While riding, I caught this self-portrait and thought it was a perfect representation of how I feel at my new school, the lone rider. I've grown used to being with my teaching buddy: walking & sitting with her during inservice days, going out to lunch, and dashing into her room whenever I have something to share or ask. But this year I'm riding solo. I confess to an intense sense of isolation and of being "the other." There is a bright side to my situation that I intend to force to the front of my conscience however, and that is the freedom of solitude... I behave less like a pack animal when I feel out of the mainstream. My goal this year is to seek less help and tap into more of the knowledge I have acquired through research and experience. Cross your fingers for me; I'm heading into uncharted territory!