Angel

Who uses it: Theatrical directors and producers
What it means: Someone who provides funding for a play without demanding a role in the decision-making processes. A true angel is as rare in theater as it is in any other aspect of life.
How you can use it: As a contingency plan for your budget.

"Some people are saying that the Apocalypse is coming tomorrow," said Candace the postal clerk, yesterday afternoon.

"I wish it would," I said. "I have three deadlines this week." If the world were actually going to end, I could just go home and finish the book I was reading, instead of worrying about what my clients want.

"I'm holding off on paying any bills till Wednesday," she said.

"The problem with scheduling an Apocalypse for a specific date is the time zone issue," I said. "It's already 6-6-06 in Australia."

One of these days, certainly, the world as we know it will come to an end -- not with a bang but a whimper -- but I'm guessing it won't happen today. Or tomorrow. Or even next week.

And therefore, I suppose I had better get my work done.