For over 40 days, congressional deadlock has left Transportation Security Administration (TSA) workers unpaid. With nearly 12% of agents absent, long queues now dominate US airports.

So, what to do while waiting? Sign up for TSA PreCheck and save yourself from endless lines. The process is straightforward but can take weeks; the fee of $80 gets you expedited boarding for five years.

Boredom has never been more welcome. Dive into WIRED’s latest issues or podcasts, from the technological battlegrounds in The War Machine to the dark corners explored by Flesh and Code.

For the tech-averse, consider a digital ski adventure with Grand Mountain Adventure 2. If that’s too lively, perhaps some deep breathing exercises or even meditation might soothe your nerves.

The ultimate challenge: finally solve that Rubik's Cube. Or ponder the inefficiency of airport lines as modern crowd-science studies suggest more efficient methods could be implemented.