INPUT ARTICLE: Article: If you need a copy of the articles of incorporation for a business or legal reason, you may need to get a certified copy rather than just a plain copy. A certified copy includes a seal from the secretary of state's office certifying that the copy is official and accurate. For example, you might need a certified copy of a corporation's articles of incorporation if you plan on suing the corporation, or if you run a competing business and want to attempt to buy them out. A certified copy typically costs a little more to get. You also may have to wait a little longer to get a certified copy, since the certification of the document is done by hand. In some states, the secretary of state's office allows you to request certified copies of corporate documents online. If this option is available, you'll find a link to do so on the website of your state's secretary of state. Look for information about certified copies, and it will list the methods you can use to request them. While you may be able to view or even print the documents online, this is different from a certified copy. A certified copy must be generated by the secretary of state's office. If you're able to request certified copies online, your state's secretary of state will provide a fill-in-the-blank request form for you to complete. You'll typically check a box to indicate you need certified copies. Make sure you're using the correct business name. You can look it up in the secretary of state's business name database if you're unsure. Some states may enable you to search for business documents by keyword, and then request a certified copy from the same page. If that option is available, it can help you ensure that you're getting the document you need. You'll have to pay a fee to get a certified copy of a corporation's articles of incorporation. If you request the certified copy online, you usually have the option of paying using a credit or debit card. Some states may allow you to pay using an electronic check. The fees for a certified copy are higher than the fees for a plain copy. Expect to pay around $20 or $30 for each certified copy. If you request your certified copies online, the office typically receives your request immediately. However, the department still needs processing time to pull the documents from state records and certify their accuracy. Once the articles of incorporation are retrieved, a staff member in the office will check the business filings to make sure they are the most recent articles filed by the corporation, and certify their accuracy. Expect it to take a couple of weeks before you receive your certified documents in the mail.

SUMMARY: Determine if you need a certified copy. Visit the website for your state's secretary of state. Fill out the request form. Pay the required fees. Receive your certified copies in the mail.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Identify some general topics that you'd like to write about. If you open yourself up to every single topic, you're likely to feel overwhelmed. Also, it will take you a lot longer to research articles if you have zero background knowledge on the subject. You can write about a variety of topics, just try to choose fields that relate to each other or that you're passionate about. Your niche could be something like: Travel Food and beverage Cooking Parenting Marriage Personal finance Fitness There are many different types of freelancing. If true independence is what you're after, blogging is a good place to start. You can create your own blog based on topics that fit in your niche. You can even make it extra specialized. For example, instead of just having a travel blog, you could specialize in writing about off the beaten path road trips to take. Typically, bloggers earn an income by selling advertising space on their site. This is a good choice if you don't need an immediate income stream. Instead of writing what you want, you'll need to seek out assignments. Contact editors at news sites, papers, and magazines and pitch your ideas. This is a good choice for freelancers who already have media connections. If you don't have connections, you can still make this work. You just might need to write for a reduced rate or on a trial basis while you make those important connections. Typically, bloggers earn an income by advertising on their site. "Copy" refers to the words used to sell a product or idea. If you are good at persuading people or making a product seem exciting, this is a good route to follow. Consider taking on projects from advertising, marketing, or public relations firms if you want to try copywriting. There are several different copywriting specialties, such as marketing, content, and creative. Talk to experienced copywriters to get a feel for each type of writing. Companies hire technical writers to explain their products and services. Consider technical writing if you already have specific expertise in a field or are a very quick study. You'll need to be able to quickly turn jargon into words that the reader can understand. You can also explore specialized fields such as writing about legal and medical issues.

SUMMARY: Choose a niche so that your business has a clear focus. Choose blogging if you want to choose your own topics. Seek out journalism assignments if you have a knack for covering news. Focus on copywriting if you have a flair for marketing. Explore technical writing if you're great with details.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Drain the water carefully into a clean sink. Avoid letting the water splash. It's okay if the rope falls into the sink too since you will have to rinse the excess dye from it. Wear rubber gloves and an apron to protect your skin and clothes from stains. Run warm to hot water over the rope and squeeze away the excess dye. Over time, change the water from hot to cold. Continue this process until the water running through the rope is clear. If the color is too dark, continue using warm water until you reach your desired color. Only when you're happy with the color should you switch to cold water. Once the excess dye is removed, wring out the remaining water from the rope. Loosely re-wrap the rope around the dowel and let it hang to dry. As the rope dries, it may lighten in color. Leave the color a little darker than what you want to account for this.

SUMMARY: Dump the water and rope into a sink. Rinse the rope with warm water, slowly changing the temperature to cold. Wring out the rope and re-wrap it.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: This is the time when your feet are largest due to swelling from physical exertion and heat during the day. This will allow you you to check that there is adequate space (3/8" to 1/2") for your longest toe at the end of each shoe. It will also quickly indicate whether or not the fit is comfortable. Make sure the ball of your foot fits comfortably into the widest part (ball pocket) of the shoe. Your heel should fit comfortably in the shoe with minimum amount of slippage. If your feet are wider or narrower than average, some shoe ranges will help you to get the perfect fit with either a wider or narrower shoe fit. This may cost a little more but the comfort will make a little extra cost worthwhile. Not all stores carry these, but when they do, you may find that you're happier in between whole numbers. Fashionable shoes can be comfortable and healthy, you just need to find the right pair that includes comfort features. Different styles of dress shoes will have different comfort levels, so by trying a variety of different shoes will give you a good idea of which ones are more comfortable within the range.

SUMMARY:
Try on dress shoes at the end of the day. Stand during the fitting. Assess how the base of your heel fits the shoe. Check the positioning of your heel. Ask about different widths for the dress shoe. Ask about half sizes if you think your feet are in between the standard full sizes. Walk in the shoe to make sure it fits and feels right. Try different shoes.