We’ve developed a whole new subculture here, based on the typing course called Typetopia. Simon’s sister Neva was the one doing the course. It took her 42 days to finish and do the end exam. By now, she touch-types with a speed of 147 characters per minute and a neatness score of 7 (6 being the minimum). Simon found it fascinating to follow along, both because of the thrilling scifi-comic-book-like story that forms the backdrop for the course and because he liked to observe Neva learn the finger positions and practice her touch-typing speed and neatness. Simon even came up with a formula to calculate her character-per-minute improvement (see photo below). Neva was actually crying after she passed the exam and got her diploma, because she didn’t want the course to end. The Typetopia characters (not the characters-per-minute but the fictional characters from the scifi story) live on among us, constantly popping up in our conversations. The color purple now seems forever associated with the course’s villain Aphasia and the music Neva and Simon turned on to help Neva type more rhythmically has become the Typetopia music. We might even revive the whole routine this June, when I’m expected to take the course as well, terribly mocked for my slow typing.
Geeks out of the box 