Liverpool's year as European Capital of Culture will be upon us before we know it.
After what seems like an eternity of planning, debate, discussion and controversy, we are on the verge of our date with destiny, and frankly, about time too.

It is in the nature of planning any great event that the work tends to expand to fill however much time you have to do it in, and I'm pretty sure that if we had had fifteen years instead of four and a half to prepare for 2008, we would still be in the state of frantic last minute preparation that we find ourselves in today.
I was in the auditorium at Liverpool's splendid Fact Centre on Thursday to hear the presentations from the Countdown Group on the impressive preparations that have been made for 2008, and the importance of every one of us playing our part in making the city hugely welcoming for visitors.
It was a thought-provoking, and at times inspiring morning, reaffirming my own belief that we are on the brink of a major triumph.
But there are some caveats. Rod Holmes, the redoubtable driving force of the Grosvenor Project, spoke from the stage of having to negotiate broken pavements and pools of vomit on his walk to the Fact Centre. Regrettably I had exactly the same experience on my walk to the venue.
Last weekend a national arts critic without the brains he was born with sought to lambast the city for the second time in recent months for the rebuilding work that is going on here. He was here to review the Turner Prize entries at the Tate Liverpool, but took the opportunity to return to his favourite, utterly unfair hobby horse.
We can't help the building work. It must be presented to the world in its true light, as a symbol of our regeneration and growth, of a city building a bright new future, something which is being addressed imaginatively and positively by the programme to dress our building sites with "City in Transition" artwork.
But the physical state of our roads and walkways remains a major worry. It is a truism that you only get one chance to make a first impression. If visitors to Liverpool next year encounter filthy pavements, it will marr their experience however magnificent the events and exhibitions they attend might be.
These details are hugely important to get right. The local authorities - all of them, not just Liverpool - have to be at the very top of their game in terms of keeping the city region clean, tidy and in good repair.
But the buck doesn't stop with them. We must all do our bit to keep our environment clean and civilised. It shouldn't be a special initiative for 2008. It should be second nature for all of us.
Unfortunately there are those who find it perfectly socially acceptable to drop litter wherever they stand. It can be difficult to confront this kind of ignorance without ending up in an unpleasant and potentially violent argument, but we must try where we can.
Next year represents a huge opportunity for the Liverpool city region. We all have to help ensure that we are in a position to exploit it to the full.

• Post to:
•  del.icio.us
•  Digg
•  Newsvine
•  Nowpublic
•  Reddit