Anchorite

Who uses it: Religious historians and theologians
What it means: A man or woman (anchoress) who withdraws from the world in order to pursue a higher level of religious contemplation. In medieval times, anchorites who couldn't make it out to the wilderness would sometimes be walled into small cells within a church or monastery, with only small windows to let the anchorite watch the Mass and receive food.
How you can use it: When retreating to solitude.

I'm back in Maine this morning, just for a couple of days. I'd originally planned to stay in New York until later this week, but what's the point of being single at 40 if you can't please yourself? My friends were busy, and having a car in New York is inconvenient and expensive, as the totally bogus $115 parking ticket I got yesterday proves. So I hopped in the car, turned it north, and got home a little before 11:00 last night.

Twenty-four hours was enough for a true New York experience, though. Carla, Carla's son James, Eileen and I caught a Mets game at Shea Stadium, which was great, even though the Mets lost. We walked along the Brooklyn Heights promenade by night and by day, had bagels and pizza, and even had the sonic delight of the midnight car alarm.

I'll be back in the city on Wednesday afternoon for some business commitments, but will leave the car in a suburb and take the train in.