multiple Mom blogs, and have a strong interest in subjects covered by ClubMom.com.

What’s Involved?
The “Best of the Mom Blogs” Round-Up Editor will be expected to research and review blogs for inclusion in the round-up blog; write entertaining descriptions and headlines; post at least 5 days a week; be the face of ClubMom to the blogging community; and, on occasion, participate in PR activities. In return, she will receive a monthly salary of $1,000 plus 20,000 ClubMom Points redeemable for items like gift certificates, with a performance-based bonus structure to possibly earn more.

To apply:
There are 3 parts to the application. Only candidates who complete all 3 will be considered. Send us an email with the following:

1. Tell us about you. Here’s what we’d like to know:
Your Name and contact information
Can you devote a couple of hours per day to this blog?
Beyond the basics above, tell us who you are and why we should hire you to be the Round-Up Editor
What kind of unique voice or spin can you bring?
Share some ideas for how you’d get readers to your blog.

2. Show us what you’d write. Write 3 days of the Round-Up posts.

3. Show us what you’ve written. Include links to three writing samples, preferably blog posts, which showcase your writing talent and voice.

Completed application should be emailed to roundupblog@clubmom.com by March 30th. We’ll review applications and contact applicants for follow-ups on a rolling basis.

2. Wanted: Mom Bloggers ($500/month):
ClubMom is looking for Mom Bloggers willing to contribute their interesting and distinctive voices on a variety of topics!

If selected, you can reach more than 2 million Moms who are already part of ClubMom (and that’s just the beginning) and get paid for doing what you love.

We are excited to round-out our member and expert generated content with bloggers who have compelling and engaging voices and represent a diverse group of moms writing on diverse topics. We are looking for Moms who can tell compelling stories and get our members emotionally involved.

The plan is to start out with about ten blogs but that can change based on the quality of the applications we receive. If you or someone you know would make a great blogger on ClubMom.com, please apply and/or spread the word!

What’s Involved?

Candidates will be evaluated on writing style and voice, your ability to get our members emotionally involved, as well as dedication and commitment. Accepted bloggers will be expected to write frequently (at least five posts a week) and in return will receive a monthly salary of $500 plus 10,000 ClubMom Points redeemable for items including gift certificates, spa services, movies and more; with a performance-based bonus structure to possibly earn more.

Here are some topics we think moms would be interested in reading about:

Parenting:
Pregnancy: Just found out you’re pregnant? Share the joys and challenges of your pregnancy and beyond with other moms. (group blog – 3 spots or individual blog) – applicants can be at any stage of the pregnancy
Parenting Novice – 1st time parent with a newborn
Homeschooling
Raising a tween or teenager
Raising child with special needs

Diet & Fitness:
Preparing for a physical challenge: Preparing for your first marathon (or triathlon or some other physical challenge)? Share your training highs and lows as you prepare for the big day.
Starting a new diet (group blog – 5 moms who are on different diets)

Relationships:
Military Life: If you or your husband are in the military, share your story.
Dating: Are you single and on the dating scene?
Going through a tough time and looking for advice from other moms

Time For you:
Celebrity Gossip
Fashion & Beauty

Health:
Going through challenging health issues
Someone you love going through challenging health issues

Home:
Making a Big Move (big move – city to suburb, across country, out of country, etc.)
Major home renovation project
Cooking – Trying new recipes

Money & Jobs:
Starting a business
Working from home
Family budget tracker
Trying to make it in show business
I’ve got the best/worst job of all time

Politics & Activism:
Running for office / officeholder / or working on a campaign
Trying to make a difference in the world

Faith & Spirituality:
Interfaith marriage
Raising faithful children

Blogger’s Choice: Got a fantastic idea for a topical blog that doesn’t fit into the categories above, but you think would be a great addition to ClubMom.com? Tell us about it in your application and we’ll consider it.

To apply:

There are 3 parts to the application. Only candidates who complete all 3 will be considered. Send us an email with the following:

1. Tell us about you. Here’s what we’d like to know:
Your Name
How we can contact you
What would you like to blog about?
How many hours per week do you think you could devote to your blog? Be honest!
Beyond the basics above, tell us who you are and why we should hire you to write this blog.
What kind of unique voice or spin can you bring to this topic?
Share some ideas for how you’d get readers to your blog.

2. Show us what you’d write. Write 3 potential blog posts on your chosen topic.

3. Show us what you’ve written. Include links to three writing samples, preferably blog posts, which showcase your writing talent and voice.

Completed application should be emailed to topicalblog@clubmom.com by March 30th. We’ll review applications and contact applicants for follow-ups on a rolling basis.

If you know others whom you think would make great applicants, please help us spread the word! Please feel free to post this on your own blog.

P.S. My personal opinion? This is the first wave of thousands of positions that are going to become available to talented bloggers. Why? Blogging is good for business. People are introduced to companies online now, and a blogger’s voice is the 21st-century storefront. It won’t be long before every company with an online presence will need to have a blog to attract and retain customers. Who wants to visit a site that never changes? It’s like having a mannequin out front to greet customers. Bloggers are living employees, giving companies a face that actually smiles and a voice that says, “Come on in and spend some time here.”

We’re back today to finish up chatting with e-book expert Alyice Edrich of The Dabbling Mum, who is telling us how we can write about our passions in an e-book form and build a home-based business — while our kids do their schoolwork or nap.

If you missed yesterday’s interview, you’ll want to read it so you can learn the basics of writing e-books and exploring niche markets. Today, I’d like to learn more details about the selling part (oooh…that word scares me.)

Hi Alyice. Thanks for coming back to tell us more about e-books.

You’re welcome! Glad to be back.

So, if I’ve decided on a topic I’d like to write about, how much do I have to write to be able to sell my ideas as an e-book? How long should an e-book be?

An e-book should be as long as it needs to be to get the point across. Often, people come up with a great title, a great theme, but then leave the readers hanging because they don’t put in the time necessary to write a thorough book.

If you’re writing a book on how to build a tree house, for instance, your book will need to be comprised of things such as: do you need a building permit, how to get a building permit, how to draw up a blue print, how many people will be needed for the project, how to tell if a specific tree is sturdy enough, what types of woods are there and which are best, should you use nails or screws, shingles or cement, etc.

Then of course, you’ll need to decide if pictures should be included and if you use pictures, will they be sketches or actual photos — in which case you’ll need to build a tree house from scratch. Such a book could run 200 pages.

If you’re going to write a book about building a tree house, it does no good to just give a list of rules in 20 pages. People could end up buying too soft of a wood, untreated wood that warps once put together causing a safety issue in the structure, and nails that rust or loosen over time.

So, it looks like writing an e-book is a pretty in-depth process. Is it worth all the time it will take to research?

By taking the time to go into detail, providing more than surface answers, your readers will tell others about your book and you’ll gain more sales through word-of-mouth advertising.

That’s true. If customers are happy, they’ll be the ones telling other people about the product. But the whole idea of selling things scares me!

Marketing e-books is just like marketing any other product. You have to develop a business plan. You have to discover your target audience and then you have to pitch your e-book to that target audience.

You can market your e-book through word of mouth, speaking engagements, published articles, advertisements, press releases, radio interviews, etc.

What about online marketing? Do you have any tips on how we can do some marketing from home?

Sure. Here are some tips I shared with an e-book writer looking to increase sales by promoting from her website:

— Find websites that accept articles about your e-book’s topic and submit articles related to your e-book’s theme.

— Find forums where your target audience hangs out. When someone has a question related to your e-book’s theme, reply with a 250-word answer, then include a brief announcement about finding more answers in your e-book in your tagline.

— Volunteer to discuss your e-book, in an organized manner, in chat rooms that relate to the theme of your e-book. Most authors only think of chat rooms that discuss the secrets of writing and selling their books. While that can be a great place to start, your best bet for converting your time into sales is by targeting your target audience.

What about a blog tour? Is there a way we could do this with e-books?

Yes, blogs are wonderful mediums, and people love hearing from authors. You can visit blogs with subject matter that relates to the theme of your e-book. There are a several ways you can do a blog tour. I’ve written an article about it with more detail.

You can also visit appropriate blogs and leave a comment that truly responds to the post, and then link to your sales page. Or you can ask bloggers to invite you to write short content for their blogs.

And here you are! You’re offering all of us Mom 2 Mom readers useful information in case we decide to try writing e-books as a way to earn extra income for our families. And you’re also helping to market your own e-book.

Well, I feel like we’ve just nicked the tip of the iceberg — and I still have a thousand questions. Is there a place we can visit to learn more?

You can visit me at The Dabbling Mum Press and order a copy of my e-book, Tid-Bits For Making Money With E-books.

Great! We’ll also be sure to check The Dabbling Mum website to learn more. Thanks again for all of your help!

You’re welcome.

I want to add a couple of things here: I’ve gotten my own copy of Alyice’s e-book, and it’s fantastic — full of practical research and links that would take you forever to find on your own. She also includes a journaling section with questions to help trigger your thoughts about choosing a topic — which would be helpful for couples to work through together. I also learned that Alyice earns a VERY nice income from her home-based business — in fact, she was able to support her family completely for a few years to give her husband the freedom to finish school.

For those of you who have blogs and would like to invite Alyice Edrich to come tour your blog, you can contact her here. She has a wonderful interview with Carmen at Full Contact Christ-Centric Living about how she organizes her office to make sure she stays productive. You can check out the other stops on her blog tour here as well.

Imagine this. It’s 4 am, and you’re sound asleep. Or you’re sitting in the quiet darkness of your home feeding your baby. Meanwhile, halfway around the world, ten people have just bought a product from you, for $20 each. Now, that extra $200 will go into your bank account to help you pay bills this month. And you didn’t have to do a thing.

That’s the beauty of e-books, which is a topic that’s fascinated me lately. I know so little about them, yet I’m curious. So, I decided to track down an e-book expert who also happens to be a fellow blogger and a mom of teenagers.

Alyice Edrich is the author of several work-from-home e-books, including Tid-Bits for Making Money With E-Books. She’s the founder of The Dabbling Mum, an online resource for parents and small business owners. Alyice enjoys teaching parents how to earn hundreds of dollars by selling information they already possess.

Hi, Alyice. Thanks for stopping in today. Can you tell us a little about e-books?

E-books are electronic, downloadable books. Many are written on very narrow topics, topics traditional publishers wouldn’t print because they tend to prefer marketing to larger audiences.

So far, e-books aren’t as popular as print books because people are still learning about them and getting used to the idea of paying for something they have to first download and print out using their own resources. Some buyers consider this double payment: payment to read material and payment to print out.

What kind of people buy e-books? Is there really a market for them?

Most e-book buyers are people who spend a lot of time online. They are used to the whole “instant access” mentality and look forward to reading e-books that are up-to-date and can be read within minutes of ordering.

Moms who stay at home or work from home also tend to buy e-books over print books because they can research, order, and read while their children are sleeping, which means one less outing.

Oh yes. I know all about the difficulty of getting out shopping with kids. Especially in a quiet bookstore! Can you tell us more about e-book topics? How do you know if you’re really an expert on a topic?

I always tell people to think first about things that their friends and family members constantly come to them asking advice for. That’s always a great place to start because that means you’re passionate about that topic and have often researched for the simple pleasure of knowing more or to help improve your current circumstances.

Most moms think, “I’m a parent and I read lots of stuff to improve my parenting skills, so I’ll start a website or write a book on parenting” or they think, “I really want to stay home and start a home business. I’ve researched a lot of information and am pretty knowledgeable so I’ll start a website geared towards helping other parents stay home or work from home.” While those are great topics, they have actually been done to death and will make it very difficult for new businesses and books to stand out from the crowd. This means that in order to become successful with these topics, these moms would have to work double (and sometimes triple) time just to break even.

Wow. I hadn’t thought about that. What are some ideas you’d recommend for moms interested in writing an e-book?

I encourage moms to stay away from overdone themes and instead find something that is narrower, that they can really call their own. It’s important, when trying to make a living from home, to find an area that is lacking and then fill that area.

Let’s say that you did read a lot about working from home and you consider yourself pretty knowledgeable so you decide to start a work-from-home website to teach others what you know. What you’re doing is actually reiterating what you learned. You have no hands-on experience because you haven’t yet started a business and seen it to success.

Can you give us an example of something that would be better?

Instead of starting yet another, work-at-home (WAHM) website, I would encourage you to think outside the box.

For starters, what do you do for fun? What is the one hobby that you simply cannot get enough of? What is the one thing that your husband says to you, “Why do you have to constantly spend my hard-earned money on that? I sure wish you could make some money off that instead of always spending our money!”

Once you’ve figured that out, sit down and jot down what you know about the subject. Then get online and see what others have written about it. Are there a lot of copycats out there? If so, there is plenty of room for you to be unique and offer something far more valuable. Look around and see what’s missing. What can you offer that others are not providing?

That’s the business you want to start. And that’s the e-book you want to write. Don’t just write an e-book on a specific subject; build a business around that e-book and you’ll open up a floodgate of opportunities.

These are some great ideas, Alyice. I feel like we’re just getting started! But we’ve run out of time today, so I hope you’ll be able to come back tomorrow and tell us more about making money while we sleep!

OK, Mom 2 Mom readers, are your e-book gears spinning? Alyice has given us a start, but tomorrow she’ll be back to tell us more about researching, writing, and marketing our e-books. I for one have a few ideas simmering, but I’d like more details — wouldn’t you?

Meanwhile, Alyice invites you to look at an article she wrote on this topic, as well as visit her at The Dabbling Mum Press.

I read a great post the other day that I wanted to link to so I can remember to read it again when I have more time. Lisa wrote about an experience she had during her first month as a nurse, A 36-Hour Day. Thought-provoking, to say the least. Her writing made me feel like I was there — experiencing the stress and worries along with her. She also made me appreciate what nurses go through. Here’s part of her blog entry:

I guess tonight it dawned on me that this will be the first Christmas in 15 years that I’m not spending with a live pager on my hip with the very likely possibility of having to be called away from my own family on Christmas day to go help someone else’s family….or fill in when the nursing staff is so short staffed they simply can’t cope.

The last 5 years – I spent working in home hospice. I wore a pager all the time… 24/7. I’d be afraid to go to sleep at night..worried that 30 minutes after falling asleep, my pager would go off and I’d have to get up, get dressed and drive for an hour to help a patient who was in intractable pain… or help a family member deal with the death of their loved one in the middle of the night. Usually, it was the nights that I talked myself into actually going to sleep..tell myself that the pager would be kind – – those were the night the pager would definitely go off.

I will actually be able to spend this Christmas with my family without the worry of being called away. The first time in 15 years.

Well, I hope you have the best Christmas ever, Lisa!

While I’ve been caught up in the whirl of parties and to-do lists, I forget that many people will either be patients or staff in a hospital over the holidays. If you’re around any nurses this week, take a moment and tell them how much they’re appreciated. Even a smile can make a difference in whether someone has a good day or not.

I have several friends who are nurses — and they always amaze me. I don’t see how they do it — they work long shifts at weird hours, with little sleep. Then when they get off work, they go back to their other full-time jobs as wives, moms, students, etc.

So, this is my tribute to all the nurses who work throughout the Christmas season, without a break — thanks for all you do!

On a different note — since we all know that laughter reduces stress, here are a couple of links that made me chuckle:

Not every child is happy to see Santa

Nothing says Happy Holidays like a photo of sweet little toddlers screaming at Santa. The first 25 photos in this gallery are from the Chicago Tribune’s “Scared of Santa” contest. All the rest of the photos were submitted by SouthFlorida.com readers. Enjoy!

Dave Barry’s Christmas Gift Guide

This is not your ordinary gift guide, the kind that features gifts that somebody might actually want or use. These gifts were selected because they meet a very strict criterion, which is that when we saw the item advertised, we said to ourselves: “Are they SERIOUS?”

A couple of days ago, I was wearing a sweater that had an itchy tag in the back. It was a familiar feeling. I recognized that same annoying itch from last year. Whenever I wore it, I thought to myself — I need to cut that tag off, but I never got around to doing it.

Instead, I’d fiddle with it, tuck it down, and try to ignore the uncomfortable, raspy feel. But the other day, it just bugged me! So I decided I’d had enough. A pair of scissors and two seconds later, it was gone. I couldn’t believe how easy it was — and how much better I felt afterward!

So, of course then I had to dash for a piece of paper to jot down “FlyLady — Itchy tag stuff.” Because I’ve realized that’s what FlyLady’s emails are all about. She reminds you every day of those “itchy tag” things that are bothering you, but you keep putting off doing.

If you keep reading day after day, you finally decide, “OK! Enough is enough.” So you grab a trash bag and start flinging in 27 things that you’re sick of looking at. It’s fun because it’s 27, and you know other souls have gone before you 27-fling-boogie-ing their way to peace and order.

Another “itchy tag” is using my crock pot, which FlyLady calls a “Secret Weapon.” You’ve got to get it going in the morning or right after lunch when dinner is still hours away. Just do it — stick something in there and let it simmer all day while you’re doing something else that consumes your time. Then you’ll know dinner is already in the works. (We made pinto beans in it yesterday.)

The last thing I’ve picked up this week from FlyLady is to use a timer ALL the time. She suggests using it whenever you’re doing something you love to do — like homeschooling your kids, reading a book, working on a craft project, sitting at the computer, etc. — you do that fun thing for 45 min., then when the timer goes off, go do something that’s not too fun for 15 minutes. It will help your kids to stay on track too.

I think I remember that as being one of Terri Maxwell’s secrets — homeschooling mom of 8 — she used a timer all the time, and divided her day into 30-minute increments. She assigned one-on-one time with her kids that way — and she also got a ton of sewing projects done, little by little, working a half-hour a day.

Found this cute picture to remind you of the itchy tag. I hope you get something “itchy” done today!

I have to tell you — I couldn’t stand it! I peeked over at Professor Bruce Edwards’ blog this morning. He’s already SEEN “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe,” and so I HAD to slip in there and see what he’d posted. But I didn’t read all of his review — “Not a Tame Wardrobe: 2 Views and They’re Both Mine.” If you’re going to see the movie today, you may want to hold off reading part two of his review — but part one is a great introduction.

I quote a tiny snippet:

I’m no scholar. I don’t know anything about Lewis’s childhood or Mrs. Moore or Greek mythology or who heads Walden Media. I am in the theatre to enjoy, to be entertained, to be swept away into Narnia. My Narnia–the one I remember, the one I cherish. I wouldn’t know an allegory if it bit me. But this I know: it’s Christmas, and, despite the temptations of secularism, I want to keep whatever there is of him, Christ, in Christmas, even if I barely know what that means. That’s why I’m here, in this theatre, wishing away winter so it can be Christmas again. This is the movie for me. So, when I get through the wardrobe, what will I find?

…First moments: I am in tears from the opening sequence…I can’t believe I’m here, and believing, this is so rich, it can’t get any better than this, yet it does, in its subtlety and quiet pacing–the build up of the first 60 minutes is brilliant.

Now how come blogging wasn’t around when I majored in English! I wish my professors had kept a blog — I barely had a chance to get to know any of them outside of the classroom (except for my creative writing professor who invited us over to her house to show us how a REAL novelist lives.)

Dr. Bruce Edwards’ Further Up and Further In definitely takes me behind the scenes — I hope you’ll go visit. And also La Shawn Barber’s new Fantasy Fiction for Christians blog has a live Narnia feed — boy, does La Shawn know how to make you feel like you’re missing out if you don’t visit her blog!

And this email came from Mike Parker, author of one of the many Narnia articles on Crosswalk:

We got to see the film again tonight, and we loved it just as much the second time around. Hint, don’t leave when the credits start.

Now, I told you I’d be writing about FlyLady every Friday — and this is week 2 — but guess what? I’m going to have to wait until next Friday to tell you all about the “27 Fling Boogie” because I’m too busy today doing what FlyLady has been telling me all week. I’ve got to run get our house spiffed up for the weekend.

But I beg you, my fellow WAHMs (work-at-home moms), please join up at the FlyLady website so we can at least feel like our Friday cleaning is fun and social. As I’m doing all these mundane things that women have done for centuries, it’s a lot more enjoyable to know that many of you out there are doing the same thing — and on FlyLady’s emails, she tells you all these success stories…from real readers. And she gets you a little more enthusiastic about decluttering and shining your sink. We gotta make this intellectual for those of us who’d rather be reading than mopping. So, do you care to join me?

I shared with you a few weeks ago about Momstown Blog and how they conducted a worldwide survey to discover the most popular websites for moms. Far and above the rest, FlyLady got the most votes. In fact, I read that she received 33% of more than 30,000 votes. Well, I thought it was high time for me to check out her services and tell you what I think.

I have a few friends who tell me her methods have changed their household completely. But they warned me — don’t get overwhelmed by all the emails she sends. Instead of receiving her messages individually, I signed up on Flylady.net to receive a Daily Digest.

So I’m going to start something new here in my blog. On Fridays, I’m going to give you an update on what I’ve learned during the week and call it “FlyLady Friday.” My plan is to do this for the next 21 weeks. That should take us from today until April 21. Experts say it takes 21 days to acquire a new habit — so I’m going to give FlyLady’s methods 21 weeks — and maybe you’ll join the party with me.

If you’re one of my guy readers and you’re not at all interested in household maintenance — or what concerns most of the women in the world — then you may just want to skip my blog on Fridays. But then again — you may want to stick around and pick up some cool FlyLady lingo and impress your wife or lady friends — if you offer to pitch in for a “27-Fling Boogie” some afternoon, your wife’s going to wonder what in the world’s come over you — but she’ll be thrilled.

Here’s what Momstown said about FlyLady, when they were counting their votes for Top Mom sites:

FlyLady.net…has a following unlike any other, but a genuine following. They REALLY love that site, which is why it composes close to 33% of all votes…

Why? Love, pure and simple. While the vote is largely about business, business comes with a heart. You can’t fake it, you can’t buy it, and you can’t argue against it.

I can tell you one thing — from only a few days of emails — what I think people like about FlyLady is her “voice.” She’s got the perfect tone — like that wise older sister who offers you plenty of love and encouragement, but also knows the right buttons to push to motivate you.

Here’s the first thing you’re supposed to focus on: Shine Your Sink. FlyLady takes this so seriously, she even has a book called Sink Reflections (Ballentine Books.) If you go to Amazon and check out the reader reviews, you’ll see nearly 300 people are totally passionate about her book in some way or another.

She tells you to shine it with Windex, then wipe it dry with a towel. Then look in your sink and see your reflection. Well, I say — that’s a very positive suggestion — instead of saying, “Wash those dishes,” she says, “Shine that beautiful sink.”

And don’t most people respond to praise more than criticism? If you praise me and tell me good things, then I’m going to feel good about myself and work to please you. But if you criticize me, thinking I’ll learn more that way, I go the opposite way and feel like giving up. I don’t think I’m all that unusual — that’s just the way most of us think.

So, stay tuned for next FlyLady Friday when I tell you about Hot Spots, the Secret Weapon, Holiday Super Cruising Missions, and how YOU…yes YOU can become a genuine Fly Baby.