HAT'S off to anyone who started their New Year resolutions on January 1.

It takes a lot of willpower to attempt to be the best version of yourself when there's steak pie to be had and Ne'erday bottles doing the rounds.

Besides, Christmas officially finished on Twelfth Night - Saturday.

So, by my reckoning Veganuary - where you become vegan for the month of January - and Dry January - off the booze for the same period - should really start on January 5 to give people a fighting chance of getting through it in one piece.

January can be a bleak month so why make it tougher than it has to be.

My attempts at self-improvement begin today.

I reached a seasonal low by eating Christmas pudding and broccoli for dinner on Friday night due to a lack of anything more appropriate in the fridge.

The night before I had roast potatoes for four people - I'm trying to clear out any unhealthy foods and I hate waste - along with three Yorkshire puddings, an entire tub of bread sauce and four different types of cream straight out of the tub.

And so, predictably, the healthy eating starts today.

More by accident than design. I've had no alcohol since the clocks chimed 2019 so I might have a shot at Dry January.

Having been previously scornful of the notion, I've read lots about how good it is for you so no harm in trying.

I'd like to learn some more British Sign Language, be able to do the splits again and write a short story.

I've never made a New Year's Resolution I could stick to so I look forward to my annual sense of self-loathing and despondency at my failures come December this year.

With the clean sheet and the fresh optimism of a new year, what do we want as a city?

It would be a wonderful start to 2019 if our equal pay women received fair and respectful settlements.

Negotiations seem to be moving in the right direction but what a thing to clear off the To Do list for 2019 - it's so long overdue.

Perhaps politicians could resolve to cease their petty bickering on Twitter.

Yes, at times it's amusing and gives useful insights in to the characters of those involved but really, childish sniping on social media isn't really what we're after from elected representatives.

Some decorum for 2019, maybe?

More radical transport policies for the benefits of commuters and the environment is a worthy goal.

The Low Emissions Zone is a start but a slow one - Glasgow could be doing so much more with it.

As we move forward with banning cars from around George Square and charging drivers to park at their city centre offices could FirstGlasgow take a look at its bus fares and see about making them fairer and better value for money?

And while we're on about traffic, could city drivers resolve to stop parking in cycle lanes.

Hate cyclists if you like, but there's no moral high ground in complaining about all the things cyclists do wrong - cycle on the pavement, jump red lights, sail through pedestrian crossings - if you're driving like a lawless bandit.

For the campaigners in Pollokshields, cracking down on sales and use of fireworks would be a worthy goal for the city and at a national level.

We can't see more scenes like those that devastated the area last year.

There should be no limits to Glasgow's ambitions for 2019 - Happy New Year.