#and getting started takes like 15 minutes bc first chrome has to

[wewontbesleeping]

btw the hardest part of my classes is trying to do it on a laptop from 2012 lol

[theghostofashton]

1, 15, 16, 23, 25 :)

this took absolutely forever i am so sorry. but i’d also like to note that i’ve started answering this two (2) separate times, and both times, chrome has crashed on me. karma? probably.

1. Where do you typically get your ideas?

at the risk of sounding overdone, everywhere. i feel like i just think in stories, at this point. i love people watching. i find myself crafting stories around random strangers way more often than i like.

i also am really selfish/picky, and that has me writing things i want to see in canon, or wish were canon. i write arthur as painfully insecure w this tough exterior because i’ve found so many moments throughout the show where he looks to merlin or gwen (or even uther/agravaine) for reassurance that what he’s doing is right. the boy has no confidence in himself. i ran with it. it’s a small detail, but it gripped me.

as for bandom stuff....it’s kinda the same. i watch a lot of interviews. i look for mannerisms, offhanded comments, facial expressions, etc, and take them hella out of context until they become stories.

i write so many AUs because it’s just easier to write all the stories i want with already developed characters. a line, or a concept, will pop into my head, and before you know it, it’s a full-on story.

15. How do you write a really good metaphor?

y’all will hate me lmfao but i really don’t know.

what i can tell you, is that i try and think of it as less like coming up with a metaphor, and more like awsten’s said before: having a feeling i want to express, and trying to figure out the most unique way to do it. usually, that includes a comparison to something people have typically experienced in order to convey the depth of the emotion.

i also use a lot of rhyme and try to build metaphors around things that sound more lyrical. rhymezone is my favorite place and i’m there far, far too often.

16. What is your best piece of advice for writing angst scenes?

SUBTLETY. most of the time, what hits (hurts) the hardest, are the tiny details. you don’t need to have these super tragic, dark scenes to write angst (altho i am too big of a fan of those lmfao). the details you put into the scene, the things the characters don’t say (internal monologues, action, any kind of bodily movement) are honestly the most important. you’re trying to set a scene. you want to completely capture the reader’s attention. bring them all in, make sure they’re gripped and they care about these characters and their pain. that’s established through the little details.

for example (tdiu spoiler), the reason jack’s suicide attempt hurt so badly, was because y’all saw him make all those flippant comments about not caring about himself. y’all watched him ignore his problems, and compartmentalize, and try to deflect. it happened for the entire first story, and about half the second, and i did that on purpose. this twist......it’s been coming since the beginning. i needed to establish all the details in jack’s story in order to execute it as powerfully as possible. 

23. How do you balance your characters in an ensemble story?

honestly, i really struggle with it. i only have three plotlines revolving at once in tdiu, at all times, and sometimes even that gets to be a lot. i spend a lot of time planning out how i’m going to weave things together and tie everything up. i start with what i want to happen, like, the end goal, and then work up to it.

using tdiu as an example again, i first wrote down that i wanted jack to attempt suicide. and then i wanted to make sure i led up to it so it wouldn’t feel randomly “thrown” in there, and that involved structuring scenes a certain way in order to drop hints. i think that applies in general. making sure you plan out big plot things, and dedicate enough time to every character.

i try to revolve my storylines, so no couple gets too much screen time - i’m not always good at it - and think of what’s truly realistic as a plot. i don’t wanna fuck shit up for kellin and vic just bc they haven’t had attention in a minute. i put brendon through enough in the first story. he doesn’t need something else big happening to him. it’s all just a lot of planning to see what works best.

25. How do you create an original character?

here’s a lil secret: lucas, raven, quinn, and jordan all started off as sims (let me know if y’all wanna see their simselves and i’ll post that!). i think what really worked for me, with them, was creating them and then playing out their lives (literally), and being able to get a “sense” of how they interacted with the world. i think that’s most important. i can’t tell you how to come up with an idea, but i can say that you need to get really into their life, in order to write them well. i spent about two years on lucas, before i wrote him into anything. that’s why he’s so developed. take the time to learn about your characters. let them become your friends lmfao

this was so long. i ramble way too much, wow, i’m so sorry. i hope it was helpful regardless!

[adrenalineguide]

Kia Niro EV SX Touring: To EV or Not to EV

Words and Pics By Michael Hozjan

As I write this, the Quebec Government decreed to ban the sale of gas powered cars by 2035. While I love electric vehicles, I don’t like being told what I can and cannot buy.

The population is surprisingly quickly embracing Electric Vehicles. For the first quarter of this year EVs accounted for 3.8% of light vehicles sold in Canada, up from 3% in 2019 and 2% in 2018. I’ve seen three of my friends make the switch. All of them reside in Quebec where the provincial EV subsidy is the highest in Canada - $8,000, combined with the $5,000 federal subsidy and the EVs are starting to look mighty attractive. Ontario’s premier, Doug Ford pulled a Donald Trump move and axed the rebate leaving BC as the only other province with a subsidy program.

Happily the selection of EVs is growing, and includes some major players, most noticeably the Tesla, Chevrolet’s Bolt, Hyundai’s Kona EV and Nissan’s Leaf. Not to be left out is a vehicle I’ve been waiting to get my hands on for a while – the Kia Niro EV. Having driven and fallen in love with the hybrid rendition I was curious to see how the EV would to stack up. The hybrid hits the mark in all the right spots; it’s a smartly styled practical wagon with ample cargo and people room with creature comforts, is reasonably priced and of course there’s Kia’s warranty. Pre-rebate pricing for the Niro EV starts at $46,905 for the base EX model and jumps to $56,405 for the SX Touring, more on this later.  

Thankfully the EV takes nothing away from the hybrid other than the gas powerplant. Go power is supplied by a single electric motor generating 201 horses and 291 lb-ft of torque, propelling the front wheels through a single speed reduction gear transmission. It’ll send the wagon down the road from 0 to 100 kph in just under seven seconds. That’s Veloster Turbo and Civic Si territory kiddies! Now you know why I like EVs.

Trims

Typically Kia, even the entry-level EX comes well equipped with heated side mirrors, automatic headlights, a 7-inch digital driver display, electronic stability control and a rear-view camera. Upgrading to the EX Premium adds an 8-way power driver’s seat, heated front buckets and rear bench, a power sunroof, wireless charging, a larger 10.25” display, premium Harmon Kardon sound system, smart cruise, LED headlights, chrome trim plus a slew of driving aides. To say your getting your dollar’s worth would be an understatement.

Above and below: The 10.25 inch screen is full of helpful info including distance to the nearest charging station. 

On the Road

I’ve already mentioned the Niro EV’s quick acceleration times, but, as Bogart would say, “Don’t amount to a hill of beans” if you can’t put it on the ground, and the Niro does just that. There’s a well-balanced, solid feel, it’s nimble around town yet takes to the lakeside twisties with complete composure. The batteries and the low position of the electric motor means a lower center of gravity, which translates to better handling.  The regenerative braking isn’t overpowering so you don’t feel like you’re being pulled back when you step on the binders.

You can actually modulate the brake regeneration through the steering wheel paddles. There are three levels with Level 3 slowing you down and recharging hard enough when you let off the pedal that you rarely have to use the brake. It takes some getting used to and I suspect the novelty will wear off quickly.  

The Greenhouse

The attractive blue pin striping that we find on the Niro’s lower front grille draws you inside with blue piping on the seats.  Those seats are comfortable while holding you firmly in place. Compared to my buddy’s Tesla Model 3 the Niro is quieter.  The dash and controls are well laid out and the interior is a mix of soft touch plastic and shiny black piano plastic. It all works together to give the dash a clean uncluttered appearance. 

There’s a heat pump to prevent range loss when you’ve got the heat turned up and a driver only climate control button to save on heat, which I noticed only after I lost heat in the cabin for about ten minutes. 

There’s a generous amount of head and legroom for front seat occupants and while the adults in the back may enjoy the headroom thanks to the wagon’s roof, but a raised floor to compensate for the battery makes foot/legroom best left to the kiddies.  Cargo space with the rear bench up beats the Tesla Model 3 (18.5 cu.ft. to 15 cu.ft.) fold the back seat flat and cargo room blows to 53 cu.ft.

Above: Kia smartly put the recharge plug in the front of the vehicle allowing easy access to all types of stations.

The all-important Charge Times

The Niro shares its 64.0 kWh Lithium Ion Polymer battery pack with its corporate cousin, the Kona EV and sibling Soul EV. It beats the Nissan Leaf’s and Tesla Model 3’s for bragging rights of 385 km range when fully charged. The battery can be recharged using either a 120-volt or 240-volt connection, but the two connections offer drastically different charge times. On a 240-volt connection, the car can be recharged in about nine hours. You’ll need to equip your castle with a 240V outlet. I had no such luck, reverting to the 120-volt trickle charge meant waiting days to get it back to full charge. (See photos)

Petro Canada saw the writing on the wall a couple of years back and had the foresight to install Level 3 fast chargers. They can be found along the 401 in the Montreal - Toronto corridor and the Niro has an in dash direction finder to your nearest charging station. While I didn’t get the opportunity to test them, the owner of my local Petro Canada and host to several Adrenaline Klassic Kar Shows, in Les Cedres, Quebec tells me that the battery should be fully charged in about 20 minutes, or the time it takes to sit down for a fast food meal.

Quebecers also have the option of the 3,000 plus public charging stations of the Circuit Electric (Electric Circuit) infrastructure network that’s scattered around the province. A free mobile app helps locating them. But buyer be ware, if you’re not a member the costs can add up rather quickly. Similarly the U.S. has ChargePoint Level 2 charging stations.   Like gas pump prices, the cost of charging can vary between different EV charging stations and networks.

Conclusion:

While EVs are a lot better than what they were just a few years ago, their biggest hick up remains fast charging times. I can not see myself stopping repeatedly for 20 to 30 minutes on my way to Detroit or New York and back. Hence my preference for the internal combustion engine - QC government or not. On the plus side with a 385 km range on a full charge means you are good for three or four days of normal commuting before you need to fill it up.

If you’re looking to move into EVs do yourself a favor, and take a Niro EV for a spin. You’ll be surprised by the all around maturity of the Niro. Yes my tester’s price was up there, but it has all the right goodies and with provincial and federal incentives the sticker shock (no pun intended) is lessened.