I have to vent about gossip in general. While dance instruction can be cutthroat at times, I really do not like hearing other teachers bashed, even if names aren't named. I have heard things all the way from simply calling a teacher mean or incompetent, to accusing judges of rigging competitions, to telling horrific stories of widespread corruption and abuse... that in most cases I can tell are false.

And if I tell the truth as I see it, my experience as someone who knows how competitions are planned and may even know some of the accused teachers and judges as decent, fair, and professional people, not to mention what's discussed when teachers and judges hang out (and no, it's not currying favor for our students), is dismissed. But then, I get my knowledge on the subject from direct observation and experience, rather than hearsay and speculation, so what possibly could I know about anything?

(Yes, I'm being sarcastic. Bronchitis on top of other irritations tends to do that to me.)

Also, it makes me wonder what's being said about me behind my back.