We took a lot of odd jobs in our university years, collecting extra cash for any number of freaky, cool college-y things like parties, women, and beer (OK, it was mostly so we could buy comic books).

One such occupation was working as a typist for NPR online chats. Y'see, back in the ancient days of 1998, the whole 'computer' thing was kind of new and a lot of people just didn't type all that well. Or simply didn't feel comfortable in front of a computer screen.

So, if the Car Guys (O score 5, I score 0) or whoever were hosting a chat, it was our job to type for them. How did we get this fine financial opportunity? Apparently, the previous week's guest was Beck and the typist was so bad everyone who attended the chat thought he was stoned.

Which, honestly, wasn't so far out of the ream of possibility was it? To be clear, even if the typing was perfect — quick, clear, concise — the idea that Beck might be stoned while conducting a chat on NPR seems pretty possible. Even likely. In fact, wouldn't you be more concerned as a Beck fan if he was stone cold sober?

In any case, we miss that old NPR job. Standing in as the online "voice" of C-list celebrities was a heck of a lot more fun than, say, answering phones for a reinsurance company, typing in the case notes for a psychiatrist or (gasp!) writing pharmaceutical advertising.