GET 'EM OFF was the headline The Sun tactfully decided to run with during this week's sexism in football 'scandal'. Their front page featured a large photograph of Sian Massey at a party wearing a mini skirt and a vest. Granted, they did include a photo of her in lineswoman kit, but it was small and shoved into the corner of the article. The sacking/resignation/whatever you want to call it of Andy Gray and Richard Keys was, probably, the right thing to do.

However, I'm left wondering if the decision to get rid of the pair was the initial decision of Sky, or whether the onslaught of press and media coverage caused the company to throw their hands up and give in. After all, a black mark is a black mark and it's not like they'd keep sexist pigs on in the job even if the press didn't run with it, right? They'd get rid of them straight away for inappropriate behaviour, right? Right?

"Charlotte, could you tuck this down here for me?" "Wendy Toms, she was fucking hopeless as well." "You could play for many years and not score a goal like (Marieanne) Spacey".

The latter followed by Gray's hysterical laughter during the 1998 Women's FA Cup Final, Key's eventually saying "I'm afraid Andy and I have to go at this point, there's no point trying to go on." Apparently all of that can be branded 'unacceptable' and yet the pair stay in their jobs earning a reputed £1.2 million each.

Has their departure from Sky come because of the whole Murdoch takeover debacle? I would guess Sky don't want to be seen as 'sexist' when there is an EU comissioned £12 billion deal at stake. I whole-heartedly disagree with the takeover, agreeing that Murdoch and News Corp. will have too much power. Apparently it's disgraceful to have two sexist pundits at the heart of their sports presenting team, but it's okay for The (News Corp. owned) Sun to run with the tacky and not at all questionable 'get 'em off' headline. What are Sky afraid of? Sexism and objectification runs rife with The Sun anyway with their headlines and Page 3 girls. Something is very wrong here. It seems News Corp. doesn't have a problem with it.

I think we can all agree that the fiasco has done more harm than good to the representation of women in football. Those on the side of The Sun (an alarming majority) and Keys and Gray are seeing a woman as the cause of a 'pointless' scandal that must be, of course, the woman's fault. I don't think women will ever win the argument that they have a place in football that is as fair as the men.

Oh well, I suppose this way we can focus on running countries like Australia, fighting for democracy in Burma and winning Oscars for Best Director instead of thinking about an "institutionally sexist old boy's club".

I feel like I should blog but quite frankly nothing particularly fascinating is happening at the moment. This is, apparently, the bad part of being on a gap year. People are all at university and people who aren't are off in different countries, or are about to leave. I turned 19 though, which was cool.

I saw The King's Speech and it was brilliant. As someone who enjoys intergalactic space battles and car crashes and explosions and gun fights I was engaged throughout and the plot didn't lag at all. Colin Firth will win Best Actor or there is something very wrong with the world.

I have an interview at University College Falmouth on the 21st of February but no word from anywhere else. I will not panic. I will not panic.

I'm finding it difficult to apply myself at the moment and I really don't have time to faff about. I guess I'm just a bit worried and can't think ahead to anything. Bah. Unhelpful things are unhelpful.

Evening all. Guess what? I turn 19 tomorrow. The last of the teen years.

The following is a list of all the good things that have happened to me as an 18 year old:

- Buying actual drinks in an actual bar.

- Using my debit card (ooh, how adult).

- The revelation that was Matt Smith.

- No more Paradise Lost.

- No more Deantaur/PAPA DEAN/"Is that a can of coke?!" (Is this a bad thing? I miss it!)

- No more freakin' Drama.

- No more school!

- Prom.

- Corfu.

- Spain winning the World Cup.

- Sarah Jane preview with bonus Lis Sladen and Katy Manning (plus Bonus!Reece).

- Psychoville preview with bonus (real life) REECE SHEARSMITH.

- The university tours.

- Getting a job.

- Passing my A Levels.

- My new MacBook Pro (♥)

- Gap Year general lulz.

- These are the things that spring to mind, frankly there is a LOT.

BRING ON BEING 19.

On Thursday night I found myself back in our old school hall. It was, it has to be said, a little unusual to go back after that many months, not half because I think it became clear very early on who had changed and who hadn't. The first thing that became apparent was the awkwardness. It was like walking back into Havana for Prom, where at the beginning everyone just stood in the doorway and didn't seem particularly enthused with the idea that we had to all talk to each other.

As if we'd just come in for a CED Day, everyone sat instinctively around tables with the people they'd been with throughout their school days. There wasn't much "oh hey, come over here, what have you been doing?", more "wow, her arse got fat".

When they started reading out who was studying what, it also became obvious that our school had produced a obviously odd ratio of those doing scientific subjects to those doing English/literature based subjects. Neuroscience, Physics, Mathematics, Anthropology, Geography etc. were all choices that seemed to be announced with every other person. In a room of about 60% of our year, I was the only aspiring journalist. There were two people doing teaching. Laura was the only one doing Television Production. Writing as a whole was not a popular choice.

Perhaps this is because people believe there are no opportunities for those doing what my mother refers to as 'hippy subjects' like English. It's well known that scientists and mathematicians are needed in our current society. Do people really think there is no point doing something that has no guarantee of a job? Isn't that true of anything?

I've heard the phrase "don't study something you love, study something that will get you a job".

I disagree. When we chose our A Level subjects, I chose classes that I enjoyed, and that I knew I'd have fun doing. And I did. I got good grades. I don't want to spend my time forced into subjects and jobs that do not inspire or interest me. I suppose we can't afford to pick and choose, but I'd like to think that somehow I'll be able to have a career that I love.

Happy New Year. I know, I know, shoot me. I'm late. Sorry and all that.

So right now, I'm listening to Eurythmics and planning out the rest of my week. It's getting busy, let me tell you. I might have Saturday off work though (I'm not sure) because the boss rang and seemed to indicate if I covered for her on Thursday I won't have to do Saturday. Which means I don't get to see Daniella for another week, which is a bummer, but I shall survive.

Has everyone made their resolutions? Has anyone broken their resolutions? My resolution, well, my main resolution, for this year is: BE BRAVE. I think it's time to stop freaking out about everything and embrace life a little more freely. I'll also be attempting to read more than two books every month this year, and get back to the gym on a regular basis. This year is going to be go go go without much room for slacking off.

Time for change, methinks.