Originally posted in my blog, LIVE! And In Color, 8/11/07:

Last night we went with friends to DC to the Bureau of Printing and Engraving.  It's where they print money.  No, they don't give out free samples.  However, you can go to the gift shop and buy shredded reject money as a souvenir.  Apparently it takes money to make money.  Ha. 

 So, we got to walk through and look down on the people running the machines that print the money.  No pictures allowed or a Federal Security Officer would confiscate your camera.  We were also told not to touch the ceiling because alarms would go off and the tour would end.  I have never in my life had any temptation to touch a ceiling.  Until last night.  I kept thinking about it the entire tour.  It was a low ceiling.  I'm short, I can't usually reach the ceiling.  This one was <em>right there!</em>  I never would have noticed.  But they just <em>had </em>to mention it, didn't they?  Why did my arms itch to reach up?  There was nothing remarkable about the ceiling.  It was white. It was low. I was forbidden to touch it.

Anyway. . . on with the tour.  "Paper. . . machine. . .ink. . .thousands. . ." rambles the tour guide.  I'm thinking, "Cool, I didn't know that. . .(CEILING!) . . . how interesting. . .(CEILING!) . . . lotsa ten dollar bills . . . (CEILING!!!!!!!!!!!!). . ."