Cycling and Street Style

In true form to what I purported in my first blog post, this post has a couple topics that are of interest to me! Now that it's spring I've been biking to work. It's a really easy bike ride - ten to fifteen minutes and it's very easy to avoid busy streets; which is a good thing considering that the city I live in (Regina, Saskatchewan) doesn't have much in the way of bike lanes. This daily trek has got me thinking about the problems facing bikers. Biking is great! I love it. In Regina it's usually faster than driving, or transit (like most North American cities) and it gives you that feel-good-ery of being environmentally friendly.
But it's dangerous. My father, who is admittedly a bit of a fear mongerer, always told me to "bike as if everyone is trying to kill you!".  Now this sounds pretty alarmist, but I am pretty sure he just means everyone driving in automobiles, and not that cyclists are targets for snipers and knife-weilders.
Anywho, here are my top pieces of advice for bike riders:
1) Wear your gee dee helmet. If you don't, man, I can't even. I could go into anecdotes here (ie someone I know who crashed and cracked theirs in two!) but just wear them! Ridiculous not too. You look cooler with a helmet on, trust me. And remember they are only good for one spill! Replace them often!
2) Signal! Maybe not every motorist knows the signals but they know that the weird gesture you are doing means something and so will be ready to react/watching you. And signal all the time too, someone could sneak up on you!
3) Where you can, ride in the lane. If you're like me and take less busy streets then it is easy for people to go by you. It's not worth getting a door prize (ouch), and people notice you more if you are right in traffic. Don't go straight in the right hand turn lane at an intersection. People can't tell what you're doing and will turn right into you.
Another great thing about biking is that it's a great opportunity to show off a fabulous outfit, you big exhibitionist. So dress up, get out there and bike to work! Here is my #ootd that I felt pretty spiffy in during my ride today:

The jean jacket I have had for years, I got it at Sears clearance centre in 2008 I think. It's just a standard denim jacket but it's collected some embroidery over the years when I've felt creative. Actually the back piece is the first thing I ever embroidered! My mom did the 'o' because she thought it looked like I was having so much fun :3

It makes me look super tough, no?! Also you'll notice I am wearing a scrunchie. I like them! You can match them to your lipstick (as pictured) and if you've abused your hair by repetitive colour changes like I have, they are nicer to your hair. I also embroidered a little prairie pride over my heart.

I've been really into patterns lately, so I wore one of my favourite pieces, an American Apparel dress. It's technically a dress, although I'm wearing it as a top here. It's a little on the short side (curse of being so tall) so I only wear it as a dress when I'm wearing leggings. I love the pattern and it has this totally bitchin' back which makes me feel like a ballerina. Also, it provides me with enough support that I can go bra-less. Not everyone is into that but I love having no bra on.

And I finished with a totally ace black velvet skirt from Joe Fresh, my long term pal and ol' stand by.

My First Blog Post

This web log will have two main functions:
1) a sporadic personal log of the interesting things that I do and that happen to me
2) a platform on which I can opine and publish my musings

First things first- I should tell you a bit about myself.

I am 23 years old. I live in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada.  I convocated in 2012 with a Linguistics degree, but haven't found full time employment in that field. Here is what I look like right NOW- also pictured is a cat I live with named Edgar.

I have lived my whole life in Saskatchewan, save three years I spent in the Bahamas as a child and probably another year I accumulated during short stints elsewhere in Canada (Vancouver, Whitehorse, Trois-Pistoles, Winnipeg).  This makes me a bit of a country bumpkin to some, but I love regional living and take great joy in the prairies and the people here. I would also argue that living your whole life in Saskatchewan vs someone who has lived their whole life in Vancouver for example, results in no more or less of a restricted world view.

I have many interests. I love reading, gardening, and fashion. I am interested in fitness and health. I enjoy crafting- knitting, crocheting, drawing, origami, jewellery making, embroidery etc. I am interested in social justice- particularly feminism, language vitality, minority rights, the environment and the food we eat.  I am greatly intrigued by all of these things but I don't do one or the other to an excess that would allow me to think of myself as an expert.  Thus, my blog won't be easily classified as a "feminist blog", "crafting blog" or a "health blog". Especially since I plan on crapping it up with my day-to-day stuff!

Thanks!