CSA Travel Protection offers these stress-reducing tips for anxious travelers whose American and Delta flights were canceled at the last minute.

1. Hound your CPA to finish up your tax return so you can get your refund earlier.
2. Create intriguing, soap opera-like background stories for other waiting passengers.
3. Play the “count the Starbucks in the terminal” game.
4. Count how many times in one hour the “do not leave your bags unattended” announcement.
5. Count how many people you can get to smile back at you.
6. Check the payphones and vending machines for change.
7. Count - and admire - bad ties.
8. Hog all power outlets by charging your phone, laptop and iPod at the same time.
9. Buy $15 margaritas and $10 sandwiches for all your “new friends”.
10. Return all the unclaimed smart carts.

And here are a few from Hit the road, Jack
1. Start a community library with your fellow stranded travelers by pooling your ‘like new’ newspapers and magazines and paperbacks. Reading is fundamental. And a great time killer.
2. Now’s the time to start keeping the journal you’ve always said you never had time to write. Time’s not a-wastin’ now!
3. Escape the airport and explore the city you’re unexpectedly destined to be in for however long. You have no excuse, especially if there’s public transportation.
4. Clean out your purse.
5. Buy a deck of cards and play poker or go fish with strangers. Or not.
6. Form theater troupes with the passengers from different stranded flights. A scene from “Lost” would be very appropro, yes? No?
7. OK, maybe charades? A round a trivia? A round of drinks? OK, just go back to your book and read.