A friend once told me about a children’s book that talked about “spreading the red” which meant you would pass your anger or hurt on to others by your foul behavior until everyone else is feeling as crummy as you do. I can’t seem to find the title online to cite it properly, but I have been thinking about that book a lot lately.

While I know I made the right decision to close my business, I am still very upset and frustrated that the CPSIA forced me to choose. I see other companies, either online or in person, seemingly unfazed by the law and I wonder what that person is able to do that I wasn’t?

I realize that some people are unaware of the law and therefore are just doing business as usual. (Although the CPSC has said in no uncertain terms that “ignorance of the law is no excuse.”) Others are aware of it, but don’t think it affects them, even though it does. While still others are aware of it, know that it impacts them, and continue to go about their day as normal.

Throughout my own ordeal and even after closing my business, I have done what I can to educate business owners and consumers about the CPSIA and its impact in the hopes that we can affect change. There are days, however, when I get tired of explaining, when I get tired of advocating.

Even worse, on the days where I am feeling angry about this legislation and Congress’ unwillingness to change it, educating a local business about the CPSIA feels more like spreading the red than it does doing someone a service. It feels like trying to take someone else’s business down with my own even though all I’m doing is providing them with relevant information.

So instead of continuing to feel like I’m spreading the CPSIA red, I have taken yet another step back. I now tell people some details about the law only if relevant to the conversation. Then, instead of trying to explain it all in that exchange, I let them know about the What is the CPSIA? website so they can research additional information. It has been a happy medium between emotion and education.

So, what situations have you faced lately that have felt more like “spreading the red” than helping someone learn more about how to keep their business safe from this law?

It’s official. Inez Tenenbaum has been approved as the Chairman of the CPSC. Her confirmation hearing was the first that I have watched and all I could think was that ‘if only job interviews in our world were that cushy.’ I realize that this is how they typically operate these hearings, but was still quite surprised that so few at least feigned asking some hard-hitting questions. By no means was Senator Boxer’s “you’ll put the children first, right” in that vein and instead, made my blood pressure rise.

I have decided, however, like so many others fighting this fight, to see this as a positive first step. I am hopeful that the changes we need will come in enough time for businesses to comply without undue burden.

So, welcome Ms. Tenenbaum, to the CPSIA family dinner. We’ve put another lead-free wood leaf in the table so that you can join us. I imagine you’ll find it as raucous and drama-filled as you’d find with most large families and hope that you’ll bring some peace and calm to the chaos.

I have been calling various Senators and Representatives regarding the CPSIA, but it wasn’t until today that I met with anyone in person. Leading up to this meeting, I kept thinking how will I address such a complex topic, what will I ask of the staff member, and how will I feel as I try to compose myself in front a stranger unfamiliar with the topic?

After some deliberation, I decided to keep it simple and didn’t bring any materials with me. I felt passing pieces of paper back and forth would make it too clinical in nature and I wanted to forge a connection. Not only that, but I knew I would follow-up with an email after the meeting and it was there that I could provide the necessary links to the information that so many have worked hard to provide.

So I hopped into the car and followed the driving directions only to be a little perplexed when I turned into the business office complex next to a mall that I frequent. Having never needed to know the address of the mall (I mean, who does?) it didn’t register that the building was right next door. On the same lot, actually.

What I found is that walking into an office building is much less daunting than walking into a typical government building. It was quite the normal scene. I signed in and sat in a waiting room just as I would the dentist.

The Congressional Aide and I met in, what I’m assuming to be Representative Honda’s office (because of the pictures), and we chatted. He was serious. So was I. I tried to add some levity to the conversation, but I’m not sure that it worked.

As we discussed the CPSIA I was reminded how no matter how well you explain the impact of the law there is always that one point you forget to mention, that one argument you should have made in the hopes that people will believe you, that will compel people to assist you.

I told him about handmade goods, books, ATVs, apparel, toys - and I thought his head might explode, but it didn’t. The Aide, instead, listened attentively, took notes, and asked pointed questions - the most important one: What do you think needs to be changed and what would you recommend? It’s a checklist I know all too well and one that I enumerated in my letter to Representative Dingell. I also asked that he look at Rep Barton’s HR 1815 and either co-sponsor it or look to create a another bill.

There wasn’t too much more to discuss outside of “what now?” which he explained would entail talking to his colleague in D.C. to see what more they can learn and then determine what the best next steps are. I let him know that this was a bi-partisan bill, yet it appeared partisan politics was playing a large part in our inability to get this bill amended. I reminded him that if the rallying cry truly is “for the safety of our children” then people need to take off the party blinders and take a hard look at this issue.

And with that, the meeting was over and I walked out of the building into a sunny and fairly hot California day. As usual, everyone else was going about their business while I was left wondering when this madness will end.

Recently a bunch of us on Twitter were discussing possible slogans for a future line of apparel dedicated soley to educating people about this <insert your choice bad word here> law.

Here are some of the ideas:

• I’m with stupid and arrow pointing to pic of Capitol Building
• I am CPSIA compliant and all I got was this stupid t-shirt & a huge bill
• I look much more compliant with XRF goggles
• My third party is an XRF machine
• CPSIA Badass

What would your slogan be?

More and more blog posts are coming out about the impact of CPSIA and a post today by Dave Moulton, a former bicycle frame builder, made me chuckle about how small the world really is. While I don’t know him personally, I do know his beautiful custom work from way back when. (This is one of those true “long story” stories so I will spare you the details.)

When I think about it, I realize the CPSIA attacks everything I know and love: my (former) business, books, bicycles, and more.

I’m ready for it to be over but unfortunately don’t see an end in sight. Do you?