Resolutions without resolve to keep them

On Monday, the traffic around South Coast Plaza was bad.

How bad was it, Steve?

It was so bad, some guy started collecting money for public parking right in the middle of Bear Street

It was so bad, I saw two SUVs tailgating in the center of Sunflower Avenue.

It was so bad, I ran out of gas waiting for a parking spot -- and I started with a full tank.

There are two ways to analyze the heavy crowds on the day after Christmas. One is to believe that things are good and people are shopping because they can’t get their fill

The other school of thought is that heavy post-Christmas shopping is just the bargain hunters and that more of them mean times are not as good as we think.

It’s hard to believe that times aren’t good, not when there was a line of about 30 people waiting to get into the Louis Vuitton store at South Coast Plaza and not when the Cheesecake Factory in Fashion Island also had a line of about 30 people waiting for a table.

In either case, the people waiting in line were not bargain hunters.

According to the recent economic report from Chapman University, the county should be doing OK next year. Not good, not bad, just OK. It was a status quo prediction. Much of what really happens is not up to the master plan or the string-pullers who make things happen, much of our success next year will be up to you and me.

Chapman reported that small businesses would grow. Not a surprise here as it fits in nicely with the repeated call for more education at the high school level on how to start and grow your own business, rather than just teach kids how to work for someone else.

The week between Christmas and New Year’s Eve is always weird. Many of us are in cruising mode, just waiting for the new year to roll around so we can get some real work done.

For others, those with year-end deadlines for tax deductions or budget spending, this is a very busy week, which will culminate in a huge party at the fairgrounds on Saturday night.

The highlight of that New Year’s Eve bash will be watching an orange ball slide to the ground from way up high, while the crowd counts down to the new year. Yes, it’s so New York, but give credit to the celebration’s producers for having the courage to put on the show in the first place.

They are taking a risk and in business, risk-takers are heroes.

So, the new year is approaching and with it comes the chance to make some resolutions we’ll never follow. I have some of my own:

First, I resolve to never, ever begin a three-week home improvement project two weeks before the arrival of relatives at Christmas. To all those with whom I was unusually short over the past month, I apologize.

Second, I resolve to stop beating up the board of trustees of the Newport-Mesa Unified School District and start reporting more of their significant successes, whatever they may be. And, no, beating a discrimination rap at TeWinkle Middle School is not the type of success to which I was referring.

The type of success would be big increases in test scores and overall performance in the schools on the Westside of Costa Mesa, or as we used to call it, “No man’s land.” We called it that because no one was man enough to tackle their challenges.

So when schools such as Whittier, Rea, Pomona or Wilson show some meaningful, consistent improvement, let me know. When there is a high school curriculum for kids who can’t, won’t or should not go to college, let me know

Third, I resolve to continue harping on the actions of the Costa Mesa City Council, simply because they are providing too many good opportunities.

This group of five is the Dan Quayle of city councils. On one hand, it pains you as a commentator to see them in office, but on the other hand, they provide so much good material.

Ah, what is a grenade-thrower to do?

Fourth, I resolve to submit a new design for the proposed Newport Beach city hall, even though I haven’t had a minute of experience as an architect. My design is likely to have nice retail stores surrounding the city offices.

Not only would that generate rental income, it would be one sure way to get people to visit city hall, particularly around Christmas.

* 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 dailypilot@latimes.com.

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