There are many brides who thrive on traditional weddings. This type of bride is all about formal invitations, stylish bridal portraits, and special first dance songs. She yearns to sachet down the church aisle to “Here Comes the Bride” while hundreds of her friends and family members gaze upon the beauty of her classic wedding dress.

And then there is the other kind of bride. The free-thinking, non-conforming lady. The woman who doesn’t follow convention for convention’s sake. The one who has always marched to the beat of her own drum.

It is this independently-minded lady who will likely opt to stroll down the aisle in a wedding dress that daringly departs from all convention.

If this woman is you, here are 10 ideas about wedding dress features that you may want to consider for your upcoming nuptials:

One Shoulder Ball Gowns
There are plenty of strappy and strapless wedding dresses out there, but you rarely see any single-strap styles. Platinum offers a dress with a strap that stretches over the left shoulder. The strap attaches at the hand draped bodice with an eye-catching jeweled brooch.

Above-the-knee Hemlines

If your goal is to make all of your female wedding guests flush and your male guests gawk, just show off your legs with an above-the-knee skirt. The Strapless Silk Radzimir Dress has a hem that stops about two inches short of the knee. The tulip skirt shows off numerous Venice Lace floral appliqués which nicely complement the corset seamed bodice.

Jackets
This is even more daring than a short hemline dress! Melissa Sweet’s Jake style incorporates a taffeta ¾ sleeve jacket with a mid-thigh, “mini-skirt” hemline. The outfit boasts a crew neckline and a checkered pattern which is heavily embroidered.

Lavender Colored
Almost every wedding dress ever made is white, off-white, eggshell, or some other shade of the white-hued family. But Platinum offers a Silk Satin Fit to Flare Strapless Gown which is available in lavender. This dress also comes with a full-pleated train and a jewel-encrusted hip and bust line.

Cotton Lace Overlay
While most dresses are basic silk, satin, or tulle, some are nestled underneath an overlay of cotton lace to create a more textured appearance. Melissa Sweet’s Hallie style dress features a silk charmeuse strapless gown underneath a sheer French lace overlay. It’s accented by woven ribbon detail over the hem and bodice as well as a sweep inset train.

Swirled Skirt
When you think of the bottom of a wedding dress, you envision long, clean lines of fabric. But a swirled skirt can break up the monotony of an ordinary fabric dress. The Strapless Silk Shantung Mikado Fit to Flare Gown by Platinum is offset beautifully with a skirt that is swirled with organza and tulle.

Ultra-Slim Gown
While slim wedding gowns do not flare outward around the legs, ultra-slim gowns practically cling to the legs. Such is the case with Vineyard’s Tatum style Guipure Lace Slim Gown, which portrays the illusion of pants as the bride walks down the aisle. The dress also comes with slit detail, a large waistband, and a bow at the back.

Scarf Accessory
While this isn’t part of the wedding dress itself, a scarf accessory can have a substantial impact on the entire nuptial ensemble. For instance, a white silk scarf perfectly complements Platinum’s Silk Crepe Georgette Strapless Slim Gown and its scoop neckline. The scarf covers only the front of the neck and the top of one shoulder; it hangs down over the back of the dress and is tied in a bow at the center of the back.

Flounced Halter Neckline
Standard halter wedding dresses are not all that unusual, but a flounced halter leaves no doubt as to whom the center of attention is at the event. This style is displayed in Vineyard’s Elke Organza Fit to Flare Gown. The flounced halter neckline contrasts nicely with the dress’s open back.

Pockets
On a wedding dress? Really. They’re perfect for a bride who wants to carry something old, new, borrowed, and/or blue down the aisle with her; and also come in handy during the “dollar dance” at the wedding reception. There are hidden pockets in the Silk Double Faced Satin Strapless Ball Gown by Platinum. The dress also features a large front skirt appliqué, elaborate beading, and a silk satin belt.

So if you’re the type of woman who has flipped through hundreds of bridal magazine pages without finding the dress of your dreams, these ideas may be appealing to your unique tastes.

After all – you were your own woman long before you met your mate. And even though you’re looking forward to having a partner for life, you still want to be identified by the traits and attributes which you worked long and hard to create and nourish – and not just as Mrs. So-and-So.

An unconventional wedding dress is the first step toward reminding those in your life that you won’t remodel your personality and lifestyle just because you’re wearing a wedding ring. And when your guests see your extraordinary wedding dress, they’ll get the message loud and clear.

Participating school districts will review the resumes and select the candidates they wish to interview.

Candidates selected for a(n) interview(s) will be contacted no later than May 11, 2009. They will receive an email that will list which district(s) they will be interviewing with and the time(s) of the interview(s).

If you are selected for an interview, please arrive one hour before your first scheduled interview and check in at the registration desk. Contact Name: Maria Lazic E-mail: Maria_Lazic@caboces.org Web Site: http://www2.caboces.org/drupal/management/hr/jobfair ]]> http://www.monashliberals.org/cattaraugus-allegany-boces-teacher-recruitment-job-fair/feed/ 0 http://www.monashliberals.org/applying-for-a-postgraduate-research-scholarship-in-monash/ http://www.monashliberals.org/applying-for-a-postgraduate-research-scholarship-in-monash/#comments Tue, 19 May 2009 08:55:56 +0000 richard http://www.monashliberals.org/?p=82 Postgraduate Research Scholarships are available for full-time research at postgraduate level for study at one of Monash University’s Australian campuses. Over 300 living allowance or stipend scholarships are offered at the main central selection round, which closes on 31 October each year. Approximately 70 international scholarship awardees are also offered scholarships to meet their tuition costs. In addition most faculties offer scholarships to a number of applicants who miss out on a central scholarship offer. Generally a small mid-year scholarship round is held each year.

NOTE: Applications for 2009 scholarships closed on 31 October 2008. Applications for 2010 scholarships will open in August 2009. The information below will be updated in July 2009.

The Scholarship Application Process:

Step 1 – Check eligibility
Step 2 – Select a topic/research area (for new HDR applicants)
Step 3 – Contact faculty and/or academic unit
Step 4 – Complete on-line scholarship application form

Step 1 – Check eligibility

The eligibility criteria listed below apply to the following scholarships:

• Australian Postgraduate Award (APA)
• Monash Graduate Scholarship (MGS)
• Endeavour International Postgraduate Research Scholarship (IPRS)
• Monash International Postgraduate Research Scholarship (MIPRS)
• Vera Moore International Postgraduate Research Scholarship (VMIPRS)
• Monash Silver Jubilee Postgraduate Research Scholarship (MSJS)
• James McNeill Foundation Postgraduate Research Scholarship

Eligibility – general
Applicants intending to undertake or who are currently enrolled for a research masters degree, PhD or research professional doctorate are eligible to apply.

Applicants must hold an Australian or New Zealand bachelors degree with first class honours or qualifications and/or research experience deemed equivalent by the university.

Applicants currently completing an honours degree must have their results available by Monday 8 December 2008 to be eligible.

Applicant who do not hold an Australian or New Zealand bachelors degree with first class honours should refer to the H1 Equivalence assessment procedures.

H1 Equivalence assessment procedures

Additional eligibility criteria for scholarships
Each scholarship has additional eligibility requirements for applicants who have for example already completed a research program or previously held a postgraduate award.

Detailed eligibility requirements

English language proficiency requirements
All applicants must meet the minimum English language proficiency requirements set by Monash University. The university reserves the right to seek additional proof of English proficiency where required.

English proficiency standards must be met and results (if applicable) contained with the scholarship application preferably by the closing date of 31 October 2008. Applicants with pending TOEFL or IELTS test scores must have the results available by Monday 8 December 2008 to be eligible.

English language proficiency requirements

Residency/studies by external mode
Awardees are required to reside within daily commuting distance to a Victorian campus to allow frequent and systematic use of university facilities, including use of physical resources, formal research training and daily face-to-face contact with supervisors if required.

Generally scholarships are not available for study under Monash’s external mode regulations. An APA may be awarded to an applicant proposing to undertake studies as an external student, however the support of the relevant academic unit and faculty will be required. If successful, the awardee must reside in Australia in order to receive the award.

Part-time scholarship
A part-time scholarship may be awarded to an applicant with a medical condition precluding full-time study (supported by medical certification) or to an applicant who is able to demonstrate significant caring commitments, including:

• caring responsibilities for a pre-school child
• caring responsibilities for school-aged children as a sole parent with limited access to outside support
• caring responsibilities for an invalid or disabled spouse, child or parent.

Part-time awards are not available to international applicants or to applicants seeking to undertake paid employment on a full-time or a substantial part-time basis. The same employment conditions that apply to full-time awardees apply to part-time awardees.

Prior enrolment/candidature
The duration of the award will be reduced if an applicant is part way through the degree for which the scholarship is offered. This includes prior enrolment in a masters degree where an awardee has upgraded to a doctoral degree and for awardees transferring their research program to Monash.

Awards will not be available to applicants who, as a result of prior candidature and/or prior scholarship, would be entitled to a maximum duration of less than 12 months.

Step 2 – Select a topic/research area (for new HDR applicants)

Monash University and its faculties are involved in innovative research across a wide range of disciplines. In addition to the research expertise available in departments and schools there are many discipline-specific research centres located within the University’s 10 faculties.

Applicants should consider potential areas of research that interest them and align with their qualifications and experience. Reviewing faculty websites will help applicants determine which faculty and academic unit would be most appropriate for their proposed research.

Faculty and research centre websites

Step 3 – Contact faculty and/or academic unit

If you are not already enrolled in the degree for which you seek scholarship support, you are strongly encouraged to contact the academic unit you propose to undertake your research in to ensure that the appropriate supervision and resources are available for your proposed research. Applicants may only apply to one academic unit. Applicants who are considering more than one academic unit are advised to discuss their options with the relevant academic units.

Applicants are required to refer to the relevant faculty website below for additional faculty-specific requirements and contacts in the various academic units:

• Art & Design
• Arts
• Business and Economics
• Education
• Engineering
• Information Technology
• Law
• Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences
• Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
• Science
• Monash University Accident Research Centre (MUARC)

Applicants are required to indicate the names of academic unit staff they have consulted about their application and the name of supervisor/proposed supervisor.

Step 4 – Complete on-line scholarship application form

Applications for 2009 scholarships closed on 31 October 2008. Applications for 2010 scholarships open in August 2009 and close on 31 October 2009. Late applications cannot be accepted. An application fee is not charged for scholarship applications.

Applicants are required to register in order to access the On-line Scholarship Application Form. Applicants need to register with an email address which is valid until the end of March 2009. All correspondence regarding your application will be made via this email address. Please ensure that you complete the registration form correctly as you will not be able make changes to your personal details (apart from address and contact details).

You will be sent an email containing your username and password once you have successfully registered. To login to the system you will need to enter the username and password that has been emailed to you. Tip: copy and paste your username and password from the email, as the password is case-sensitive. Please email hdrschol@adm.monash.edu.au if you have not received your password within an hour of registering. It is not recommended that you register using a hotmail email account as there have been reported delays in response times.

Applicants are advised to refer to the step-by-step guide to completing the application form and the relevant faculty website listed above for faculty-specific information before completing the application.

Inverted Water Glass Trick: Fill one-third of a drinking glass with water. Place a piece of cardboard over the mouth of the glass. Keeping the cardboard piece in place with your left hand, invert the glass. Now remove your left hand while holding the inverted glass with your right hand. What happens?   Amazingly, the cardboard piece (and the water) stays in place. How did this happen? This is because the atmospheric air pressure of 14.7 psi (remember?) that is pushing the cardboard upward is greater than the combined weight of the water and the air inside the glass that is pushing the cardboard downward. This is proof that the air that fills our atmosphere does have weight.

Why do things move? As I said earlier, this pressure around us is equal on all sides. Once this air pressure changes on any side, an object will begin to move. Sounds mystical, doesn’t it? This very phenomenon causes winds. When there is a big difference between the pressures at two places, tornadoes are caused.   Kites move higher due to this pressure. Airplanes are lifted off the runway by putting air pressure to use.   Difference in  pressure makes things move, and this can be demonstrated by our second homeschool science experiment below.

Bottle Fountain: Fill a plastic soda water bottle half with water. Now insert a stiff plastic straw in the water and seal the mouth of the bottle with clay. Blow hard through the straw into the bottle and move your face away from the bottle. What happens? Water rushes out of the straw like a fountain.   How did this happen? When you blew air through the straw, you increased the pressure of the air inside the bottle. As the pressure inside the bottle increases it exerts this pressure on the water, pushing it out through the straw.