Under a full moon

A few years ago, I had the privilege of taking an evening tour of the Costa Mesa police headquarters. No, smarty-pants, I had not been arrested.

During the tour, our group had a chance to see the 911 call center in action. I asked our guide if there were any days or periods that were routinely busier than others.

“Saturday nights and every full moon,” came the reply. I asked if she was serious and she replied, “Yes.”

This week has been a full moon week, not just astronomically, but emotionally and physically as well. I know you felt it too.

Earlier this week one of our two computers with cable modem would not allow the user to compose an e-mail on any of three accounts.

Earlier this week, a colleague with whom I have worked for eight years was terminated for what can only be called a serious error in judgment. His departure was followed by another veteran colleague for the same bad choices.

But here’s the topper: Yesterday, I was actually able to secure four tickets to see the new “Harry Potter” movie without having to drive to Pigsknuckle, Calif. to see it. By the time you read this, we will have seen the movie at 8 p.m. last night with tickets I bought for a Costa Mesa theater just eight hours prior.

In case you haven’t heard, the new “Potter” movie is out and may be the best one yet. So, demand is high. When I checked Fandango for availability in Newport Beach or Costa Mesa, everything was sold out.

Everything except Triangle Square, where no one goes because it’s not too crowded.

I said it before and I’ll say it again: Despite the flaws in design or management, the Edwards Cinemas there always have seats, even for the second night of a hot movie.

In a strict sense, last night was the first night of the movie. It opened at midnight Thursday, which is really Friday morning. On our way out of Fashion Island on Thursday night (which really was Thursday night because it was only 8:30 p.m.), we saw about 100 people lined up outside of Big Newport to watch the new “Potter” flick.

We were at Fashion Island to watch the dress rehearsal of the annual Fashion Island tree lighting ceremony. The tree lighting is preceded by a 30-minute show by the Kids Next Door, a group of incredibly talented students from the Orange County High School of the Arts.

Watching these kids, it occurred to me that at most schools, the athletes get the lion’s share of the attention. Even pages of this newspaper are devoted each week to the scores and stats of the local teams. There is no academic section that reports a new science project breakthrough or some other brainy achievement.

At the Orange County High School of the Arts, kids get recognized for a creative talent they have chosen to pursue at school. They are passionate about it and do well because it is their choice, not something forced on them by adults who are always supposed to know what is best for them.

Most of the time, we do know what is best for them. It’s why we teach toddlers to keep their hands off the burners on the stove, why we hold their hands while walking across the street and why we teach them that computers are really a communist plot to drive us all insane.

But in some matters, even important ones such as career goals, kids often know more than we do. They know more because they are following their hearts, unburdened by years of practical decision-making that leaves many of us too cautious.

We should be encouraging more kids to follow their hearts at a younger age. It’s really a no-lose situation. If their passion fades or doesn’t pan out, they’ll still have time to become an accountant.

Or an astronomer, so we can get to the bottom of this full moon theory once and for all.

* STEVE SMITH is a Costa Mesa resident and a freelance writer. Readers may leave a message for him on the Daily Pilot hotline at (714) 966-4664 or send story ideas to [email protected].

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